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Racism and other forms of prejudice

For students and staff

Racism is when someone dislikes, unfairly treats, harasses or vilifies another person or group because of a difference that they believe makes themselves or their own group superior. It can be open or hidden, intentional or unintentional, conscious or unconscious.

Racism occurs when social structures and practices limit, exclude, oppress or discriminate against individuals and groups based on their race. Race can mean ethnicity, nationality, skin colour, ancestry or cultural background and practices (or sometimes religion).

Prejudice refers to a preconceived idea about a particular group, that’s not based on reason or actual experience.

Different forms of racism

This form of racism involves the beliefs, attitudes and behaviours of individuals. Individual or interpersonal racism may be obvious, but it also includes what’s referred to as casual or everyday racism. These more common incidents may not be violent or malicious, but they perpetuate negative stereotypes through jokes and offhand remarks.
Examples of individual or interpersonal racism include:
- avoiding contact with members of a target group
- ignoring, silencing and belittling individuals experiencing prejudice and racism
- offensive jokes, graffiti, emails and posters
- insults, name-calling, verbal abuse and threats
- hate crimes or violence based on skin colour, cultural group, nationality or ethnicity
- comments that perpetuate negative stereotypes.
Institutional or systemic racism lies within the laws, policies, practices, rules and procedures of organisations, societal structures and the broader community. It works to the advantage of the dominant group (or groups) and to the detriment of other groups. Institutional or systemic racism may be intentional or unintentional.
Examples of institutional or systemic racism include:
- stereotyping all members of a particular group
- failing or refusing to provide services to a particular group, or providing culturally inappropriate services
- assuming that members of a particular group would not be interested in certain positions based on stereotypes, and not offering them
- promotion, mentoring or professional development opportunities
- ignoring important cultural differences that may affect learning.
Cultural racism is the social production and reproduction of values and standards which privilege one group’s cultural heritage and identity over those of another. It views conformity to the dominant culture as normal and desirable. This bias results in people from non-dominant cultures, and their customs and practices, being viewed as unimportant, inferior, or nonexistent.
Examples of cultural racism include:
- advertising and media representing only white people
- omission of different cultural perspectives and contributions (such as those of Indigenous Australians) from academic fields of study
- an expectation that the dominant culture’s language will be used
- an expectation that people will dress like the dominant culture.
Internalised racism occurs when targeted people come to believe that the stereotypes and prejudices are valid. They may act on this belief by oppressing others in their own group, or by devaluing themselves through feelings of shame, self-hatred, isolation, powerlessness, self-doubt and despair.
Examples of internalised racism include:
- expressing rage, hatred, indignation and powerlessness towards one’s own group
- criticising and invalidating one’s own group, creating divisiveness and disunity
- attacking or criticising a member of one’s own group in a leadership role
- feeling ashamed of anything about one’s own group that differs too much from white middle-class skin colour, language, dress, music, etc.

Types of racism

There are several types of racism that affect various racialised peoples. This includes but is not limited to:

The European Network Against Racism defines afrophobia as any act of violence or discrimination (including racist speech) fuelled by historical abuses and negative stereotyping which leads to the exclusion and dehumanisation of people of African descent.
Monash University has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
We use this definition as a guide to understanding antisemitism and note the clarifications recommended by the UK Home Affairs Select Committee. This does not change our commitment to freedom of speech.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (pdf, 0.52mb), islamophobia is the fear, prejudice or hatred of Muslim or non-Muslim individuals that leads to provocation, hostility or intolerance by threatening, harassing, abusing, inciting or intimidating Muslims and non-Muslims (both online and in person). Islamophobia is motivated by institutional, ideological, political and religious hostility that transcends into structural and cultural racism, targeting the symbols and markers of being Muslim.
The UN Refugee Agency defines xenophobia as attitudes, prejudices or behaviors which reject, exclude and often vilify individuals in the community, society or national identity, based on the perception that they are outsiders or foreigners.

Racism is unacceptable and we don’t tolerate racist behaviour here at Monash. Federal and State anti-discrimination legislation also prohibits it.

What to do

If you feel safe and comfortable enough to do so, tell the person you find their racist remarks or behaviour offensive and inappropriate.

If the situation becomes threatening or potentially dangerous, call:

Monash Security on 03 9905 3333 (for immediate help on campus)
000 (for immediate help on or off campus).

If you experience, see or hear about any racist remarks or behaviour, we encourage you to make a report online to the Safer Community Unit.

Getting support

If speaking to the person about their behaviour has not stopped the racist remarks or behaviour, ask the Safer Community Unit for help. Or you may prefer to talk to a trusted supervisor, colleague or the head of department – someone you know who will listen and offer constructive support.

If someone you know is experiencing racism, you should encourage them to contact the Safer Community Unit:

Phone: +61 3 9905 1599
Email: safercommunity@monash.edu
Hours: Mon–Fri, 9am – 5pm

Report an incident or concern

For more information, see getting help and support.