Securing the borders of English and Whiteness

This article examines how racial and linguistic identities are constructed on the Australian reality TV show Border Security. Based an analysis of 108 episodes involving 253 border force officers 128 passengers, we explore hegemonic identity White native speaker English is show. Officers represented as a relatively uniform group heroes devoted to protecting Australia’s national security. Simultaneously, most them look white sound like speakers English. In contrast officers, their antagonists, do not have predominant or profile. They highly diverse. What unites any profile but that they represent security risk. Threat thus comes be mapped onto diversity. The show’s schema antagonists invites audience identify with heroes. By identifying White-English heroes, also take power judgment over its diverse Others. shows bundle authoritative legitimate position judging knower. article’s main contribution raciolinguistic construct complex made in society officially committed multiculturalism.