Published 8 July 20215 August 2021 · open letter / Race An open letter against racism Editorial team We write this letter in response to substance-less attacks on ‘critical race theory’ by politicians and media figures in Australia. These attacks are tantamount to an attack on anti-racism itself. On 21 June 2021, a motion was introduced to the Australian Senate that called for the Government to reject critical race theory (CRT) from the national education curriculum. That motion was carried with support of members of the sitting Coalition Government. The former Prime Minister, John Howard, added fuel to the raging culture war when he asserted live on ABC TV: ‘I don’t think there is underlying racism in Australia.’ The signatories of this letter stand in opposition to these attacks by public office holders and public figures. Such attacks are dangerous in a number of ways: * they have the effect of legitimising racism in a settler colonial society and insulating it from critique; * they are a coordinated attack on principles of anti-racism; * they place limits on democratic forms of speech and attack the right to protest; * they seek to erode the principle of academic freedom We stand in opposition to the amplification of moral panic over critical race theory, and assert the value of anti-racist action, research, and pedagogy. It is clear to us that attacks on critical race theory are motivated by an anxiety over collective anti-racist mass movements that have forcefully asserted challenges to white supremacy and settler colonialism. Specifically, these attacks have gathered force following the unprecedented global antiracist mobilisations that followed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020. In the Australian context, these mobilisations have continued the ongoing resistance against First Nations deaths in custody. The attacks cannot be separated from the undermining of Indigenous people’s struggles against colonialism and attendant racial domination and discrimination, as well as the devaluation of Indigenous knowledges. We stand in solidarity with anti-racist movements that seek to dismantle the structures and systems that reproduce and uphold racism and oppression. Understanding how race is constructed, and more importantly the political function of race, is crucial if we are to intervene in racism. The challenge of understanding race is that it is produced by ascriptive actions that, when repeated, come to appear as if they are fixed and stable characteristics. Race emerges from constantly shifting processes of racialisation, and so requires dedicated study. To understand race and racism in these terms is to understand that it is a structure of domination, one that is reproduced through things like policy, law, medicine, education, media, and more. Critical approaches to race demand that we attend to the ways race and racism are produced, both historically and contemporarily. This does not constitute a program of propaganda but a mode of critical inquiry that is consciously and explicitly invested in dismantling structures that perpetuate racism and racial domination. The signatories of this letter oppose the attacks on ‘critical race theory’. At a time of mounting white supremacism across the Global North, these attacks are a stark reminder that we need more critical thinking about race and we resolve to continue this work across a range of diverse fields and disciplines. We call on institutions of research and education in Australia to stand with students, scholars, and educators whose work is coming under attack and to support their vital work. Andrew Brooks, Lecturer in Media Studies, UNSW, Wangal Country, Australia Alana Lentin, Associate Professor of Cultural & Social Analysis, Western Sydney University, Australia Natalie Osborne, Lecturer Griffith University, Australia Jumana Bayeh, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University, Australia Catherine, Book editor, Freelance, Australia Shawna Tang, Lecturer, University of Sydney, Australia Astrid Lorange, Senior Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Michael Griffiths, Senior Lecturer, Literary Studies, University of Wollongong, Australia Suneel Jethani, Lecturer, University of Technology Sydney, Australia Paola Bacchetta, Professor, University of California, Berkeley, USA Ben