Institutional Disrespect: The Structural Marginalisation of Refugee Migrants in Australia

Guest Speaker: Dr Ibi Losoncz, ANU

Whose responsibility is it to address the disrespect felt by immigrants and other marginalised groups in their dealings with government institutions? In this seminar Ibi Losoncz, the author of Institutional Disrespect: South Sudanese Experiences of the Structural Marginalisation of Refugee Migrants in Australia, argues that when disrespect comes in the forms of injustice, institutional mistreatment, or systemic in governance arrangements, the responsibility lies not with individuals but with the state, its institutions and its appointed bureaucrats.

Combining theoretical analysis of institutional engagement through the lens of respect with examples of the resettlement experiences of South Sudanese Australians, the seminar examines how blocked pathways to develop positive self-identities and meaningful lives can lead to a breakdown of social bonds between immigrants and social institutions.

Ibolya (Ibi) Losoncz is a research fellow at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), at the Australian National University, Australia. Her research focuses on the interplay between individual and institutional elements of integration and inclusion. She published in Journal of Refugee Studies, Child Abuse and Neglect, Australian Social Policy, and The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. Her broader research interest includes: forced migration and settlement, African diaspora, responsive regulation and institutional legitimacy, empirical evaluation, and research design.