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Echoes of an Empire: A comparative analysis of Indigenous political rights in Australia and New Zealand

Huss, Rut LU and Norrman, Alexandra LU (2025) STVK04 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This paper explores how historical differences during colonization have shaped Indigenous political rights in Australia and New Zealand. Using postcolonialism and historical institutionalism as theoretical frameworks, the study compares the long-term impact of colonial policies, legal structures, and political recognition. New Zealand’s colonization involved a formal treaty–the Treaty of Waitangi–which created a foundation for later legal recognition of Māori rights through institutions and reserved seats in Parliament. In contrast, Australia’s colonization was based on the concept of terra nullius, which denied Indigenous sovereignty and excluded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples from political and legal recognition. This... (More)
This paper explores how historical differences during colonization have shaped Indigenous political rights in Australia and New Zealand. Using postcolonialism and historical institutionalism as theoretical frameworks, the study compares the long-term impact of colonial policies, legal structures, and political recognition. New Zealand’s colonization involved a formal treaty–the Treaty of Waitangi–which created a foundation for later legal recognition of Māori rights through institutions and reserved seats in Parliament. In contrast, Australia’s colonization was based on the concept of terra nullius, which denied Indigenous sovereignty and excluded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples from political and legal recognition. This paper analyzes institutional developments such as the Native Lands Acts, the Māori Representation Act, and the Waitangi Tribunal in New Zealand, and the lack of equivalent structures in Australia. By applying historical institutionalism, the thesis highlights how early institutional choices created enduring power structures that continue to shape Indigenous political inclusion. Pluralism complements this by emphasizing the coexistence of legal systems and the limited space given to Indigenous governance. The findings show that colonial foundations have produced divergent outcomes, with New Zealand establishing more formal avenues for Indigenous rights, while Australia continues to struggle with constitutional recognition and political inclusion. (Less)
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author
Huss, Rut LU and Norrman, Alexandra LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK04 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Indigenous Peoples, political representation, postcolonialism, historical institutionalism, Aboriginal Australians, Māori
language
English
id
9189428
date added to LUP
2025-08-08 11:06:25
date last changed
2025-08-08 11:06:25
@misc{9189428,
  abstract     = {{This paper explores how historical differences during colonization have shaped Indigenous political rights in Australia and New Zealand. Using postcolonialism and historical institutionalism as theoretical frameworks, the study compares the long-term impact of colonial policies, legal structures, and political recognition. New Zealand’s colonization involved a formal treaty–the Treaty of Waitangi–which created a foundation for later legal recognition of Māori rights through institutions and reserved seats in Parliament. In contrast, Australia’s colonization was based on the concept of terra nullius, which denied Indigenous sovereignty and excluded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples from political and legal recognition. This paper analyzes institutional developments such as the Native Lands Acts, the Māori Representation Act, and the Waitangi Tribunal in New Zealand, and the lack of equivalent structures in Australia. By applying historical institutionalism, the thesis highlights how early institutional choices created enduring power structures that continue to shape Indigenous political inclusion. Pluralism complements this by emphasizing the coexistence of legal systems and the limited space given to Indigenous governance. The findings show that colonial foundations have produced divergent outcomes, with New Zealand establishing more formal avenues for Indigenous rights, while Australia continues to struggle with constitutional recognition and political inclusion.}},
  author       = {{Huss, Rut and Norrman, Alexandra}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Echoes of an Empire: A comparative analysis of Indigenous political rights in Australia and New Zealand}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}