Diversity in military organizations: Indigenous peoples in the New Zealand Defence Force and the Canadian forces

Scoppio, Grazia

doi:10.1037/e564862012-004

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…To find things out, it was imperative that I considered the three different contexts in which participants were located. Because I wanted to explore the potential benefits of Indigenous Knowledges in military curricula, it made sense that I explore the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) first because the NZDF were well known for the success of their bicultural programs (Scoppio, 2007) and were willing to share their knowledge and experience. In many respects, the NZDF essentially 'opened the dialogue' in terms of my research.…”

Section: Choosing a Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Opening the Dialogue: Reflections of my PhD Journey 2010-16

Hohaia¹

2017

LCJ

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It is not an uncommon part of the human experience for casual conversations, serendipitous meetings and chance encounters to launch us in a new direction or to begin an extraordinary journey. (Bashir, 2010, p. xv) The central aim of this paper is to highlight some of the challenges and opportunities I experienced in the field while conducting doctoral research. It focuses on some of the social and ethical issues associated with conducting research in two different Western military organisations and a remote Indigenous community in East Arnhem Land, northern Australia. Through the process of personal exploration and reflection, I seek to understand 'how and to what extent these challenges' (Barker, 2008, p. 09.1) shaped or impeded the research process and the ability to open dialogue regarding Indigenous Knowledges in military curricula. Using a decolonising lens, this paper analyses my journey in light of the methodology Institutional Ethnography, and the difficulties involved when selecting an appropriate research paradigm to suit multiple settings. It focuses on the interpersonal relationships between the researcher and participants; the strengths and limitations of insider/outsider perspectives (Barker, 2008;Innes, 2009); and the inherent roles and responsibilities of the researcher as a military employee and Indigenous woman from New Zealand.

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Section: Choosing a Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Opening the Dialogue: Reflections of my PhD Journey 2010-16

Hohaia¹

2017

LCJ

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“…Participants noted that learning the correct tikanga assists personnel by teaching them what is expected, so that they can avoid bringing the institution into disrepute. Reaching a critical mass in the NZDF (Scoppio 2007) during the twentieth century, and capitalising on the sharing of Māori 'culture' that had been quietly taking place since the late 1800s, Māori personnel with the support of their peers have taken up the challenge:…”

Section: The Journeymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Providing recognition of the value and importance of Māori indigenous knowledge within the organisation, the opening of the first Service marae 1 in October 1995 has promoted a sense of shared identity, based on the fusion of European traditions and the Māori warrior culture. Recognising the mutual obligations and responsibilities under the Treaty of Waitangi, 1840 (referred to hereafter as the Treaty), the NZDF has developed a complementary approach to education by sharing the knowledge systems of two very different societies (Scoppio 2007). The military marae have since become the focal points for Māori cultural training, ceremonial activities, and places of learning for all members, ex-members and their families.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The study argues that the inclusion of Māori cultural training improves the military learning experience and contributes positively to organisational morale and operational effectiveness. The discussion relates these data to emerging frameworks for decolonisation and alternative ways of knowing in a military context that include, but are not limited to, relational accountability and respect (Wilson 2008), improved cultural understanding (Kincheloe & Steinberg 2008) and engagement with diversity (Scoppio 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In search of a decolonised military: Māori cultural learning experiences in the New Zealand Defence Force

Hohaia

2015

Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online

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Māori people contribute significantly to the New Zealand Defence Force. Māori indigenous knowledge, however, did not feature in military curricula until recently. It was a common expectation that Māori personnel would conform to the dominant Western worldview, which often meant sacrificing indigenous identity. The introduction of the Service bicultural policies has paved the way for significant change in military education practices in the twenty-first century. This paper showcases the Māori cultural learning experiences of 34 members from the New Zealand Defence Force as they reflect on their experiences within the contemporary context of a military education and training environment, and the broader context of a decolonising society. This study argues that the inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems in military curricula improves the learning experiences of all members. Themes relating to individual development and improved organisational morale emerged that were found to be directly or indirectly attributed to the inclusion of Māori cultural training. The study is grounded in a multicultural military organisation, operating within a nation seeking to establish a bicultural co-equal partnership between Māori, the tangata whenua, original inhabitants, and non-Māori, the kaiwhakanoho whenua, or settler population, of New Zealand.

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“…56 Summarised in Chapter 1. 57 As of 2012 Māori made up over 17.4% of the total regular force of the NZDF (Rolfe, 2015)-but have been historically underrepresented in the officer classes (Scoppio, 2010).…”

Section: The Egalitarianmentioning

confidence: 99%

The contested space of post-conflict development: Reflections of New Zealand Defence Force Personnel on working at the nexus of security and development in Afghanistan

Morris¹

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<p>The distinction between the soldier and the humanitarian in insecure environments is increasingly being challenged. The deployment of military units, such as Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) to Afghanistan (2001-2013), combine traditional civil and military objectives. These deployed units are tasked with enhancing security and governance, while facilitating reconstruction and development. Critics of the PRT model suggest that by allowing military units to conduct development work, a line is blurred between apolitical humanitarian activities and politicised military intervention, placing civilian practitioners at risk. Further, military organisational culture and identity are suggested to be incompatible with non-warfighting tasks. Adopting a feminist post-structural approach, I draw on the emergent security-development nexus literature in addition to post-development scholarship, to suggest that the fidelity of such critiques to a concrete distinction between security and development marginalises the experiences of those military personnel already engaged in development practice. The reflections of ten New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel deployed with the New Zealand PRT in Bamiyan Province Afghanistan (2003-2013) are explored in this thesis. This research concludes that personnel communicate multiple coexisting understandings of both security and development. These understandings inform their perspectives on their role as development facilitators, and shape their practice in the field. Personnel exercise agency to pursue development objectives not accounted for by the activities of the PRT. This exercise of agency is informed by personnel’s understandings of what development means, and is often explained with reference to their identity as both New Zealanders, and soldiers. Personnel draw on this New Zealand-Military identity to reconcile their position as responsible for guaranteeing security and facilitating development.</p>

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Diversity in military organizations: Indigenous peoples in the New Zealand Defence Force and the Canadian forces

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Opening the Dialogue: Reflections of my PhD Journey 2010-16

Opening the Dialogue: Reflections of my PhD Journey 2010-16

In search of a decolonised military: Māori cultural learning experiences in the New Zealand Defence Force

The contested space of post-conflict development: Reflections of New Zealand Defence Force Personnel on working at the nexus of security and development in Afghanistan

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