AN ESSAY  Posted 31st May 2026  A pdf of the essay is  available on the Home Page and also on the 'Education in Democracy' Research Area page. What it it to be a New Zealander – Who do we believe ourselves to be?   New Zealand has a public culture grounded in Enlightenment principles of …

SUBMISSION TO THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE COMMITTEE ON THE NEW ZEALAND–INDIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT  Submitted by Professor Elizabeth Rata, University of Auckland  16 May 2026  MY POSITION  I oppose the inclusion of …

Date: 22nd April 2025  The Draft Social Sciences Draft Curriculum, 0-10 is knowledge-rich because it has the features of a knowledge-rich curriculum. They are:  Disciplinary-derived and accountable knowledge.   Subject-defined concepts and content.   Epistemological coherence.   Logical progression.   Appropriate balance of explicit teacher instruction and related student activities.    Curriculum content connected to students' understanding informed …

In a Nutshell  Capitalism creates prosperity. But its relentless drive to accumulate must be controlled by democratic politics. Neotribal economic corporations (the 'neo' means they are different from the pre-modern tribal re-distributive economy) are like socialist ones. They merge the economy with politics. Dangerously, they institutionalise the merger in legislation, policy and practice. Because those combined interests are invisible, they …