« Settler colonial and indigenising: Zada Ballew, ‘”The Indian Side of the Question”: Settling the Story of Potawatomi Removal in the Twentieth-Century Midwest’, The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, 2024
Agnosis as the settler colonial condition: Shawn Singh, Brandon Trask, ‘Faded by Design: Manufacturing Agnosis of Settler-Colonialism in an Era of Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation in Canada’, in J. Gacek, R. Jochelson (eds), Justice in the Age of Agnosis, Palgrave, 2024, pp. 149-171 »

Imprisoned indigeneity: Jessica Martin, Grounding the State of Exception in New Zealand: A Case Study of Racial Segregation in Pukekohe, Whiteness and the Carceral State, MA dissertation, The University of Waikato, 2024

22May24

Abstract: Indigenous scholars in settler-colonial contexts have highlighted the hyperimprisonment of Indigenous people, locating it as an extension of the colonial project. Although research on this issue in New Zealand is emerging, there is a notable gap in understanding how the carceral state has developed within this particular context. This study aims to address the following research question: How does the historical context of racial segregation in Pukekohe contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of the carceral state in New Zealand? To thoroughly examine the hyper-imprisonment of Māori, it is essential to unpack the historical origins of state violence. Despite existing research establishing a link between Māori over-representation in prisons and the enduring effects of colonisation, there is a lack of studies exploring the complex interplay among the carceral state, whiteness, policy, policing, and law, which collectively shape the current landscape of incarceration. This study focuses on the racial segregation in Pukekohe between 1920 and 1960 and utilises reflexive thematic analysis within a case study framework, drawing on the insights offered by Robert Bartholomew’s book, No Māori Allowed (2020). The analysis centres on the theoretical concept of the state of exception, shedding light on how power was wielded by the white racial polity. Thus, providing a unique perspective on the carceral state and state-sanctioned violence. The findings highlight the interconnectedness of various systemic control mechanisms employed by the carceral state. Housing, policing, and whiteness emerge as crucial factors in the control and confinement of Māori in Pukekohe. By emphasising the role of whiteness in suppressing this history, this study underscores the need for critical examination and recognition of white cultural imperialism as a fundamental pillar of the carceral state. Overall, this research offers significant insights into the construction of a targeted population and the enduring consequences of state-sanctioned violence, emphasising the importance of a comprehensive examination of New Zealand’s racialised history in discussions on the hyper-imprisonment of Māori.


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