title: Attitudes towards immigrants and immigration: A narrative review

authors: Dixon, Renae Hayley

subjects: public attitudes

abstract: The primary objective of this research is to investigate the factors that shape, form or influence attitudes towards immigrants and immigration.  Through a narrative review methodology the thesis draws upon 144 publications in order to identify the key findings across economic and psychological literature, as well as a focus on individual and national differences in attitudes.  While the study incorporates broad international literature, it is contextualised in relation to three traditional countries of immigration with similar colonial-settler histories; Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The study has identified that this area of research is characterised by inconsistent, contradictory and inconclusive findings resulting from the application of very different disciplines, data sources and methodologies.  The variety of scholarly opinions found in the literature has led to a rigorous and continuing debate regarding the key determinants of attitudes towards immigrants and immigration – whether they be positive or negative and under what circumstances.  More specifically, the thesis has identified that economic and social psychological theory offer quite divergent views on the matter of attitudes to immigrants and immigration.  Economic theory tends to suggest that native-born populations prefer immigrants who are dissimilar to themselves (largely in socio-economic status), whilst social psychological theory suggests that native-born populations prefer immigrants who are similar to themselves (in terms of cultural identity).  Furthermore, positive attitudes are found amongst those who hold a sociotropic view towards society in general. Overall, the thesis asserts that there is room for improvement in the way that questions around attitudes are formulated and theorised, and ways to improve data collection and analysis methods that can more seriously take into account wider historical, social, economic and political processes.

text: Attitudes towards immigrants and immigration: A narrative review The primary objective of this research is to investigate the factors that shape, form or influence attitudes towards immigrants and immigration.  Through a narrative review methodology the thesis draws upon 144 publications in order to identify the key findings across economic and psychological literature, as well as a focus on individual and national differences in attitudes.  While the study incorporates broad international literature, it is contextualised in relation to three traditional countries of immigration with similar colonial-settler histories; Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The study has identified that this area of research is characterised by inconsistent, contradictory and inconclusive findings resulting from the application of very different disciplines, data sources and methodologies.  The variety of scholarly opinions found in the literature has led to a rigorous and continuing debate regarding the key determinants of attitudes towards immigrants and immigration – whether they be positive or negative and under what circumstances.  More specifically, the thesis has identified that economic and social psychological theory offer quite divergent views on the matter of attitudes to immigrants and immigration.  Economic theory tends to suggest that native-born populations prefer immigrants who are dissimilar to themselves (largely in socio-economic status), whilst social psychological theory suggests that native-born populations prefer immigrants who are similar to themselves (in terms of cultural identity).  Furthermore, positive attitudes are found amongst those who hold a sociotropic view towards society in general. Overall, the thesis asserts that there is room for improvement in the way that questions around attitudes are formulated and theorised, and ways to improve data collection and analysis methods that can more seriously take into account wider historical, social, economic and political processes.

year: 2019

title: Note on the occurrence of Taupo pumice in the Hamilton basin

authors: Tonkin, Philip J.

subjects: Hamilton basin

abstract: The presence of a thin layer of pumice lapilli and ash close to the surface of the Rukuhia and Moanatuatua peat bogs was recorded by Grange and Taylor (1939). Since this time a similar band of pumice has been noted in many of the other peat areas in the Hamilton basin. In the undeveloped fibrous peats of the Woodlands bog a layer of pumice lapilli 2 to 3 inches thick occurs at a depth of 18 to 20 inches from the surface. This is similar to the observations of Grange and Taylor. In the more loamy peats the pumice layer is predominantly fine ash and any lapilli present are extremely weathered and crush easily. In the fibrous peats it is thought that the fine ash that fell on the bog surface soon dispersed in the loose network of dead material, whereas the lapilli were of sufficient size to be trapped. In the loamy peats more active weathering took place in an acid environment as the organic matter was breaking down. This made the lapilli very fragile, so with drainage and compaction of the peat the lapilli were very soon crushed to fine ash size.

text: Note on the occurrence of Taupo pumice in the Hamilton basin The presence of a thin layer of pumice lapilli and ash close to the surface of the Rukuhia and Moanatuatua peat bogs was recorded by Grange and Taylor (1939). Since this time a similar band of pumice has been noted in many of the other peat areas in the Hamilton basin. In the undeveloped fibrous peats of the Woodlands bog a layer of pumice lapilli 2 to 3 inches thick occurs at a depth of 18 to 20 inches from the surface. This is similar to the observations of Grange and Taylor. In the more loamy peats the pumice layer is predominantly fine ash and any lapilli present are extremely weathered and crush easily. In the fibrous peats it is thought that the fine ash that fell on the bog surface soon dispersed in the loose network of dead material, whereas the lapilli were of sufficient size to be trapped. In the loamy peats more active weathering took place in an acid environment as the organic matter was breaking down. This made the lapilli very fragile, so with drainage and compaction of the peat the lapilli were very soon crushed to fine ash size.

year: 1967

title: Homeless Māori Men: Re-connection, Re-joining, and Re-membering Ways of Being

authors: King, Pita Richard Wiremu

subjects: Māori psychology

abstract: There are a range of interventions and programmes to address the on-going issue of Māori homelessness. This thesis explores a gardening project hosted by a Ngāti Whātua marae (communal complex used for everyday Māori life) in Auckland for homeless Māori men. The garden project facilitates a sense of belonging, dignity, purpose, meaning and connectedness with other Māori people. It provides insights into how culturally-patterned relationships are centrally important to resolving the overrepresentation of indigenous peoples’ in homelessness populations. I employ the use of semi-structured interviews, reflective journaling, and photography as techniques to record and document the daily interactions in the marae gardens. Participants came from three distinct groups, which include: homeless Māori men, the Auckland City Mission, and Ngāti Whātua o Orakei. A total of eight participants were formally interviewed, along with another six who engaged in casual conversations, in this research, with ages ranged from 30 to 70 years of age. Key findings from this research relate to the construction and preservation of Māori identity while in a state of homelessness, the functioning of marae as spaces of care that foster the wellbeing of Māori, and the role of food in the reproduction of Māori cultural values in everyday life. The broader significance of my work is to use indigenous concepts to build an understanding of the activities, needs and relationships of homeless Māori men that they can recognise themselves from.

text: Homeless Māori Men: Re-connection, Re-joining, and Re-membering Ways of Being There are a range of interventions and programmes to address the on-going issue of Māori homelessness. This thesis explores a gardening project hosted by a Ngāti Whātua marae (communal complex used for everyday Māori life) in Auckland for homeless Māori men. The garden project facilitates a sense of belonging, dignity, purpose, meaning and connectedness with other Māori people. It provides insights into how culturally-patterned relationships are centrally important to resolving the overrepresentation of indigenous peoples’ in homelessness populations. I employ the use of semi-structured interviews, reflective journaling, and photography as techniques to record and document the daily interactions in the marae gardens. Participants came from three distinct groups, which include: homeless Māori men, the Auckland City Mission, and Ngāti Whātua o Orakei. A total of eight participants were formally interviewed, along with another six who engaged in casual conversations, in this research, with ages ranged from 30 to 70 years of age. Key findings from this research relate to the construction and preservation of Māori identity while in a state of homelessness, the functioning of marae as spaces of care that foster the wellbeing of Māori, and the role of food in the reproduction of Māori cultural values in everyday life. The broader significance of my work is to use indigenous concepts to build an understanding of the activities, needs and relationships of homeless Māori men that they can recognise themselves from.

year: 2014