3 research outputs found
The burden of âwhiteâ sugar: Producing and consuming whiteness in Australia
This article investigates the history of the Queensland cane sugar industry and its cultural and political relations. It explores the way the sugar industry was transformed from an enterprise drawing on the traditional plantation crop cultivated by an unfree labour force and employing workers into an industry that was an important, symbolical element of âWhite Australiaâ that was firmly grounded in the cultural, political, nationalist, and racist reasoning of the day. The demographic and social changes drew their incitement and legitimation from the âWhite Australiaâ culture that was represented in all social strata. Australia was geographically remote but culturally close to the mother country and was assigned a special position as a lone outpost of Western culture. This was aggravated by scenarios of allegedly imminent invasions by the surrounding Asian powers, which further urged cane sugarâs transformation from a âblackâ to a âwhite manâs industryâ. As a result, during the sugar strikes of the early 20th century, the white Australian sugar workers were able to emphasize their âwhitenessâ to press for improvements in wages and working conditions. Despite being a matter of constant discussion, the public acceptance of the âwhite sugar campaignâ was reflected by the high consumption of sugar. Moreover, the industry was lauded for its global uniqueness and its significance to the Australian nation. Eventually, the âburdenâ of âwhite sugarâ was a monetary, but even more so moral support of an industry that was supposed to provide a solution to population politics, support the national defence, and symbolize the technological advancement and durability of the âwhite raceâ in a time of crisis
âThe White Experimentâ: Racism and the Broome Pearl-Shelling Industry
With the Federation of Australia, aspiration for racial homogeneity was firmly established as being fundamental to national identity. Therefore, increasing criticism was directed against Asian employment in the pearl-shelling industry of Broome. It was not least against the backdrop of population politics, that several efforts were implemented to disestablish the purportedly âmultiracial enclaveâ in âWhite Australia.â These culminated in âthe white experiment,â i.e. the introduction of a dozen British men to evince European fitness as pearl divers and initiate the replacement of Asian pearling crews. Embedded in these endeavours were reflections of broader discourses on âwhite supremacyâ and racist discrimination