Valuing our place : a critical exploration of frameworks for assessing the significance of New Zealand's historic heritage : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand

Content removed due to copyright restriction; Donaghey, S. (2000). A fading landscape: strategies for managing the cultural heritage resource. Archaeology in New Zealand, 43(4), 270-282. Donaghey, S. (2001). What is aught,but as 'tis valued? An analysis of strategies for the assessment of cultural heritage significance in New Zealand. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 7(4), 365-380.This thesis argues that considerations of value and significance are fundamental to sustainable heritage management practice. It explores critical issues relating to the valorisation of historic heritage in New Zealand and considers whether existing frameworks for evaluation and assessment are effective and appropriate. The rationale for the research proposes that achievable and effective outcomes for historic heritage only occur in the context of rigorous evaluation and assessment frameworks. Theoretical and pragmatic frames of reference drive key lines of reasoning. The two frames of reference comprise: firstly, theoretical principles relating to the nature and qualities of heritage value and secondly, operational strategies relating to the process of assessment. The thesis integrates current policy and practice within existing epistemology with primary research data using a mixed methodology. A review of international policy and practice contrasts the various approaches used in Australia, Canada, England and the United States of America, and identifies effective system characteristics. Existing understandings and practice within New Zealand are considered and analogies made between particular elements of the primary research drawn from surveys of professional and non-professional opinion of the heritage assessment process. The New Zealand findings are then set against the review of international evidence and the literature to identify significant strengths and shortcomings. It is argued that New Zealand currently lacks suitable frameworks within which appropriate concepts of value and effective strategies for significance assessment are meaningfully integrated. Expressions of the nature and qualities of historic heritage must be reformulated in ways that afford greater recognition to principles of social value and the holistic, multivalent properties of the resource. Moreover, identified deficiencies in matters of community engagement, consistency, resourcing, local authority process and the recognition of indigenous rights, undermine the effectiveness of operational strategies for assessment and require attention

Repositioning the oral history interview : reciprocal peer interviewing within a transgenerational frame

This essay signals a departure from conventional models for the oral history interview to allow the participant voices to occupy a position of greater prominence in a collaborative process of co-creation. Reciprocal peer interviewing is an adaptation of focus group interviews; a technique that positions the narrators at the forefront of the interview process whilst the researcher takes on a secondary role as facilitator and observer. My research applies the reciprocal peer interview technique to explorations of lesbian identity and life experiences through oral testimony within a transgenerational frame. The interview lies at the heart of oral history; an intensely personal activity that provides recorded information in oral form (Fyfe and Manson, 2006). Indeed, analogies to dramatic representations are common in the literature, describing the interview as a performance during which two people interact across multiple channels of reception and transmission. Traditional interview modes place the researcher/interviewer at the forefront, engaging in an interrogatory dialogue with the narrator/interviewee. Despite an uneasy relationship with historians who at times, have viewed oral history as populist, partial and selective, one may argue that the recording of a life story is no different to an interview used as a mainstream data collection instrument in qualitative research commonly applied in the social sciences. Ultimately, one must adhere to the raison d’etre for historical study as stated by Thompson (1978, p 21) that “all history depends ultimately upon its social purpose.

She said ... she said: reciprocal peer interviewing within a transgenerational frame

My research offers an opportunity to explore a more creative and potentially, more fulfilling interview technique which allows participants to fully engage in the interview process. I was also interested in developing a co-created space for a conversation allowing greater equity in the relationship between participants ; one in which issues of intersubjectivity and power relations could be minimised. The recording methodology is that of the reciprocal peer interview; a technique that allows each participant pair to perform both roles as interviewer and interviewee. This process also positions the participants in primary roles at the forefront of the interview process whilst the researcher takes on a secondary role as facilitator and observer. The resulting conversation is thus one of shared authority. The nature of the research lends itself to this innovative recording procedure as it explores lesbian identity across generations by comparing and contrasting the oral narratives of older and younger lesbians from personal accounts of their experiences. Key life experiences drawn from autobiographical content are discussed in ways that allow each participant to fully engage in the interview and thus to discover and explore contrasting and potentially insightful perspectives. This paper will appraise the benefits and challenges of this interview technique and summarise the results of the research

‘The industrious Dutchie’: Recording the experiences of first generation Dutch immigrants to New Zealand

