Abstract:
In the past few decades, indigenous peoples from different parts of the world have
united to promote political change and demand recognition of their indigenous rights. By actively participating in the transnational indigenous rights movement, New Zealand Maori use their transnational networks to shape domestic political discourse. Bicultural policies within New Zealand support the preservation and development of Maori culture, yet socio-economic inequalities continue to exist between Maori and nonMaori.
A neo-Gramscian perspective and Keck and Sikkink's framework for evaluating
transnational networks are used to investigate the nature of these transnational linkages and evaluate their effectiveness on promoting discursive political change. By critically analysing Maori activity within the transnational social movement and the analysis of
two transnational network case studies, this thesis argues that Maori transnational
networks shape domestic politics by legitimising the need for greater consultation across a range of indigenous issues and by shaping the discursive position of the New Zealand Government. Yet, the globalisation of Maori politics has led to the achievements of indigenous rights with contradictory effects.