title: Towards a neoliberal citizenship regime: A post-Marxist discourse analysis

authors: Hackell, Melissa

subjects: discourse

abstract: This thesis is empirically grounded in New Zealand's restructuring of unemployment and taxation policy in the 1980s and 1990s.  Theoretically it is inspired by a post-Marxist discourse analytical approach that focuses on discourses as political strategies.  This approach has made it possible, through an analysis of changing citizenship discourses, to understand how the neoliberalisation of New Zealand's citizenship regime proceeded via debate and struggle over unemployment and taxation policy.  

Debates over unemployment and taxation in New Zealand during the 1980s and 1990s reconfigured the targets of policy and re-ordered social antagonism, establishing a neoliberal citizenship regime and centring political problematic.  This construction of a neoliberal citizenship regime involved re-specifying the targets of public policy as consumers and taxpayers.  In exploring the hegemonic discourse strategies of the Fourth Labour Government and the subsequent National-led governments of the 1990s, this thesis traces the process of reconfiguring citizen subjectivity initially as 'social consumers' and participants in a coalition of minorities, and subsequently as universal taxpayers in antagonistic relation to unemployed beneficiaries.  These changes are related back to key discursive events in New Zealand's recent social policy history as well as to shifts in the discourses of politicians that address the nature of the public interest and the targets of social policy.  

I argue that this neoliberalisation of New Zealand's citizenship regime was the outcome of the hegemonic articulatory discourse strategies of governing parties in the 1980s and 1990s.  Struggles between government administrations and citizen-based social movement groups were articulated to the neoliberal project.  I also argue that in the late 1990s, discursive struggle between the dominant parties to define themselves in difference from each other reveals both the 'de'contestation of a set of neoliberal policy prescriptions, underscoring the neoliberal political problematic, and the privileging of a contributing taxpayer identity as the source of political legitimacy.  

This study shows that the dynamics of discursive struggle matter and demonstrates how the outcomes of discursive struggle direct policy change.  In particular, it establishes how neoliberal discourse strategies evolved from political discourses in competition with other discourses to become the hegemonic political problematic underscoring institutional practice and policy development.

text: Towards a neoliberal citizenship regime: A post-Marxist discourse analysis This thesis is empirically grounded in New Zealand's restructuring of unemployment and taxation policy in the 1980s and 1990s.  Theoretically it is inspired by a post-Marxist discourse analytical approach that focuses on discourses as political strategies.  This approach has made it possible, through an analysis of changing citizenship discourses, to understand how the neoliberalisation of New Zealand's citizenship regime proceeded via debate and struggle over unemployment and taxation policy.  

Debates over unemployment and taxation in New Zealand during the 1980s and 1990s reconfigured the targets of policy and re-ordered social antagonism, establishing a neoliberal citizenship regime and centring political problematic.  This construction of a neoliberal citizenship regime involved re-specifying the targets of public policy as consumers and taxpayers.  In exploring the hegemonic discourse strategies of the Fourth Labour Government and the subsequent National-led governments of the 1990s, this thesis traces the process of reconfiguring citizen subjectivity initially as 'social consumers' and participants in a coalition of minorities, and subsequently as universal taxpayers in antagonistic relation to unemployed beneficiaries.  These changes are related back to key discursive events in New Zealand's recent social policy history as well as to shifts in the discourses of politicians that address the nature of the public interest and the targets of social policy.  

I argue that this neoliberalisation of New Zealand's citizenship regime was the outcome of the hegemonic articulatory discourse strategies of governing parties in the 1980s and 1990s.  Struggles between government administrations and citizen-based social movement groups were articulated to the neoliberal project.  I also argue that in the late 1990s, discursive struggle between the dominant parties to define themselves in difference from each other reveals both the 'de'contestation of a set of neoliberal policy prescriptions, underscoring the neoliberal political problematic, and the privileging of a contributing taxpayer identity as the source of political legitimacy.  

This study shows that the dynamics of discursive struggle matter and demonstrates how the outcomes of discursive struggle direct policy change.  In particular, it establishes how neoliberal discourse strategies evolved from political discourses in competition with other discourses to become the hegemonic political problematic underscoring institutional practice and policy development.

year: 2007

title: From concussion to classroom: Predicting post-concussion pediatric school functioning

authors: Kennedy, Kristen

abstract: Pediatric concussion is a common injury that can impact many children annually, and while most children return to school within 2 weeks post-concussion, many experience ongoing symptoms that can significantly impair school functioning. Moreover, children with preexisting learning conditions may be at even greater risk for delayed return-to-learn. However, there is limited research examining what factors predict school functioning 1 month post-concussion. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether initial post-concussion symptom severity predicted school functioning outcomes at 1 month post-concussion, while accounting for pre-existing learning conditions and demographics. 

This research involved 275 children and adolescents aged 5-17 years old who had sustained a concussion. Parent reports were analysed which included the Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, as well as study specific demographic questions. We used a hierarchical multiple linear regression to examine whether initial PCSI symptom severity predicted PedsQL school functioning outcomes at 1 month post-concussion, while accounting for pre-existing learning conditions and demographics. 

