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Item The experiences of becoming and being a nurse leader in Aotearoa New Zealand in the 21st century : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, at Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand(Massey University, 2025-11-27) Kerr, DianneThe Experiences of Becoming and Being a Nurse Leader in Aotearoa New Zealand in the 21st century This thesis explores the experiences of current registered nurses who have attained leadership positions in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). A feminist deconstruction of gender framework serves as a lens to examine how masculine and feminine binaries affect the experiences of nurse leaders in a neoliberal environment that has commodified and devalued the act of caring. Particular attention was paid to the different challenges experienced by Māori nurses as the indigenous people of a post-colonialist Aotearoa. The research employed a qualitative design using an exploratory, descriptive survey, grounded in a pragmatic philosophical approach. It was conducted in two phases: an online questionnaire followed by two rounds of interviews. In total 49 participants completed the questionnaire and 13 participants were interviewed. All participants held NZ nurse registration and had been in leadership roles in healthcare for at least three years, during which time they were responsible for overseeing staff. Respondents represented diverse practice backgrounds and localities. The findings indicate that most participants achieved leadership roles primarily through chance and personal determination. In many cases, pursuing post-graduate education or serendipitous opportunities broadened their perspectives on nursing. The nurse leaders in this study realised they could have a significantly greater impact on the quality of care they wished to provide by stepping into leadership positions. However, they faced challenges related to nursing's strong association with femininity and often experienced subordination to the male-dominated fields of medicine and management. There is ample evidence linking empowered nurse leadership to effective care; however, nursing input in healthcare decisions is often overlooked due to the prevailing assumption that traditionally feminine traits do not significantly contribute to patient outcomes. Despite the proven value and significance of nurse leadership, this research indicates that leadership is not adequately planned for or supported in a way that reflects the size of the nursing workforce. Post-graduate education has been shown to raise nurse consciousness, yet NZ healthcare systems and academic institutions fail to invest in or value the critical thinking and awareness needed for nurse leaders to function and contribute effectively in the current neoliberalist environment. This research suggests that preparation for leadership in nursing should focus on helping nurses gain an awareness of their identity within a gendered profession before developing their leadership skills. Highlighting nurses who have succeeded in roles beyond bedside care and providing mentorship and networking opportunities for emerging leaders will cultivate future nurse leaders who can advance the profession. Key findings: • gendered socialisation continues to impact the career trajectories of nurse leaders, • neoliberalist environments create challenges for nursing autonomous practice • ongoing issues of colonialism, racism and sexism influence the career pathways of nurses in AotearoaItem Money talks : a critique of gender and class relations in the family : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Massey University(Massey University, 1991) Morine, Rodney GThis study is about the relationship between women and men in the household. The impact of the non-domestic sphere on the domestic sphere, and vice-versa, is its focus. It explores control over financial resources and the allocation of domestic tasks. Despite a common belief between husbands and wives of more egalitarian ideals operating in both the non-domestic and domestic spheres, this study confirms that inequalities continue. Both gender and class condition the roles of women and men, and the distribution of resources in the household. Overall, men still hold more control over resources than women. However, women with tertiary qualifications, marketable skills and the material resources, had more control over money management and task allocation in their homes relative to women who were either full-time housewives and mothers, or were part of the secondary labour market.Item (Re)mapping women’s cosmology : transformative potentia of women’s stories : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Whanganui-a-tara/Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand(Massey University, 2023-06-30) Wass, TheaBinary difference is deeply rooted within the heart of European philosophy and underpins contemporary understandings of sexual difference. Forces of power relations circulate to uphold binary categories of gender that conflates man with the universal, upholding a single model of male subjectivity and inscribing meaning onto the bodies of women. In this research, I have engaged with a narrative approach to map a cosmology of ten women’s stories, connecting women’s bodies and experiences to the flow of forces that shape their lives through a complex assemblage of cultural practices. Thinking with Rosie Braidotti I have