Project aims

The study aims to 'map' the social territories of young Māori living in urban centres, small towns and rural areas in New Zealand using visual (photographic) data which they have generated themselves, in conjunction with more conventional supporting evidence.

The purpose is to collect the intimate micro-level symbols embedded within young people's social landscapes, which influence the ways in which they define and interact with their communities and their environments. These symbols, and young people's articulation of their social and cultural meanings, may be used to develop a wide range of economic, educational, social and youth policy contexts that affect Māori communities in New Zealand. The study is primarily intended to be used as a guide for those seeking to develop healthy, sustainable Māori communities across the country.

A further aim of the study is to test new methodologies in the field of visual sociology in order to evaluate their usefulness as research tools for indigenous academic and policy researchers in New Zealand.