Browsing by Author "Forbes-Mewett, Helen"

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    Chinese transnational investment in Australia: a case study of insider/outsider relations
    (2013) Forbes-Mewett, Helen; Nyland, Chris; Thomson, Stanley Bruce
    Against the backdrop of a nation where more than a third of the population is concerned about cultural differences threatening societal harmony, we explore community responses to a proposed development by a Chinese transnational company. An alumina refinery was to be built in Utopia, a small coastal town in North Queensland, Australia. Framed within the dimensions of Elias and Scotson’s notion of established and outsider relations, we reveal the complexities of a community that consisted largely of a group of long-term residents (the Established) and a newer group who have lived in the town for periods up to three years (the Entrepreneurs). Together they faced the prospect of another group moving into the community-the Chinese. The concerns of the community related to assimilation, employment and the natural environment revealing cultural issues that are the hallmark of new racism.
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    Sinophobia as corporate tactic and the response of host communities
    (2011) Nyland, Chris; Forbes-Mewett, Helen; Thomson, Stanley Bruce
    China's State Council has charged that in 2009 BHP Billiton inflamed Australians' fear of “Chinese colour” in order to undermine Chinalco's (Aluminium Corporation of China) effort to increase its share of the Rio Tinto company. Though unproven, this is a serious charge and the more so because it suggests there is a risk that in the future firms challenged by Chinese competitors may emulate the alleged practice. Given this possibility, anti-racists require a sophisticated understanding of how firms might incorporate Sinophobia into their business strategies and how Chinese foreign direct investment is viewed by national and local communities. To further this response, we review the literature on the use of racism as a corporate tactic, discuss the Chinalco-BHP struggle, and provide a study of how one community reacted when offered the chance to host a large Chinese investment.