Research at MPRU

The MPRU collaborates with staff and students across the University to support Māori-focused research, develop new initiatives, and advance the careers of Māori researchers.

Māori & Psychology Research Unit

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Research Programmes

Haumaru Hauora (Associate Professor Dr Bridgette Masters-Awatere)

Research Interest Areas

  • Kaupapa Māori Psychology
  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Culture
  • Sustainability & Climate Change
  • Positive Māori Psychology
  • Indigenous Psychology
  • Māori Mental Health
  • Mātauranga Māori
  • Māori Flourishing
  • Health Inequalities

Research in progress

The expression, experience and transcendence of low-skill in Aotearoa New Zealand

Investigators: Prof Gail Pachero (AUT), Prof Stephen Reder (Portland State University), Dr Marco Paccagnella (OECD), Dr Bridgette Awatere-Masters (University of Waikato), Dr Bill Cochrane (University of Waikato), Dr Mohi Rua, Dr Betty Ofe-Grant (AUT), Dr Jane Furness (University of Waikato)

Post-Doctoral Research Fellows: Dr Kabir Dasgupta, Dr Christopher Erwin, and Dr Alexander Plum

Funding: $4,350,807.00. Funding period: 5 years from MBIE Endeavour Fund.

Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution Maori responsiveness to climate change

Funding sought: Deep South National Science Challenge, $270,000

Duration: Two years: 1 July 2020 – 30 June 2022.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere.

Associate Investigators: Dr Trish Young (Post Doc Fellow), Ranae Dixon (Research Associate), Areta Ranginui Charlton & Elisha Powell (Masters students).

“Seeing” Kāpō Māori: Making visible the experiences of Kāpō Māori during and after COVID-19

Funding sought: Nga Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence

Duration:

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere.

Associate Investigators: Dr Rebekah Graham (Parents of Vision Impaired (NZ) Inc.), Chrissie Cowan (Kāpō Māori Aotearoa NZ Inc.)

The WERO Project; Working to End Racial Oppression

Funding sought: 2020 Endeavour Fund - Research Programmes

Duration: 5 years.

Principal Investigator: Dr Waikaremoana Waitoki, Prof Francis Collins & Dr Arama Rata

Associate Investigators: Dr Ottilie

Past projects

Aue ha! Māori Men's Relational Notions of Health

Investigators: Mohi Rua, Prof Darrin Hodgetts, Dr Tom Roa,  Prof  Linda Waimarie Nikora, Prof Ngahuia Te Awekotuku.
Funding Agency: Ngā Pae o te Maramatanga - New Zealand's Indigenous Centre for Research Excellence
Term: 2012 (June) - 2014 (June)

Health & Homelessness: Social reintegration in Aotearoa

Investigators: Assoc Prof Darrin Hodgetts, Assoc Prof  Linda Waimarie Nikora, Prof Kerry Chamberlain (Massey University), Dr Eci  Nabalarua (University of South Pacific, Fiji) & Prof Alan Radley (Loughborough University, UK).
Grant Agency: Marsden  Fund, Royal Society of New Zealand

Increased uptake of  energy conservation in households and communities

Investigators: Mohi Rua & Prof Linda Waimarie Nikora
Grant  agency: Foundation  for Research, Science and Technology.

Medications in Everyday Life: Understandings and social practice

Investigators: Prof  Kerry Chamberlain (Massey University), Assoc Prof Darrin Hodgetts, Dr Pauline  Norris (University of Otago), Assoc Prof Kevin Dew (University of Otago), Dr  Linda Waimarie Nikora, Prof Jonathan Gabe (Royal Holloway, University of  London), Prof Alan Radley (University of Loughborough, UK) & Ms Helen Madden (Massey University, Albany)
Grant agency: Health  Research Council

‘A pill  for every ill’: The domestic life of medications in consumer society

Investigators: Prof  Kerry Chamberlain (Massey University, Albany), Assoc Prof Darrin Hodgetts, Dr  Pauline Norris (University of Otago), Assoc Prof Kevin Dew (University of  Otago), Dr Linda Waimarie Nikora, Prof Jonathan Gabe (Royal Holloway,  University of London), Prof Alan Radley (University of Loughborough, UK) &  Ms Helen Madden (Massey University, Albany)
Grant  agency: The Marsden Fund, Royal Society of New Zealand

Strangers in Town: The  health & social needs of Ngati Haua young people

Investigators: Dr Linda Waimarie Nikora & Mohi Rua
Grant agency: Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.

