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An Immigrant Nation Seeks Cohesion presents Australian traditions, myths and legends in an understanding but often critical light in the belief that such devices have often been used by interested parties and even governments to maintain social solidarity and to mould a very complex people into a coherent and obedient whole. Australia is not and never has been an equal society. It has not always been a peaceful and tolerant society but it is more so than most other states and especially many of those sending immigrants. It is not a perfect democracy. Many have been mistreated and even persecuted but that most of those suffering at present are either indigenous or refugees should not be a cause of indifference. Australians may be suspicious of foreigners and social and political deviants. But they have passed a whole series of reforming laws since the Federation in 1901, not all of which have been as racist as the White Australia policy. An Immigrant Nation Seeks Cohesion attempts to get a little bit closer to the truth of two hundred years of creating a liveable society in what was a remote and unknown part of the world.

There has never been a greater need for a sober, historically informed yet critical account of immigration policy in Australia. In this book, Australia's leading specialist on migration James Jupp surveys the changes in policy over the last thirty years since the seismic shift away from the White Australia Policy. Along the way the author considers the history of the White Australia Policy, compares the achievements of the Fraser, Hawke and Keating governments, considers the establishment of the'institutions'of multiculturalism and ethnicity, and then the waves of attacks on multiculturalism. It looks critically at the impact of economic rationalism on migration choices, the environmentalist challenges to migration, and the impact of Pauline Hanson and One Nation. Most importantly the vexed issue of refugees and asylum seekers is covered in great depth.