University of Melbourne’s Diaspora Studies Program is a coup for the Greek Community of Melbourne

Melbourne might be a multicultural entrepot and is always lauded as having the largest Greek population outside metropolitan Greece, but when it comes to Greek studies at tertiary level, it has lagged in recent decades despite having envious student numbers participating in Greek language programs at primary and secondary school levels. Greek-Australians have also been at the forefront of the innovation and implementation of multiculturalism is Australia. However, there is a lag and disconnect between language studies and multiculturalism and the university sector.

More than 20 years ago there were six Melbourne-based universities offering Modern Greek at tertiary level, this has now dwindled to one, only the La Trobe University program remains and that too has been under threat in recent years. The reasons for their demise are many, but one critical issue has always been the inability of such programs to attract students of non-Greek background.

It has always been on the radar of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) to intervene in this tertiary level space and reverse the fortunes of Greek Studies. Any intervention must be well-thought, it must make cultural sense, it must complement a university’s vision and also be long-term sustainable. It is for this reason that we began to widen our focus to address the wider cultural questions of multiculturalism, diaspora, global migration and thereby embed an element language education in this field.

Furthermore, there was a lack of research on matters facing Greek Australians and decisions weren’t always made on empirical evidence. Even globally there appeared to be insufficient research on the Greek diaspora where experiences are quite diverse. When these issues were discussed with Federal Minister Alan Tudge several years ago, he appeared genuinely interested. At a tour of the Greek Centre by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister Tudge on 15 March, 2019, the idea was canvassed again, and they both liked the concept. There were further meetings and discussions with other interested parties in academia, including the Vice Chancellor Glyn Davis from the University of Melbourne. These discussions were spearheaded by Bill and Nikos Papstergiadis on behalf of the Greek Community with the involvement of Nick Dallas, Costas Markos and Jim Bossinakis.

That the University of Melbourne recently advertised the position of Hellenic Senior Lecturer of Global Diasporas is of monumental importance. In times where humanities departments globally are under threat and on the retreat, the announcement of this position goes against the trend and is a coup for the GCM which lobbied hard to get the Federal Government to commit $2.5 million to its inception.

One may ask why the University of Melbourne, and why not another university? A partner was required that was prepared to further invest and allocate matching funds to this program, the University of Melbourne obliged. It respected that there was a gap in this area and saw the need to expand research on societal impacts regarding migrant identity, multiculturalism, cosmopolitanism, and global diasporas. It will be the only dedicated diaspora studies program in Australia.

Another attraction has been the Melbourne Model which makes it compulsory to study subjects outside of one’s chosen discipline. First-year undergraduates at the University of Melbourne take a “breadth subject” outside their key area of specialization. It is anticipated that an introductory subject on Modern Greek will be offered at the University of Melbourne in first year, once the diaspora studies program is underway.

The last time Modern Greek was offered at the University of Melbourne was in 1997. For those students who want to make Modern Greek their specialisation, they will have a readymade pathway to continue Modern Greek at La Trobe University in their later years. This new role does not reside in the department of linguistics but cultural studies. It is not a substitute for or in competition with the established language studies subjects. On the contrary, it seeks to offer a stimulus and a pathway for further education in Greek language and culture.

The attraction of diaspora studies lies in its multi-disciplinarity from both a teaching and research perspective. As a study area, it has social, cultural, economic and political dimensions. It is expected that this diversity, coupled with a desire and curiosity to understand and self-reflect on migratory impacts, will be key features in attracting students from all walks of life to this area. It is hoped that the successful candidate will be able to be appointed and take up the position before the end of 2022. They will not only have to design and implement a program from scratch, but will be expected to foster community engagement, conduct research and explore issues arising from migratory movements.

Strenuous efforts have been made to ensure this position receives global exposure and as many quality candidates as possible apply. Not often do such opportunities come round. This is only the beginning of the GCM’s involvement, the commitment and engagement to ensure the program’s success will be ongoing. Furthermore the Community also has its eyes on strengthening the Greek Studies program at La Trobe University, hopefully this will be the next tertiary turnaround story.

*Dr Nick Dallas sits on the Committee for the Chair at Melbourne University

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