Racism

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1998) defines racism as “an ideology or belief that gives expression to myths about other racial and ethnic groups, which devalues and renders inferior those groups, that reflects and is perpetuated by deeply rooted historical, social, cultural and power inequalities in society.”

In other words racism is a set of beliefs and attitudes that express hatred of one racial group for another. This becomes a system of oppression asserting the superiority or power of the dominant racial group.

Racism involves discriminatory practices that protect and maintain the superior position of some groups while keeping others in an inferior position of others. Racism has a negative social effect on those discriminated against.