Think Again Jennifer Borrell & Jacques Boulet

Jennifer and Jacques move from talking about traditional slavery to modern slavery.They cover the ongoing legacy of invasion and colonisation in Australia, and some of the ways that our immigration laws support practices of slavery. 

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the colonial and slavery legacies of racism in the US, and the reverberations in Australian racist policies from federation in 1901 to the 1970s.Their discussion continues from the previous program about slavery in the Americas. ReferencesAlex Zakarus (2022) The roots of American individualism: Political myth in the age of Jackson. New Jersey: Princeton University Press,Marilyn Lake & Henry Reynolds (2008) Drawing the colour line: White men's countries and the question of racial equality. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about slavery in the Americas - how the enslaving of millions of Africans and their transport to the Carribean and the early US has played into colonial practices and narratives to this day, and has become integral to the global political-economy of capitalism. Indeed, without the 'labour resource' of slaves, capitalism would probably not have been as 'successful' in the US as it has ... And the traces of slavery in Australia are discussed with more to come next week...References:A terrific book has been a major source of information for this and the following program:French, Howard (2021 ) Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World (1471 to the Second World War) New York: Liveright Publishing CorporationAnd those who prefer a more narrative approach to this issue can read Isabel Allende's Island Beneath the Sea (2010) London: Fourth Estate (Collins); it depicts the last 30 years of the 1700s in Saint-Domingue, as it was to become Haiti thanks to the Toussaint Louverture rebellion. Many of the French colonists then moved to Louisiana just as it was to be sold to the growing US, where the cotton plantations took over the lead from the earlier sugar plantations in the West Indies... but always based on slave labour... A strong historical novel!

Jacques talks with Matt Lloyd-Cape from progressive Think Tank Per Capita about the latest federal budget and what it prioritises and provides for. Our assessment is mixed... we do think that the Government could be a bit braver and risk some more deliberate changes in many areas of policy making... especially housing, taxes and - of course - return to sanity in terms of the AUKUS madness...

Jennifer interviews Tiffany White from Yarra Valley Water, and Bec Moore, who is co-owner of the cafe,Tinker.They talk about an initiative of YVW in partnership with cafes that offer free refills of water bottles to the public ('Choose Tap Refiller' initative). The idea is that people can get free water when they are 'out and about' so they don't have to buy bottled water.The aim is to reduce plastic pollution, while offering convenience, savings and the opportunity to protect the environment along with others. Information about YVW 'choose tap' (not bottled water) initiative    

Jennifer speaks with Elsa Tuet-Rosenberg who is a queer, multi-racial Jewish and Chinese woman of colour, and co-founder of anti-racism organisation, Hue.Elsa talks about her experiences in the community service sector that led to the setting up of Hue - from training as a Social Worker to stints in community organisations that practiced racism and various forms of oppression.She describes how Hue does things differently for the benefit of both workers and communities, with a core focus on building and honouring relationships, while drawing on the wisdom and knowledge of people experiencing racism and exclusion.