endeavoured to sketch a cartography of the multiple embedded, embodied and affective social positions constituted by forces operational in, and immanent to the production and circulation of knowledge about sexual difference. Relational ethics in feminist standpoint inquiry enabled me to attend to relational processes which contributed to the co-articulation of these stories, and to open out towards the multiple possibilities available outside established hierarchical categories of gendered subjectivities. Through this process, light is cast on the material conditions in which forces come to inscribe and inhabit women’s bodies as flows of power capable of both “entrapment (potestas) and as empowerment (potentia)” (Braidotti, 2019). This research resists phallogocentric notions of the universal by re-orienting towards the affirmative potential of women’s bodies made available through interconnectedness and ethical transformation in processes of becoming. By paying attention to the situated and affirmatively encompassing differences within and between women, bodies can be understood as a site of resistance and transformation.Item Sex role development in girls : a cognitive theory : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of Arts in Education(Massey University, 1971) Garrett, DenisThis study reviews current theory and research relevant to the sex role development of girls. It starts with some examination of the explanation of motive in identification, and then looks at the way in which theories of identification typically account for sex differences is personality and development. This argues that all conventional theories of identification are tied, in one way or another, to drive reduction theory; if an intrinsic motivation theory is assumed, then identification as a consequence of secondary reward value need not be adduced. Some difficulties of explaining sex role development in girls on conventional theory are examined before moving to the social context. Society is assumed to be typically seen as according male status more reward. This has consequences for sex role preference theory and research, which are examined. Data on sex differences (both cognitive and personality) are reviewed in order to elucidate the nature of any theoretical account of the differences. Two significant related theories are reviewed and evaluated; those of Lynn and Kohlberg. The latter providing a theory of sex role learning on a Piagetian basis. However, both theories are argued to be defective in omitting or understaning the role of siblings and peers in sex role learning; theory and research in these fields is noted. A specific (and somewhat new) sequence is proposed for important peer-interaction differences between boys and girls. Included in some more explicit hypotheses is one (on sex differences in intelligence-test behaviours) of interest to educators.Item "Lasses, live up to your privileges, and stand up for your rights!" : gender equality in the Salvation Army in New Zealand, 1883-1960 : a thesis submitted to Massey University in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History(Massey University, 2017) Hendy, RaewynThis thesis evaluates The Salvation Army’s claim that women and men had equal status in the organisation, in the light of research from elsewhere in the world that women did not have genuinely equal opportunities in the organisation. It examines the gender history of The Salvation Army in New Zealand from the time of its arrival in Dunedin in 1883 until 1960 with its primary aim being to determine the nature and extent of gender equality in the organisation during this period. In order to do this, it examines the roles, opportunities and responsibilities offered both to male and female officers; discusses how women and men were portrayed in official publications, primarily the New Zealand edition of The War Cry; and looks for both obvious and subtle signs of discrimination against women officers. It also attempts to uncover traces of the voices and stories of the women who served The Salvation Army in New Zealand. Throughout the period under investigation women officers made up a very high proportion of Salvation Army officers in New Zealand. Prior to World War One, particularly in the period from 1883 to 1900, women officers were able to participate in most aspects of the work of The Salvation Army in New Zealand, with positions appearing to be allocated on merit and availability rather than on gender. Over time however and particularly in the years from 1930 to 1960, women officers were increasingly relegated to positions in smaller corps and into roles involving the care of women and children. Married women officers were often treated as subordinate to their husbands and offered limited opportunities within the organisation. The Salvation Army increasingly conformed to, rather than challenged, the gender mores of other religious denominations and of New Zealand society more generally. Therefore, I conclude, that on balance, although there were occasionally some exceptional women, and at some points, particularly during the years prior to World War One, a degree of equality, that The Salvation Army in New Zealand largely failed to offer equality of opportunity, or equal roles, responsibilities and status to its women officers.Item Negotiating gender relations in the context of heterosexual intimate partner relationships : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology, at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2017) Campbell, DebraContemporary neoliberal postfemininism portrays women as empowered and existing in heterosexual relationships where equality is negotiated between two equal beings. The current study is a feminist project seeking to understand how men and women negotiate gendered relations in the context of heterosexual intimate partner relationships. The research draws on individual semi-structured interviews conducted with six men and six women aged between 25 and 40, who had been in a heterosexual intimate relationship for at least two years, thus having experience in the area of interest. A feminist poststructural discourse analysis was used to attend to the gendered power relations and dominant discourses that enabled and constrained subjectivities and positioning for the men and women. This research indicates that whilst equality and women’s empowerment are popularised ideals, the lived reality is quite different. In both their own gendered subjectivities and gendered performances in their intimate heterosexual relationships, men and women are navigating the positions/roles on offer in hegemonic masculinity, emphasised femininity and neoliberal postfeminist ‘choice’ femininity that are both enabled and constrained by heteronormativity. Heteronormativity produces discourses, subjectivities and positioning that are so dominant they are invisible, and are taken up as one’s own individualised choices. Social sanctions make resisting or developing new positions difficult. The result is the continuing enactment of traditional gendered roles in intimate heterosexual relationships, rather than negotiating new positioning, which is reproducing inequality and the continued subordination of women.Item A revolution in gender and familial life : an analysis of socio-political and cultural factors on the contemporary Chinese family : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Sociology at Massey University(Massey University, 2001) Haughton, AnneThe aim of this study is to investigate gender relations and the family in contemporary China. More specifically it seeks to contextualise the contemporary Chinese family within a socio-historical, political and cultural analysis of China from the formation of the People's Republic of China in 1949. It uses a historical sociological methodology, on the basis of existing studies. It attempts to ascertain what has changed and what has stayed the same over the last fifty years, as well as to evaluate what Chinese families have gained and lost as a result of government reforms. With a different focus in each chapter, the study examines some of the ways the accelerated quest for modernity has impacted on the Chinese family and society. It explores family structure and the rapid changes currently taking place in dating, romance, and marriage, reproduction, child socialisation practices, and gender and family relationships. Far more than in most countries, the Chinese family plays a central role in economic relations and political ideology, which makes these changes especially consequential. One obvious impact of the government reforms on the Chinese family lifestyle was the preservation of traditional beliefs and practices, such as wedding and funeral ceremonies, ancestral worship and preferences for sons over daughters. Another impact discussed by this study has been the attempt to remake the Chinese family into an economic and social unit, depriving it of its traditional ideological, spiritual, and ritual significance. But the real challenge imposed by the current government, that may ultimately weaken or even fundamentally change the Chinese family, has been the birth control campaign. Socially and economically, this study shows that the well-being of many young couples especially rural couples, with only one daughter may be endangered when they could no longer carry out manual labour on their farm. The main conclusion from this analysis is that the family and its continuity still occupy the focal point in the lives of Chinese people.Item Household decision-making in rural Nepal : a study of the effects of gender roles and ethnicity : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Rural Development at Massey University(Massey University, 1999) Devkota, DurgaGender disparity in household decision-making is common in developing countries. Ethnicity, culture and geographical location also influence decision-making processes in rural communities. Household decision-making processes in central rural Nepal were examined with a primary focus on gender roles and involvement in the context of three distinct ethnic communities--Brahmin/Chhetri, Gurung and Tharu. Three Village Development Committees (VDCs) of the Chitwan district of Nepal were purposively selected for the study. A combination of participatory rural appraisal (n=6), gender analysis (n=6), key informant interviews (n=14) and household socio-economic surveys (n=123) was used to gather information and data for the study. At the household level, men and women were interviewed separately. The results indicated that both men and women consistently carried out certain crop production activities. Other activities were either male or female dominated, but some activities were insensitive to gender and ethnicity. Ethnic variation impacted on gender roles and involvement of household members. For example, both males and females from the Brahmin/Chhetri and Gurung, and all family