The results showed that more severe initial PCSI symptoms significantly predicted worse school functioning outcomes at 1 month post-concussion (R2 = .12, F(6, 158) = 3.53, p = .003), supporting our main hypothesis. However, pre-existing learning conditions did not significantly predict school functioning outcomes, which failed to support our second hypothesis. The final model accounted for 11.8 percent of the variance in school functioning outcomes. 

In conclusion, this research demonstrates that initial post-concussion symptom severity predicts school functioning outcomes at 1 month post-concussion, while pre-existing learning conditions did not. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive symptom assessment and individualised support plans for children returning to school.

text: From concussion to classroom: Predicting post-concussion pediatric school functioning Pediatric concussion is a common injury that can impact many children annually, and while most children return to school within 2 weeks post-concussion, many experience ongoing symptoms that can significantly impair school functioning. Moreover, children with preexisting learning conditions may be at even greater risk for delayed return-to-learn. However, there is limited research examining what factors predict school functioning 1 month post-concussion. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether initial post-concussion symptom severity predicted school functioning outcomes at 1 month post-concussion, while accounting for pre-existing learning conditions and demographics. 

This research involved 275 children and adolescents aged 5-17 years old who had sustained a concussion. Parent reports were analysed which included the Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, as well as study specific demographic questions. We used a hierarchical multiple linear regression to examine whether initial PCSI symptom severity predicted PedsQL school functioning outcomes at 1 month post-concussion, while accounting for pre-existing learning conditions and demographics. 

The results showed that more severe initial PCSI symptoms significantly predicted worse school functioning outcomes at 1 month post-concussion (R2 = .12, F(6, 158) = 3.53, p = .003), supporting our main hypothesis. However, pre-existing learning conditions did not significantly predict school functioning outcomes, which failed to support our second hypothesis. The final model accounted for 11.8 percent of the variance in school functioning outcomes. 

In conclusion, this research demonstrates that initial post-concussion symptom severity predicts school functioning outcomes at 1 month post-concussion, while pre-existing learning conditions did not. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive symptom assessment and individualised support plans for children returning to school.

year: 2025

title: Ngā takenga o te riri

authors: Murphy, Ēnoka

subjects: Pakanga

abstract: Ko te kaupapa ake o tēnei tuhinga, ko te whakawhāriki i ētahi kōrero mō te takenga mai o te riri, o te pakanga ki tā rā ngā kōrero a te Māori. Ko aua take mai rā kei ngā kōrero o tua whakarere, e hokia ana ki a Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku me tā rāua hūnuku. Ko tāna e pātai ake nei, nō hea ake te riri Māori, otirā, te pakanga a te Māori? Nō hea anō hoki āna tikanga? He aha ā ērā kōrero tauiratanga mai ki te toa o te Māori ki te whawhai. Ka mutu, ko te wāhi uaua pea o ngā pātai nei, ko te āhua ki ngā kōrero a te Māori kāore nei i te tapatahi mō te oroko hīmatanga. Ahakoa rā, tērā ōna rite, ōna rerekē. Kua tuhia nuitia te kaupapa o te oroko tīmatanga mai o te ao e ngā momo o te kaituhi Pākehā, ā, tērā anō hoki ko ngā tuhinga a te Māori ake. Inā te rerekē o ngā kōrero mō te oroko hīmatanga mai o te ao, tērā noa ētahi kōrero kua tīkina hei mātaitanga mō tēnei rangahau, mō tēnei tuhinga. Ka mutu, ko tā tēnei tuhinga, he whakaatu i te takenga mai o te riri, o te matawhāura Māori.

text: Ngā takenga o te riri Ko te kaupapa ake o tēnei tuhinga, ko te whakawhāriki i ētahi kōrero mō te takenga mai o te riri, o te pakanga ki tā rā ngā kōrero a te Māori. Ko aua take mai rā kei ngā kōrero o tua whakarere, e hokia ana ki a Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku me tā rāua hūnuku. Ko tāna e pātai ake nei, nō hea ake te riri Māori, otirā, te pakanga a te Māori? Nō hea anō hoki āna tikanga? He aha ā ērā kōrero tauiratanga mai ki te toa o te Māori ki te whawhai. Ka mutu, ko te wāhi uaua pea o ngā pātai nei, ko te āhua ki ngā kōrero a te Māori kāore nei i te tapatahi mō te oroko hīmatanga. Ahakoa rā, tērā ōna rite, ōna rerekē. Kua tuhia nuitia te kaupapa o te oroko tīmatanga mai o te ao e ngā momo o te kaituhi Pākehā, ā, tērā anō hoki ko ngā tuhinga a te Māori ake. Inā te rerekē o ngā kōrero mō te oroko hīmatanga mai o te ao, tērā noa ētahi kōrero kua tīkina hei mātaitanga mō tēnei rangahau, mō tēnei tuhinga. Ka mutu, ko tā tēnei tuhinga, he whakaatu i te takenga mai o te riri, o te matawhāura Māori.

year: 2017