Perceived discrimination in the discourse of second-wave Latin American immigrants in Brisbane | Intellect Skip to content
1981
Volume 4, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2397-7140
  • E-ISSN: 2397-7159

Abstract

Perceived discrimination (PD) in the field of discourse analysis is the study of discourse that focuses on the perspectives of the victims of discrimination, exploring what they say and how they say it. This article studies the discourse of PD of ten Latin American immigrants to Brisbane, during semi-structured, co-constructed interviews. Data were classified into a typology of discrimination that identified verbal and non-verbal forms. The analysis of these forms shows that the verbal form ‘microagressions’ dominated the discourse and that most experiences had a connection with ‘accent’ as a triggering factor. In some cases, participants were ‘new’ to discrimination and they reported confusion regarding the nature of the experience and a deep emotional weight. Other participants reported discrimination as pervasive and covert, mainly occurring in the workplace. Participants resorted to several discursive strategies when conveying their experiences: mitigation strategies when wanting to minimize it and hedging and repetition to convey urgency and pervasiveness. Metaphorical expressions relating to illness and injury were also used to express the powerful effect of discrimination on people.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/tjtm_00011_1
2020-03-01
2024-04-29
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. ABS ( 2017;), ‘ Census of population and housing: Reflecting Australia - Stories from the census, 2016. ’, abs.gov.au, 28 June, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0~2016~Main%20Features~Cultural%20Diversity%20Data%20Summary~30. Accessed 19 February 2018.
  2. Ali, Lütfiye, and Sonn, Christopher C.. ( 2009;), ‘ Multiculturalism and whiteness: Through the experiences of second-generation Cypriot Turkish. ’, The Australian Community Psychologist, 21:1, pp. 2438.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Allport, Gordon W.. ( 1979), The Nature of Prejudice, Cambridge:: Perseus Books;.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Atkinson, Jaye L., and Sloan, Robin G.. ( 2017;), ‘ Exploring the impact of age, race and stereotypes on perceptions of language performance and patronizing speech. ’, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 36:3, pp. 287305.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Becerra, Sandra,, Merino, María Eugenia, and Mellor, David. ( 2015;), ‘ Ethnic discrimination against Mapuche students in urban high schools in the Araucanía region, Chile. ’, International Education Studies, 8:10, pp. 96106.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Branscombe, Nyla R.,, Schmitt, Michael T., and Harvey, Richard D.. ( 1999;), ‘ Perceiving pervasive discrimination among African Americans: Implications for group identification and well-being. ’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77:1, pp. 13549.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Buchanana, Zachary E.,, Abu-Rayya, Hisham M.,, Kashima, Emiko,, Paxton, Susan J., and Sam, David L.. ( 2018;), ‘ Perceived discrimination, language proficiencies and adaptation: Comparisons between refugee and non-refugee immigrant youth in Australia. ’, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 63, pp. 10512.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Carr, Barry, and Minns, John. (eds) ( 2014), Australia and Latin America: Challenges and Opportunities in the New Millennium, Canberra:: ANU Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Chowdhury, Farzana Y.. ( 2019;), ‘ Language and culture maintenance among Bangladeshi migrants in Queensland, Australia. ’, Ph.D. thesis, Brisbane:: University of Queensland;.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Cohen, Robin. ( 2008), Global Diasporas: An Introduction, London:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. del Río, Victor. ( 2014;), ‘ Latinos in Australia. ’, in B. Carr, and J. Minns. (eds), Australia and Latin America: Challenges and Opportunities in the New Millennium, Canberra:: ANU Press;, pp. 167222.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Diehl, Claudia, and Liebau, Elisabeth. ( 2017), Perceptions of Discrimination: What Do They Measure and Why Do They Matter?, Berlin:: SOEP The German Socio-Economic Panel Study at DIW;.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Dijk, Teun A. van. ( 1997), Discourse Studies: A Multidisciplinary Introduction, London:: Sage;.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Dobai, Anna. ( 2018;), ‘ Everyday discrimination: The experiences of Hungarian Roma. ’, Ph.D. thesis, Dundee:: University of Dundee;.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Du Bois, William E. B.. ( 1994), The Souls of Black Folks, Mineola:: Dover Publications;.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Dumont, Jean-Christophe, and Lemaître, Georges. ( 2005;), ‘ Counting immigrants and expatriates in OECD countries: A new perspective. ’, OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers No. 25, Paris:: United Nations Secretariat;.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. du Plooy, Daniel R.,, Lyons, Anthony, and Kashima, Emiko S.. ( 2019;), ‘ Predictors of flourishing and psychological distress among migrants to Australia: A dual continuum approach. ’, Journal of Happiness Studies, 20:2, pp. 56178.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Edwards, Lisa M., and Romero, Andrea J.. ( 2008;), ‘ Coping with discrimination among Mexican descent adolescents. ’, Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 30:1, pp. 2439.