Past and Present: Reflections on Citizenship within New Zealand

Abstract

The paper discusses historical and emerging dimensions of citizenship within Aotearoa/New Zealand. Drawing on Turner's work, it explores the utility of Marshallian distinctions of civil, political and social citizenship. These evolutionary notions are seen as problematic, given the historical treatment of the Chinese community, and the abrogation of the Treaty of Waitangi with respect to European-Maori relationships. Ideas of the "worker citizen", "military citizen" and "parent citizen" are discussed in relation to historical foundations of entitlement and their contemporary challenges. Considerations include a shift to non-standard employment, reconceptualization of New Zealand's role as a Pacific nation, and demographic and value shifts. The nongovernmental sector as a "fourth" route to entitlement is examined, including notions of community capacity-building with particular respect to Maori. The paper concludes with a commentary on current debates around the nature and shape of New Zealand nationality, identity and citizenship. Ecological debates include the use and guardianship of natural resources and the opposition of public opinion to genetic modification. Indigenous developments include the assertion of Treaty rights by Maori in relation to land, language and economic and social development. Cultural dimensions include the changing population structure as reflected in the growth of Pacific Island nations, Asian populations and the refugee community. The interplay of these ecological, indigenous and cultural dimensions will help define emergent citizenships for Aotearoa/New Zealand in the twenty-first century.

Talking about citizenship in New Zealand

“…This is surprising given New Zealand has historically been a "wage-earner's welfare state" and welfare reform in New Zealand since the mid-1990s has further stressed paid work as the central responsibility of individuals (Lunt et al 2002). Indeed, "Care for the environment" and "Loyalty to New Zealand" were reported at the same level as work, while "Active in democracy" was slightly lower.…”

Biosecure citizenship: politicising symbiotic associations and the construction of biological threat

“…By constructing biosecure citizen identity around a native (spatially and temporally fixed) natural heritage in need of biosecurity protection, the nation state emerges as the symbolic space of biosecure citizenship (Desforges et al 2005; Gabrielson 2008). The imagined solidarity of ‘one nation New Zealand’ veils internal differentiation in citizenship status, a key site of political contestation in New Zealand, where debates over Māori self‐determination, environmental, cultural and property rights, linked to differing readings and extensive breaches of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, have defined relationships between Māori and the State (Lunt et al 2002; MacDonald and Muldoon 2006; Humpage 2008). The negotiation of biosecure citizenship in New Zealand is marked by the country’s bi‐cultural and multi‐cultural context, where different socio‐cultural groups have unequal access to the construction and enactment of the ecological common good (McKenna 1999/2000).…”

Promoting sustainability through social marketing: examples from New Zealand

“…Discussion of national identity in New Zealand and its implications for collective ideals regarding environment and place have been discussed elsewhere (Bell, 1997; Dew, 1999; Lunt et al. , 2002; Pawson and Brooking, 2002; Liu et al.…”