CULT1022 Working with Cultural Differences
Assignment 2: Case Study

Team/Individual task: Individual

Word/time limit: 1200 words (+/- 10%)

Weighting: 40%

Due date: 5pm AEDT Friday 31 October 2025 (Week 9)

After you have read this information, go to the Assignment 1 Q&A discussion board to ask any questions and see what your peers are saying about this assignment.

Assignment overview

To pass this subject of study, you must achieve an aggregated grade of at least 50%. Although this assignment is not a mandatory submission, completing this assignment will give you the best chance of achieving this minimum requirement.

Assignment 2 builds on the first assignment to show how the historical traces of Australia's White Policy are shaping the realities and identities of refugees and asylum seekers. The case study for this assessment focuses on the narrative of Kurdish novelist and journalist, Behrouz Boochani.

This assignment supports Subject learning outcomes 1, 3, 4, and 5.

Assignment details

Read through the following steps to understand and meet the requirements of this assignment.

Step 1: Read about the case of Behrouz Boochani

Behrouz Boochani was detained on Manus Island for six years after fleeing Iran in 2013. He later gained his freedom and now lives in New Zealand. Behrouz is advocating for the freedom of asylum seekers detained at Nauru and he is encouraging the Australian government to abolish visas that offer temporary protection to asylum seekers.

Before continuing to the next step read the following article which describes the case: Behrouz Boochani calls for asylum seeker royal commission from inside Parliament House (ABC News, 7 February 2023).

Step 2: Watch the video and respond to the questions that follow in Step 3

Writing is an act of resistance | Behrouz Boochani | TEDx Sydney (2019) <https://youtu.be/sZCPsS5Ais0?si=ig8jBvkacCC0cph5>

Step 3: Respond to the following questions

Question 1: Proponents of Australia's offshore processing of asylum seekers assert that it is good for the protection and security of the nation. Do you agree or disagree with this perspective? Support your position with evidence/literature. (15 marks)

Question 2: Behrouz alludes to Australia's system of offshore processing detention regime of asylum seekers as 'reducing us to numbers, removing our individuality and destroying our identity'-what does he mean by this statement and how does it reflect the historical conceptualisation of race and racism in Australia? Explain with examples from the case study and support your perspective with relevant literature. (10 marks)

Question 3: As a social change agent working within a refugee-asylum seeker dynamic, how will you apply the notion of cultural humility when working with clients such as Behrouz? (15 marks)

Note: You are encouraged to write a logical narrative for each question (not a short question-and-answer format). In-text references are required for each question.

References

Include a minimum of THREE scholarly references (including at least two recommended readings for this assessment-refer to the supporting resources section).

Note: The reference list is not included in the word count.

Assignment tip

View the marking guide under 'Assignment criteria' to see a detailed breakdown of how your work will be assessed. This is an excellent place to start your preparations for this assignment.

Refer back to the marking guide frequently to make sure you are meeting the requirements.

Submission details overview

As you're finalising your draft, don't forget that the Alvie Assignment Feedback Tool is available 24/7 to help you refine your grammar, referencing, writing style, and more. For more details, see the Assignments and support page in your Welcome Module.

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Marking Criteria Guide for an HD Grade

Perspective

Outstanding argument or ideas discussed with evidence to support a balanced perspective that looks at both pros and cons of offshore processing of asylum seekers.

Interpretation and Qualification

Outstanding analysis of the human rights issues associated with the offshore processing detention regime, and a logical link to historical events or the White Australia Policy with appropriate examples.

Cultural Humility Application

Outstanding discussion of the principles of cultural humility with clear example of the applications when working with refugees and asylum seekers