Multiethnic Australia: Its History and Future »

Writer Celeste Lipow MacLeod lives in Berkeley, California.

After once trying to keep its population white and predominantly British, Australia reversed course. Since 1947 it has absorbed five million immigrants from some 240 countries and places around the globe, with increasing numbers from Asian nations. In time, the country developed a multicultural outlook that encourages immigrants as well as indigenous people to retain their traditional cultures while also becoming loyal Australians.

This book examines Australia past and present to show why immigration policies changed, the conflicts the new policies caused and the benefits they brought. The last chapters view Australia in relation to world events: the economic rise of China, the impact of the Bali bombing in 2002 and the arrival of boat refugees from Middle Eastern nations. The result is a thorough and thoughtful consideration of Australia as a multiethnic society, including current challenges and the nation's potential to play a larger role in its Asia Pacific region.