Abstract
Political struggles are important to the identities of many indigenous peoples. This article examines identity as a predictor of crucial political outcomes—voter turnout, support for protest, and political party support—for Māori, the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa (New Zealand). We analyzed data from a national probability sample of Māori (N = 663) that included a scale of subjective identification with various aspects of Māori identity: the Multidimensional Model of Māori Identity and Cultural Engagement. Use of the scale allowed us to examine the facets of ethnic identity that predict political mobilization for indigenous peoples. As expected, the identity domain relating to political struggle, Socio-Political Consciousness, was positively associated with support for left-wing parties and Māori rights protest but negatively associated with support for the right-wing party. However, Socio-Political Consciousness did not relate to voter turnout. These results demonstrate the importance of ethnic identity as a key predictor of political behaviors for indigenous peoples.
Impact and Implications
The results of this article shed light on the correlates of indigenous political participation. Thus, the findings contribute to the 2016–2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Reduced Inequality and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. A part of this goal is empowering and promoting inclusion in politics: The findings of this article investigate the barriers to participation and representation for indigenous peoples. Encouraging indigenous inclusion and participation in political systems also contributes to the goal of Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions by adding legitimacy to the current system.
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