Seizing the cultural and political moment and catching fish: Political development of Māori in New Zealand, the Sealord Fisheries Settlement, and social movement theory

Abstract

Why did Māori issues and treaty grievances become politically salient in the 1970s? I argue that contemporary social movement theory, which examines both political opportunities and the use of cultural resources by emerging movements helps to answer this question. A unique moment coalesced in the 1970s and 1980s, bringing together favorable political and cultural variables for Māori not altogether present in previous eras. I locate the negotiation of the 1992 Sealord Fisheries Settlement in this cultural and political moment and evaluate the social and political consequences for Māori and the New Zealand Government.