The Greek Community of Melbourne has unveiled another engaging installment in its ongoing Greek History and Culture Seminars series.
The upcoming seminar, titled “Greek Lives on Indigenous Lands: Community Responsibility and the Ethnic Experience of Coloniality,” will feature Daphne Arapakis, a PhD Candidate from the University of Melbourne’s School of Social and Political Sciences. Set to take place on Thursday, August 24 at 7pm, the seminar will be held at the Mezzanine Level of The Greek Centre.
Understanding Greek migration in the context of colonial history
Daphne Arapakis’ research revolves around the intricate connections between the migration experiences of Greek Australians and Australia’s colonial history. How do Greek Australians perceive their migration experiences within the framework of Australia’s colonial history?
“In this seminar,” explained Ms Arapakis, “I will delve into this question by sharing insights from my early PhD research, which explores how Greeks in Australia construct their sense of belonging. Through Greek diasporic expressions in Australian film and media, I will illustrate ethnic-specific approaches to comprehending Indigenous demands for sovereign recognition. Merging diaspora studies with the enduring legacy of colonialism, I will introduce a new analytical framework called ‘ethnic compartmentalisation.'”
Ms Arapakis elaborated that by highlighting how segments of the Greek diaspora rationalise their settlement on Indigenous lands, she will argue that ethnic compartmentalisation becomes a tool through which Greeks in Australia adeptly navigate and selectively employ aspects of their migrant histories to either align with or disengage from the legacy of British colonialism and Australian multiculturalism.
“Identifying how Greeks compartmentalise conflicting historical narratives to navigate their identity in relation to Indigenous lands, my research uncovers a barrier that obstructs robust support for Indigenous political aspirations,” she said.
Towards Reimagining historical perspectives and Community development
The seminar will conclude by presenting potential avenues for members of the Greek diaspora in Australia to reshape their historical viewpoints, redefine the framework of community development, and stand in solidarity with the calls for justice and political transformation from First Nations peoples.
“These concluding remarks are particularly relevant given the impending context of the Voice to Parliament referendum,” she highlighted.
About Daphne Arapakis and the Greek Community of Melbourne
Daphne Arapakis is a PhD Candidate in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Her thesis, titled ‘Mediterranean Diasporas, Indigenous Sovereignties: The Ethnic Dimensions of the Settler Colonial Present,’ delves into the dynamics of ethnic-Indigenous relations in Australia. Beyond academia, Daphne has worked as the Policy and Research Officer at the Koorie Youth Council and volunteered for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. In 2023, she was honored with the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust Scholarship and the Faculty of Arts Dean’s PhD Excellence Scholarship Award. Her seminar research was recently published in the article “Ethnic Compartmentalisation: Greek Australian (Dis)Associations with White Australia and Indigenous Sovereignty” in the Journal of Intercultural Studies.
When: Thursday, August 24, 7 pm
Where: Greek Centre, Mezzanine, 168 Lonsdale St., Melbourne
Admission to the seminar is free, and attendees will be treated to light refreshments.
For more information, please contact +61 3 9662 2722 or email: info@greekcommunity.com.au
