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

Beginning with the legitimacy crisis of the neoliberal economy and representative democracy following the 2008 financial collapse and bail out decisions, the world witnessed series of mass mobilisations vocalising demands for change in different countries including, but not limited to, the Unites States, Tunisia, Egypt, Brazil, Turkey and Hong Kong. It can be argued that there is a global phenomenon of rising authoritarianism accompanying the neoliberal agenda with a variety of local implementations that has led to the emergence of such movements (Bruff 2014; Bloom 2016). In addition to OXFAM’s (2016) striking finding that 62 people own the same as half of the world (this was 388 in 2010), the current revelations of the so-called ‘Panama Papers’ also demonstrate how the global elite has had a different agenda in terms of securing their funds in tax havens while millions in different countries live through significant social, economic and environmental issues whilst being suppressed by authoritarian policies enacted through the State apparatus. For instance, at the time of writing this editorial, people in France have been taking to the streets against the approval of new labour reforms bringing about precariatisation of working conditions leading to dozens of arrests. Another global protest reported to be the largest ever global civil disobedience against fossil fuels just took place in different countries of the world asking for immediate action as measured carbon dioxide levels are more than 400 parts per million for the first time. The current regimes, organised around neoliberal assumptions, are suffering from an ‘incapacity to deliver economic progress and social welfare, and lack of legitimacy in their political institutions’ (Davies et al. 2016, p. 11) while prioritising the agenda of the global elite. Given the grim circumstances, local actions for direct democracy through interconnected global network structures may become the antidote (Maeckelbergh 2014; Ayers & Saad-Filho 2015). Indeed, similar to capital knowing no borders (Godfrey 2016, p. 4) regardless of the location, grassroots movements are addressing structural inequalities, environmental destruction, poverty and limits of political participation for the sake of having a voice over lands, rivers and oceans as well as our commons and life generally (Caffentzis & Federici 2014). Within the cracks of the structural changes and neoliberal experiments, such movements have been emerging and acting as important change agents at different levels. In fact, one can argue, rather than the self-interested market, social movements and activists are the real innovators that will generate much needed solutions for future generations (Rao et al. 2000; Schneiberg 2013).

Traditionally, as social movements have played a crucial role in mitigating inequality through protecting the rights of related stakeholders, in Aotearoa, they have increasingly been called upon to play these roles as the State has receded and reformed, and indeed have moved proactively to take on new roles and fill gaps in service provision and support. For instance, just by looking at the contributions to social movements conferences that took place since 2013, it can be seen that at different locales of Aotearoa various groups of activists, large and small, are speaking up, problematising existing conditions and suggesting solutions with regard to the ongoing crises of housing, environment, climate, food, health, education as well as representation and participation in political decision-making processes. Not long ago, as an exemplary reaction of people who are concerned about their sovereignty, thousands marched in various cities across Aotearoa to protest the sign off of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) by the prime minister Key, which apparently protects the interests of multinational corporations rather than the public (Kelsey 2013). With the involvement of various actors who are concerned about their future an endless struggle is going on. We can also add to those other initiatives such as Economic and Social Research Aotearoa (ESRA); Project Moa; Counterfutures; Social Movements, Resistance and Social Change Conferences and Social Change Symposiums. These efforts are not the latest, nor the last, mobilisations of people for social change in this country; a political mobilisation is on the rise (Cooke et al. 2014; Counterfutures 2016; Godfrey 2016).

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 2012, 2015; Grey 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. We would argue that there are important peculiarities and singularities that need further study and the collaboration of various parties. For instance: issues associated with a patriarchal farming country built upon the principles of a settler society with a colonial history; the contested nature of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the discriminatory practices that have embedded this in judiciary and governmental institutions; the dependency of Aotearoa to this legacy; a period of welfare state followed by an experimental neoliberal transformation leading to more inequality, child poverty and, arguably, more social issues; and a growing but dependent economy to global capital jeopardising the unique environment of Aotearoa. Dialectically we see also a response to these conditions in the realms of peace movements, environment, racism, feminisms and corporate domination (as in the case of the anti-TPPA). Hence, we can argue, there is a history of social movements and activism shaped by, and shaping, the local forces (see also Taylor 2008; Crothers 2015; Boraman 2016). But, what is the legacy of this history today? What are the current conflicts and social struggles of Aotearoa? How can we bring separate voices together and merge the pieces of the jigsaw of social movements and activism in Aotearoa?

The aim of this issue is not to reproduce the conventional assumptions around the works of social movements in Aotearoa; rather, we would like to frame this initiative as an intervention into the theory and practice of social movements by following the ethos of the first social movements conference—developing a multi/inter-disciplinary dialogue which would create synergy for progressive social change with the involvement of activists, academics, policy-makers and other practitioners (Alakavuklar 2014). In other words, it is an initiative to bring together the power of the people and the academics studying them. This ethos is maintained by the social movement conferences, with an increasing rate of participation, and this special issue is a modest effort to support these conferences. There are other continuing and forthcoming efforts with the special issues of New Zealand Sociology and Counterfutures. Hence, we argue, there is now a fruitful ground coming on the scene to bring various voices of ongoing struggles together as an intervention in order to bear witness and contribute to the radicalisation of people in Aotearoa.

