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: "I cannot see my way clear. I cannot see the blackboard": Deconstructing personal failure stories

authors: Kotzé, Elmarie

subjects: autoethnography,

abstract: In this article, a failure identity story of a student counsellor is deconstructed. Self-data on the experiences of her six-year-old self in a school were generated through an outsider witness ceremony, as suggested by White (2007) in Maps of Narrative Practice. The data take the form of a rescued speech poem, as proposed by Speedy (2005). The article reflects on the process of data generation and of using a failure conversation map, as discussed by White (2002) in his paper “Addressing personal failure,” to analyse and deconstruct the failure identity/ies available to the student counsellor. The process of the research, the writing, and the analyses of the failure story contributed to the development of an ethical counselling practice by the student counsellor.

text: "I cannot see my way clear. I cannot see the blackboard": Deconstructing personal failure stories In this article, a failure identity story of a student counsellor is deconstructed. Self-data on the experiences of her six-year-old self in a school were generated through an outsider witness ceremony, as suggested by White (2007) in Maps of Narrative Practice. The data take the form of a rescued speech poem, as proposed by Speedy (2005). The article reflects on the process of data generation and of using a failure conversation map, as discussed by White (2002) in his paper “Addressing personal failure,” to analyse and deconstruct the failure identity/ies available to the student counsellor. The process of the research, the writing, and the analyses of the failure story contributed to the development of an ethical counselling practice by the student counsellor.

year: 2014

title: Talking About Race and Positionality in Psychology: Asians as Tangata Tiriti

authors: Tan, Kyle K. H.

subjects: tangata whenua

abstract: The article discusses the dominance of Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) perspectives in the field of psychology in Aotearoa New Zealand. This has resulted in a racial hierarchy of knowledge, with Indigenous and culturally diverse epistemologies marginalized. The lack of diversity in the curriculum and the limited representation of non-Pākehā (non-New Zealand European) psychologists in the country have led to calls for a more inclusive environment.

The first perspective proposed is to understand Asians as a racialized group with diverse experiences. Asians in Aotearoa come from various backgrounds and face different degrees of racism and acculturation. The notion of 'Asian' may be used to marginalize the interests of Māori, perpetuating institutional racism. The concept of 'Asianisations' describes different forms of racial marginalization experienced by Asians in the country.

The second perspective emphasizes the positionality of Asians as tangata Tiriti (people of the Treaty). Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Treaty between the British Crown and Māori chiefs, is seen as granting tangata Tiriti equal rights and privileges alongside Pākehā and Māori. As tangata Tiriti, Asians have a responsibility to uphold Tiriti principles, which include partnership, active protection, equity, and options to address Māori inequities. Asian psychologists can engage in culturally safe care for Māori clients and collaborate with and empower Māori leadership in research.

The article highlights the need for Asian psychologists to reflect on their positionality, power structures, and biases within the discipline and society. It encourages them to challenge the dominance of WEIRD psychology and work towards decolonizing the field. By doing so, they can contribute to the flourishing of Kaupapa Māori psychology and develop culturally informed practices that draw on the richness of Asian cultures.

text: Talking About Race and Positionality in Psychology: Asians as Tangata Tiriti The article discusses the dominance of Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) perspectives in the field of psychology in Aotearoa New Zealand. This has resulted in a racial hierarchy of knowledge, with Indigenous and culturally diverse epistemologies marginalized. The lack of diversity in the curriculum and the limited representation of non-Pākehā (non-New Zealand European) psychologists in the country have led to calls for a more inclusive environment.

The first perspective proposed is to understand Asians as a racialized group with diverse experiences. Asians in Aotearoa come from various backgrounds and face different degrees of racism and acculturation. The notion of 'Asian' may be used to marginalize the interests of Māori, perpetuating institutional racism. The concept of 'Asianisations' describes different forms of racial marginalization experienced by Asians in the country.

The second perspective emphasizes the positionality of Asians as tangata Tiriti (people of the Treaty). Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Treaty between the British Crown and Māori chiefs, is seen as granting tangata Tiriti equal rights and privileges alongside Pākehā and Māori. As tangata Tiriti, Asians have a responsibility to uphold Tiriti principles, which include partnership, active protection, equity, and options to address Māori inequities. Asian psychologists can engage in culturally safe care for Māori clients and collaborate with and empower Māori leadership in research.

The article highlights the need for Asian psychologists to reflect on their positionality, power structures, and biases within the discipline and society. It encourages them to challenge the dominance of WEIRD psychology and work towards decolonizing the field. By doing so, they can contribute to the flourishing of Kaupapa Māori psychology and develop culturally informed practices that draw on the richness of Asian cultures.

year: 2023-07-24