Williamson, Australia Dr Debbie Bargallie, Senior Research Fellow, Griffith University, Australia Dr. Jay Daniel Thompson, Lecturer,RMIT University, Australia Dr Sean Dockray, Senior Lecturer, ANU, Australia David Theo Goldberg, Distinguished Professor, University of California, Irvine Lisa Radford, Lecturer, VCA, University of Melbourne, Australia Jean M Beaman, Associate Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States Ryan Al-Natour, Lecturer, Charles Sturt University, Australia Deb Kunda, Swinburne, Australia Dr Kim Munro, Lecturer, RMIT university, Australia Shelly McGrath, Lecturer, University of Newcastle, Australia Michael Richardson, Senior Research Fellow, UNSW, Australia Innez Haua, Macquarie University, Australia Pearl Tan, PhD Candidate, University of New South Wales, Australia Simon Dawes, Senior Lecturer Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), France Lana Tatour, Lecturer, UNSW Na’ama Carlin, Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Meera Atkinson, Adjunct Lecturer in Writing, University of Notre Dame Australia, Australia Nick Apoifis, Academic, UNSW, Australia Leah Jing McIntosh, Editor, Liminal Magazine, Australia Zora Simic, Academic, UNSW, Australia Kyle Smith, PhD candidate, Queensland University of Technology, Australia Joseph Pugliese, Professor, Macquarie University, Australia Sky Croeser, Senior Lecturer, Curtin University, Australia Omid Tofighian, Adjunct Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Ben Golder, Associate Professor, UNSW, Australia David Brophy, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney, Australia Ronit Lentin, Retired Associate Professor of Sociology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland John Kinsella, Emeritus Professor, Curtin University, Australia Phillip Wadds, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, UNSW, Australia Karen Crawley, Senior Lecturer, Griffith University, Australia Baden Offord, AO, Emeritus Professor, Curtin University, Australia Suvendrini Perera, John Curtin Distinguished, Emeritus Professor Curtin University, Australia Evan Lawless, PhD Student, Curtin University, Australia Tracy Ryan, Writer, Australia Caitlin Biddolph, UNSW, Sydney, Australia Kathleen Flanagan, Research Fellow, University of Tasmania, Australia Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, UTS, Australia Dr Lara Palombo, Lecturer/Tutor, Macquarie University, Australia Wulf D. Hund, Prof. emeritus, University of Hamburg – Department of Social Economics, Germany Justine Poon, Lecturer, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia Jacob Broom, PhD candidate, University of Western Australia, Australia Lisa Slater, Senior Lecturer, UOW, Australia Liam Grealy, Research Fellow, University of Sydney, Australia R. Harindranath, University of New South Wales, Australia Dr Jodi Brooks, Senior Lecturer, School of the Arts & Media, University of NSW, Australia Sally McLaren, UNSW Sydney, Australia Tanja Dreher, Associate Professor, UNSW, Australia Dr Sara Dehm, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney, Australia Antonio Traverso, Senior Lecturer, Curtin University, Australia Bronwyn Carlson, Professor, Macquarie University, Australia Louise Boon-Kuo, Sydney Law School, University of Sydney, Australia Catherine Dale, teacher, Tonjo, Tokyo, Japan Sertan Saral, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney, Australia Trang Hà, Student, Macquarie University, Australia Maryrose Casey, Professor, Flinders University, Australia Souheir Edelbi, PhD Candidate, UNSW, Australia Dr Jayne Persian, Senior Lecturer, University of Southern Queensland, Australia Chris Gibson, Professor of Geography, University of Wollongong, Australia Sian Halcrow, Associate Professor University of Otago, New Zealand Alison Holland, Academic,Macquarie University Australia Laura Tanata, Australia David Wearing, Post-Doctoral Research Associate, SOAS, University of London, United Kingdom Daniel Karlsson, Finland Sindre Bangstad, Research Professor, KIFO (Institute for Church, Religion and Worldview Research), Oslo, Norway Sophie Loy-Wilson, Lecturer in Australian History, University of Sydney, Australia Stephanie Betz, Sessional Lecturer, School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian National University, Australia Julien Villeneuve, Professor, Collège de