New Zealander. There is considerable evidence of inter-generational and family-based
processes being involved in this type of integration. There has been some low-level tension
between biculturalism, based on the Treaty of Waitangi between Māori and the Crown, and
“multiculturalism” which is merely an ethnically inclusive variant of liberal democracy. This
will need to be theorised and discussed in the future given demographic trends for New
Zealand.
Cross-sector integration of research practices and thematic research dissemination
Because they are a relatively small community, social scientists across academia and across
government agencies dealing with diversity tend to interact regularly. They often organise
and attend conferences together; there is cross-sector collaboration; and there is
considerable agreement that best research practices in the area of diversity involve
significant community input, and outputs with practical value.
Less positively, the sector as a whole functions without adequate sources of research
funding. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are widely used, and
sometimes in the same project or project team. Health, employment, and well-being are
consistent themes addressed across a wide variety of research projects. There has been
integration of academic findings and government policies for some research groups.
As a whole, however, there has yet to be a national inventory documenting the pathways
between research and practice or research and policy. This could be an important direction
for future research summaries/inventories. The creation of a single point of dissemination
and integration of diversity research findings and policy development and outcomes might
greatly facilitate a more comprehensive uptake of research-based practices and policies in
the future among both Government and non-governmental groups. Properly funding such
an integrative effort would be essential for success. A solid foundation has already been
achieved, so lifting the level of communication and exchange between researchers,
Government, and non- governmental groups to a higher and more integrated level would be
a realistic goal for the future.
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