New Zealand Sociology Journal Vol.18 (2)

Wendy Larner and Richard Le Heron
The Neo-liberalising University? Spaces of Policy, Practice and Performance

Len Richards
Class Struggle and Travelling Theory: From the Chile Experience to the New Zealand Experiment

Michael A. Peters
Between Empires: Rethinking Identity and Citizenship in the Context of Globalisation

Chris Brickell
Performativity or Performance? Clarifications in the Sociology of Gender

Brendan Hokowhitu
Maori Masculinity, Post-structuralism, and the Emerging Self

Kevin Dew
Neo-European Risk and Biosecurity: The Release of Rabbit Viruses in Australasia

Paul Harris
Free Gifts With Every Purchase: Work transfer in retail food and furniture

Bauman, Z., & Tester, K.
Conversations with Zygmunt Bauman
Reviewed by Lincoln Dahlberg

Jenkins, H., McPherson, T., & Shuttac, J. (Eds.)
Hop on pop: The pleasures and politics of popular culture
Reviewed by Steve Matthewma

Dew, K.
Borderland practices: Regulating alternative therapies in New Zealand
Reviewed by Robin Gauld

Dew, K., & Kirkman, A.
Sociology of health in New Zealand
Ryan, A., Carryer, J., & Patterson, L.
Healthy concerns: Sociology for New Zealand nursing and midwifery students
Reviewed by Lynne Giddings

Class Struggle and Travelling Theory: From the Chile Experience to the New Zealand Experiment

Len Richards

This paper tracks the journey of neo-liberal ideas to New Zealand; an example of what Edward Said called “travelling theory”. This saga encompasses a time interval from the 1930s to the 1980s, and a geographical expedition from England via Chicago to the “tragedy” of Chile and thence to the farce of neo-liberalism in Aotearoa-New Zealand. The setting of this story is the meltdown of the “historical compromise between capital and labour” (as Samir Amin called it) struck after WWII. In New Zealand this took the form of the introduction of neo-liberal ideas and policies by the 1984-1990 Labour Government in a country hitherto rightly considered as a bastion of Keynesian Welfarism. The Labour Government was a willing captive of the neo-liberal “ideological trap”. Keynes, Hayek, Friedman, the “Chicago Boys” of Chile and the functionaries in the NZ Treasury feature as key actors.

...[T]he ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else. ...I am sure that the power of vested interests is vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual encroachment of ideas. ...soon or late, it is ideas, not vested interests, which are dangerous for good or evil. (Keynes,1936, pp. 383-384)

Theory, my friend, is grey, but green is the eternal tree of life. (Mephistopheles in Goethe’s Faust, quoted in Lenin, 1970, p. 9)

Between Empires: Rethinking Identity and Citizenship in the Context of Globalisation

Two competing and influential conceptions of the “new imperialism” have emerged recently to focus on questions of international security, world order and the evolving system of states. Robert Cooper, Deputy Secretary of the Defence and Overseas Secretariat in the British Cabinet Office, posits the development of a postmodern European state system based on transparency, interdependence, and mutual surveillance. He calls for a “new imperialism” – one compatible with human rights and cosmopolitan values – in order to sort out the problems of rogue states and the chaos of pre-modern states. By contrast, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri use the combined resources of Marx and Deleuze, to chart the emergence of a new form of sovereignty they call Empire. They narrate a history of the passage from imperialism to Empire, that is, from a modernity dominated by the sovereignty of nation-states, and the imperialisms of European powers, to a postmodernity characterised by a single though decentered, new logic of global rule. They suggest that the passage to Empire, with its processes of globalisation, “offer new possibilities to the forces of liberation”, arguing that our political future will be determined by our capacity “not simply to resist these processes but to reorganize them and redirect them toward new ends” (Hardt & Negri, 2000, p. xv). Beginning from these contrasting accounts, this paper focuses on the concepts of identity and citizenship, rethinking them in the context of globalisation. The terms “globalisation” and “citizenship” are not normally juxtaposed in social and political analysis. They appear as contradictory or, at least, conflicting: the former points to an economic and cultural process of world integration, based on the unregulated flows of capital and underwritten by developments in new information and communications technologies, while the latter serves as a metaphor for political community or solidarity. Globalisation seems to threaten the sovereignty of the nation-state and with it the notion of citizenship (and national identity) that developed during the modern era. Within the context of globalisation, how can we develop a sense of community and local identity to establish or defend the entitlements of social citizenship? And what possibilities are there for developing transnational alliances and defining entirely new rights within supranational arenas? The paper ends with a brief conclusion and postscript examining the schism between the US and “old” Europe over the Iraq war, and prospect for its democratisation.