Maisonneuve, Canada Mark Davis, Professor, University of Melbourne, Australia Nick Riemer, Senior Lecturer, English and Linguistics, University of Sydney, Australia Richard Joyce, Senior Lecturer, Monash University, Australia Charlie Masquelier, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Exeter, United Kingdom Radhiah Chowdhury, Commissioning editor, Penguin Random House Australia, Australia Robyn Moore, Researcher University of Tasmania, Australia Jennifer Mclean, Postgraduate student, UNSW, Australia Dr Scott East, Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Russell Smith, Lecturer, ANU, Australia Dr Emre Ilhan, Lecturer/physiotherapist, Macquarie University, Australia Tanya Jakimow, Associate Professor, Australian National University, Australia Luke Munn, Research Associate, Western Sydney University, Australia Dr Tom Doig, Research Impact Advisor,Massey University, New Zealand Gerald Roche, Senior Research Fellow, La Trobe University, Australia Jacinta O’Reilly, New Zealand Ann Kreger, Retired lecturer Briana Pereira Hannah Lauren Murray, Lecturer in American Literature, University of Liverpool, UK Alex Bhathal, Lecturer, La Trobe University, Australia Alison Whittaker, Senior Researcher, Jumbunna Institute, Australia Hannah McCann, Senior Lecturer in Cultural Studies, University of Melbourne, Australia Sirma Bilge, Professor, Université de Montréal, Department of Sociology, Canada Carolyn DCruz, Senior Lecturer, La Trobe University, 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Lennox St studios, Australia Poppy de Souza, Adjunct/Honorary Research Fellow, UNSW and Griffith University, Australia Ben Etherington, Senior Lecturer, Western Sydney University, Australia okelada kelada, Senior Lecturer , University of Melbourne, Australia Thao Phan, Research Fellow, Monash University, Australia Katherine Wake, Post grad alumni, University of Sydney, Australia Meg Samuelson, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide, Australia Rachel Cunneen, Senior Lecturer, University of Canberra, Australia Emma Palmer, Senior Lecturer, Griffith University, Australia Jane Wakefield, Australia Jathan Sadowski, Research Fellow, Monash University, Australia Laura Hamilton, The University of Adelaide Shelley Bielefeld, Senior Lecturer, Griffith University, Australia Niru Perera, Linguist, Curtin University, Australia Matt Couper, Postgrad student, University of Adelaide, Australia Gemma Carey, Professor, University of New South Wales, Australia James Blackwell, Research Fellow 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Griffin, Professor and Associate Dean, University of Maryland, USA Karen Schamberger, Independent historian and curator, Australian Migration History Network, Australia Louise Crabtree-Hayes, Principal Research Fellow, Western Sydney University, Australia Nadena Doharty, Lecturer in Education, Culture and Childhood, University of Sheffield, UK Emilie Baganz, PhD Student/Research Assistant, Western Sydney University, Australia Jonathan M Lockhart, Artistic Director, Electrofringe, Australia Becky Parry, Lecturer, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom Oliver Mayo, Adjunct Professor, University of Adelaide, Australia Svenja Helmes, PhD Student, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom Soenke Biermann, Director, LiU Global Asia-Pacific Australia Program, Long Island University, Bundjalung, Australia Ninna Makrinov, Teaching Fellow, University of Warwick, United Kingdom W Ashall, Lecturer, United Kingdom Anna Laing, Lecturer in International Development, University of Sussex, UK Toni Haastrup, Senior Lecturer, University of Stirling, UK Alice Wilson, Senior Lecturer, University of Sussex, UK Amira Abdelhamid, PhD Candidate, University of Sussex, United Kingdom Damian Breen, Senior Lecturer, Birmingham City University, UK Sadiya Akram, Lecturer in Politics, Manchester Metropolitan University, England Meghan Tinsley, Presidential Fellow in Sociology, University of Manchester, UK James Fairhead, Professor of Anthropology, University of Sussex, United Kingdom Eda Farsakoglu, PhD Student, Lund University, Sweden Rebecca Scott Bray, Associate Professor, University of Sydney, Australia Hannah Haycox, Research Assistant, The University of Manchester, UK David Ockwell, Head of Department of Geography and Professor of Sustainability