Aboriginal intra-urban mobility in Katherine, Northern Territory
Very little is known about the movements of Aboriginal people within North Australian towns. This is partly due to a lack of adequate census data with which to measure intra-urban mobility but also reflects an enduring research interest in town camps to the relative exclusion of other arenas of Aboriginal urban existence. This paper presents some brief descriptive data from one Northern town which highlights the existence of Aboriginal population movement between housing sectors and provides an indication of the magnitude and direction of flows. A simple descriptive model of Aboriginal urban settlement is proposed as a basis for comparison with mobility patterns in other urban settings.
Measuring short-term population mobility among indigenous Australians: options and implications.
"Despite the fact that indigenous Australians are known to be frequently mobile over the short term, statistical information regarding this population movement is grossly deficient.... This paper examines various means by which short-term population movement can be quantified to yield aggregate indicators of demographic impact. First, census data are used to establish the rate and pattern of inter-regional, short-term displacement. This reveals regional urban centres as net recipients of temporary residents while most rural areas experience temporary absenteeism. Secondly, results from household surveys are reported stressing the importance of including visitors to households in the estimation of service populations. Thirdly, administrative data on occupancy in urban hostels are used to derive indicators of the duration of movement."
Culture of Poverty or Poverty of Culture
Review of La Vida: A Puerto Rican Family in the Culture of Poverty, San Juan and New York by Oscar Lewis. This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website , where most recent articles are published in full. Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.