Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Languages other than English in Australian Higher Education pp 137–159Cite as

Three Strategic Languages: Russian, Korean and Arabic

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 324 Accesses

Part of the book series: Language Policy ((LAPO,volume 17))

Abstract

Three more languages are considered in detail in this chapter. Each has had, and still, has strategic significance for Australia. Each of these areas which these languages represent, Russia, Korea and the Middle East have been areas where Australian defence personnel have served in both World Wars, the Korean War and in subsequent conflicts in the Middle East. Russian language has been a language of many migrant waves, but also a literary language and a language of the “Cold War”. Australian involvement in the Korean War of the 1950s was followed by increasing trade with Korea and a priority for Korean language teaching prompted by the Federal Government. Arabic language teaching began in Australia in a scholarly context, then becoming a migrant language, and now as well, a language of strategic significance given ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. What these languages have in common is, in the case of Russian and Arabic, a lack of government interest and funding, and in the case of Korea, government funding but a lack of cachet in the tertiary language sphere.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The Cold War between the Eastern and Western Bloc superpowers, chiefly between the USSR and USA, lasted from the late 1940s to about the early 1990s.

  2. 2.

    John Curtin became Prime Minister on 7 October, 1941 after the Australian Labor Party had won the election.

  3. 3.

    This academic linguistic designation is perhaps because Arabic is a Semitic language in the Afro-Asiatic group.

Bibliography

Government Reports, Records and Legislation

  • Australia Korea Foundation. (1993). Australia-Korean Foundation: Annual report 1992–93. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2011b). 2071.0 – Reflecting a nation: Stories from the 2011 census, 2012–2013. Accessed from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/2071.0main+features902012-2013 on 4 July 2014.

  • Australian Government. (2012). Funding agreement between the commonwealth of Australia and University of Western Sydney regarding funding under the commonwealth grant scheme in respect of the 2012 grant year. Accessed from http://www.innovation.gov.au/HigherEducation/Funding/CommonwealthGrantScheme/Documents/CGS/UWS.pdf on 12 Feb 2013.

  • Australian Universities Commission. (1975a). Languages and linguistics in Australian universities: Report of the working party on languages and linguistics to the Universities commission. (known as the Kramer Report). Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Australian Universities Commission. (1975b). Sixth report of the Australian Universities Commission. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Australian Universities Commission. (1976). Report for 1977–79 triennium. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Commonwealth of Australia. (1970). The teaching of Asian languages and cultures in Australia. Report by the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on the Teaching of Asian Languages and Cultures in Australia (known as the Auchmuty Report). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Commonwealth of Australia. (1978). Migrant services and programs: Report of the review of post-arrival programs and services for migrants. (known as the Galbally Report). Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Commonwealth of Australia. (1997). In the national interest: Australia’s foreign and trade policy white paper. Canberra, Australia: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Google Scholar 

  • Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR). (2003). Strategic plan 2003–2005. Accessed from www.dfat.gov.au/caar//strategic_plan_2003-5.html on 20 Aug 2013.

  • Council of Australian Governments (COAG). (1992). Asian language development. Council of Australian Governments’ communiqué 7 December. Accessed from http://archive.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/1992-12-07/index.cfm#language on 21 Aug 2013.

  • Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). (1994). About NALSAS. Accessed from www1.curriculum.edu.au/nalsas/about.htm on 10 Jan 2012.

  • Department of Employment, Education and Training. (1991a). Australia’s language: The Australian language and literacy policy. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Employment, Education and Training. (1994). Report to the minister for employment, education and training, the Honourable Simon Crean MP, on Arabic and Middle Eastern studies April 1994. Canberra, Australia: Department of Employment Education and Training.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Immigration and Citizenship. (n.d.). Muslims in Australia – A snapshot. Accessed from https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/settle/multicultural_australia/Muslims_in_Australia_snapshot.pdf on 17 Oct 2014.

  • Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA). (2001). Immigration: Federation to century’s end 1901–2000. Accessed from http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/federation/federation.pdf on 25 June 2013.

  • Downer, A. (2002). Council for Australian-Arab Relations: Joint media release from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Trade Mark Vaile. Accessed from www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2002/joint_arabcouncil.html on 20 Aug 2013.