and International Development, University of Sussex, UK Tiffany Ng, Associate Professor, University of Michigan, United States Sandeep Bakshi, Associate Professor, University of Paris, France Micah Burch, Senior Lecturer, Sydney Law School Judith Ridge, PhD Student, University of Newcastle, Australia Aryati Yashadhana, Research Fellow, University of New South Wales, Australia Nina Serova, PhD candidate, University of Melbourne, Australia Dr Sanjay Sharma, Reader in Sociology & Communications, Brunel University London, UK Laura White, Australia Loretta Picone, Volunteer for social justice & first nations justice, & worked in counselling psychology in rehabilitation, Various sydney based support groups, Sydney Australia Trudy Bray, Newsclip editor, Australia Jennifer Cheng, Lecturer, Western Sydney University, Australia James Gardiner, PhD Candidate and Tutor, The University of Sydney, Australia Holly Doel-Mackaway, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University Law School, Australia Emeline Cacciaguidi-Fahy, Post Graduate Alumni, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Fiona Ranson, PhD candidate and Associate Lecturer, Northumbria University, UK Pip Henderson, PhD Candidate, Flinders University, Kaurna Country, Australia Sarah Kunz, Leverhulme Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Bristol, UK Thom Conroy, Senior Lecturer, Massey University, New Zealand Josephine Gabi, Lecturer Manchester Metropolitan University, UK Anne Brewster, Honorary Associate Professor, UNSW, Australia Liz Conor, Associate Professor, History, La Trobe University, Australia Rachel Sharples, Western Sydney University, Australia Aidan Craney, Research Consultant, La Trobe University, Australia Azza Zein, Australia Danny Butt, Senior Lecturer, University of Melbourne, Australia Sherine Al Shallah Alexandra Wake, Senior Lecturer, RMIT University, Australia Jonathan Kingsley, Senior Lecturer, Swinburne University, Australia Ashley Perry, Tutor, University of Melbourne, Australia Jessica Weir, Senior Research Fellow, Western Sydney University, Australia Juan Francisco Salazar, Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Jenna Condie, Senior Lecturer in Digital Society, Western Sydney University, Australia Bridget Backhaus, Lecturer, Griffith University, Australia Olivia Guntarik, RMIT Fiona Martin, Associate Professor, University of Sydney, Australia Emma Waterton, Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia kate harriden, phd scholar fenner school and visiting Indigenous fellow centre Aboriginal economic policy and research, Aust. National University ngunnawal country, Australia Anthony Zwi, Professor, University of New South Wales, Australia Lisa Waller, Professor of Digital Communication, RMIT University, Australia Heather Jarvis, Lecturer, RMIT University, Australia Paul Tabar, Adjunct Professor, Western Sydney Univerity, Australia Tim Rowse, Emeritus Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Tony Bennett, Emeritus Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Meena sritharan, PhD Candidate, The Australian National University, Australia Declan Kuch, VC Research Fellow, Western Sydney University, Australia Benjamin Madden, University of Adelaide, Australia Brian Castro, Adjunct Professor, Creative Writing, The University of Adelaide, Australia Emeritus Professor Kay Anderson, Institute for Culture & Society, Western Sydney University, Australia Chrisanthi Giotis, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney, Australia Zelmarie Cantillon, Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow, Western Sydney University, Australia Sam Provost, Lecturer, ANU, Australia Liam Black, Undergraduate, UNSW, Australia Julian Grant, Professor of Nurisng Charles Sturt Universtiy, Wiradjuri Country, Australia Jake Davies, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney, Australia Jazz Money, Poet, Wiradjuri, Australia Sivaan Walker, student, University of New South Wales, Australia Jenna Ridley, PhD Student, Australian National University, Australia Dr Rebecca Mayo, Lecturer, School of Art & Design, ANU, Australia Liam Magee, Associate Professor, Institute for Culture and Society, Australia Nicky Morrison, Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia David Nolan, Associate Professor, News and Media Research Centre, University