Sociology of Postcolonial National Identity

This essay analyzes the representational politics of postcolonial national identity in New Zealand, focusing on the media's portrayal of the 2005 British and Irish Lions rugby tour. It critiques how promotional media constructs a national imaginary that intertwines Maori culture with corporate nationalism, reflecting broader sociopolitical dynamics. The discussion highlights the complexities of identity, representation, and the ongoing challenges faced in postcolonial contexts.

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Sports Psychology
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Introduction
This article presents an analysis of issues of representational politics specifically of postcolonial
national identity in New Zealand (Falcous, 2007). To be more précises it centers its attention on
promotional media that surrounds the 2005 Irish Lions and British rugby tour. In addition the
paper analyses the media and it’s representation of Maori, the Maori-Pakeha relationship, whose
version is represented by media. In conclusion write-up will present a summary of this particular
article, summary on idea of multiculturalism and a critique of the article as well as a clear
analysis of how it relates to the Post-Colonial theory (Connell, 2017) [1:12].
Summary of the article
This article suggests that explorations of various ideological accompaniments of a decent and
formal colonial power and in that case dynamic post-colonial studies have formed a basic
component of postcolonial studies. Various scholars, as well as renowned academicians, have
been in a position to illustrate how power works through a series of a generation of structures
that are based on arts, literature as well as science. It is also important to note that these aspects
have a very huge contribution and promulgation in an individual everyday action, speech as well
as their life in general. There are various authors that, however, do not agree with some of the
aspects that have been mentioned above. They argue that there has been a totalization of colonial
power which should not be the case under any circumstances whatsoever. Bhabha, for instance,
argues that all senses of nationhood are narrativized. This is so because he thinks that most
nations often have a tendency of losing their dynamic origins in the numerous myths of time that
exists and only realize their horizons in what he calls the mind's eye. This, therefore, implies that
representational politics of national collective agendas has become a key feature of postcolonial
cultural politics in specific (Falcous, 2007) [3:52].

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There have also been concerns that the true meaning of a nation has received continuous
contamination in the numerous empty stories that are being told about it, the memories that exist
about it as well as the images that have been constructed about it. This has, however, not
considered the fact that sport can make a key component and site for the formulations which is
often followed by the promulgation of such stories (Falcous, 2007). In this regard, it can be
therefore concluded that a national culture can be likened to a structure of cultural power. This is
not to forget that the essential and most critical feature that is associated with the construction of
national difference is often the fact that people elide internal cultural differences either
knowingly or unknowingly and in that way favor a national culture that is homogenous in nature
which never in any case corresponds to equal partnership between the distinct component
cultures. There are certain cases for instance, where a nation is imagined as a community. In
such cases, this image is usually gendered. This is to simply man that the differing interest of
social classes, gender as well as various social groups and the aspect of deliberately shifting
subject positions in these categories are never or rarely present within the national narrative
(Falcous,2007) [4:12].
In addition to this, the ongoing construction of ideal national narratives is triggered by a number
of issues and usually occurs across a range of institutions, texts as well as practices. In all these
cases, sports often have a very huge contribution. Corporations have also had a part in this. This
has happened in a way that these corporations often seek to strategically capitalize on sport-
nation nexus as a means of incorporating various markets across nations in their own
promotional media. This is so because there have been cases of national presentation as well as
national identity via corporate advertising. This has been really contradicting because there are

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serious economic issues at stake while nations are being corporatized and merely being reduced
to a branded expression of national identity (Falcous, 2007).
Within time Rugby emerged as a basic and very important pillar of the so-called envisionment of
most setters narratives of the New Zealand nationhood. This has been attributed by issues such as
the winning streak of the men’s national team (the All Blacks) that had been a very important
component of the first colonial and postcolonial construction of national hood. It is also
important to note that the incorporation of the game of rugby within global media economies has
been really instrumental. This is so because it was the incorporation of rugby into global media
during the early 1990s that reshaped as well as challenged the ethos, structures, and presentation
of the game (Falcous, 2007).This was followed by the onset of discrete professionalism and
structuring of the game so as to favor global economies and not local histories and/or loyalty as it
was before. It is also the struggle for hegemony that saw the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU)
acquire some control of the accumulation opportunities that the game offered. The reaction that
followed after the wider shifts, as well as conflicts regarding policy formations of the game,
really threatened to have an implication of social culture on the game and the aspect of
nationality (Sidaway, 2016) [6:10].
Media and it’s representation of Maori, the Maori-Pakeha relationship, whose version is
represented by media.
Generally, the Maori are represented as competent individuals in all their endeavors. The article
represents the role of media in covering social activities within the society. Through the entire
article it’s clear that media supports the work of Maori population in New Zealand. For instance
the article tries to thank the Maori population for use of cultural artifacts and symbols which led
de-colonization .The overall reports revealed by the article about the Maori it’s clear that

