The 2017 Mapping Social Cohesion Report, the largest study of its kind on Australian attitudes about immigration, multiculturalism, discrimination and trust in government, was launched today. Produced by Monash Arts researchers in partnerships with the Scanlon Foundation, the report draws from research that has spanned over 35,000 respondents in Australia going back to 2007.
The 2017 Mapping Social Cohesion Report, the largest study of its kind on Australian attitudes about immigration, multiculturalism, discrimination and trust in government, was launched today. Produced by Monash Arts researchers in partnerships with the Scanlon Foundation, the report draws from research that has spanned over 35,000 respondents in Australia going back to 2007.
Led by Monash academic Professor Andrew Markus, the social cohesion surveys have developed an evidence base to further understand social cohesion, with a focus on attitudes towards immigration and cultural diversity. Over the last decade, the Scanlon Foundation Mapping Social Cohesion Report has taken its place in Australia’s public life as a major contributor to policy development and debate around migration and cultural diversity. Since its inception, surveys have been conducted nationally and locally with 14 reports issued. In addition to an annual national survey, an online survey was translated into 20 languages and was completed by 500 respondents, and 52 focus groups were conducted in four capital cities for the 2015 report.
The 2017 Report findings include:
- Agreement that ‘multiculturalism has been good for Australia’ has consistently been between 83%-86% since the question was first asked in 2013. ‘Strong agreement’ increased from 32% in 2013 to 41%-43% in 2015-2017.
- 74% of Scanlon Foundation survey respondents disagree with rejecting immigration applicants based on religion, while 79.6% disagree with rejecting applications based on race or ethnicity.
Read the full 2017 Mapping Social Cohesion Report.
The findings of the Scanlon surveys are used by our national and state governments to provide the most reliable indicators of Australian opinion on social cohesion and population issues and they are cited in major government policy studies. The survey’s findings on the experience of discrimination have been provided by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to the OECD. Findings on trust in the Australian political system were presented in a 2014 Senate Occasional Lecture. The data set of the reports are also sought by international agencies and institutes, including the Migration Policy Institute in the United States.
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