Based on a survey that was conducted in Australia, it was recognized that a third of the younger generation has faced gender some form of gender discrimination (Ford and Hunjan 2016). There may be multitudes of reasons that these foreign students are facing such tremendous levels of discrimination. Firstly, discrimination is mainly caused by a pervading sense of fear and anxiety. This fear is mainly of the unknown. Since the cultures and religious values of the foreign individuals are completely alien to the native residents, this may be a great cause of fear for them (Williamson 2013). Thus, when they are forced to interact and intermingle with the unknown, they face a high level of fear accompanied by anxiety. This fear also stems from a sense of uncertainty.
Another main cause for discrimination may be ignorance (Whitley & Kite 2016). This ignorance may be classified as insensitivity towards another individual’s cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds. For example, as Mavis Tian states that she believes that she is discriminated against because of her Asian looks. This indicates that certain existing stereotypes are responsible for this appalling discrimination. This sense of ignorance may also lead an individual to be uncomfortable and nervous. Thus, in this case it is common for misunderstandings to take place. Moreover, discrimination may also be evident in gestures. For instance, as Nancy Li believes that even though no one has said anything discriminatory directly to her, she feels that the undercurrents are present. Therefore, it can be deduced that the root causes of discrimination must be explored in great detail in order to uproot this menace from the surface of the society.
References
Ford, M & Hunjan, R 2016, A third of young people report race-based mistreatment., viewed 29 August 2019, < https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-06/a-third-of-young-people-report-race-based-mistreatment/8092926>.
Whitley, B & Kite, M 2016, Psychology of prejudice and discrimination, Routledge.
Williamson, T 2013, Identity and discrimination, John Wiley & Sons.
