Reframing the rural experience in Aotearoa New Zealand: Incorporating the voices of the marginalised

Abstract

A scan of social research about rural New Zealand from the 1980s reveals power divisions which have muted the voices of ‘others’. Listening to these voices could transform how we manage the economy, sustain the environment and promote social well-being in future. Rural sociological attention in New Zealand has focused on the people and communities associated with land and resource-based assets, with little attention to the rural majority not engaged in primary production. Indigenous voices are also missing. As Jessica Hutchings argues, decisions on economic development, the environment and social services continue to uphold colonial hegemony as the dominant worldview in Aotearoa New Zealand. By being open to the perspectives of people normally ignored and particularly engaging with indigenous approaches, application of capital and power in development can be rethought and structural inequalities addressed.

Rethinking class, capitalism and exploitation from the perspective of family farming in Aotearoa/New Zealand

“…Census data and literature on New Zealand's rural communities have unambiguously identified the unequal life chances of people from different classes, which structural inequality in rural New Zealand perpetrates (see Pomeroy, 2022a). Analysis of the political status and class divisions between landowners and other rural residents points to landowners having a disproportionate influence in local affairs, policy and decision-making (Pomeroy, 2022b).…”

“…Census data and literature on New Zealand's rural communities have unambiguously identified the unequal life chances of people from different classes, which structural inequality in rural New Zealand perpetrates (see Pomeroy, 2022a). Analysis of the political status and class divisions between landowners and other rural residents points to landowners having a disproportionate influence in local affairs, policy and decision-making (Pomeroy, 2022b). Although agricultural contractors, farm workers (and even more so their partners and spouses) and even many non-farming rural residents were shown to be socially isolated and lacking 'voice' in local and regional affairs, farm owners managed community activities and determined who else could participate and be part of the decision-making elites (Pomeroy, 2022b).…”

“…Analysis of the political status and class divisions between landowners and other rural residents points to landowners having a disproportionate influence in local affairs, policy and decision‐making (Pomeroy, 2022b). Although agricultural contractors, farm workers (and even more so their partners and spouses) and even many non‐farming rural residents were shown to be socially isolated and lacking ‘voice’ in local and regional affairs, farm owners managed community activities and determined who else could participate and be part of the decision‐making elites (Pomeroy, 2022b). When Shucksmith (2012: 381) recognised that in addition to employment, an ‘individual's class location reflects … their ability to generate income and wealth through the accumulative potential of property ownership’, his focus was on the power middle‐class urbanites often exert after relocating to rural areas.…”

Introduction to the special issue – Imagining rural futures in times of uncertainty and possibility: Progressing a transformative research agenda for rural sociology

“…Similarly critical of the assumptions made about rural industries and livelihoods in dominant scholarship, but this time in the Global North, Pomeroy (2021) points to the disproportionate attention given to farming as a rural occupation in rural sociology. Here, Pomeroy highlights that, despite the dominant rhetoric, farming is not the predominant occupation of rural residents in New Zealand.…”

“It's Always Good to have a Beer with your Teammates”: Alcohol Consumption and Hegemonic Masculinity within Community Sports Clubs in Aotearoa New Zealand

“…For example, rural areas of Aotearoa have been essential in the construction of the 'classic kiwi bloke' discourse and emphasise the beer drinking culture that is idolised by many New Zealanders (Sim & Thomson, 2000). Furthermore, rural areas encourage participation in rugby and frame the sport as a way to display power and legitimise masculine behaviours (Pomeroy, 2021). Exploring different regions of Aotearoa may uncover the need for distinct approaches when addressing masculine behaviours and drinking practices related to specific locations and demographics.…”