of Canberra, Ngunnawal Country, Australia Lucas Lixinski, Professor, UNSW Sydney, Australia Dr Jessica Biles, Senior Lecturer, Charles Sturt University, Australia David Rowe, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Research, Western Sydney University, Australia Jackie De Lacy, Student, University of New South Wales, Australia Rosanna Stevens, PhD Candidate, Australian National University, Australia Lisa Conway, Pat Turner PhD scholar, Australian National University, Australia Liz Dovey, PhD scholar, Australian National University, Australia Paul James, Professor, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University, Australia Dr Melissa Lovell, Research Fellow, Australian National University, Australia Johan Lidberg, Associate Professor, Monash University, Australia Phil Collins, Artist and Professor for Video and Performance Academy for Media Arts, Cologne, Germany Jimmy Yan, PhD student, University of Melbourne, Australia Tim Coronel, Lecturer, University of Melbourne, Australia Patrick Harris, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation, UNSW, Australia Libby Porter, Professor, RMIT University, Australia Osmond Chiu, Research Fellow, Per Capita, Australia Cecily Maller, Associate Professor, RMIT University, Australia Christopher Adams, Australia Kay Nankervis, Lecturer, Charles Sturt University, Australia James Howard, Musician, Jaadwa Adam Flanagan, Technician, Australia Jarrod Hore, Postdoctoral Fellow, UNSW, Darug Country Ava Lacoon-Robinson, UNSW Queer Officer, UNSW, Australia Alana Ramshaw, Undergraduate student, University of Sydney Luc Velez, Undergraduate student, UNSW, Gadigal + Bidjigal Elijah Innes, Student, University of New South Wales, Australia Priyanka Bromhead, Founder: ‘we are the mainstream’, NA, Darug land Dr Alison Bennett, lecturer in photography, RMIT University, Australia Dr Valerie van Loggerenberg, Psychologist, Soldier Centre, Australia Drew Rooke, Freelance journalist and author, Australia Sarah Williams, PhD Candidate Deakin university; Co-founder Footprint Enterprises Inc., Australia Lily Golightly, Artist, Sydney, Australia Nolan Murphy, UNSW, Australia Josh Johnston, CTO, X-Team International, Australia Anthony Vernon Robyn Bushell, Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Dr Marlene Longbottom, Yuin woman, Research Fellow, University of Wollongong, Yirrgandji country Julie Kimani Jarrod McKenna, Australia Kat Taylor, Research Fellow, Australian National University, Australia Nya Abernathy, Founder and Public Educator, The Dignity Effect, LLC, United States Melissa Deeken, Student , The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, USA Tara Tolhurst, Student, University of Newcastle, Australia Marziya Mohammedali, PhD Student/ HDR Support Coordinator, Edith Cowan University, Australia Michelle Lamptey, UK William Clapton, Senior Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Marie Oelgemoeller, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, James Cook University, Australia Eva Chandrakumar, Social Sciences Teacher, Ascham School, Wallumedegal Country Dhakshayini Sooriyakumaran, PhD Candidate, School of Regulation and Global Governance, ANU, Australia Gil Anaf, Psychiatrist / Psychoanalyst, Australia Alba Rosa Boer Cueva, PhD candidate, UNSW, Australia Emily Valentine Bullock, Visual Artist, Australia Dr Julia Anaf, Research Fellow, Flinders University of South Australia, Australia Megan Watkins, Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Misty Farquhar, OAM, PhD Candidate, Curtin University Centre for Human Rights Education, Australia Greg Noble, Professor, Institute for Culture & Society, Western Sydney University, Australia Raisera McCulloch, Masters Student, NAIITS Indigenous Learning, Australia, Bunjalung Country Hayley Saul, Senior Lecturer in Heritage Studies, Western Sydney University, Australia Susan Sheridan, Emeritus Professor, Flinders University, Australia Paul Salzman, Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University, Australia Dr. Blair Apgar, Independent Researcher, United States Marisa Howden, Writer, Australia Duc Dau, Honorary Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Daniel Swain, PhD candidate, Yale University, Australia Jennifer Rutherford, Adjunct Professor, University of Adelaide, Australia Tommaso Durante, Associated Lecturer, The