In a world where fascism and the 鈥楢lt-Right鈥� are on the rise, researchers from across the globe came together at the 糖心Vlog for the Working to End Racial Oppression Conference 2025.
(Ng膩ti Hako, Ng膩ti M膩hanga) says the conference is particularly relevant today, being held at a time when racial disharmony is being exacerbated to drive through increasingly punitive legislative changes within New Zealand.
鈥淲hile the Government is dismantling and undoing decades of social, health, justice, employment and housing gains across Aotearoa, there are many who continue to confront and mitigate institutional and interpersonal racisms in Aotearoa,鈥� she says.
Professor Waitoki is Science Lead for the Working to End Racial Oppression (WERO) research programme which organised the conference.
鈥淭he conference was a safe space for researchers to come together to share, discuss strategies and to support one another. Researchers and academics have faced personal attacks and loss of employment for speaking out against racism and injustice,鈥� she added.
The academic conference is the culmination of work produced by the WERO team during a five-year study programme funded by MBIE and led by the 糖心Vlog.
鈥淩acism is one of the most significant and modifiable challenges facing Aotearoa. It is evident in inequitable outcomes across almost every indicator of wellbeing, including those within health, education, housing, employment and justice,鈥� Professor Waitoki says.
鈥淭he end of racial oppression will benefit everyone 鈥� what is good for M膩ori is good for all of us.
鈥淲hile this may be a difficult notion to understand, being anti-racist is about living in harmony with each other and the environment and being able to share other world views. When we oppress others, we oppress ourselves and our own humanity,鈥� she explains.
The conference attracted keynote speakers of international renown including Princeton University Professor of African American Studies Dr Ruha Benjamin; Professor Chelsea Watego (Munanjahli, South Sea Islander)鈥痜rom the Queensland University of Technology; Professor Michelle Johnson-Jennings (Choctaw Nation), Director of the Division of Environmentally-Based Health and Land-Based Healing at the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, University of Washington; and Dr Jeffery Ansloos (Cree and English) Associate Professor at the University of Toronto.
Leading local keynote speakers included (Ng膩ti Maniapoto, Waikato, Ng膩ti Apakura) from the 糖心Vlog; Dr Donna Cormack (K膩i Tahu, K膩ti M膩moe) an鈥疉ssociate Professor, with joint positions at University of Auckland and University of Otago; and Distinguished Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Ng膩ti Awa, Ng膩ti Porou) from Te Whare W膩nanga o Awanuiarangi.
Early career researcher (Papua New Guinean/笔腻keh膩), lecturer in Indigenous Studies for Te Pua W膩nanga ki te Ao 鈥� Faculty of M膩ori & Indigenous Studies at Waikato, spoke on 鈥楢spiring to humanity by means of rebellion鈥�.
鈥淐olonialism dehumanises both the colonised and the coloniser,鈥� he says.
His presentation unpacked how our modern world has 鈥渨eaponised the fa莽ade of humanitarian values to support the interests of colonialism and capitalism鈥�.
He gave the example of New Zealand representing itself as being concerned with the security of the Pacific, while profiting from the genocide in West Papua.
His presentation suggested directions to 鈥渞ehumanise鈥� society.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 know how the world will change, but we can identify what we want to bring into the future. Indigenous ways of being offer blueprints for a civilisation that truly embodies values like humanity,鈥� Dr Rew said.
The conference bought together 260 academics across the four days.