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Ellis, Leslie. ( 2018;), ‘ Through a filtered lens: Unauthorized picturetaking of people with dwarfism in public spaces. ’, Disability & Society, 33:2, pp. 21837.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Essed, Philomena. ( 1991), Understanding Everyday Racism: An Interdisciplinary Theory, Newbury Park:: Sage;.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Essed, Philomena. ( 1992;), ‘ Alternative knowledge sources in explanations of racist events. ’, in M. L. McLaughlin,, M. J. Cody, and S. J. Read. (eds), Explaining One’s Self to Others: Reason-Giving in a Social Context, Hillsdale:: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates;, pp. 199224.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Every, Danielle. ( 2013;), ‘ “Shame on you”: The language, practice and consequences of shame and shaming in asylum seeker advocacy. ’, Discourse & Society, 24:6, pp. 66786.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Fairclough, Norman. ( 1995), Critical Discourse Analysis: Papers in the Critical Study of Language, Harlow:: Longman;.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Fanon, Frantz. (ed., trans.) ( 2008), Black Skin, White Masks, New York:: Grove Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Fina, Anna de, and King, Kendall A.. ( 2011;), ‘ Language problem or language conflict? Narratives of immigrant women’s experiences in the US. ’, Discourse Studies, 13:2, pp. 16388.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Finotelli, Claudia. ( 2013;), ‘ Change of paradigms? A comparison of Canadian and Spanish labour migration models. ’, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 15:4, pp. 33148.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Flanagan, Richard. ( 2018;), ‘ Foreword. ’, in B. Boochani. (ed.), No Friend but the Mountains, Sydney:: Picador;, pp. viix.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. García, Ignacio. ( 2002), Operación canguro: The Spanish Migration Scheme, 1958-1963, Sydney:: Spanish Heritage Foundation;.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Grassby, Albert J.. ( 1983), The Spanish in Australia, Melbourne:: AE Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Grimmer, Raelke. ( 2018;), ‘ Sentenced to discrimination: Language as a weapon of state. ’, Griffith Review, 61, pp. 27784.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Grosfoguel, Ramón. ( 2012;), ‘ The dilemmas of ethnic studies in the United States: Between liberal multiculturalism, identity politics, disciplinary colonization and decolonial epistemologies. ’, Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge, 10:1, pp. 110.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Grosfoguel, Ramón. ( 2016;), ‘ What is racism?. ’, Journal of World-Systems Research, 22:1, pp. 915.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Hage, Ghassan. ( 1998), White Nation: Fantasies of White Supremacy in a Multicultural Society, Sydney:: Pluto Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Hage, Ghassan. ( 2003), Against Paranoid Nationalism: Searching for Hope in a Shrinking Society, Annandale:: Pluto Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Hajek, John, and Slaughter, Yvette. (eds) ( 2014), Challenging the Monolingual Mindset, Bristol:: Multilingual Matters;.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Hehman, Jessica A.,, Corpuz, Randy, and Bugental, Daphne. ( 2012;), ‘ Patronizing speech to older adults. ’, Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 36:4, pp. 24961.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Hugo, Graeme. ( 2014;), ‘ Change and continuity in Australian international migration policy. ’, IMR International Migration Review, 48:3, pp. 86890.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Johnson, Pamela, and Indvik, Julie. ( 2006;), ‘ Sticks and stones: Verbal abuse in the workplace. ’, Journal of Organizational Culture, Communication and Conflict, 10:1, pp. 12126.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Jupp, James. ( 2002), From White Australia to Woomera: The Story of Australian Immigration, Melbourne:: Cambridge University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Kabir, Nahid A.. ( 2010), Muslims in Australia Immigration, Race Relations and Cultural History, London:: Routledge and Taylor & Francis Group;.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Kohli, Rita, and Solórzano, Daniel G.. ( 2012;), ‘ Teachers, please learn our names!: Racial microagressions and the K-12 classroom. ’, Race, Ethnicity and Education, 15:4, pp. 44162.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Kwansah-Aidoo, Kwamena, and Mapedzahama, Virginia. ( 2018;), ‘ “There is really discrimination everywhere”: Experiences and consequences of everyday racism among the new black African diaspora in Australia. ’, Australasian Review of African Studies, 39:1, pp. 81109.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Lalonde, Richard, and Cameron, James. ( 1993;), ‘ An intergroup perspective on immigrant acculturation with a focus on collective strategies. ’, International Journal of Psychology (Journal International de Psychologie), 28:1, pp. 5774.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Lee, David. ( 2001), Cognitive Linguistics: An Introduction, Melbourne:: Oxford University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Machin, David, and Mayr, Andrea. ( 2012), How to Do Critical Discourse Analysis: A Multimodal Introduction, London:: Sage;.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Martín, Mario D.. ( 2008;), ‘ Advice to speak English in Australia. ’, Ethnicities, 8:1, pp. 68101.
