Collins – Inter-ethnic Youth Relations and Public Space in Australian cities and towns- Ethnic Diversity and the Built Environment in Australian cities and towns

1.    Inter-ethnic Youth Relations and Public Space in Australian cities and towns.
The Cronulla riots threw the national and international spotlight on inter-ethnic youth relations in Sydney, and, by extension, Australia. Australian cities and towns have neighbourhoods of great ethnic, cultural and  religious diversity. In most places, most of the time, people get along; but underlying racist sentiments occasionally explode in a volcano of hatred. We need to understand more about the complex and often contradictory dynamics of inter-ethnic youth relations: their social networks and connectedness to the local neighbourhood;  their interactions at school and on the streets; their use of new media; their changing attitudes and aspirations. We also need to investigate youth use of public spaces like shopping malls, entertainment precincts, transport nodes. Gender, class, age, subculture, location, religion all shape inter-ethnic youth relations.

2.    Ethnic Diversity and the Built Environment in Australian cities and towns
Australia’s large immigrant population help shape the built and social environment of Australian cities and towns. Concentrations of immigrant populations and/or immigrant enterprises lead to the development of ethnic precincts in Australian cities and ethnic heritage and immigrant enterprises in Australian regional and rural towns or ethnic landmarks. Minority immigrants have an impact of the built environment of Australian cities and towns, particularly evident in the form of churches, mosques, halls, schools, restaurants, landmarks, coffee shops and clubs. Sometimes these are controversial, such as the recent Camden Muslim school. We need to investigate the history of this ethnic heritage, the dynamics of contemporary changes to this built environment, the social relations and social capital  that occur there.