Critical Open-mindedness vs. Social Closed-mindedness

This project is about measuring 'critical (social) open-mindedness' in Australia as a composite index which was first introduced through a series of conference presentations and publications by its chief investigators. It also employs Structural Equation Modelling to explore its determining social factors in th Australian context (2005-2012). In the age of rising anti-immigrant sentiments and populist nationalist movements lead by far right political forces which draw on the politics of fear and hatred across the world, closed-mindedness is a concept that needs to be rethought and returned to the center of our conscientious/critical social inquiry. We however argue that this time, the sociological dimension of this phenomenon deserves a much stronger attention. Therefore, the notion of ‘social close/open-mindedness’ is developed for the first time through this project as a sociological construct and the complexities of its measurement and explanation are discussed and dealt with.