Thesis Chapters by Paloma Ozier
No Home for Thought: The origins of anti-intellectualism in New Zealand , 2018
Since the early years of New Zealand’s settlement, and leading into the present, scholars across ... more Since the early years of New Zealand’s settlement, and leading into the present, scholars across various disciplines have drawn attention to the presence, and prevalence, of a national anti-intellectual culture. However, there is no single comprehensive work which expressly addresses the origins of anti-intellectual tendencies in the local context. This thesis is offered as a contribution to what is recognised as a lack of literature in this precise area. Against the idea that anti-intellectualism is simply a consequence of New Zealand’s pioneer heritage, I propose that anti-intellectualism is closely associated with broader historical trends and developments transposed from Europe. Specifically, it is argued that the decline of feudal relations, and the rise of Protestantism, were together conducive to the production of a conceptual apparatus and value system which privileged mercantile, worldly activity over the life of the mind. This value system, carried to New Zealand with early European settlers, was particularly amenable to the conditions of the colony, and was there brought to its logical conclusion, leading to an intensification of existing anti-intellectual sentiments. It is argued that such sentiments continue to be expressed today, as anti-intellectualism does not remain purely as a residue of the nation’s frontier past, but is rather reproduced and renewed under contemporary conditions.
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Thesis Chapters by Paloma Ozier