Penn Sociology major Stephanie Hodges ('17) recently submitted a blog entry from Sydney, Australia, where she is studying abroad:
My name is Stephanie Hodges and I am a junior in the College majoring in Sociology with a concentration in structures of opportunity and inequality with a minor in Africana studies. I am currently studying in Sydney, Australia for the Fall semester. I am learning that the same systems of oppression that perpetuate racial inequality in the United States also occur in Australia. For example, after the British invaded Australia in the late 1700s, they tried to rid the country of Indigenous people and their culture. This attempted genocide separated many Indigenous people from their families, and started a long history of physical and psychological trauma within the community. I have learned in my classes that a strong colonial culture still exists, and many Indigenous people have to deal with racism that is entrenched in Australian society. However, Indigenous people are not complacent in this struggle—they actively resist these disparities and create outlets of expression for themselves through film, sport, and music. During my experience abroad, I’ve studied the nuances of active struggle and resistance from an oppressive force in Australia. This understanding will give me another perspective to engage with as I continue my Sociology degree at Penn.