Abstract

This book is an important addition to the growing literature which addresses the issue of Australia's policies toward people seeking asylum. In the early stages of the Tampa crisis, the government dominated discussions around Australian refugee policy. Australians would decide who would live among us. Such decisions were was when asylum seekers were depicted as non-law abiding, unruly and inhumane 'others' who were very different from us. Slowly other voices have been added to this discussion and in different forums we have begun to hear from some of those people who sough asylum and who describe horrors, fears and terrors which made remaining where they were, unthinkable. These stories began to challenge the idea that these refugees were different from us. Still, the Australian hardline policies have continued. This volume broadens the debate by adding to the voices of some of those seeking asylum, the voices of people who have been working directly with refugees, as well as those of experts able to comment on the impact of the laws created around the refugees.