Lewis, C., Norris, A. N., Heta-Cooper, W., & Tauri, J.
Government Housing Need Society
Neo-colonial injustice and the mass imprisonment of Indigenous women, 13-33,
2020
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This chapter investigates the relationship between stigmatising gang narratives, housing instability, and the social policing of Māori women within New Zealand.
Emphasising the enduring impacts of colonisation and racially motivated social control, the authors utilise critical discourse analysis to explore how political discourse regarding housing and gang affiliations contributes to the marginalisation of Indigenous women. Through an analysis of parliamentary debates and policy dialogues, Lewis et al. demonstrate how narratives surrounding gangs not only criminalise Māori women but also compound their difficulties in securing housing, thereby reinforcing systemic racial and social inequalities. The authors provide an insightful critique into the systemic mechanisms by which Māori women are disproportionately disadvantaged in the housing market. They link societal and political narratives about gangs and criminality to broader dimensions of race, gender, and class, showcasing these narratives as a form of social control and exclusion. This work illuminates the interconnectedness of historical colonisation, contemporary socio-political narratives, and their concrete effects on Indigenous women’s access to housing, making a substantial contribution to discussions on race, ethnicity, indigeneity, and criminal justice by elucidating the tangible impacts of stigmatising narratives and advocating for policy reforms to rectify these ingrained disparities.
