title: Contextualising social enterprise in New Zealand

authors: Grant, Suzanne Lisa Parker

subjects: business enterprise

abstract: Purpose – Social enterprise in New Zealand is still in its infancy, with no recognised framework to inform knowledge of current or future developments. In this exploratory paper, the aim is to consider four influences which are shaping the development of social enterprise in New Zealand.

Design/methodology/approach – A critical-appreciative lens utilising Habermas' concepts of the lifeworld and system informs the consideration of these influences.

Findings – Four distinct cultural and historical influences are proposed as contributing to the scope and “flavour” of social enterprise developing in New Zealand: socio-cultural norms, e.g. “Kiwi ingenuity”; the neoliberal reforms initiated by successive governments during the 1980s; Crown settlements in relation to breaches of the principles of 1840 Treaty of Waitangi; New Zealanders' as international citizens.

Originality/value – The paper shows how feedback and dialogue across the sectors, at local, national and international levels, is now required to determine how other scholars, practitioners and policy makers perceive this proposed initial framework.

text: Contextualising social enterprise in New Zealand Purpose – Social enterprise in New Zealand is still in its infancy, with no recognised framework to inform knowledge of current or future developments. In this exploratory paper, the aim is to consider four influences which are shaping the development of social enterprise in New Zealand.

Design/methodology/approach – A critical-appreciative lens utilising Habermas' concepts of the lifeworld and system informs the consideration of these influences.

Findings – Four distinct cultural and historical influences are proposed as contributing to the scope and “flavour” of social enterprise developing in New Zealand: socio-cultural norms, e.g. “Kiwi ingenuity”; the neoliberal reforms initiated by successive governments during the 1980s; Crown settlements in relation to breaches of the principles of 1840 Treaty of Waitangi; New Zealanders' as international citizens.

Originality/value – The paper shows how feedback and dialogue across the sectors, at local, national and international levels, is now required to determine how other scholars, practitioners and policy makers perceive this proposed initial framework.

year: 2008

title: Te Kahautu Maxwell on Te Kooti and Ringatu (Interviewed by Tama Muru)

authors: Maxwell, Te Kahautu

abstract: In October 1869 musket fire erupted at Te Porere about sixty kilometres north of here, in the shadow of Mount Tongariro in the last major battle of the New Zealand wars. 

Armed constabulary and Maori fighters, clashed with the forces of the prophet Te Kooti Arikinui Te Turiki who had built an earth redoubt at Te Porere.  It was overwhelmed during the battle, but Te Kooti and his surviving followers escaped. 

Today the site is a tourist attraction but what also endured is the Ringatu Church, founded by Te Kooti. In 2018 it celebrated its 150th anniversary. 

Ringatu mixes the Bible with Maori custom and, like Matariki, follows annual cycles such as Te Huamata in June for planting and Te Pure, the harvest, each November. 

We spoke to Professor Te Kahautu Maxwell , a minister in the Ringatu Church and a senior academic in Maori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Waikato.

text: Te Kahautu Maxwell on Te Kooti and Ringatu (Interviewed by Tama Muru) In October 1869 musket fire erupted at Te Porere about sixty kilometres north of here, in the shadow of Mount Tongariro in the last major battle of the New Zealand wars. 

Armed constabulary and Maori fighters, clashed with the forces of the prophet Te Kooti Arikinui Te Turiki who had built an earth redoubt at Te Porere.  It was overwhelmed during the battle, but Te Kooti and his surviving followers escaped. 

Today the site is a tourist attraction but what also endured is the Ringatu Church, founded by Te Kooti. In 2018 it celebrated its 150th anniversary. 

Ringatu mixes the Bible with Maori custom and, like Matariki, follows annual cycles such as Te Huamata in June for planting and Te Pure, the harvest, each November. 

We spoke to Professor Te Kahautu Maxwell , a minister in the Ringatu Church and a senior academic in Maori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Waikato.

year: 2025

title: Moving beyond psychocentric perspectives of suicide: Towards an ecological and social justice understanding

authors: Foley, Shaun

subjects: Suicide

abstract: Suicide is a fundamentally political and deep moral concern within Aotearoa, New Zealand. The act of suicide is best understood as a complex phenomenon occurring within multiple biological, psychological, philosophical, moral, sociocultural, historical, anthropological and economic dimensions. While suicide is a complex phenomenon, the issue of suicide within an Anglocentric context such as Aotearoa is mainly understood from an individualistic, psychocentric conceptualisation that favours biological, medical, and psychological factors. This master’s thesis explored an alternative framework that aimed to go beyond an individualised, psychocentric perspective through using the social determinants of health and an ecological understanding of suicide. The theoretical framework for this research is informed by humanistic and community psychologies, narrative and phenomenology. The study involved an interpretative phenomenological analysis of six autobiographies written by authors who had survived a previous suicide attempt. First, thorough notes were taken through three readings of each book to supplement the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach of the six autobiographical works. The second part of analysis used Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory to extend the themes that were gathered from the interpretative phenomenological analysis and connect them to broader societal structures and social inequalities. The analysis is spread across three chapters. Chapter four discusses Brian’s rationality for suicide. His understanding of suicide challenges the mainstream understandings of suicide, which attribute suicide to being an act of irrationality and madness. Chapter five takes a look across all of authors’ accounts to see how societal inequalities and neoliberalism are intertwined with the complex and long process that can lead a person towards attempting suicide. Chapter six further discusses the authors’ accounts in relation to how social inequalities and social hierarchies foster violence and suicide. Chapter seven closes the thesis with a discussion of the analysis and how a theoretical framework from community psychology provides an understanding of suicide from a broader viewpoint. The discussion considers possible ways of reconceptualising suicide and advocates for an upstream approach to suicide prevention.

text: Moving beyond psychocentric perspectives of suicide: Towards an ecological and social justice understanding Suicide is a fundamentally political and deep moral concern within Aotearoa, New Zealand. The act of suicide is best understood as a complex phenomenon occurring within multiple biological, psychological, philosophical, moral, sociocultural, historical, anthropological and economic dimensions. While suicide is a complex phenomenon, the issue of suicide within an Anglocentric context such as Aotearoa is mainly understood from an individualistic, psychocentric conceptualisation that favours biological, medical, and psychological factors. This master’s thesis explored an alternative framework that aimed to go beyond an individualised, psychocentric perspective through using the social determinants of health and an ecological understanding of suicide. The theoretical framework for this research is informed by humanistic and community psychologies, narrative and phenomenology. The study involved an interpretative phenomenological analysis of six autobiographies written by authors who had survived a previous suicide attempt. First, thorough notes were taken through three readings of each book to supplement the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach of the six autobiographical works. The second part of analysis used Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory to extend the themes that were gathered from the interpretative phenomenological analysis and connect them to broader societal structures and social inequalities. The analysis is spread across three chapters. Chapter four discusses Brian’s rationality for suicide. His understanding of suicide challenges the mainstream understandings of suicide, which attribute suicide to being an act of irrationality and madness. Chapter five takes a look across all of authors’ accounts to see how societal inequalities and neoliberalism are intertwined with the complex and long process that can lead a person towards attempting suicide. Chapter six further discusses the authors’ accounts in relation to how social inequalities and social hierarchies foster violence and suicide. Chapter seven closes the thesis with a discussion of the analysis and how a theoretical framework from community psychology provides an understanding of suicide from a broader viewpoint. The discussion considers possible ways of reconceptualising suicide and advocates for an upstream approach to suicide prevention.

year: 2021