Becoming an African Diaspora in Australia: Language, Culture, Identity

Abstract

The first decade of the 21st century witnessed the resurgence of nationalist discourses on topics such as national sovereignty and national interest across the globe. This trend seems to be intensifying, albeit in the midst of an unprecedented increase in a complex and intricately connected linguistic, cultural, religious and transnational diversity that defies traditional identity imaginings of the nation-state. The Australian Liberal Government of Prime Minister Tony Abbott that was elected on 7 September 2013 launched its business with a military-style border protection policy dubbed Operation Sovereign Borders. This policy, essentially aimed at 'protecting Australia' against perceived 'invasion' by asylum seekers arriving by boat on the country's shores, takes its cue from former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard, who once declared: 'we will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come' (Liberal Party of Australia, 2013: 4). Back in 2011 the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, defended his country's decision not to join the European Union single currency zone, arguing that such a move would hurt Britain's economic and 'national interests'. He declared that he wanted 'to make sure we get a good deal for Britain [and that] Britain would never join the euro' unless there were 'proper protections for key British interests' (David Cameron, 2011). At the level of the United Nations (UN), the long-standing debates and differences over climate change policy have consistently been stalled by self (national) interests that have tipped the balance against collective global action on this topical issue. Arguments in defence of national (economic and political) interests, as opposed to the interests of the totality of humanity and the environment, have often prevailed in guiding member states on whether to ratify major UN statutes such as the Kyoto Protocol.