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Pakeha-centric vision is important for the New Zealand a nation (Falcous, 2007). The media
outlines how Maori culture is full of apt values and norms which promotes equality and social
cohesion. Based on the case of rugby the media tried to reveal how Maori population is a
hardworking community.
In addition during the World War II the media went all over the nation advertising for unity in
the Maori population. The Maori population at this time was to unite and call for equality.
Through unity the Maori was in position to revenge the colonial effects received from the British
in their territory.
Therefore, to sum up according to the article it’s clear that media represents Maori as people
with unity and competent skills. The rugby team was performing well and the media used to
advertise about the rugby team .On another hand through unity and need for identity advocated
by the media led to social cohesion.
The critique of the article and how it relates to Post Colonial Theory
The article represents the post-colonial theory in different ways. Some of the ways which support
the post-colonial theory are;
 The postcolonial imaginary on New Zealand Aotearoa.
 The narration on the postcolonial nation.
 Rugby and crisis in postcolonial national identity.
Narrating the postcolonial nation
Keeping in the mind the evidences gathered by Hollowell and Nicholas (2016) on Ethical
challenges to a postcolonial archaeology: The legacy of scientific colonialism. In Archaeology

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and Capitalism, it seems that essay illustrates exploration accomplishment of colonial power and
the post-colonial period. The essay clearly indicated how power was enmeshed within different
systems. This is so for instances, different authors have supported the main themes raised by the
article showing the concepts experienced in post-colonial time. In addition, the article clearly
articulates how different narratives explain the process of European colonialism (Falcous, 2007).
The emergence of the third world nationalisms in different localities are attributed to World War
II which predominated different nations. The article also includes how different nations in
Europe experienced the impacts of World War II which induced different effects [7:12].
In addition, the article shows how different nations approached the colonialism. Thus, this
clearly depicts the weakness, discourse and challenges of the colonial experienced throughout
the period. Despite the plight of different authors in indication of the warnings which was
directed to nations on how to approach the colonialism era, some of the countries were also
warned on how to concentrate on Tran’s historical impacts and colonialism effects which
induced negative impacts on the society (Takayama, Sriprakash & Connell, 2017). The
challenges revealed by the article about the conjectural particular associated with postcolonial
theory were based on place of sport.
Importantly, the article has clearly indicated the issue of nationalist discourse. The issue has been
described as the concept through which different meanings and organized to describe different
actions and conceptions related to citizens within the nation (Falcous, 2007). The validity of this
showed by the argumentative of the different authors based on the facts that a nation is an
identity which will have to correlate the past events and present events thus constructing a sense
of direction. Through nationalist theory, the article has clearly articulated in subsequent
decolonization which had specific features. At this time the decolonization era was associated

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with a relevant mechanism which will call for justice and reconciliation of indigenous
populations who were the main identity for constructing a unified alism within a country
(Falcous, 2007). During this time the ex-settler colony dominated different localities and the aim
was to induce colonial domination which had been dismantled. In addition, the narratives used in
the article explains the post-colonial theory. Most of the concepts contained in the narratives
emphasized on those economic activities such as sports which resonates the promotion of media
and also the development of national markets. All these concepts are related to corporate
nationalism which was a sign of the post-colonial era. Through the narrative, the issue of
capitalism has been articulated indicating how corporate media ensure resonance of brands
within the society. The article responds to those objects and self-images which marks the
corporate nationalism which dominates the cultural power at the national level thus indicating
the decolonizing prowess within the nation (Falcous, 2007) [8:42].
The postcolonial imaginary on New Zealand Aotearoa.
The article clearly describes the weaknesses of national identity in New Zealand during the
postcolonial period. The issue of national identity articulates on the global scheme which was
supported by interlocking processes that represents the colony hegemonic in New Zealand.
Different authors argue that New Zealand was a country of British values which later colonized
the nation thus inducing a number of challenges. Some of the problems associated with the
British colony in New Zealand includes; geographical isolation, rurality, and other hardships.
Since the period of the British colony, New Zealand has been seeking the hegemonic settler
nationalism so as to accommodate those colonial practices associated with the postcolonial era.
In addition, the article has explained how different communities experienced the colonial
movement in New Zealand. For example, in the article, the author has clearly explained in Maori

