For God, country and family : popular moralism and the New Zealand moral right : a thesis submitted to the Department of Education, Massey University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts

Abstract

This thesis is a study of the discourse of the moral right in New Zealand. It critiques the prevailing analysis on the Left, that such a phenomenon can be explained as an effect of class relations. Rather, the moral right must be examined as a form of hegemonic politics working on the terrain of the sex/gender and sexuality systems. The thesis discusses both the conditions that gave rise to the moral right, and the form and content of its discourse. It is argued that the moral right can be understood through the concept of populist moralism. On the basis of this interpretation of the moral right I put forward some suggestions on how the Left should respond to this movement.