The issue of race is both complex and emotive, as it is for its somewhat less problematic cousin, ethnicity – and that's before they are discussed in relation to education. Of all the ways humans have chosen to divide themselves, none has a history as arbitrary, as spurious and as terrible as the concept of race. A range of terms are used in this area of study, but probably the most important is ‘othering’ – i.e. the process of deciding who's in, who's out, and why. Arguably, two of the most pernicious examples of this are racism, and ethnic discrimination.

Myth #1 Humanity is naturally divided into races

Just as there are different breeds of dog, or species of beetle, so too are there different races of people. It's just part of nature: yellow people are naturally clever, black people are naturally good at sport, and white people are naturally good at being in charge.

None of this is true. Race is a relatively recent invention; one that has found a way of blaming nature for a series of socially constructed forms of discrimination. Unfortunately, though this concept is without foundation, it still has real effects.

Myth #2 We no longer discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity

Sure, people who aren't white once had a rough time in Australia, but now most of us have friends with every skin colour imaginable. No-one cares anymore.

While hopefully there's some truth in these statements, the evidence suggests that discrimination extends beyond the simple and the overt, and is often at its most pervasive in its institutional and cultural forms.