    [Google Scholar]
  47. McAllister, Ian, and Moore, Rhonda. ( 1991;), ‘ The development of ethnic prejudice: An analysis of Australian immigrants. ’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 14:2, pp. 12751.
    [Google Scholar]
  48. McConnochie, Keith R.,, Hollinsworth, David, and Pettman, Jan. ( 1988), Race & Racism in Australia, Wentworth Falls, NSW:: Social Science Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Mejía, Glenda. ( 2016;), ‘ Language usage and culture maintenance: A study of Spanish-speaking immigrant mothers in Australia. ’, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 37:1, pp. 2339.
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Mellor, David J.. ( 2003;), ‘ Contemporary racism in Australia: The experience of Aborigines. ’, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29:4, pp. 47486.
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Mellor, David J.. ( 2004;), ‘ Experiences of racism by Vietnamese. ’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 30:4, pp. 63158.
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Merino, María Eugenia,, Quilaqueo, Daniel, and Saiz, José Luis. ( 2008;), ‘ Una tipología del discurso de discriminación percibida en mapuches de Chile. ’, Revista Signos: Estudios de Lingüística, 41:67, pp. 27997.
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Merino, María Eugenia,, Mellor, David J.,, Saiz, José Luis, and Quilaqueo, Daniel. ( 2009;), ‘ Perceived discrimination amongst the Indigenous Mapuche people in Chile: Some comparisons with Australia. ’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 32:5, pp. 80222.
    [Google Scholar]
  54. Mughan, Anthony, and Paxton, Pamela. ( 2006;), ‘ Anti-immigrant sentiment, policy preferences and populist party voting in Australia. ’, British Journal of Political Science, 36:2, pp. 34158.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Nandlal, Joan M., and Wood, Linda A.. ( 1997;), ‘ Older people’s understandings of verbal abuse. ’, Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 9:1, pp. 1731.
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Ndhlovu, Finex. ( 2013;), ‘ “Too tall, too dark” to be Australian: Racial perceptions of post-refugee Africans. ’, Critical Race and Whiteness Studies, 9:2, pp. 117.
    [Google Scholar]
  57. Ng, Sik H.. ( 2007;), ‘ Language-based discrimination blatant and subtle forms. ’, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 26:2, pp. 10622.
    [Google Scholar]
  58. Ornelas, Iindia,, Eng, Eugenia, and Perreira, Krista. ( 2011;), ‘ Perceived barriers to opportunity and their relation to substance use among Latino immigrant men. ’, Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 34:3, pp. 18291.
    [Google Scholar]
  59. Pachter, Lee M.,, Bernstein, Bruce A.,, Szalacha, Laura A., and García Coll, Cynthia. ( 2010;), ‘ Perceived racism and discrimination in children and youths: An exploratory study. ’, Health & Social Work, 35:1, pp. 6169.
    [Google Scholar]
  60. Paradies, Yin, and Cunningham, Joan. ( 2009;), ‘ Experiences of racism among urban Indigenous Australians: Findings from the DRUID study. ’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 32:3, pp. 54873.
    [Google Scholar]
  61. Pavalko, Eliza K.,, Mossakowski, Krysia N., and Hamilton, Vanessa J.. ( 2003;), ‘ Does perceived discrimination affect health? Longitudinal relationships between work discrimination and women’s physical and emotional health. ’, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44:1, pp. 1833.
    [Google Scholar]
  62. Pérez-Garín, Daniel,, Recio, Patricia,, Magallares, Alejandro,, Molero, Fernando, and García-Ael, Cristina. ( 2018;), ‘ Perceived discrimination and emotional reactions in people with different types of disabilities: A qualitative approach. ’, The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 21:e12, pp. 111, https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/10.1017/sjp.2018.13. Accessed 1 December 2018.
    [Google Scholar]
  63. Pilger, John. ( 2014), Utopia, Australia:: John Pilger;.
    [Google Scholar]
  64. Poyatos Matas, Cristina, and CuatroNochez, Loredana. ( 2011;), ‘ Reluctant migrants: Socialization patterns among Salvadorian children. ’, in K. Potowski, and J. Rothman. (eds), Bilingual Youth: Spanish in English-Speaking Societies, Amsterdam:: John Benjamins;, pp. 30930.
    [Google Scholar]
  65. Rapley, Mark. ( 1998;), ‘ “Just an ordinary Australian”: Self-categorization and the discursive construction of facticity in “new racist” political rhetoric. ’, The British Journal of Social Psychology, 37:3, pp. 32544.