The suggestion that gender can be understood in terms of performance or performativity is common within New Zealand sociology, as it is overseas and in other disciplines. This article critically examines the theoretical background to these metaphors: ethnomethodology (Goffman, Garfinkel and others) and the writings of Judith Butler. A close reading of these theorists’ work reveals the differences between Butler and the ethnomethodologists, while a number of useful similarities emerge. A synthesis of these authors’ strengths allows us to create an integrated checklist which can be taken to specific studies of gender performance.

The objective of this paper is to forge new research ground by providing a framework for deconstructing the dominant representations of Maori masculinity. Specifically, it examines post-structuralism’s utility for analysing the dominant construction of Maori masculinity. The introduction looks at some personal perceptions of masculinity I held growing up as a Maori male. Secondly, this paper describes the utility of post-structuralism for deconstructing dominant representations of Maori masculinity. Thirdly, a genealogy of representing Maori masculinity as savage and biologically determined is briefly outlined. Finally, Maori masculinity is described as a tactic of power that has been employed to provide an allegory for the emerging Pakeha masculinity.

Neo-European Risk and Biosecurity: The Release of Rabbit Viruses in Australasia

Sociology of nature and sociology of risk theorising derived from Europe emphasise the threat that humans pose to nature. Such theorising assumes that science and scientists are increasingly implicated in the deterioration of the natural world. This paper suggests that such a view needs to be treated with caution when applied to the settler societies. The case of the illegal release of a rabbit virus in New Zealand illustrates this point. Farmers experimented with a rabbit virus that government scientists had ruled was too risky to introduce. In order to understand this event it is important to explore ways in which nature/society relationships may be inverted in the neo-Europes. Nature is seen not only as being threatened by humanity, but also as imposing a threat to humanity, and risk perception is coloured by this.

Intentional communities are groups of people who live together for a common cause or purpose that reaches beyond family or tradition. This paper draws on the first countrywide survey of intentional communities in New Zealand and seeks to explore how New Zealand’s intentional communities have survived conflict over the decades. It is widely accepted by scholars of intentional communities that conflict is a threat to group stability, and indeed, conflict exists within New Zealand’s intentional communities, however, many of them are remarkable for their longevity. These communities seem to have been effective in surviving the dangers that conflict can bring. How have they achieved this? Discussion of this question draws on a wide body of literature from disciplines including political theory, sociology and social psychology, as well as empirical evidence from first-hand fieldwork.

The American sociologist Nona Glazer identified a form of unpaid labour she characterised as the “work transfer”. By this she meant the unpaid labour that is carried out by consumers whilst purchasing. In the case of retail foods, shop-owners transferred tasks formerly carried out by paid female employees to women as consumers, thus enabling them to save on wage costs. This paper examines further developments in the work transfer in the retail trade, with particular reference to contemporary New Zealand. It then considers the work transfer in the retail furniture sector. It finds that in furniture, in contrast to retail food, the transfer involves shifting tasks from male dominant occupations to both female and male consumers. In both industries it can also be said that the transfer does involve gains for consumers.

