2Precious2Mine: Post-politics, Colonial Imaginary, or Hopeful Political Moment?

Abstract

Radical democrats and geographers have argued that democracy requires a vibrant contestatory politics to challenge the contemporary "post-political" conjuncture. Despite suggestions of post-political processes in Aotearoa New Zealand, there are signs of a more vibrant politics. In 2010 an environmental campaign called "2Precious2Mine" captured the national geographic imaginary. Drawing on this example, we argue that although a space was opened for a vibrant contestatory politics, its effects were paradoxical. The campaign both reinforced the hegemonic narratives of neoliberal (post)colonial Aotearoa New Zealand, and simultaneously produced moments that challenged this apparent post-politicising trajectory. While we argue that such frameworks are useful, there is a risk that without cognisance of the situated nature of politics and closure, they both lose their political and academic explanatory purchase. Post-politics becomes at risk of constructing that which it seeks to describe, while radical democracy ends up falling short of its aims.

“An opportunity to hope and dream”: Disaster Politics and the Emergence of Possibility through Community‐Led Recovery

“…In recent years a shift towards neoliberal governance in Aotearoa New Zealand has arguably narrowed space for democratic engagement and participation in certain spheres (Bond et al. ; Thomas and Bond ). Bond et al.…”

“…Bond et al. (:1165) describe how a number of policies have removed or reduced the potential for the public and residents to be involved in the decision‐making processes which they describe as “more authoritarian and interventionist”. This emerging dynamic is connected to a wider neoliberal agenda that has pushed the development of “free market” doctrine since the 1980s, when swift privatisation and market‐driven approaches to policy dramatically altered the social and political landscape (Kelsey ; Thomas and Bond ).…”

Planners’ role in accommodating citizen disagreement: The case of Dutch urban planning

“…The postpolitical framework is criticised for lumping all political practices together under the label of global capitalism (Van Puymbroeck and Oosterlynck, 2014: 86). Reifying the postpolitical in this way restricts the room to contest such practices (Bond et al, 2015). The post-political literature is also criticised for being pessimistic (Larner, 2014); for ignoring the potential of situated practices (Loftus, 2014); and for not providing guidance for practical struggle (Merrifield, 2014: 282).…”

Social movements, resistance and social change in Aotearoa/New Zealand: an intervention for dialogue, collaboration and synergy

“…While the literature on social movements, activism and social change in Aotearoa has been developing in the last years in response to the observable consequences of the 'New Zealand Experiment' (Taylor 2008;O'Brien 2012O'Brien , 2015Grey 2013;Rashbrooke 2013;Tucker 2013;Bradford 2014;Taylor & Grey 2014;Bond et al 2015;Lamusse et al 2015), there is still a relative paucity of intellectual and political knowledge to generate further resources for both theory and practice, which would enrich the strategic and tactical repertoire of social movements. Furthermore, as social scientists it is crucial to be able to explain what makes Aotearoa different from other countries when it comes to the ongoing social struggles.…”