Ta Moko: culture, body modification and the  psychology of identity

Investigators: Prof Ngahuia Te Awekotuku, Linda Waimarie Nikora, Mohi Rua and Rolinda Karapu.
Grant Agency: The Marsden Fund, The Royal Society of New  Zealand
Example of Output: Te Awekotuku, N.,  Nikora, L. W., Rua, M., & Karapu, R. (2007). Mau Moko: The world of Māori tattoo. Auckland: Penguin Publishing.

What does it mean to  be a man today? Bloke Culture and the Media

Investigators: Dr Darrin Hodgetts and Mohi Rua
Grant  agency: Fast Start Marsden Fund, Royal Society of New Zealand
Example of Output: Hodgetts, D., & Rua, M. (2008). Media  and Community Anxieties about Men's Interactions with Children. Journal of Community and Applied Social  Psychology: Special Issue: Mediated Communities, 18(6), 527-542.

Strangers in Town: Tuhoe ki Waikato

Investigators: Linda  Waimarie Nikora, Mohi Rua, Prof Ngahuia Te Awekotuku and Prof Bernard Guerin
Grant  Agency: Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
Example of Output: Nikora, L. W., Rua, M., Te Awekotuku, N.,  Guerin, B., & McCaughey, J. (2008). Social consequences of Tuhoe migration:  Voices from home in Te Urewera. MAI  Review(2).

Mediation & the Public Negotiation  of Health Inequalities:  Comparing Māori  & Mainstream Media

Investigators: Dr Darrin Hodgetts, Linda Waimarie Nikora  & Prof Kerry Chamberlain
Grant  Agency: Health Research Council.
Example of Output: Barnett, A., Hodgetts, D., Nikora, L. W.,  & Chamberlain, K. (2007). Child poverty, news media framing and symbolic  disempowerment of families in need. Journal of Community and Applied Social  Psychology, 17(4), 296-312.

Defining Pakeha Culture

Investigators: Dr Linda Waimarie Nikora, Assoc Prof Darrin Hodgetts, Dr Neville Robertson, Mohi Rua  with Saburo Omura
Grant  Agency: The Department of Psychology’s Research Fund, UoW
Example of Output: Nikora, L. W., Omura, S., Rua, M., Hodgetts, D., & Robertson, N.  (2006). Pakeha - a burden on our society. Australian  Journal of Psychology, 58(Supplement 1), 172.

Te Rau Puawai  2002-2004: An Evaluation

Investigators: Linda Waimarie Nikora, Mohi Rua, Andrew Duirs, Keri Thompson & Tamati Amuketi
Grant  Agency: The  Ministry of Health
Example of Output: Nikora, L. W., Rua, M., Duirs, A., Thompson, K., & Amuketi, T.  (2005). Te Rau Puawai 2002-2004: An  Evaluation. A report prepared for the Ministry of Health & Massey  University: Māori & Psychology Research Unit.

Mauriora: Ma ratou, ma matou, ma tatou - Māori  Television and Health

Investigators: Linda  Waimarie Nikora, Dr Darrin Hodgetts & Rolinda Karapu
Grant  Agency: Health Research Council
Example of Output: Groot, S., Nikora, L. W., Hodgetts, D.,  & Karapu, R. (2006). Cultural vehicles and the Māori print media: What  cultural concepts are used to communicate health messages to Māori? Australian Journal of Psychology,  58(Supplement 1), 139.

Nga Taonga o Te Urewera

Investigators: Linda Waimarie Nikora and Prof Ngahuia Te Awekotuku.
Grant Agency: Tuhoe Waikaremoana Māori Trust Board.
Example of Output: Te Awekotuku, N. & Nikora, L.W. (2003) Nga taonga o Te Urewera. A Report prepared for the Waitangi Tribunal's Urewera District Inquiry, August (Wai 894, doc B6).

Monitoring for first year Māori students  enrolled in selected Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Courses

Investigators: Michelle Levy & Margaret Williams
Grant Agency: Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social  Sciences, University of Waikato
Example of Output: Levy, M., & Williams, M. (2003). Monitoring for first year Māori students  enrolled in selected Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Courses. Commissioned Research: A report prepared for the Dean of the Faculty of Arts  and Social Sciences, University of Waikato). Hamilton: The University of  Waikato.

The MPRU Media Project – an analysis of news media articles resulting from Hon Minister Tariana Turia's address to the  New Zealand Psychological Society 2000

Principal Investigator: Linda Waimarie Nikora
Example of Output: Collection of articles

Success Stories: Narratives of recovery from disabling mental health problems

Principal  Investigators: Dr Hilary Lapsley and Linda Waimarie Nikora.
Grant Agency: Health Research Council
Example of Output: Lapsley, H., Nikora, L. W., & Black,  R. (2000). Women's narratives of recovery from disabling mental health  problems. In J. Ussher (Ed.), Women's health: Contemporary International  Perspectives. Leicester, UK: British Psychological Society.