This paper is based on an oral history project that records the identity perceptions of post-war Dutch immigrants as constructed through pre-arrival and early period experiences and sense of contribution to New Zealand. These Dutch immigrants came to New Zealand from post-war Netherlands through an assisted passage scheme, which provided monetary and other support incentives from the Dutch government to those wishing to immigrate to New Zealand. The incentive for this project arose from the concerns of the trustees of the Dutch Connection, Museum of Aspirations and Achievements in New Zealand who felt that the voices of these early immigrants along with their unique war and immigration experiences would be lost with their death. The oral history research methodology was selected as the best approach to record their unique stories. This technique guarantees minimum interference by the researcher and allows the sensitive nature of their personal narratives to be defined by their voices. The research project focuses on the post-war construction of immigrants‟ identities and the process of their adaptation, integration and formation of their new identities. A group of 24 elderly Dutch people was selected from a list provided by the commissioning organisation; their narratives are recorded in audio and visual formats. A guiding questionnaire was drawn up based on preliminary research and interviews with related professionals to provide contextual information. The questionnaire was divided into three main parts: pre-arrival memories, experiences, perceptions and expectations; early arrival experiences and first impressions; sense of contribution as immigrants to their new country; and current perceptions of identity

More Than A War : remembering 1914-1918

More Than a War: Remembering 1914-1918 presents a creative juxtaposition of digital platforms—a combination of audio, video, archival images, soundscapes, and social media, among others—to tell the stories from 1914–1918 in 2014. It features a collaboration between Unitec (academics and students enabled in digital storytelling technologies and methodologies), oral historians, heritage researchers, and community archivists from Auckland Libraries and Auckland Council. The project More Than A War brought a unique digital voice to the historical record in ways that allow the user to engage interactively with the content. This is a novel direction for digital storytelling in New Zealand, demonstrating the innovative quality of this work. Furthermore, the project significantly enhanced student engagement and learning; their creative responses not only contributed to the practice of transmedia and digital narrative but also to the historical record. Finally, the project exemplified the benefits of successful collaborative partnerships. Visit www.morethanawar.com to see the project in its entirety

Creating in collaboration: reflections on a World War One transmedia project

The centenary of World War One (WW1) is being marked by a range of nation-wide and international commemorative events. Our project brings to life personal narratives of the years 1914-1918 and sets them alongside contemporary, youth-driven responses to the commemoration of WW1, with a particular focus on stories from the home front. It features a singular collaboration between Unitec (in particular staff and students enabled in digital storytelling technologies), oral historians, heritage researchers and community archivists (including those from local government). The project also encourages community participation by inviting people to share stories, documents and memorabilia of this period. Students participate by creating digital stories from a range of primary sources; this includes archived collections - oral history narratives, letters, manuscripts and images. The students, first and second years studying a Bachelor of Communication degree at Unitec, were also trained in oral history interview techniques with the supervision and support of course tutors and project researchers. The conference presentation will highlight the student learning journey - the methodologies by which students contributed to the project, the outcomes and an interim evaluation of the project. Of particular note is the growth in digital literacies demonstrated by student engagement in the project, the creative nature of their personal responses as they came to appreciate the power of story, the intergenerational dimension of the project as older generations shared their recollections with young people and the impact of community participation. The project aims to create an archive of unedited material for future researchers to access through Auckland Libraries as well as to produce digital stories, blogs, and transmedia presentations – content which will contibute to the various online resources marking the centenary of WW1. Furthermore, the student digital productions will feature in an Auckland Libraries exhibition during the 2014 Auckland Heritage Festival. It will also form one of a series of magazine-style, current affairs documentaries broadcast on SkyTV later this year

Gen Y meets World War One : reflections on an interpretative transmedia project

The concept: students tell the story of WW1 in 2014 transmedia: audio, video, archives, web publishing and soundscapes creative digital youth voice Approaches: creative response collaboration ...we invite you to share the imaginative responses of today's generation to WW1... Gen Y meets World War One: reflections on an interpretive transmedia project Student training: Research techniques Accessing primary sources Oral history training Outcomes student learning research-informed teaching project-based learning ww100.govt.nz documentary on SkyTV Looking ahead 2015 collaborations Digital Story Centre at Unitec Strategic partnerships Outputs: exhibition Auckland Heritage Festival workshops and talks media interviews radio broadcast student inter

Linking the spaces between : an interdisciplinary media content production project for community engagement

Beginning with the question “How can the process of developing, producing and disseminating community stories, interests and issues via broadcast and social sharing of digital content be used to engage and mobilise community interests in shared endeavours that will help drive social cohesion?” - research staff, production staff, students and community groups in a tertiary education institute’s urban environs are working together during 2014 to create a series of programmes for broadcast on Face TV. We are interested to assess how, in the process of creating content for wider audiences, a strategic approach to the dissemination of this content may facilitate better communication across community stakeholders and beyond. Influenced by the view that “a strong storytelling network is essential to creating effective reach, outreach, and mobilisation of residents, community organisations and...media” (Annenberg School for Communication USC, 2013), as well as research on the uses and limitations of digital storytelling for empowerment of marginalised voices in community-based projects (Podkalicka and Campbell, 2010, Spurgeon et al., 2009), this paper explains the rationale for a multi-layered, complex methodology, the methods being used and the longer-term vision of outcomes for this type of collaboration involving a variety of shareable as well as “broadcast-able” digital content as tools in community communication strategy