The Media and Racism

Karen Farquharson is Professor of Sociology and Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on the sociology of racism, migration, media and sport.

Her most recent books are (with Vivienne Waller and Deborah Dempsey) Qualitative Social Research: Contemporary Methods for the Digital Age (SAGE 2016) and (with Timothy Marjoribanks) Sport and Society in the Global Age (Palgrave Macmillan 2012). Karen holds MA and PhD degrees from Harvard University and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley.

Usha Rodrigues is a Senior Lecturer in Deakin University’s Journalism program. 

An experienced journalist and journalism educator, Usha’s work spans across national borders, particularly in Australia and India. Her PhD and two subsequent co-authored books have established her as a scholar in India media; while she continues to research topics in new media, social media and citizen media in Australia.

Usha's recent research projects include 'Cultural Diversity and News in Australia', 'Social Media and Political Communication in India' and 'Capacity-building and Knowledge-Sharing in Citizen Journalism Enterprise in Australia and India'.

Anthony Kelly has over 25 years of experience in human rights advocacy and strategic social justice campaigning. Prior to joining the Flemington Kensington Community Legal Centre in early 2011, he was Coordinator of the Men’s Referral Service for seven years, as well as Policy Officer with the Federation of Community Legal Centres and Training Coordinator with the Youth Referral and Independent Person Program (YRIPP).

Anthony co-founded Peace Brigades International – Australia. He has been an associate with the Change Agency and a campaigner, trainer and consultant with over 40 Australian and international social change campaigns.

Oishee Alam is a sociologist of race and religion, with a research and teaching focus on racism and anti-racism, Islamophobia, racialisation, nationalism, secularism and whiteness.

As a Research Fellow at the Challenging Racism Project at Western Sydney University, she is working to increase understandings of bystander action as a means of countering racism among Australian school students. Oishee completed her doctoral thesis in 2016, where she explored how white Australian converts to Islam conceptualised and negotiated race and racial identity after their conversion to Islam.