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On the Promotion of Positive Peace for Indigenous Australians: Ideas from Across the Tasman

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Peace Psychology in Australia

Part of the book series: Peace Psychology Book Series ((PPBS))

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Abstract

This chapter critically examines the status of positive and negative peace relations between indigenous minorities and non-indigenous majorities in both Australia and New Zealand. The analysis identifies catalysts and barriers to peace in both locations focusing on the similar psychological mechanisms underlying these intergroup relations. For example, beliefs of relative deprivation held by non-Indigenous peoples can be seen to underlie resistance to the apology to Indigenous Australians, as well as support for a reduction in Māori-specific government policy in New Zealand. Claims that New Zealand’s approach to the relationship with the Māori people should serve as a model for other countries to follow are tempered in this analysis by the identification of areas in which New Zealand still has lengths to go to achieve positive peace. Similarly, significant contextual differences between Australia and New Zealand prevent a simplistic transplantation of New Zealand’s ‘solutions’ to issues faced by Australian Indigenous peoples. We do, however, see the future of positive peace in both countries as dependent on three key principles: ripeness for change in non-indigenous communities, indigenous voice and activism and development of a shared vision between indigenous and non-indigenous people.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    As elsewhere in this book, the term ‘Indigenous’ with a capital ‘I’ is used for Indigenous Australians, or Indigenous New Zealanders, as proper nouns. The lower case is used to describe collectively Indigenous peoples across the world, hence the lower is used when both sets of nations are referred to.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Formerly of The School of Law, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Rebecca Leask

  2. School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Catherine Philpot

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  1. Rebecca Leask
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  2. Catherine Philpot
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Correspondence to Rebecca Leask .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Australian Centre for Peace and Conflict, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072, Queensland, Australia

    Diane Bretherton

  2. , School of Law, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086, Victoria, Australia

    Nikola Balvin

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Leask, R., Philpot, C. (2012). On the Promotion of Positive Peace for Indigenous Australians: Ideas from Across the Tasman. In: Bretherton, D., Balvin, N. (eds) Peace Psychology in Australia. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1403-2_13

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