University of Melbourne, Australia Sarah Kennedy Bates, PhD Candidate, Harvard University, Australia Kate Deacock, Lecturer, Western Sydney University, Australia Janak Rogers, Associate Lecturer, RMIT University, Australia Cecelia Cmielewski, Research Officer, Western Sydney University, Australia Bronwyn Bate, Post Doc Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Australia Nicholas Jose, Emeritus Professor, The University of Adelaide, Australia Sonia Sofat, Director & Co-Founder, Hue Consulting, Australia Adrian Mackenzie, Professor of Sociology, ANU, Australia Denis Byrne, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Brett Neilson, Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Professor Heather Horst, Director, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University, Australia Anna Cristina Pertierra, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Eliza Palme, Law & Development Student, UON, Australia Dr Sue Whatman, Senior Lecturer, Griffith University, Australia Steph (Daza) Curley, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK Dr Benjamin Hanckel, Senior Research Fellow, Western Sydney University, Australia Karen Soldatic, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University, Australia Simon Stevens, Lecturer, Edith Cowan University, Australia Dr James A. Lindsay, PhD, University of Tennessee, United States Coleman Hughes, Writer, Columnist, Podcaster, Columbia University, United States John H McWhorter, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University, United States Samuel Harris, PhD and Author, Philosopher, Neuroscientist, University of California, United States Zuleyka Zevallos, Applied sociologist, The Other Sociologist, Australia Dr Kent Hovind, PhD, Christian Education, Patriot Bible University Colorado, United States Sarah Williams, PhD Candidate; Co-founder, Deakin university; Footprint Enterprises Inc., Australia Dr Anna Denejkina, Lecturer, Western Sydney University, Australia Monika Barthwal-Datta, Senior Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Karem Roitman, Associate Lecturer, Open University, United Kingdom Kai Syng Tan, Senior Lectuere, Manchester Metropolitan University Roxana Pessoa Cavalcanti, Senior lecturer, University of Brighton, United Kingdom, United Kingdom Dr Julie McLaughlin, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology, Australia Dr Marias D’Avolio, Lecturer, University of Brighton, United Kingdom Bianca Hester, Senior Lecturer, co-Director Research and Engagement, UNSW, Australia Phillipa Evans, Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Stephen Loo, Professor, UNSW, Australia Bridget Moyle, Former Student, UNSW, Australia Dr Amanda Stuart, Lecturer, Environment Studio, School of Art and Design, Australian National University, Australia Jill Bennett, Scientia Professor, UNSW, Australia Dr Clare Milledge, Senior Lecturer, UNSW, Australia ELizabeth McMahon, Professor, UNSW, Australia Anastasia Murney, Sessional Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Matthew Chard, PHD Student, Australian National University, Australia Kynan Tan, Postdoctoral Fellow, UNSW, Gadigal, Australia Verónica Tello, Senior Lecturer, University of New South Wales, Australia Carla Guedes, Scientia PhD student, UNSW, Australia Nina Nichols, PhD Scholar, Australian National University, Australia Bonaventure Munganga, PhD student, Literary Studies, UNSW-Sydney, Australia Fernando do Campo, Lecturer, UNSW Sydney, Australia Helen Caple, Associate Professor, Journalism, UNSW, Gadigal, Australia Jamilla de Jonge, Undergraduate Student, University of New South Wales, Australia Dr Srinjoy Bose, Senior Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Riley Court Bennett, Residential Fellow; Medicine Graduate, UNSW, Australia Uroš Čvoro, Associate Professor, UNSW, Australia Mengistu Amberber Senior Lecturer UNSW Australia Anna Munster, Professor, Media Arts and Theory, UNSW, Australia Emma Robinson, Lecturer, Griffith University, Australia Rebecca Shanahan, Lecturer, UNSW, Australia Zoe Horn, PhD Candidate, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University, Australia Evelyn Araluen, Co-Editor, Overland Literary Journal Editorial team More by Editorial team › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. 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