		2003 volume 18 number 2 CONTENTS KEYNOTE ADDRESS TO 2002 SAANZ CONFERENCE Wendy Larner and Richard Le Heron The Neo-liberalising University? Spaces of Policy, Practice and Performance WINNERS OF THE 2002 POSTGRADUATE PRIZE FOR SCHOLARSHIP IN SOCIOLOGY Len Richards Class Struggle and Travelling Theory: From the Chile Experience to the New Zealand Experiment [return to top] GENERAL ARTICLES Michael A. Peters Between Empires: Rethinking Identity and Citizenship in the Context of Globalisation Chris Brickell Performativity or Performance? Clarifications in the Sociology of Gender Brendan Hokowhitu Maori Masculinity, Post-structuralism, and the Emerging Self Kevin Dew Neo-European Risk and Biosecurity: The Release of Rabbit Viruses in Australasia Lucy Sargisson Surviving Conflict: New Zealand’s Intentional Communities Paul Harris Free Gifts With Every Purchase: Work transfer in retail food and furniture [return to top] REVIEWS Adorno, T. W. Introduction to sociology Reviewed by Brennon Wood Bauman, Z., & Tester, K. Conversations with Zygmunt Bauman Reviewed by Lincoln Dahlberg Jenkins, H., McPherson, T., & Shuttac, J. (Eds.) Hop on pop: The pleasures and politics of popular culture Reviewed by Steve Matthewma Dew, K. Borderland practices: Regulating alternative therapies in New Zealand Reviewed by Robin Gauld Dew, K., & Kirkman, A. Sociology of health in New Zealand Ryan, A., Carryer, J., & Patterson, L. Healthy concerns: Sociology for New Zealand nursing and midwifery students Reviewed by Lynne Giddings [return to top] *Class Struggle and Travelling Theory: From the Chile Experience to the New Zealand Experiment* Len Richards This paper tracks the journey of neo-liberal ideas to New Zealand; an example of what Edward Said called “travelling theory”. This saga encompasses a time interval from the 1930s to the 1980s, and a geographical expedition from England via Chicago to the “tragedy” of Chile and thence to the farce of neo-liberalism in Aotearoa-New Zealand. The setting of this story is the meltdown of the “historical compromise between capital and labour” (as Samir Amin called it) struck after WWII. In New Zealand this took the form of the introduction of neo-liberal ideas and policies by the 1984-1990 Labour Government in a country hitherto rightly considered as a bastion of Keynesian Welfarism. The Labour Government was a willing captive of the neo-liberal “ideological trap”. Keynes, Hayek, Friedman, the “Chicago Boys” of Chile and the functionaries in the NZ Treasury feature as key actors. ...[T]he ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else. ...I am sure that the power of vested interests is vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual encroachment of ideas. ...soon or late, it is ideas, not vested interests, which are dangerous for good or evil. (Keynes,1936, pp. 383-384) Theory, my friend, is grey, but green is the eternal tree of life. (Mephistopheles in Goethe’s Faust, quoted in Lenin, 1970, p. 9) [return to top] *Between Empires: Rethinking Identity and Citizenship in the Context of Globalisation* Michael A. Peters Two competing and influential conceptions of the “new imperialism” have emerged recently to focus on questions of international security, world order and the evolving system of states. Robert Cooper, Deputy Secretary of the Defence and Overseas Secretariat in the British Cabinet Office, posits the development of a postmodern European state system based on transparency, interdependence, and mutual surveillance. He calls for a “new imperialism” – one compatible with human rights and cosmopolitan values – in order to sort out the problems of rogue states and the chaos of pre-modern states. By contrast, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri use the combined resources of Marx and Deleuze, to chart the emergence of a new form of sovereignty they call Empire. They narrate a history of the passage from imperialism to Empire, that is, from a modernity dominated by the sovereignty of nation-states, and the imperialisms of European powers, to a postmodernity characterised by a single though decentered, new logic of global rule. They suggest that the passage to Empire, with its processes of globalisation, “offer new possibilities to the forces of liberation”, arguing that our political future will be determined by our capacity “not simply to resist these processes but to reorganize them and redirect them toward new ends” (Hardt & Negri, 2000, p. xv). Beginning from these contrasting accounts, this paper focuses on the concepts of identity and citizenship, rethinking them in the context of globalisation. The terms “globalisation” and “citizenship” are not normally juxtaposed in social and political analysis. They appear as contradictory or, at least, conflicting: the former points to an economic and cultural process of world integration, based on the unregulated flows of capital and underwritten by developments in new information and communications technologies, while the latter serves as a metaphor for political community or solidarity. Globalisation