Key Concepts in Governance and Social Justice

Kawanatanga

Kawanatanga

Made up word by the missionaries meaning governance or authority in Māori context but was supposed to mean sovereignty

Rangatiratanga

Māori term for chieftainship or self-determination.

Pre-emption

Right to purchase before others; land acquisition.

Taonga

Treasured possessions or cultural heritage items.

Sovereignty

Supreme power or authority over a territory.

Cede

To formally give up rights or territory.

Colonisation

Establishment of control over foreign lands.

Democracy

System of government by elected representatives.

Monarchy

Government led by a king or queen.

Theocracy

Government based on religious authority.

Dictatorship

Government controlled by a single leader.

Communism

Political system advocating collective ownership.

Republic

State where power rests with elected officials.

Election

Process of voting to choose representatives.

Coalition

Alliance of parties for governance.

MMP

Mixed-member proportional representation voting system where you can vote for both an electorate and a party

Parliament

Legislative body of government.

Government

Organization managing state affairs.

Electorate

Area represented by an elected official.

Constitution

Fundamental principles governing a state.

Emancipation

Process of being freed from restrictions.

14th Amendment

U.S. amendment granting citizenship and equal protection.

Abolish

To formally put an end to a system.

Segregation

Separation of groups based on characteristics.

Desegregation

Process of ending segregation practices.

Integration

Combining different cultures into a whole.

Precedent

Previous case influencing future legal decisions.

State

Political entity with defined territory and government.

Federal

Relating to a system of government in which several states form a unity but remain independent in internal affairs.

Scapegoat

Person blamed for others' problems.

Overstayer

Individual remaining in a country beyond visa.

Economy

System of production, distribution, and consumption.

Deportation

Removal of a person from a country.

Boycott

Refusal to engage with an entity as protest.

Condemn

To express strong disapproval of something.

Apartheid

System of institutionalized racial segregation in South Africa.