*3.2. Freedom and Family Relationships*

Another common consensus among participants was around differences in culture from the older generation in relation to the rights and freedom of expression and how those disagreements came to shape the identity of some African youths in Australia. In some African cultures, youths are expected to follow the views of their parents and elders. Many youths in the study, however, perceived themselves as embodying Australian culture and were free to make an individual choice to do whatever they wish. Sometimes the 'freedom' in Australia put youths in the direct course of cultural conflict with parents and caused tensions within families. For example, the below quote captures this sentiment:

We are in Australia everyone is equal, and we know our rights and wrongs so that we argue with parents, like 'this is wrong. This is what you're supposed to say to me because you are wrong' and then they don't accept that. That's how they take it to the community, because Africans consider that as being rude, you are not respecting your parents by talking back at them, but this is not what Australian culture says. Everyone is equal (Participant 12)

I've got pressure from my culture, like family at home, and then pressure from outside because I want to be—socially interact with others and they, my family, don't want to accept that . . . I'm with my aunt here, and we have a lot of disagreement and stuff. Like you're a girl, you don't go out and meet friends except for close families, like a family that they know. Like I have friends from different places in Australia and stuff, but they don't accept that they find it hard because they have different culture, like 'no'. (Participant 10)

When participants were asked how the cultural conflicts within the family setting affected them, there was consensus around disengagements from their communities. Participants revealed that disengaged youths did not 'fit' in their communities or in the Australian culture. These missing pieces of identity from the country of origin and Australia made some participants define their own self-construct in ways that were comfortable and appropriate for themselves, for example, by going out to find a social group to identify with. Participants described the process of finding a sense of belonging in such a position as a "confused" situation. The following quote demonstrates this sentiment.

For me, I have to go to meet friend just to clear thing out . . . A lot of people, I think they isolate themselves from going out in the community or in a tribe with different people or getting involved in something . . . It always goes back to family, you know? Follow your culture with your family, listen to them, what they want you to do or just ignore them and do what you want to do to yourself. So, you're between confused what-exactly how you're going to help yourself to get out of that issue (Participant 10)

However, there remained tension between expectations for personal responsibility for action and the role of others in supporting this action. This reflected the recognition that personal freedom, representing the ability to define oneself and one's own course of action, might result in very different consequences for an individual according to their personal resources and ability to seek out opportunities and support.

The good thing is that it's you make your choices. At the end of the day, it's up to you. Nobody makes the choices for you, but it's up to you and if you're willing to listen to anybody, take in their advice and sort of work out your life and stuff it's up to you . . . You're free, but all of that comes with consequences too. (Respondent 16)