  • Garnaut, R. (1989). Australia and the Northeast Asian ascendancy. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Historical Documents Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (1996). John Rowland 1925–1996. Canberra, Australia: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. (2001). Australia’s trade relationship with the region. Canberra, Australia: The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leal, B. (1991a). Widening our horizons: Report of the review of the teaching of modern languages in higher education, Volume I. (known as the Leal Report). Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leal, B. (1991b). Widening our horizons: Report of the review of the teaching of modern languages in higher education, Volume II. (known as the Leal Report). Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lo Bianco, J. (1987). National policy on languages. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Asian Languages & Cultures Working Group (NALCWG). (1994). Asian languages and Australia’s economic future. A report prepared for the Council of Australian Governments on a proposed national Asian languages/studies strategy for Australian schools. (known as the Rudd Report). Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Government Printer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, J., Ingram, D., & Chittick, G. (1990). The Relationship between international trade and linguistic competence. (Report to the Australian advisory council on languages and multicultural education). Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Google Scholar 

Academic Reports and Surveys, Conference Proceedings

  • Australian Academy of the Humanities (AAH). (1975). Survey of foreign language teaching in the Australian universities (1965–1973). Canberra, Australia: AAH.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunne, K., & Pavlyshyn, M. (2011). Swings and roundabouts: Changes in language offerings at Australian universities 2005–2011. Accessed from www.lcnau.org/pdfs/lcnau_2011_dunne_pavlyshyn.pdf on 10 Oct 2013.

  • Dunne, K., & Pavlyshyn, M. (2014). Less commonly taught languages in Australian higher education in 2013: Plus ça change…. In C. Travis, J. Hajek, C. Nettelbeck, Beckmann, & A. Lloyd-Smith (Eds.), Practices and policies: Current research in languages and cultures education. Selected proceedings of the LCNAU colloquium 2013 (pp. 9–17). Melbourne, Australia: LCNAU.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawley, D. (1982). Foreign language study in Australian tertiary institutions 1974–1981. Wollongong, Australia: University of Wollongong.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, P., & Baldauf, R., Jr. (2006). Re-examining Australia’s tertiary language programs: A five year retrospective on teaching and collaboration. Brisbane, Australia: Report to the Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASH).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wykes, O. (1966). Survey of foreign language teaching in the Australian universities. Canberra, Australia: Australian Humanities Research Council.

    Google Scholar 

University Records and Official Publications

Newspapers

Theses

  • Slaughter, Y. (2007). The study of Asian languages in two states: Considerations for language-in-education policy and planning. (Doctoral dissertation). Accessed from University of Melbourne Research Collections (UMER: www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/eprints) (PID 67660.)

Books, Articles and Websites

  • Ab-duhou, I. (1989). The socio-economic significance of teaching Arabic in Australia. Vox, 2, 31–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ang, I., Hawkins, G., & Dabboussy, L. (2008). The SBS story: The challenge of cultural diversity. Sydney, Australia: UNSW Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong, J. (1996). The Christesen romance. Carlton South, Australia: Melbourne University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baldauf, R., Jr., & White, P. (2010). Participation and collaboration in tertiary language education in Australia. In A. Liddicoat & A. Scarino (Eds.), Languages in Australian education: Problems, prospects and future directions (pp. 41–70). Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barclay, G. (1977). Australia and the Cold War. In J. Siracusa & G. Barclay (Eds.), The impact of the Cold War: Reconsiderations (pp. 3–25). Port Washington, NY: Kennikat Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barratt, G. (1988). The Russians and Australia, Russia and the South Pacific, 1696–1840, Volume I. Vancouver, Canada: University of British Columbia Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beaumont, J. (2003). Creating an elite? The diplomatic cadet scheme, 1943–56. In J. Beaumont, C. Waters, D. Lowe, & G. Woodard (Eds.), Ministers, mandarins and diplomats: Australian foreign policy making, 1941–1969 (pp. 19–44). Carlton, Australia: Melbourne University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bongiorno, F. (2013). Search for a solution, 1923–39. In A. Bashford & S. Macintyre (Eds.), The Cambridge history of Australia, Volume 2, the commonwealth of Australia (pp. 64–87). Port Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bonyhady, A. (1965). Languages taught to matriculation level in Australia. Babel, 1(3), 32–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, A., & Bowman, S. (2006). Obituary: The Rev John Bowman. Accessed from http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/sep/08/obituaries.readersobituaries/print on 5 Sept 2011.

