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Power relations
Hot off the press! I’ve just had this chapter on power relations published in S. Shaw, A. Haxell & T. Weblemoe (Eds.), Communication and lifespan development. Melbourne: Oxford University Press Many practitioners see themselves as apolitical and powerless, particularly with regard to their relationships with the structures of medicine and management. However, in reality practitioners…
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All of me meets here, an alchemy of parts – Negotiating my identities in New Zealand
Originally published in: DeSouza, R. (2011). ‘All of me meets here, an alchemy of parts’ – Negotiating my identities in New Zealand. In P. Voci & J. Leckie (Eds.), Localizing Asia in Aotearoa (pp. 231-245). Wellington: Dunmore Publishing. He could not see that i could be both … The body in front of him was…
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People of colour decolonisation hui
The Decolonise Your Minds! Hui on February 5th in Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa provided a great opportunity to present my PhD work to awesome folks with similar theoretical and political commitments. Outside a professional or academic context and supported by fabulous vegan food and great korero and creativity, the radical space provided a great opportunity to not have to explain…
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Adapting to New Zealand’s super-diversity
Originally published in Contact: Newsletter for members of the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand, December 2011-January 2012 (Issue 11), Pages 8-9. New Zealand has earned the right to call itself super-diverse. this term refers to an unprecedented level and kind of complexity that surpasses anything previously experienced in a particular society. This super-diversity leads to…
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Contributing to Islamophobia on New Zealand radio?
This afternoon I made a complaint about the quality of public broadcasting on Radio New Zealand’s ‘Afternoons with Jim Mora’ on Thursday 25th October 2011. The broadcast can be heard at: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2501142/the-panel-with-tony-doe-and-john-bishop-part-1.asx The offending comments can be heard here: http://soundcloud.com/hinemoana-1/terrorist-barbie I’ve pasted my letter below: To whom it may concern I am a long-term fan…
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Are we there yet?
This piece was originally published at Tangatawhenua.com http://news.tangatawhenua.com/archives/14051 On October 3rd 2011 as part of the series: Are we there yet? These articles are being written as a prelude to the election in November, and focus on the ‘wish list’ of Generation Xers; their hopes, dreams, aspirations and vision for New Zealand society. I have…
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Identity politics: A response to Garth George
My response to a piece by Garth George (August 5th 2010) where he argues that [we] “have become unthinking victims of the doctrine of multiculturalism, in all its politically correct dissimulation and deception”. There are some good reasons for the rise in identity politics among minority groups, dismissed by Garth George as a “culture of victimhood. The…
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A view from a Goan in Aotearoa/New Zealand
The ocean is what we have in common: Relationships between indigenous and migrant people. This piece was previously published in the Goanet Reader: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 Legend has it that Lord Parashuram (Lord Vishnu’s sixth incarnation) shot an arrow into the Arabian Sea from a mountain peak. The arrow hit Baannaavali (Benaulim) and made…
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Developing diversity in the workforce
Published in Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand 1410.10 (Oct 2008): p23(1). Identifying barriers, opportunities and strategies to integrate and develop a diverse health workforce was the aim of a workshop at the recent Diversity Forum in Auckland. “Capitalising on a diverse health workforce” was hosted by the Centre for Asian and Migrant Health Research at…
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Submission to the New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy 2008
Congratulations on a wonderful job in developing the New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy. I am pleased to see an inter-sectoral approach that is both evidence and strengths based. It is also encouraging to see mention of diverse communities and an approach that integrates protection, promotion, early identification, crisis support, attention to families and support in…
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Indians in New Zealand and the story of my family’s arrival
The Indian community is a growing minority in New Zealand, making up the second largest group in the category ‘Asian’ after Chinese communities. You can watch a short video (4.38), excerpted from the TV Series Here to Stay about Indians in New Zealand. by clicking on the link. I talk about my parents’ decision to…
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How to conquer anxiety and even enjoy giving a presentation
Published in Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand 13.10 (Nov 2007): p20(2). It is 11 years since my first conference presentation and I remember that day vividly. I had prepared carefully for the presentation; friends and family came to support me; but a tricky question at the end of my presentation took me by surprise: “Ruth,…
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Sailing In A New Direction
First published by: Australian Network for Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention for Mental Health (Auseinet) – www.auseinet.com/journal and then republished in Mindnet Issue 11 – Spring 2007 Abstract Migrants and refugees make up an increasingly significant number of Aotearoa/New Zealand’s population with one in five New Zealanders being born in another country compared with one…
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How can nurses truly celebrate cultural diversity?
Editorial published in Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand 13.4 (May 2007): p2(1). American feminist psychologist and theorist Carol Gilligan once said that without voice there cannot be relationship, and without relationship there cannot be voice. (1) How do we have relationships with people who are different from us? How do we and the other person…
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New spaces and possibilities: The adjustment to parenthood for new migrant mothers
DeSouza, R. (2006). New spaces and possibilities: The adjustment to parenthood for new migrant mothers. Wellington, New Zealand. I recently completed a report for the Families Commission about migrant maternity, based on interviews with new mothers in Auckland and with the help of Plunket and many colleagues (see the acknowledgements in the report). Parenthood and…
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Shifting Out the Sweetness: Migrant Motherhood in New Zealand
DeSouza, R. (2007). Sifting out the sweetness: Migrant motherhood in New Zealand. In P. Liamputtong (Ed.), Reproduction, Childbearing and Motherhood: A Cross-Cultural Perspective (pp. 239-251). New York: Nova Science Publishers. Abstract Migration leads to transformation, willingly or unwillingly, for both the migrant and the receiving society. The changes that result can be superficial or visible;…
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The ultimate engagement of life: Being mentally healthy
Published in (2007) Asian Magazine, 4. I came across a wonderful definition of health by Jesse Williams in 1928 the other day in a book that I was reading. Williams defines health as being “the optimal condition of being that allows for the ultimate engagement of life.” To me this is what being healthy is…
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Advice to a student nurse
My response to a student nurse who was haunted by questions about becoming a nurse. Published in Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand 13.1 (Feb 2007): p4(1). I was pleased to see [x} letter, Questions haunt nursing student, in the December/ January 2006/2007 issue of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand (p4). The questions she has reflected…
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Becoming informed health care consumers: Asian migrant mothers in NZ
Presented at the Prevention, protection and promotion. Second International Asian Health and Wellbeing Conference, November 11,2006. Cite as: DeSouza, R. (2006). Becoming informed health care consumers: Asian migrant mothers in New Zealand. In S. Tse, M.E. Hoque, K. Rasanathan, M. Chatterji, R. Wee, S. Garg, & Y. Ratnasabapathy (Eds.), Prevention, protection and promotion. Proceedings of…