Introduction

Welcome back to class and announcement about the uploading of the previous lecture by Thursday or Friday. Students are reminded about the upcoming essay due date: March 6th at 6PM. Students who chose media items on youth and housing should review readings from previous lectures for assistance in analysis.

Essay Overview

Essay Topic: Analyze a media item about youth. Focus on how youth are portrayed, emphasizing that portrayals are not universal. Discuss alternative perspectives on the issue and how societal narratives shape understandings of youth. The analysis should explore the contextualization of youth experiences within a social framework, considering factors such as race, class, and geography that inform identity and representation.

Today's Lecture Topic: Indigeneity and Diversity

The session will discuss the relevance of indigenous issues in today's context, examining how history affects present social dynamics and attitudes toward indigenous communities. Reminder: Keep whispers low as it disrupts the flow of the lecture.

Indigeneity in Current Contexts

Discussion on indigenous relevance using contemporary examples, including:

• Gaza: Examination of conflicts and the indigenous debates surrounding land and cultural identity. Analyze how narrative framing affects global perceptions of indigenous struggles.

• North Dakota Access Pipeline Protests: Indigenous resistance against the installation of the pipeline in sacred lands. The state's military response to peaceful protests highlights the ongoing struggle for indigenous rights in the U.S., bringing attention to police militarization and its effects on community trust. Historical context includes consequences of U.S. colonization leading to significant population decline among indigenous peoples.

Indigenous Issues in Australia

• Protests against Australia Day, debated as Invasion Day, allow for the examination of public awareness regarding historical injustices faced by Aboriginal people. Discuss the recognition of systematic genocide and ongoing issues like lack of clean drinking water in First Nations communities, providing statistics and personal stories to highlight the urgent need for systemic change.

Indigenous Issues in New Zealand (Aotearoa)

• Exploration of Māori rights and constitutional protections under the Treaty Principles Bill. Historical context of the Treaty of Waitangi, highlighting discrepancies between the English and te reo Māori versions that continue to create tension in land disputes. Discuss Māori anger over historical land dispossession and protests (Hikoi) against colonial injustices, including key examples of grassroots movements led by youth.

Key Points of Discussion

• Overrepresentation of Māori youth in crime statistics: Despite being 20% of the population, Māori youth account for 60% of youth apprehensions. Connection established between state care and incarceration rates, noting the pipeline from state care to prisons and gangs, which is a systemic issue correlating with socio-economic status. Historical injustices discussed in light of the Waitangi Tribunal, highlighting systemic issues within New Zealand's history and society.

Working with Youth Issues

• Analysis of systemic bias within legal frameworks resulting in higher incarceration rates for Māori youth. Focus on constructions of Māori youth by police practices and their implications for societal narratives, emphasizing the role of media in shaping these perceptions. Discussions on language (te reo Māori) education in schools and its importance for cultural identity and belonging, stressing the need for educational reforms to support better representation of indigenous cultures.

Activism and Historical Context

• Three levels of Indigenous activism:

  • Local: Examples like Ihumātao protests, where local activists push back against land developments threatening sacred sites.

  • National: Hīkoi Motitiriti, highlighting actions taken on a national scale to bring awareness to indigenous rights and concerns.

  • Global: UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, emphasizing the importance of international laws in protecting indigenous rights and how they can be leveraged for local change.

  • Historical context of migration to New Zealand and the role of policies in shaping current demographic and societal outcomes, such as family reunification and refugee resettlement frameworks.

Migration and Related Issues

Overview of push and pull factors influencing migration, alongside intervening obstacles, such as political unrest and economic instability in home countries. Discussion of forced migration and reasons behind current immigrant sentiments internationally, examining how historical injustices reflect in contemporary migration policies.

Conclusion of Key Points

Reflect on identity conflicts faced by youth raising the question of what it means to belong. Discuss how societal narratives, shaped by media and historical context, impact youth navigating sociocultural complexities. Emphasize the importance of understanding historical context in order to engage with current issues related to indigeneity, identity, and migration dynamics, stressing the interconnectedness of these themes in shaping societal experiences today.