Racism and health: Setting the research agenda

The purpose of this project was to convene a symposium of national and international researchers and policy makers to set an agenda for research on racism and Indigenous health in Australia and New Zealand. Very little research on racism and health had been conducted to date, and this forum was designed to provide an opportunity to influence future directions in this field and enhance further research. The project aimed to

  • bring together key researchers and policy makers in the study of racism and Indigenous health in Australia and NZ
  • provide a forum to present recent research findings
  • explore relevant theoretical and methodological issues; and
  • map out an agenda for future research

The symposium was hosted by Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit and was held at the University of Melbourne on the 27 November 2007 with about 40 national and international participants.

Professor David Williams from Harvard University, a founding figure in the study of racism and health and one of the world’s leading social scientists, attended the symposium to highlight the importance of fostering research on racism and health across a range of national settings.

The report from this project, The Impact of Racism on Indigenous Health in Australia and Aotearoa: Towards a Research Agenda, was launched on 13 March 2008 as part of the CRCAH Parliamentary Showcase. The report summarises findings from the symposium on racism and Indigenous health held in November 2007. It presents clear evidence that racism has a detrimental impact on the health of Indigenous peoples in Australia and New Zealand and highlights the need for further research to understand the extent and nature of racism, and to determine how it can be effectively addressed.

Related resources:

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land across Australia and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

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