September 24, 2015
Indigenous Belief report unbelievable
A Maori academic is slamming a report by the influential MOTU economic think tank as sloppy and dangerous.
The Indigenous Belief in a Just World report used data from the World Values Survey to draw conclusions about disparities in Maori economic outcomes compared with the rest of society.
University of Waikato Research Director Leonie Pihama says the three Pakeha authors make sweeping statements about Maori without the cultural knowledge or experience to do so.
She says they were wrong to compare Maori attitudes with those of African Americans on issues like land and the environment.
"We’re coming from an indigenous position so we will align to native American positioning, first nations positioning in relation to our whenua and environment, which is quite different to other minority group positions such as African American," she says.
Associate Professor Pihama says the danger of such sloppy research is the influence MOTU can exert on the development of policy.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH DR LEONIE PIHAMA CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?mv_pc=5901
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