seems to threaten the sovereignty of the nation-state and with it the notion of citizenship (and national identity) that developed during the modern era. Within the context of globalisation, how can we develop a sense of community and local identity to establish or defend the entitlements of social citizenship? And what possibilities are there for developing transnational alliances and defining entirely new rights within supranational arenas? The paper ends with a brief conclusion and postscript examining the schism between the US and “old” Europe over the Iraq war, and prospect for its democratisation. [return to top] Performativity or Performance? Clarifications in the Sociology of Gender Chris Brickell The suggestion that gender can be understood in terms of performance or performativity is common within New Zealand sociology, as it is overseas and in other disciplines. This article critically examines the theoretical background to these metaphors: ethnomethodology (Goffman, Garfinkel and others) and the writings of Judith Butler. A close reading of these theorists’ work reveals the differences between Butler and the ethnomethodologists, while a number of useful similarities emerge. A synthesis of these authors’ strengths allows us to create an integrated checklist which can be taken to specific studies of gender performance. [return to top] *Maori Masculinity, Post-structuralism, and the Emerging Self* Brendan Hokowhitu The objective of this paper is to forge new research ground by providing a framework for deconstructing the dominant representations of Maori masculinity. Specifically, it examines post-structuralism’s utility for analysing the dominant construction of Maori masculinity. The introduction looks at some personal perceptions of masculinity I held growing up as a Maori male. Secondly, this paper describes the utility of post-structuralism for deconstructing dominant representations of Maori masculinity. Thirdly, a genealogy of representing Maori masculinity as savage and biologically determined is briefly outlined. Finally, Maori masculinity is described as a tactic of power that has been employed to provide an allegory for the emerging Pakeha masculinity. [return to top] Neo-European Risk and Biosecurity: The Release of Rabbit Viruses in Australasia Kevin Dew Sociology of nature and sociology of risk theorising derived from Europe emphasise the threat that humans pose to nature. Such theorising assumes that science and scientists are increasingly implicated in the deterioration of the natural world. This paper suggests that such a view needs to be treated with caution when applied to the settler societies. The case of the illegal release of a rabbit virus in New Zealand illustrates this point. Farmers experimented with a rabbit virus that government scientists had ruled was too risky to introduce. In order to understand this event it is important to explore ways in which nature/society relationships may be inverted in the neo-Europes. Nature is seen not only as being threatened by humanity, but also as imposing a threat to humanity, and risk perception is coloured by this. [return to top] Surviving Conflict: New Zealand’s Intentional Communities Lucy Sargisson Intentional communities are groups of people who live together for a common cause or purpose that reaches beyond family or tradition. This paper draws on the first countrywide survey of intentional communities in New Zealand and seeks to explore how New Zealand’s intentional communities have survived conflict over the decades. It is widely accepted by scholars of intentional communities that conflict is a threat to group stability, and indeed, conflict exists within New Zealand’s intentional communities, however, many of them are remarkable for their longevity. These communities seem to have been effective in surviving the dangers that conflict can bring. How have they achieved this? Discussion of this question draws on a wide body of literature from disciplines including political theory, sociology and social psychology, as well as empirical evidence from first-hand fieldwork. [return to top] Free Gifts With Every Purchase: Work transfer in retail food and furniture Paul Harris The American sociologist Nona Glazer identified a form of unpaid labour she characterised as the “work transfer”. By this she meant the unpaid labour that is carried out by consumers whilst purchasing. In the case of retail foods, shop-owners transferred tasks formerly carried out by paid female employees to women as consumers, thus enabling them to save on wage costs. This paper examines further developments in the work transfer in the retail trade, with particular reference to contemporary New Zealand. It then considers the work transfer in the retail furniture sector. It finds that in furniture, in contrast to retail food, the transfer involves shifting tasks from male dominant occupations to both female and male consumers. In both industries it can also be said that the transfer does involve gains for consumers. [return to top]