members from the Tharu, were involved in manure application to farmland. Fertiliser application was carried out by Brahmin/Chhetri and Tharu men. but jointly by the Gurungs. Crop harvesting was mostly completed by all household members, but with a low level of participation by men, and a high level of participation by women for all ethnic groups. Males dominated crop marketing in the Brahmin/Chhetri and Gurung communities, but this was jointly shared by the Tharus. Livestock-related work was primarily within the domain of women, but variation existed in gender roles across the ethnic groups. For example, Brahmin/Chhetri and Gurung men were less involved in grazing and fodder collection, but all members of Tharu households were jointly involved. Women were more involved than men in household management in all three ethnic groups, with the highest level of participation amongst the Tharu women. Decisions were reached by household members through general discussion. In some cases, however, such as in the marketing of large ruminants, the decision was made solely by the men. Household decision-making also depended on the level and source of income. Within the higher income Brahmin/Chhetri households decisions were largely made independently by males; for the lower income Gurung and the Tharu households joint decision-making was more common. Thus, the underlying male dominance in these communities tended to be related to income level. In relatively affluent households, women were largely restricted to household chores and were less involved in decision-making processes. With respect to crop income. the Gurung women exercised control, whereas the Brahmin/Chhetri males, and both men and women for the Tharus, had a dominant influence over such income. For all ethnic groups, men overwhelmingly dominated the access to agricultural and veterinary services, community activities, and off-farm employment opportunities. Rural and agricultural development activities in Nepal were shown not to be gender or ethnically neutral. However, the extent of this varies by activity. Thus, differences in gender and ethnic roles need to be specifically accounted for in rural policy formulation and planning. A pre-project analysis of gender and ethnicity involvement is recommended to provide better local knowledge of these factors before designing and implementing any project or developmental work. Keywords. Household decision-making. gender roles, ethnicity, gender analysis, participatory rural appraisal, Nepal, rural developmentItem Women, power, gender and self : a discourse analysis approach : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University(Massey University, 1994) Anderson, Karen PPrevious research that has provided information about the concepts of power and self has come largely from the traditional empiricist paradigm. This research generally reflects the notion that there are different kinds of power which are equated with masculinity and femininity. In general, power based settings and women are viewed as incompatible. Sense of self has been traditionally presented in the research as something identifiable and consistent. Gender is a thread that runs through the research and the literature on both power and identity, and it is a constructive part of our understanding of them. This study uses a qualitative approach to look at the accounts of ten women in terms of power and how this relates to their sense of self. Potter and Wetherell's (1987) model of discourse analysis has been used in analysing the research interviews. The results of the study tend to support Potter and Wetherell's contention that "self" will be constructed in various ways depending upon context. It also appears that these constructions are inextricably linked with power and gender. Trait and role discourses are used by the women and described in the study. The function of each enables the women to talk about different presentations of "self" that do not contravene the dominant discourses when discussing themselves and power.Item Blurred boundaries : women's work and leisure : task allocation and ultimate responsibility while on a family camping holiday : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology at Massey University(Massey University, 1999) Henry, Elaine EllenIt used to be quite relaxing when it was just Keith and I. Like it was "Let's go for a swim." "Let's read a book." "Let's do nothing." But now it is, whenever it is a nice day, get up and have breakfast....do the washing and I make the beds, sweep out the tent and tidy it up. Using data from participant observations and in-depth interviews, this study focuses on domestic division of labour tasks and responsibilities associated with the family camping holiday. While men help, women perform the vast majority of tasks because patriarchal ideology decrees that the responsibility for domestic tasks, even while on holiday, is women's. Although this working while at leisure results in gender inequality of both labour and leisure time, the women enjoy camping holidays. Such enjoyment is partly attributed to the holiday providing increased opportunities to nurture relationships and to it reducing the pace and standards of work. Using the concept of hegemony it is shown that the family camping holiday reproduces and reinforces patriarchal ideology. This study suggests that such holidays provides an opportunity to initiate a change towards equality of domestic division of labour and leisure.