    [Google Scholar]
  66. Reisigl, Martin, and Wodak, Ruth. ( 2001), Discourse and Discrimination: Rhetorics or Racism and Antisemitism, London:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  67. Rojas-Lizana, Sol. ( 2014;), ‘ Perceived discrimination in LGBTIQ discourse from Australia: A typology of verbal discrimination. ’, PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies, 11:1, pp. 111.
    [Google Scholar]
  68. Rojas-Lizana, Sol. ( 2017;), ‘ Who is asking the questions? Using co-constructed interviews in the study of perceived discrimination from a discourse analytical perspective. ’, in R. Dwyer,, I. Davis, and E. Emerald. (eds), Narrative Research in Practice Stories from the Field, Singapore:: Springer;, pp. 15981.
    [Google Scholar]
  69. Rojas-Lizana, Sol. ( 2019), The Discourse of Perceived Discrimination: Perspectives from Contemporary Australian Society, New York:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  70. Rubino, Antonia. ( 2007;), ‘ Immigrant minorities: Australia. ’, in M. Hellinnd, and A. Pauwels. (eds), Handbook of Language and Communication: Diversity and Change, Berlin:: De Gruyter Mouton;, pp. 87122.
    [Google Scholar]
  71. Salgado, Hugo,, Haviland, Isa,, Hernández, Marcella,, Lozano, Diana,, Osoria, Ruby,, Keyes, David,, Eastern, Kang, and Zúñiga, María Luisa. ( 2014;), ‘ Perceived discrimination and religiosity as potential mediating factors between migration and depressive symptoms: A transnational study of an indigenous Mayan population. ’, Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 16:3, pp. 34047.
    [Google Scholar]
  72. Sotkasiira, Tiina, and Haverinen, Ville-Samuli. ( 2016;), ‘ Battling for citizenship. ’, Nordic Journal of Migration Research, 6:2, pp. 11523.
    [Google Scholar]
  73. Stangor, Charles,, Swim, Janet K.,, Sechrist, Gretchen B.,, Coster, Jamie de,, Allen, Katherine L. van, and Ottenbreit, Alison. ( 2003;), ‘ Ask, answer and announce: Three stages in perceiving and responding to discrimination. ’, European Review of Social Psychology, 14:1, pp. 277311.
    [Google Scholar]
  74. Stratton, Jon. ( 2006;), ‘ Two rescues, one history: Everyday racism in Australia. ’, Social Identities, 12:6, pp. 65781.
    [Google Scholar]
  75. Suppes, Alexandra,, Napier, Jaime L., and Toorn, Jojanneke van der. ( 2018;), ‘ The palliative effects of system justification on the health and happiness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. ’, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45:3, pp. 37288.
    [Google Scholar]
  76. Swann, Gregory,, Minshew, Reese,, Newcomb, Michael E., and Mustanski, Brian. ( 2016;), ‘ Validation of the sexual orientation microaggression inventory in two diverse samples of LGBTQ youth. ’, Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45:6, pp. 128998.
    [Google Scholar]
  77. Taylor, John. ( 2002), Cognitive Grammar, Oxford:: Oxford University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  78. Udah, Hyacinth. ( 2017a;), ‘ “Not by default accepted”: The African experience of othering and being othered in Australia. ’, Journal of Asian and African Studies, 53:3, pp. 384400.
    [Google Scholar]
  79. Udah, Hyacinth. ( 2017b;), ‘ Racial hierarchy and the global black experience of racism. ’, Open Journal of Social Sciences, 5:3, pp. 13748.
    [Google Scholar]
  80. Weber, Amanda,, Collins, Shelly-Ann,, Robinson-Wood, Tracy,, Zeko-Underwood, Elda, and Poindexter, Bianca. ( 2018;), ‘ Subtle and severe: Microaggressions among racially diverse sexual minorities. ’, Journal of Homosexuality, 65:4, pp. 54059.
    [Google Scholar]
  81. Wodak, Ruth. ( 2011;), ‘ Complex texts: Analysing, understanding, explaining and interpreting meanings. ’, Discourse Studies, 13:5, pp. 62333.
    [Google Scholar]
  82. Woodford, Michael R.,, Howell, Michael L.,, Kulick, Alex, and Silverschanz, Perry. ( 2013;), ‘ “That’s so gay”: Heterosexual male undergraduates and the perpetuation of sexual orientation microagressions on campus. ’, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28:2, pp. 41635.
    [Google Scholar]
  83. Rojas-Lizana, Sol. ( 2020;), ‘ Perceived discrimination in the discourse of second-wave Latin American immigrants in Brisbane. ’, Transitions: Journal of Transient Migration, 4:1, pp. 2546, doi: https://doi.org/10.1386/tjtm_00011_1
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1386/tjtm_00011_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/tjtm_00011_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error