Abstract:
This thesis employs critical autoethnography to examine the influence of educational
spaces on identity through my lens as a student and teacher. These experiences are
depicted in diary entries that have followed my journey in education and are best
understood through theoretical frameworks such as the liminal third space and vā. Vā
(Wendt, 1996) and the liminal third space (Bhabha, 1994), are both spaces inbetween, thus in weaving together these theoretical frameworks, I engage both vā and
third space to critically unpack my experiences in the educational context using
relevant literature to support my analysis. In addition, I weave talanoa (Vaioleti, 2006)
together with critical autoethnography (Holman Jones, 2016) as my methodologies,
enabling me to share my personal narrative as well as serving as a cultural analysis.
My findings highlight the different aspects of educational spaces - such as teacher
roles and cultural representations - that can impact the negotiating processes of
identity for students. Understanding these findings, especially by teachers, can
strengthen the experience of Pacific students within educational spaces (Rata, 1998;
Samu, 2006; Pasikale, 1998; Tupuola, 1998). As such I argue that there are also socioeconomic barriers impacting the educational achievement of Pacific students which
drives the purpose of this study which is to combat these barriers through
understanding the classroom space as a space that can create change. Overall, this
thesis calls for a systemic shift in educational practices and policies towards inclusivity
and equity, recognising the unique challenges and cultural wealth of Pacific Peoples
in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
