{"product_id":"a-multicultural-odyssey-a-memoir-almost-sans-regrets-paperback","title":"A Multicultural Odyssey: A Memoir (almost) sans Regrets - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eJames Houston\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the story of the part one man played in the origins, development and general acceptance of Australia's policy of Multiculturalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJames Houston traces his role in Multiculturalism's earliest formulation. In 1973, strategically located in the Immigration Department - and contrary to the views of its officials - he distilled his vision for Australia's future into a speech written for Al Grassby, Minister for Immigration in the Whitlam Government. He drew on the convictions of some visionary academics and Melbourne migrant activists, as well as his own four-year Australia-wide field research with ethnic community leaders.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFollowing the Dismissal, in the face of the Fraser Government's disinterest and grudging funding, he recounts the heroic seven-year struggle by the puny Office of Community Relations to implement the new \u003cem\u003eRacial Discrimination Act\u003c\/em\u003e. Houston's 'simple' role was to reshape community attitudes towards the discrimination experienced by Aborigines and migrants  In the process, his Christian convictions about social justice would be sharpened.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo how did the son of an unemployed labourer, born during the Great Depression, find himself in this role? Benefiting from quality education in NSW for gifted but poorer students and accessing Sydney University through scholarships, he became a modern languages teacher - in NSW, UK and Germany.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn a lighter note, the book evokes a 1940s childhood, a dawning awareness of the wider world and a fascination with language, culture and travel - each a lifelong passion. It traces a long and purposeful life marked by creative endeavours, delight in travels worldwide and a love for tutoring university students in China. Ordained to the Anglican ministry in later life, he served as vicar in Melbourne's neediest parish and, later, as Director of Cross-Cultural Ministry for the Diocese.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe closing chapters offer a Christian commentary on life in Australia today and the search for meaning in a fractured world. The \u003cem\u003eMemoir\u003c\/em\u003e describes a life-embracing journey of faith and self-discovery with God as gracious companion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 432\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.88 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 13, 2018\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52444791701811,"sku":"9780648145721","price":54.79,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0300\/5595\/6612\/files\/a0R2VFRNaG5DdWNWN3RQbG5HOWNRdz09.webp?v=1758949036","url":"https:\/\/www.vysn.com\/en-ca\/products\/a-multicultural-odyssey-a-memoir-almost-sans-regrets-paperback","provider":"VYSN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}