Within this framework, we called for contributions from across the spectrum of social sciences with a multi- and inter-disciplinary analysis of social movements, resistance and social change related (but not limited) to movements of inequality, poverty, food, Māori, environment, education, women, labour and health in Aotearoa. While we aimed to hear the voices and interpretations of social movements themselves, the special issue came to life with the intention to appeal to a cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral audience to create a dialogue as well as to demonstrate the potentials, contradictions, challenges and limits of movements, resistance and activism in the context of Aotearoa. Each of the articles here represent an ongoing struggle around a burning issue as well as an immanent critique of political, social, environmental and economic inequalities emerged in these lands along with its own particular dynamics.

Demonstrating the vibrancy of the social movements scholarship, in response to our call a significant number of papers were submitted, addressing a variety of current issues in Aotearoa. Six of these papers appear in this special issue. The first three articles can be read as different forms of intervention in the political arena.

In the first study, by presenting John Key as a signifier and exemplar of a ‘biofinancial entrepreneur’, Campbell Jones eloquently argues how finance as a social movement for the elite aims to encapsulate life by resisting the inventiveness and surprising ‘truths’ of our social lives (i.e. science, art, politics and love following Badiou). As a refined critique of neoliberal ideology in the form of finance, he argues for the need of understanding the dynamics of biofinancialisation to struggle against financialisation which enclosures the political and the cultural realm.

With a nuanced discussion built upon the arguments of Badiou, Žižek and Jameson, Warwick Tie analyses Hone Harawira’s intervention at the Auckland rally against State mass-surveillance in 2013. By using a frame of video-politics in which politics and governance can be seen as ‘a highly mediated spectre of charismatic leadership’ Tie demonstrates how Hone Harawira created potential libidinal attachments for the audience by cutting through traditional forms of resistance.

Leon Salter searches for the possibility of supplementing Laclauan populism with Lacanian psychoanalysis by taking the populist articulations of John Key and anti-TPPA demonstrations as a case. As a consequence, Salter argues for the potential of populism in terms of repoliticising ‘the social order by mobilising the disempowered and channelling their affective energy towards powerful elites’.

The other three articles intervene into three different realms of ongoing struggles about accessing food, Treaty of Waitangi education and decolonisation, and climate change, respectively. Within the framework of alternative food initiatives, by problematising the limits of accessing to basic food, Emma Sharp, Ellen Schindler, Nick Lewis and Wardlow Friesen address the transformative potential of different food practices in the case of Auckland as performative ‘irritant transgressions’ challenging market-based assumptions and transactions around food.

For a more democratic, participative and decolonised future, Ingrid Huygens primarily problematises the assumption that Treaty of Waitangi is a Māori business and, henceforth, argues the potential of Pākehā/Tauiwi activism on Treaty work and education as a significant decolonising social movement in Aotearoa. While she clarifies the issues leading to overlooking of this potential, she claims that ‘Treaty education has challenged Pākehā complacency in the social order they enjoyed in the 20th century, and thus offers a coloniser group the opportunity for social and cultural changes’.

Last but not the least, by drawing from media resources and first-hand interviews with climate activists, Gradon Diprose, Amanda Thomas and Sophie Bond provide an analysis of narratives and tactics of activists in regards to contesting the government policies and business practices of deep sea oil exploration and drilling in Aotearoa in the framework of the climate change movement. In response to the economic rationality of the government and big business cooperation, the authors argue how the activists rely on the local place-based identity components which disrupt the nature/human binaries and potentially become a resource for connecting to larger scale concerns.

These studies demonstrate how Aotearoa has significant social, political, economic and environmental issues despite its allegedly egalitarian, wealthy and 100% Pure image. In particular, this special issue aims to contribute to, and intervene into, the theory and practice of social movements around the topics of democratic participation, anti-TPPA/corporate globalisation, food, decolonisation and climate change. It is striking how neoliberalism has been one of the common themes as a hegemonic discourse that limits access to and resists democracy and political participation. It is also not surprising to see how basic rights and needs of our society (i.e. social goods) have been commoditised and marketised for the expansion of global capital (Harvey 2010) as in the examples of oil drilling or the TPPA. Having said this, as the studies of the special issue show, it is not monolithic and totalising—the resistance and change potential are alive and kicking across Aotearoa in various counter-hegemonic forms.

As a final note, we would like to thank the efforts of our reviewers, as well as our authors. Peer review is often taken for granted as a form of professional service and contribution, despite being one of the most prestigious and burdensome tasks in terms of maintaining a professional and ethical standard. We recognise that it is free labour gifted to the community, and appropriated by corporate publishers as well. Given the intervention focus of this special issue, in order to: 1. demonstrate the collegial and collective nature of scholarship; 2. exhibit the expertise and knowledge we relied on; 3. help new collaborations emerge in this field; and 4. deservedly acknowledge all the efforts our reviewers put into the special issue, with the permission of the authors and reviewers, we share the list of our reviewers in an alphabetical order below. We hope this special issue contributes to all theorists and practitioners of social movements in Aotearoa for the possibility of imagining and building a different world.

Reviewers of the special issue

One of our reviewers asked not to be named; we respect their wish and thank them for their effort.

Bronwyn Boon

Todd Bridgman

Toni Bruce

Rahna Carusi

Tony Carusi

Justin Clemens

Marcelle Dawson

Bryce Edwards

Chamsy El-Ojeili

Mike Joy

Bill Kaye-Blake

Julie MacArthur

Jim Mcaloon

Thomas O'Brien

Cat Pause

Sean Phelan

Craig Prichard

Russell Prince

Jenny Ritchie

Mark Sheehan

Sy Taffel

Warwick Tie

Corrina Tucker

Sita Venkateswar

Cindy Zeiher