Racism and Othering for South Sudanese heritage students in Australian schools: is inclusion possible?

Since 2000, approximately 50,000 people from sub-Saharan African countries have been resettled in Australia under Australia’s Humanitarian Entrant Program for refugees. They have formed part of a visibly different minority group in a settler society that is shaped by a racialised history. For young former refugees, schools are a primary site in which they experience engagement with the wider society. While much recent research has focussed on the role of schools in creating inclusive environments to support students from refugee backgrounds, little attention has been given to students’ experiences of exclusion, particularly through racism and Othering. This article considers the everyday experiences of racism and Othering for South Sudanese heritage students in Australian schools to argue that inclusive education for refugee students must take into consideration systemic and everyday occurrences of racism. Through in-depth interviews conducted with young South Sudanese heritage Australians in Years 6–8 this article documents the ways in which ‘race’ and visible difference influences peer, teacher and school community relationships. This article argues for the necessity of foregrounding tools for identifying, addressing and overcoming various forms of racism and Othering if schools are really going to become inclusive environments for refugee students.