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19 Refuge 33 (2000-2001)
Systemic Racism: Refugee, Resettlement, and Education Policy in New Zealand

handle is hein.journals/rfgcjr19 and id is 405 raw text is: Systemic Racism: Refugee, Resettlement, and Education Policy in New Zealand LOUISE HUMPAGE Abstract Public policy in New Zealand increasingly makes reference to inclusion of diversity, equality, and equity. Yet refugees resettling in New Zealand continue to experience systemic racism based on the application of ostensibly neutral rules and universal standards to unequal situa- tions. This paper draws attention to the way in which poorly formulated refugee and resettlement policy has resulted in quota refugees being favoured over others and in assumptions that refugees have needs similar to those of general migrants. The way in which such racism has been translated into general policy arenas, such as education, is also explored. Rdsumd De maniere croissante, la politique officielle en Nouvelle Zelandefait reference aux notions d'« inclusion de la diversite », d'« egalite et d'« equite ». Malgre cela, les refugies qui se reinstallent en Nouvelle Zlande continuent a patir du racisme systemique emanant de l'application de regles et de normes universels qui, quoique neutres en apparence, s'adressent en fait a des situations touta fait inegales. Cet article eclaire la fagon par laquelle une politique d'immigration et de reinstallation mal formulee a donne lieu a du favoritisme au profit des refugies des categories reservees (« quota refugees ») eta entretenu des croyances que les besoins des refugies sont similaires a ceux d'autres immigrants. Est aussi explore la maniere dont ce racisme s'est trouve reflete dans des domaines de politique generale, tel celui de l'education. Introduction R efugees resettling in New Zealand come from a diverse range of countries and backgrounds. Yet they share the experience of suffering systemic racism based on the application of ostensibly neutral rules and universal standards to unequal situations in refugee, resettlement, and education policy. This applica- tion has had the real effect of discriminating against refu- gees, particularly those from non-English-speaking, non-European, and less-educated backgrounds. This pa- per draws attention to the way in which poorly formu- lated refugee and resettlement policy has resulted in quota refugees being favoured over others and in as- sumptions that all categories of refugees have needs simi- lar to those of general migrants, despite considerable research that provides evidence to the contrary. In addition, the paper highlights how both of these situations have had a domino effect on policy in more general arenas, with education used as an example. Until very recently, education policy also prioritized quota refugees. In failing to account for the pre- and post- settlement characteristics of refugees in policy making, education policy continues to perpetuate the notion that refugees are not different from general migrants. Ironi- cally, poor recognition of refugee student needs in educa- tion policy sits alongside aims articulating the inclusion of diversity, equality, and equity. The paper explores such arguments by outlining refu- gee and resettlement policy as it relates to all categories of refugees, regardless of age. However, for the sake of brev- ity, discussion of education policy is limited to refugee students in the compulsory education sector and ex- cludes the (minimal) policy concerning refugee adults. 33 © Louise Humpage, 2001. This open-access work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, which permits use, reproduction and distribution in any medium for non-commercial purposes, provided the original author(s) are credited and the original publication in Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees is cited.

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