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society. The author shows those practices and movements practiced by the Maori to induce the
concept of national imaginary. Maori people were believed to induce the sovereignty and the
issue of self-determination in the post-colonial era. The Maori society clearly practiced the
bicultural and multicultural practices which seemed to emphasize unity and supporting the
Eurocentric values in New Zealand (Takayama, 2016) [9:13].
However, the articles also expresses the limitation of the cultural practices within the Maori
people. In addition, through globalization and hegemonic for constructing the national imagery,
the article clearly explains the postcolonial theory. The total inflation experienced by 1970s in
the Asian Pacific markets its clear that there was symptomatic at the colonial past. The article
shows the multiculturalism impacts associated with Maori by 1970s. The entire aspect of
multiculturalism in New Zealand induced the issue of national identity which marked the
postcolonial period in Aotearoa in the Third Millennium. Since the 1980s, different societies
were seen in participating in liberal engagements whereby the aim was to build nationalism by
bewildering all those mannerism were associated with colonialism. Through this strategy, there
was increased debate on political issues and the concept of neoliberal which emphasized on
global capitalism in New Zealand (Sidaway, 2016).
Rugby and crisis in postcolonial national identity and limitation
The rugby crisis articulated in the article indicates the concept of postcolonial theory. The author
has used different concept to explain how sports specifically rugby helped in improving the
nationality in New Zealand and how it’s effects to different individuals within the New Zealand.
The author tries to connect the sports in England with the New Zealand approach to sports-
related to Rugby. Within the article, the author clearly argues on how rugby was a pillar of
envisionment as explained by the postcolonial narratives in New Zealand. All the sports in New

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Zealand during the postcolonial period were entirely based on nationhood. The idea was to have
a significant legitimacy on having rugby sports thus promulgation on vision associated with
nationhood in New Zealand. Most of the print media at the colonial period concentrated on rugby
which later on emerged as a national game in different societies and countries by 1950s. Despite
the support geared towards the rugby teams, New Zealand rugby union faced challenges which
disturbed the opportunities consolidated with a rugby game (Hollowell & Nicholas, 2016). The
reaction to a rugby game in New Zealand was linked to the discourse of crisis which was
connected to postcolonial crisis in New Zealand. For example, the Lions team experienced a lot
of challenges whereby every 12 players in the team were to play a three-game test against the
national team in New Zealand. In addition, the article explains how crisis continued to rise in
New Zealand regarding rugby sports. The article also explains how the Lions team was faced
with a crisis after the World Cup failure. In the article, different entities argued that "next two
seasons are crucial for the game here. . . . Defeat against England or the Lions would be dire. . . .
The bigger economic and player base up north could become a juggernaut and launch England in
particular, into another stratosphere which New Zealand could never hope to equal." This
comment reveals a particular threat which aimed at shifting the economies the significant
impacts associated with rugby in New Zealand. At this time England was described as the major
cause of threat thus the Lions team according to commentators and journalist it was described as
the pivotal part of the New Zealand country (Connell, 2017) [9:42].
Summary on idea of multiculturalism
As described in the article the issue of multiculturalism is seen as a view that calls for cultural
respect (Connell, 2017). Multiculturalism advocates for the appropriate methods to discuss the
cultural diversities experienced in different cultures within the community. Therefore, the

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concept of multiculturalism educates the people on how to manage their identity as seen in the
article. Educating others on what is involved in their culture gives a sense of direction, a sense of
identity and also a sense of origin as revealed in the article about the Maori culture.
Conclusion
Based on the above presentation, it is clear that promotional media construction that was resulted
by the tour and during the tour itself formed the basis of nationhood in New Zealand. There is
also a contribution of the Maori culture and how it brought about the essence of national
oneness.
It can, therefore, be concluded that this article is quite dynamic and it has clearly brought out the
aspect of representational politics specifically of postcolonial national identity in New Zealand
[10:00].

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References
Connell, R. (2017). Southern theory and world universities. Higher Education Research &
Development, 36(1), 4-15.
Falcous, M. (2007). The decolonizing national imaginary: Promotional media constructions
during the 2005 Lions tour of Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal of Sport and Social
Issues, 31(4), 374-393.
Hollowell, J., & Nicholas, G. (2016). Ethical challenges to a postcolonial archaeology: The
legacy of scientific colonialism. In Archaeology and Capitalism (pp. 59-82). Routledge.
Sidaway, J. D. (2016). Postcolonial geographies. International Encyclopedia of Geography:
People, the Earth, Environment and Technology: People, the Earth, Environment and
Technology, 1-7.
Takayama, K. (2016). Deploying the post-colonial predicaments of researching on/with ‘Asia’in
education: A standpoint from a rich peripheral country. Discourse: Studies in the
Cultural Politics of Education, 37(1), 70-88.
Takayama, K., Sriprakash, A., & Connell, R. (2017). Toward a postcolonial comparative and
international education. Comparative Education Review, 61(S1), S1-S24.

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