The Demography of the Dutch in Australia by Christabel Young

Christabel Young’s chapter offers a comprehensive demographic analysis of Dutch migration to Australia, tracing the development of the Netherlands-born population and their Australian-born descendants across several decades. Drawing on census data, birth/death records, immigration statistics, and health studies, Young provides an insightful account of the integration, transformation, and demographic profile Read more…

The Enterprising Dutch by Nonja Peters

Nonja Peters’ comprehensive chapter The Enterprising Dutch analyses the occupational adjustment and entrepreneurial activities of Dutch migrants in Western Australia after World War II, examining their transition from wage labour to self-employment. The study spans three distinct groups: first-generation postwar migrants (1947–1975), their Australian-born or raised children (second generation), and Read more…

Selling a Dream: Expectation Versus Reality – Post-war Dutch and Other Migration to Australia 1945–1970

In this 2012 paper published in the AEMI Journal, Dr. Nonja Peters examines the migration experiences of approximately 160,000 Dutch individuals who relocated to Australia following World War II. The study delves into how various factors—local, national, and global influences, as well as social, cultural, and economic policies in both Read more…

The Dutch Language in Australia – Some Comparisons with Other Community Languages

Author: Michael Clyne Introduction: In this seminal article, sociolinguist Michael Clyne investigates the unique trajectory of Dutch language use and decline in Australia, comparing it with other community languages such as Italian, Greek, German, and Vietnamese. His central question: Is the Dutch linguistic experience in Australia an anomaly, or does Read more…

Lifting the Low Sky” – Dutch Australians: Assimilationists or Accommodationists?

Summary Desmond Cahill’s extensive analysis explores whether Dutch Australians have assimilated into mainstream Australian society or adapted through a more complex, accommodationist process. Drawing on historical, cultural, and statistical perspectives, Cahill challenges the longstanding stereotype of the Dutch as “the perfect migrants” who effortlessly assimilated and vanished into Australian life. Read more…