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CONTENTSGENERAL ARTICLESRhonda Shaw Mike Mawson Erich Kolig Mark Henrickson Ruth McManus BOOK REVIEWS Neocleous, M. Germov, J. (Ed.) Goode, L. George, V., & Page, R.M. (Eds.) Border Crossing Between Sociology and Bioethics Rhonda Shaw The refashioning, reconstruction, and redesign of the human body through the application of new scientific and medical technologies are now a familiar subject in the media and in contemporary culture. They are also a familiar subject for social analysis. In this rapidly expanding body of work, sociologists have been quick to note the appearance of a continuum of body transforming techniques from the aesthetic manipulation of the body’s surface in body adornment and body sculpting, through to fundamental alterations and enhancements of the functioning of the inner body. But what, if anything, do sociologists say about the kinds of alterations that are designed to repair or enhance the bodies of future persons? This paper addresses these debates about ethics and the genetic body, and asks what the sociology of ethics can contribute to this discussion. In so doing, it calls for greater participation by sociologists in the field of bioethics. Believing in Protest: The Liberal Ideal of the Separation of Religion and Politics in Two Recent Religious Protests Mike Mawson This article examines the liberal idea that religion and politics should remain separate and distinct from one another, and more specifically the role this idea has played in two recent religious protests: the 1998 Hikoi of Hope, and the 2004 Destiny rally against the Civil Unions Bill. My interest is in tracing the understanding of religion and politics displayed by participants and critics in both protests, and in examining how the various parties in both protests understood and negotiated the liberal idea of separation. This is pursued through an analysis of the media coverage of both events. Interfacing with the West: Muslims, Multiculturalism and Radicalism in New Zealand Erich Kolig New Zealand’s Muslims, forming a strongly visible religious minority, create interfaces with the host society to negotiate officially conceded spaces so as to be able to manifest their religious and cultural identity. As in other secular liberal democracies, through guaranteed religious freedom and supported by the human rights agenda, Muslims in New Zealand tend to present a distinctive socio-cultural profile. This raises issues of their integration into the host society, the degree of expected adaptation, the effectiveness of political representation, but also the question of Islam’s adjustment so as to achieve a non-conflictual coexistence with the host society. Because of global events, the presence of a Muslim minority also brings to the fore the fear of its radicalisation. Some of these issues are of world-wide relevance, others are characteristic for Muslims’ embeddedness in New Zealand society. Kö wai ratou? Managing Multiple Identities in Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual New Zealand Mäori Mark Henrickson Lavender Islands: Portrait of the Whole Family is the first national strengths-based multidisciplinary study of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people in Aotearoa New Zealand This article presents data from 169 Mäori (8.3% of the sample) and 2,100 (91.7%) non-Mäori (tauiwi) respondents to the survey. Methodological challenges are outlined, and results relating to education and income, the coming-out process, adjustment to identity, the management of sexual and cultural identities, social conformity, family support, spirituality and relationships are presented. This study identifies ways in which a “gay” “lesbian” and “bisexual” identity is different in Mäori and tauiwi and suggests that Mäori fuse salient differences into an integrated whole during their life courses. The article examines key features of an integrated identity, including developmental milestones, relationships, family, spirituality and the influence of culture. Although there are limitations to the study, it provides a background for developing some next steps, and identifies areas for further exploration. All members of sexual minority groups who live in cultures where an LGB identity is stigmatised must negotiate cultural presses. Mäori and other cultural minority groups must manage multiple, and sometimes competing, cultural presses, the negotiation of which shapes individual identity. Shifting Practices in New Zealand Sociology Ruth McManus There is a widespread sense of unease in New Zealand sociology. This disquiet emerges in the day to day as hushed concerns over student numbers, furrowed brows at budget balances, and squeamish stomachs over research outputs. General and pervasive, this sense of unease is linked to profound changes in the organization, provision and practice of an academic sociology radically re-shaped by neoliberal policies in New Zealand higher education (Olssen, 2002). There is an apprehension that under current conditions, sociology is unable to maintain itself as an academic discipline in New Zealand (Crothers, 1999). Yet still, people continue to be employed as sociologists in academic institutions, and new sociology programmes continue to emerge (Spoonley, 2005). Discomfit between a pervading sense of unease about sociology and life on the ground for academic sociologists merits further investigation. This article seeks to embark on such an investigation. Using a variety of information gathering strategies, this paper identifies key trends in the recent disciplinary practices of New Zealand sociology – to assess whether this unease is symptomatic of a discipline in demise or not – and concludes that sociology is maintaining itself as an academic discipline, but in new ways.
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