Overview

The last person to ‘pass’ White Australia’s Dictation Test did so in 1907 by submitting a watercolour entitled ‘Advance Australia Fair. For the next 50 years of its existence the thereafter more carefully trained officials ensured no one ever passed again. Here is detailed how the White Australia Policy came to have a fake test of dictation at the heart of its administration. Beginning as an inspired piece of hypocrisy designed to preserve the semblance of imperial equality, in the hands of the early Commonwealth of Australia this ‘education test’ quickly evolved into a test it was impossible to pass.

Full Product Details

Author:   Michael Williams
Publisher:   Brill
Imprint:   Brill
Volume:   18
Weight:   0.650kg
ISBN:  

9789004470101

ISBN 10:   9004470107
Pages:   300
Publication Date:   09 September 2021
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

Preface List of Figures 1 As Absurd as It Is Unique  An Introduction 2 Avoid Stigmatising Them by Name as Being Unfit for Civilised Life  The Historical and Ideological Background up to 1901 3 To Place Its Sufficiency beyond Doubt  Crafting the Dictation Test 1901 – 1909 4 On Account of the Elasticity Which It Permits  Evolution of the administration of the Dictation Test 5 A Man Would Need to Live for Three Generations  Chinese exceptionalism 6 Is the Applicant of European (White) Race or Descent?  Defining the Desirable 7 The Humanity of Australia Itself Will in Time Revolt  Passing of the Test and Fading of the Project 8 Heads-I-Win-Tails-You-Lose  Has Australia Passed the Test? Bibliography Index

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Author Information

Michael Williams, Ph.D. (2001), Hong Kong University, is an Adjunct Professor at Western Sydney University. He has published extensively on Chinese Australian history with emphasis on continuing links with the home villages, including Returning Home with Glory (HKU Press, 2018).

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