Whiteness and Social Change: Remnant Colonialisms and White Civility in Australia and Canada

In Whiteness and Social Change Colin Salter provides a comparative engagement with whiteness - the unearned and at times unmarked social-structural privilege afforded some at the expense of others - in contemporary Australia and Canada. Blending existing scholarship in sociology, science studies, political theory and critical whiteness studies, the analysis presented is as engaged as it is broad. Through a detailed examination of high profile community campaigns at Sandon Point (New South Wales, Australia) and the Red Hill Creek valley (Ontario, Canada), situated alongside an analysis of white interpretations of the 1966 Wave Hill walkout (Northern Territory, Australia), the actions of broader communities supporting First People struggles are reflected on to expose how whiteness is both performative and manifests itself irrespective of intent. Whiteness and Social Change highlights examples where the politics of experience produces moments of cognitive dissonance amongst white supporters. Through focussing on community campaigns in support of First People, means from which whiteness can be exposed and destablised are identified. The aim is to highlight the potential of such actions as a form of collaborative struggle and an embrace of a togetherness in difference.