Settler colonialism in Australia and the cashless debit card
Abstract Settler colonialism continues in Australia today. One way this occurs is through processes of assimilation such as targeting First Nations subjectivities with behavioural conditions on their social security payments. In this paper, I draw on a 13‐month study examining one such programme; th...
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crwiley:10.1111/spol.12576 2024-06-02T08:06:41+00:00 Settler colonialism in Australia and the cashless debit card Klein, Elise 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/spol.12576 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fspol.12576 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/spol.12576 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/spol.12576 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Social Policy & Administration volume 54, issue 2, page 265-277 ISSN 0144-5596 1467-9515 journal-article 2020 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/spol.12576 2024-05-06T06:58:39Z Abstract Settler colonialism continues in Australia today. One way this occurs is through processes of assimilation such as targeting First Nations subjectivities with behavioural conditions on their social security payments. In this paper, I draw on a 13‐month study examining one such programme; the Cashless Debit Card trial in the East Kimberley region in North West Australia. Through restricting cash and purchases to curb alcohol consumption, illegal drug use, and gambling, card aims to instil “responsible behaviour” such as getting a job in the capitalist economy, accumulating private property, and succeeding in English education. Through drawing on critical discourse analysis, I ask, what does the Cashless Debit Card tell us about the settler state's attempts of continued assimilation? The paper explores specific ways the state legitimising assimilation through provoking narratives of First Nations dysfunction, depoliticising poverty and colonisation, constructing evidence around success of policy, and constructing ideas of “community” in order to regulate who speaks and who is overlooked. Although assimilation attempts are made, there is resistance and pushback in the trial site. Attempts of assimilation, not actual assimilation, can only be observed. Article in Journal/Newspaper First Nations Wiley Online Library Social Policy & Administration 54 2 265 277 |
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English |
description |
Abstract Settler colonialism continues in Australia today. One way this occurs is through processes of assimilation such as targeting First Nations subjectivities with behavioural conditions on their social security payments. In this paper, I draw on a 13‐month study examining one such programme; the Cashless Debit Card trial in the East Kimberley region in North West Australia. Through restricting cash and purchases to curb alcohol consumption, illegal drug use, and gambling, card aims to instil “responsible behaviour” such as getting a job in the capitalist economy, accumulating private property, and succeeding in English education. Through drawing on critical discourse analysis, I ask, what does the Cashless Debit Card tell us about the settler state's attempts of continued assimilation? The paper explores specific ways the state legitimising assimilation through provoking narratives of First Nations dysfunction, depoliticising poverty and colonisation, constructing evidence around success of policy, and constructing ideas of “community” in order to regulate who speaks and who is overlooked. Although assimilation attempts are made, there is resistance and pushback in the trial site. Attempts of assimilation, not actual assimilation, can only be observed. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Klein, Elise |
spellingShingle |
Klein, Elise Settler colonialism in Australia and the cashless debit card |
author_facet |
Klein, Elise |
author_sort |
Klein, Elise |
title |
Settler colonialism in Australia and the cashless debit card |
title_short |
Settler colonialism in Australia and the cashless debit card |
title_full |
Settler colonialism in Australia and the cashless debit card |
title_fullStr |
Settler colonialism in Australia and the cashless debit card |
title_full_unstemmed |
Settler colonialism in Australia and the cashless debit card |
title_sort |
settler colonialism in australia and the cashless debit card |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/spol.12576 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fspol.12576 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/spol.12576 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/spol.12576 |
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First Nations |
genre_facet |
First Nations |
op_source |
Social Policy & Administration volume 54, issue 2, page 265-277 ISSN 0144-5596 1467-9515 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/spol.12576 |
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Social Policy & Administration |
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54 |
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2 |
container_start_page |
265 |
op_container_end_page |
277 |
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1800751645975379968 |