4 August 2007
In recent times I have had many opportunities to write or make
presentations about aspects of the Chinese in New Zealand. While there
was no problem addressing a general audience, I was starting to feel a
little inadequate in academic company.
In 2005 I enrolled for a master's degree at the Stout Centre for New
Zealand Research, Victoria University of Wellington. The course
included two papers:
- New Zealand to 1940
- New Zealand after 1940;
also two approved humanities electives, for which I chose:
- Issues in contemporary Maori society
- National cinema Aotearoa New Zealand.
At the post-graduate level work for each course consisted of seminars
taught by specialists, also a seminar presentation to the class and a
research essay.
My engineering degrees and years of engineering design and management
experience (and continuing full-time professional practice) proved of
little help in researching and writing the essays. However, I
eventually learned what was expected. So while in the first year the
essays were considered barely passable, in the second year they had
improved somewhat.
Somehow I managed to present all eight pieces of research on various aspects of the Chinese in New Zealand!
CONSTITUTIONAL STATUS OF THE CHINESE IN NEW ZEALAND TO 1940
Literature review
KEEPING THE YELLOW HORDES AT BAY
How effective were the tonnage restrictions and the restrictions on naturalisation imposed on the Chinese in New Zealand 1900-1968?
FROM ASSIMILATION TO MULTICULTURALISM
Literature review
FROM ASSIMILATION TO MULTICULTURALISM
Evidence of an evolving model of settlement for the Chinese
community in New Zealand
from 1950 to the present.
THE ROLE AND INFLUENCE OF THE WAITANGI TRIBUNAL ON OUR EMERGING MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Research seminar
MIGRANTS AND THE WAITANGI TRIBUNAL
Can the Chinese support the Report on the Orakei Claim?
ALWAYS THE VICTIM?
Representation of Chinese in New Zealand Cinema
ILLUSTRIOUS ENERGY
The only film to tell the story of Chinese Goldminers in Otago
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