Genocide or a failure to gel? Racism, history and nationalism in Australian talk

In a context of wide media attention to public debates about the social, po litical and epistemic entitlements of different groups within Australian so ciety, an understanding of the rhetorical resources and the discursive work done by differing constructions of 'race', has become an important local i ssue. This article examines data from discussions between two groups of (no n-indigenous) university students on a range of contemporary issues concern ing race relations in Australia. Participants drew on four common discursiv e themes when discussing Aboriginal people. These were: an imperialist narr ative of Australian history exculpatory of colonialism; an economic-rationa list/neo-liberal discourse of 'productivity' and entitlement managing accou ntability for a contemporary Aboriginal 'plight'; a local discourse of bala nce and even-handedness which discounted the seriousness of discrimination and racism in Australia; and a nationalist discourse stressing the necessit y of all members collectively identifying as Australian'. These interpretat ive resources are illustrated and discussed in terms of their rhetorical or ganization and social consequences. The international pervasiveness of a ra nge of modern racist tropes and the local cultural specificity of their wor king-up are discussed.