Negotiating multiplicity : macro, meso and micro influences on the ethnic identifications of New Zealand secondary school students : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Manawatū Campus, New Zealand
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Date
2018
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Massey University
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Abstract
In New Zealand, the number of people who identify with more than one ethnic group is
increasing. This is particularly true for adolescents and for those whose identifications
include Māori or Pacific Islands ethnic groups. However, there is little understanding of
what identifying with multiple ethnicities means for individuals. This research examined
the multiple ethnic identities of senior secondary school students (aged between 16 and 18
years), by focusing on how they identified themselves, what decisions formed the bases of
their identifications, and what influenced their identifications at three interconnecting
levels: the macro (state) level, the meso (institutional) level, and the micro (family and
individual) level.
A mixed methods research approach was employed, including a nation-wide survey and
fieldwork in one South Auckland secondary school. The fieldwork methods were
participant-observation, interviews with students who identified with more than one ethnic
group, and a photo elicitation exercise. Through these methods, data were collected that
gave a broad understanding of multiple ethnic identifications for New Zealand adolescents,
and a deep and multifaceted explanation for one group of participants.
This research explored the ways that the participants negotiated their multiple ethnic group
identifications, despite macro, meso and micro pressures towards singularity. It examined
macro-level influences on ethnic group data collection and the ways that ethnic group
identifications are shaped and constrained by data categorisation protocols. It looked at the
meso-level influences of the research school on students’ ethnic identities. The school
focused on cultural identity and provided opportunities for students to participate in
cultural activities and speak their languages. It examined the micro level influences of family
and individual decision-making around identities, and the way that the participants
maintained multiple ethnic group identifications, despite family experiences that might
encourage them to focus more strongly on a single identity. This research explored the
complex and nuanced ways that ethnic identifications are constructed at each of the three
levels, for adolescents who identify with multiple ethnic groups.
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Keywords
Ethnicity, Research, New Zealand, Auckland, Racially mixed youth, Identity, Self-perception in adolescence, Students, Attitudes, Kia Aroha College