title: Sir Henry Atkinson: A political biography, 1872-1892

authors: Bassett, Judith

abstract: This thesis attempts to examine in some detail the political career of Sir Harry Atkinson who held Cabinet rank for twelve of the twenty years it covers, and who dominated the Treasury for more than a decade, yet upon whom historians have so for been reluctant to expend very much thought or research. In the earliest histories of nineteenth century New Zealand Atkinson appears briefly as a sinister, equivocal figure, and in the later histories he assumes a bluff, honest aspect. Neither school presents a three-dimensional figure.

text: Sir Henry Atkinson: A political biography, 1872-1892 This thesis attempts to examine in some detail the political career of Sir Harry Atkinson who held Cabinet rank for twelve of the twenty years it covers, and who dominated the Treasury for more than a decade, yet upon whom historians have so for been reluctant to expend very much thought or research. In the earliest histories of nineteenth century New Zealand Atkinson appears briefly as a sinister, equivocal figure, and in the later histories he assumes a bluff, honest aspect. Neither school presents a three-dimensional figure.

year: 1966

title: Affordable Housing, Democratic Erosion, and the inevitability of Capitalism

authors: McLeay, Colin

subjects: neoliberalism

abstract: Recent New Zealand governments have sought to increase the provision of affordable housing by introducing legislative initiatives designed to encourage ownership among first-home buyers. State-directed efforts around affordable housing focused on increasing the supply of land for housing and encouraging builders to include affordable housing in their developments. Evidence from New Zealand Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) shows the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013 introduced by a National-led Government and the Housing Legislation Amendment Act 2016 introduced by a Labour-led Government reinforced the inevitably of the mechanisms of neoliberal capitalism. Members of Parliament tacitly accepted the worth of market mechanisms and the centrality of capitalism to the provision of affordable housing. This paper identifies ways in which recent state intervention in the affordable housing market was expressive of neoliberal capture of the political process. The hegemony of neoliberal capitalism, and associated democratic narrowing, are manifestations of post-politics. When viewed through a post-political lens, Parliamentary debates associated with recent housing legislation expose the potential for the erosion of democracy.

text: Affordable Housing, Democratic Erosion, and the inevitability of Capitalism Recent New Zealand governments have sought to increase the provision of affordable housing by introducing legislative initiatives designed to encourage ownership among first-home buyers. State-directed efforts around affordable housing focused on increasing the supply of land for housing and encouraging builders to include affordable housing in their developments. Evidence from New Zealand Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) shows the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013 introduced by a National-led Government and the Housing Legislation Amendment Act 2016 introduced by a Labour-led Government reinforced the inevitably of the mechanisms of neoliberal capitalism. Members of Parliament tacitly accepted the worth of market mechanisms and the centrality of capitalism to the provision of affordable housing. This paper identifies ways in which recent state intervention in the affordable housing market was expressive of neoliberal capture of the political process. The hegemony of neoliberal capitalism, and associated democratic narrowing, are manifestations of post-politics. When viewed through a post-political lens, Parliamentary debates associated with recent housing legislation expose the potential for the erosion of democracy.

year: 2022

title: 'Entitled to a History': The World of Alice Tawhai's Short Stories and the Maori Literary Tradition

authors: Modlik, Kimberley

subjects: Alice Tawhai

abstract: New Zealand short story writer Alice Tawhai is one of the latest additions to the Maori literary tradition. Her three collections of short stories, Festival of Miracles, Luminous and Dark Jelly, deal with issues not entirely unique to New Zealand – from gang life, to domestic violence, to drug and alcohol abuse – and take as their primary subject an alienated, marginalized and disenfranchised underclass. This means she is likely to be read as speaking solely for the Maori experience.  This thesis will revise this misconception, which in effect ghettoizes or marginalizes Tawhai’s work.

Influential women writers of the Maori literary tradition, such as J. C. Sturm, Patricia Grace and Keri Hulme, have taken a particular interest in the long legacy of colonialism in New Zealand, especially of the impact of that legacy on Maori women. This thesis demonstrates that while Tawhai’s work engages with these familiar notions, her gaze is not limited to these issues. This thesis therefore places Tawhai’s work within that tradition and matrilineal genealogy before going on to show how she moves the paradigm beyond the usual grievances of biculturalism and colonialism, orienting her work instead around the increasingly multicultural experience of contemporary life in New Zealand.

The first section of this thesis will establish a platform for reading Tawhai in regards to her literary legacy and in the context of contemporary thinking, drawing on cultural theorist Stuart Hall and his theory on identity formation and identity politics as well as indigenous writings experts Patrick Evans and Chadwick Allen. This thesis will then move into its second section, which is an analysis of some of the overarching themes that can be found in the short stories of Tawhai’s literary foremothers, Sturm, Grace and Hulme. These include, for example, racism and discrimination, loss of ancestral lands, problems to do with urbanization and family violence.

The third and final section of this thesis will then consider Tawhai’s representation of contemporary experience, taking a particular interest in her portrayals of contemporary multicultural ethnic identities as well as the flexible and provisional nature of gendered and sexual identities today. The final subsection will then analyze her representations of the new family and social structures that may have replaced the traditional family model.

Through a close reading of her short stories and an appreciation of the legacy that she bears, this thesis will show how Tawhai’s work is a larger lens of contemporary New Zealand society as well as a significant addition to the Maori literary tradition.

text: 'Entitled to a History': The World of Alice Tawhai's Short Stories and the Maori Literary Tradition New Zealand short story writer Alice Tawhai is one of the latest additions to the Maori literary tradition. Her three collections of short stories, Festival of Miracles, Luminous and Dark Jelly, deal with issues not entirely unique to New Zealand – from gang life, to domestic violence, to drug and alcohol abuse – and take as their primary subject an alienated, marginalized and disenfranchised underclass. This means she is likely to be read as speaking solely for the Maori experience.  This thesis will revise this misconception, which in effect ghettoizes or marginalizes Tawhai’s work.

Influential women writers of the Maori literary tradition, such as J. C. Sturm, Patricia Grace and Keri Hulme, have taken a particular interest in the long legacy of colonialism in New Zealand, especially of the impact of that legacy on Maori women. This thesis demonstrates that while Tawhai’s work engages with these familiar notions, her gaze is not limited to these issues. This thesis therefore places Tawhai’s work within that tradition and matrilineal genealogy before going on to show how she moves the paradigm beyond the usual grievances of biculturalism and colonialism, orienting her work instead around the increasingly multicultural experience of contemporary life in New Zealand.

The first section of this thesis will establish a platform for reading Tawhai in regards to her literary legacy and in the context of contemporary thinking, drawing on cultural theorist Stuart Hall and his theory on identity formation and identity politics as well as indigenous writings experts Patrick Evans and Chadwick Allen. This thesis will then move into its second section, which is an analysis of some of the overarching themes that can be found in the short stories of Tawhai’s literary foremothers, Sturm, Grace and Hulme. These include, for example, racism and discrimination, loss of ancestral lands, problems to do with urbanization and family violence.

The third and final section of this thesis will then consider Tawhai’s representation of contemporary experience, taking a particular interest in her portrayals of contemporary multicultural ethnic identities as well as the flexible and provisional nature of gendered and sexual identities today. The final subsection will then analyze her representations of the new family and social structures that may have replaced the traditional family model.

Through a close reading of her short stories and an appreciation of the legacy that she bears, this thesis will show how Tawhai’s work is a larger lens of contemporary New Zealand society as well as a significant addition to the Maori literary tradition.

year: 2014