Public Perceptions and Mentality of the Society Essay

Public Perceptions and Mentality of the Society - Essay Example In Australia, the high-profile attacks of Indians in this country have become an international event and a highly sensationalized issue. In Sydney as well as in Melbourne, Indian students have been bashed and attacked due to their race and nationality. Most of the alleged perpetrators are youths or young adults. Many of the Indians attacked are foreign students coming to Australia to study and benefit from the higher education available in this country. It is estimated that foreign students studying in Australia account for more than $13 billion annually to the economy and Indian students comprise the second largest foreign student body. Higher education is Australia’s third largest export earner, ahead of wool, wheat, copper, tourism and even gold. Importantly, government figures estimate that fully 17.8% of all foreign students in Australia are Indian-born. International students represent the 3rd most lucrative export for this country and Australia can ill afford to lose th e international students who come here each and every year to pursue their studies. Recently, the Indian government has threatened to put out a travel advisory out against Australia thus restricting the flow of Indian students to this country. The high profile bashings raise many important questions for the general public, questions which increase in voracity around the national holiday, Australia Day. Is Australia a racist society? Can we deal with the ramifications of a multicultural society in the twenty-first century? These questions and much more are raised when high profile attacks by young people make headlines around the world (Marginson, 2006; Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008; (Soutphommasane, 2010).