  • Bowman, J. (1976). Middle Eastern studies in Australia since 1958. Sydney, Australia: Sydney University Press for the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brett, J. (2013). The Menzies era, 1950–66. In A. Bashford & S. Macintyre (Eds.), The Cambridge history of Australia, Volume 2, the commonwealth of Australia (pp. 112–134). Port Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S., Dyson, B., Karim, S., & Rabie, B. (1993). Unlocking Australia’s language potential: Profiles of 9 key languages in Australia: Volume 1: Arabic. Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia and the National Languages & Literacy Institute of Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cannon, M. (2002). Slater, William (Bill) (1890–1960). Canberra, Australia: Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University Accessed from http://adb.edua.u/biography/slater-william-bill-11709/text20929 on 21 Nov 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Challinger, M. (2010). Anzacs in Arkhangel: The untold story of Australia and the invasion of Russia 1918–19. Prahran, Australia: Hardie Grant Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chisholm, A. (1958). Men were my milestones: Australian contacts and sketches. Melbourne, Australia: Melbourne University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christa, B. (2001). Russians. In J. Jupp (Ed.), The Australian people: An encyclopaedia of the nation, its people and their origins (pp. 636–642). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christesen, N. (1982). A Russian migrant. In P. Grimshaw & L. Strahan (Eds.), The half-open door (pp. 56–77). Sydney, Australia: Hale & Iremonger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clyne, M. (2005). Australia’s language potential. Sydney, Australia: University of New South Wales Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clyne, M., & Kipp, S. (1999). Pluricentric languages in an immigrant context: Spanish, Arabic and Chinese. Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cotton, J. (1997). Australia and the four Asian dragons. In J. Cotton & J. Ravenhill (Eds.), Seeking Asian engagement: Australia in world affairs 1991–95 (pp. 191–206). South Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dessaix, R. (1997). Russia: The end of an affair. Australian Humanities Review, June, 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dutton, D. (2001). A British outpost in the Pacific. In D. Goldsworthy (Ed.), Facing north: A century of Australian engagement with Asia, Volume 1:1901 to the 1970s (pp. 21–60). Carlton South, Australia: Melbourne University Press. Canberra: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, B. (2001). Out in the cold: Australia’s involvement in the Korean war 1950–1953 (Rev ed.). Canberra, Australia: Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fewster, A. (2009). Trusty and well beloved: Biography of Keith officer. Carlton, Australia: The Miegunyah Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, G. (2007). Australia and the USSR: From Cold War to Perestroika. In A. Massov, J. McNair, & T. Poole (Eds.), Encounters under the Southern Cross: Two centuries of Russian-Australian relations 1807–2007 (pp. 232–252). Belair, Australia: Crawford House Publishing Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsworthy, D. (2001). Appendix III, Australian diplomatic and consular post appointments in Asia, 1901–2001. In Facing north: A century of Australian engagement with Asia, Volume 1, 1901 to the 1970s (pp. 387–402). Carlton South, Australia: Melbourne University Press. Canberra: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsworthy, D. (2003). Regional relations. In P. Edwards & D. Goldsworthy (Eds.), Facing north: A century of Australian engagement with Asia, Volume 2, 1970s to 2001 (pp. 130–177). Carlton South, Australia: Melbourne University Press Canberra: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Google Scholar 

