Institutional Disrespect: The Structural Marginalisation of Refugee Migrants in Australia

Presenter: Dr Ibi Losoncz, Australian National University

Whose responsibility is it to address the disrespect felt by immigrants and other marginalised groups in their dealings with government institutions? In this seminar Ibi Losoncz, the author of Institutional Disrespect, argues that when disrespect comes in the forms of injustice, institutional mistreatment, or systemic in governance arrangements, the responsibility lies not with individuals but with the state, its institutions and its appointed bureaucrats. Combining theoretical analysis of institutional engagement through the lens of respect with examples of the resettlement experiences of South Sudanese Australians, the seminar examines how blocked pathways to develop positive self-identities and meaningful lives can lead to a breakdown of social bonds between immigrants and social institutions.

Ibolya (Ibi) Losoncz is a research fellow at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), at the Australian National University, Australia. She has been researching and writing about the integration of South Sudanese and other resettled refugees in Australia for the past ten years.