In this conversation, we’ll bring together three writers and academics who have examined themes of alienation and social estrangement in their work. William Maley, author of What is a Refugee?, Susan Carland, author of Fighting Hislam, and Rebecca Huntley, author of Still Lucky?, join Wheeler Centre host Sally Warhaft to examine how the idea of ‘stranger danger’ plays out in Australian culture and politics – from media reporting to foreign policy and refugee law.

Susan Carland, William Maley and Rebecca Huntley — Photo: Peter Weaving Photography

Which groups of people are routinely represented as strangers? And who benefits from demonising these people? What happens when fear outweighs the social, ethical and economic benefits of tolerance? And are we more, or less, tolerant than we think we are?

Presented in partnership with Bendigo Writers Festival.

Immigration has long been among the most contentious, and highly politicised, areas of  Australian public policy. The past 20 years have seen a drastic increase in Australia's intake of migrants, as well as an increasingly punitive approach to managing asylum seeker arrivals; an approach that has attracted censure from human rights groups.

Does the recent outcome of the class action between Manus Island detainees and the Commonwealth represent a turning point? And what impact will new changes to 457 visas and the Australian citizenship test have on the fabric of our communities?

For this episode of The Fifth Estate, Sally Warhaft meets human rights activist, former refugee and orthopaedic surgeon, Munjed Al Muderis and GetUp!’s human rights campaign director, Shen Narayanasamy. Join them for a discussion of the Australian immigration experience and its broader implications.

Sally Warhaft, Munjed Al Muderis and Shen Narayanasamy