  • Govor, E. (2001). Russian-Australian relations. In G. Davison, J. Hirst, & S. Macintyre (Eds.), The Oxford companion to Australian history (Rev ed., pp. 572–573). South Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, E., & Anderson, G. (1970). The Australian Presbyterian mission in Korea 1889–1941. Sydney, Australia: Australian Presbyterian Board of Missions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S. (2009). To Korea with love: Australian Presbyterian work in Korea, 1889–1941. Melbourne, Australia: Presbyterian Church of Victoria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lone, S., & McCormack, G. (1993). Korea since 1950. South Melbourne, Australia: Longman Cheshire.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrikovskaya, A. (2007). Russian and Australia: Cultural links. In A. Massov, J. McNair, & T. Poole (Eds.), Encounters under the southern cross: Two centuries of Russian Australian relations 1807–2007 (pp. 278–304). Belair, Australia: Crawford House Publishing Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, A., Akbarzadeh, S., & Mathew, R. (1995). Unlocking Australia’s language potential: Profiles of languages in Australia: Volume 1 – Russian. Canberra, Australia: The National Languages & Literacy Institute of Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poole, T. (1992). The establishment of the first Australian diplomatic mission in the USSR: Outstanding landmark or great embarrassment? In J. McNair & T. Poole (Eds.), Russia and the fifth continent: Aspects of Russian-Australian relations (pp. 172–209). St Lucia, Australia: University of Queensland Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poole, T. (2007). Comrades-in-arms during world war II. In A. Massov, J. McNair, & T. Poole (Eds.), Encounters under the southern cross: Two centuries of Russian Australian relations 1807–2007 (pp. 204–230). Belair, Australia: Crawford House Publishing Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Protopopov, M. (2006). A Russian presence, a history of the Russian orthodox church in Australia. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rich, R. (1993). Recognition of states: The collapse of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. European Journal of International Law, 4(1), 36–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, T. (1992). Russian and soviet studies in Australian universities. In J. McNair & T. Poole (Eds.), Russia and the fifth continent: Aspects of Russian-Australian relations (pp. 264–292). St Lucia, Australia: University of Queensland Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sagona, A. (2006). Obituary-John Bowman. Ancient Near Eastern Studies, XLIII, 3–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schedvin, B. (2008). Emissaries of trade: AQ history of the Australian trade commissioner service. Canberra, Australia: Austrade, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapley, M. (2008). Korean missionaries – Bessie, Belle Menzies & Agnes Brown. Accessed from http://womenshistory.net.au/2008/02/05/korean-missionaries-bessie-moore-belle-menzies-and-agnes-brown/ on 10 Sept 2012.

  • Slaughter, Y. (2011). Bringing Asia to the home front: The Australian experience of Asian language education through national policy. In C. Norrby & J. Hajek (Eds.), Uniformity and diversity in language policy: Global perspectives (pp. 157–173). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Travers, M. (1971). The first twenty-five years. Melbourne Slavonic Studies, 5–6, 223–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Travers, M. (1977). Slavonic languages in Australia since 1958. Sydney, Australia: Sydney University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, B. (1983). Outhouses of excellence: The development of the RAAF School of Languages. Defence Force Journal, No. 38, January/February.

    Google Scholar 

  • UN at Glance. (n.d.). UN official languages. Accessed from http:www.un.org/en/aboutun/languages.shtml on 22 Jan 2013.

  • Victorian Arabic Social Services. (n.d.). Mission. Accessed from www.vass.org.au/about/mission/ on 5 Mar 2013.

  • Walker, D. (2009). Anxious nation (2nd ed.). New Delhi, India: SSS Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waller, L. (1995). In comparative contexts: Australia. In M. Davis (Ed.), Teaching Jewish civilization: A global approach to higher education (pp. 72–74). New York: New York University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters, C. (2001). War, decolonisation and post-war security. In D. Goldsworthy (Ed.), Facing north: A century of Australian engagement with Asia, Volume 1, 1901 to the 1970s (pp. 97–133). Carlton South, Australia: Melbourne University Press Canberra: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woolcott, R. (2003). The hot seat: Reflections on diplomacy from Stalin’s death to the Bali bombings. Sydney, Australia: HarperCollins Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zajda, J. (1976). Russian studies in Australia. Babel, 12(1), 30–32.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Jennifer Joan Baldwin

Authors
  1. Jennifer Joan Baldwin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Baldwin, J.J. (2019). Three Strategic Languages: Russian, Korean and Arabic. In: Languages other than English in Australian Higher Education. Language Policy, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05795-4_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05795-4_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-05794-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-05795-4

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation