Youth Drinking Cultures in Aotearoa

Authors

  • Antonia Lyons School of Psychology, Massey University
  • Tim McCreanor Whariki Research Group, Massey University
  • Ian Goodwin School of English and Media Studies, Massey University
  • Christine Griffin Department of Psychology, University of Bath
  • Fiona Hutton Institute of Criminology, School of Social & Cultural Studies, Victoria University of Wellington
  • Helen Moewaka Barnes Whariki Research Group, SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, Massey University
  • (Acushla) Dee O'Carroll Whariki Research Group, SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, Massey University
  • Lina Samu Whariki Research Group, SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, Massey University
  • Patricia Niland School of Psychology, Massey University
  • Kerry-Ellen Vroman Department of Occupational Therapy, University of New Hampshire

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11157/sites-vol11iss2id265

Keywords:

young people, ethnicity, alcohol, drinking cultures

Abstract

Consuming alcohol to intoxication is a commonplace leisure-time activity among young people in Aotearoa New Zealand, producing a formidable suite of harms and consequences that are proving challenging to redress. Youth drinking cultures are similar to those observed in Western Europe, where processes of globalization are increasingly “homogenizing” practice. The current study employed in-depth qualitative methods to explore micro-cultures of young people’s drinking in three key ethnic groups, namely indigenous Maori, Pasifika (Pacific Island) and Pakeha (European) settlers. 34 focus groups involving 141 men and women aged between 18 and 25 provided rich data that were transcribed and thematically analysed. Major convergences across ethnic groups were apparent in terms of the importance of alcohol to social life, but major differences were seen in the meanings attached to drinking and intoxication. For Pakeha participants, these were positively naturalised behaviours that were unquestioned. For Maori and Pasifika (particularly female) participants, however, these were seen as more transgressive and problematic, partially due to the scrutiny they face living in Aotearoa. Diverse sub-themes around frequency/degree of intoxication, psychological/social drivers and regulatory, social and interpersonal constraints upon alcohol use, are discussed. Findings provide new insights into both the detail of youth drinking cultures and within-population cultural specificities that have important implications for policy and public health.

Author Biographies

  • Antonia Lyons, School of Psychology, Massey University
    Associate Professor Lyons's research interests include social and health psychology, alcohol, gender and identity; and media representation.
  • Tim McCreanor, Whariki Research Group, Massey University
    Associate Professor Tim McCreanor is a social scientist with a special interest in qualitative research and discursive methods in the study of culture, equity and justice.
  • Ian Goodwin, School of English and Media Studies, Massey University
    Ian Goodwin is interested in the social, political, and cultural dimensions of new media.
  • Christine Griffin, Department of Psychology, University of Bath
    Christine Griffith is a researcher in youth, identity and consumption. Her recent research has focussed on young people’s alcohol consumption, especially their uses of social media and digital technologies in relation to the widespread culture of intoxication.
  • Fiona Hutton, Institute of Criminology, School of Social & Cultural Studies, Victoria University of Wellington
    Dr Hutton's current research interests focus on youth crime, youth cultures, drug and alcohol use, gender, risk and harm minimisation.
  • Helen Moewaka Barnes, Whariki Research Group, SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, Massey University
    Helen Moewaka Barnes (Ngāti Wai/Ngāti Hine/Ngāti Manu) is the Director of Whāriki and Co-director of the SHORE and Whariki Research Centre. She has worked on research in many areas; more recently relationships between the health of people and the health of environments, sexual coercion, alcohol and youth well-being and identity. Her work is both qualitative and quantitative and she is also involved in developing research within Māori paradigms.
  • (Acushla) Dee O'Carroll, Whariki Research Group, SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, Massey University
    Dee has completed a PhD on how Māori are engaging with new social networking sites, such as Facebook, Bebo, Twitter, Google+ etc, and the impact SNS is having on Māori ways of communicating (kanohi ki te kanohi).
  • Lina Samu, Whariki Research Group, SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, Massey University
    Lina Samu is a PhD student at the SHORE and Whariki Centre, Massey University. Her research question asks: How are social networking sites and online tools being used by young Pasifika adults aged 18-25 years in Aotearoa in their social lives (including the way in which alcohol may be used) and in their identity creation/formation?
  • Patricia Niland, School of Psychology, Massey University
    Patricia Nyland is a PhD student. Her research is focused on the social practices of friendship within our dominant neo-liberal and globalised social networking culture.
  • Kerry-Ellen Vroman, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of New Hampshire
    Dr Vroman’s research interests include qualitative methodologies, online technologies, psychosocial influences on health and illness adaptation, community mental health and community-based rehabilitation with young-adults.

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Published

15-12-2014

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 2 (2014)

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

Youth Drinking Cultures in Aotearoa. (2014). Sites: A Journal of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies, 11(2), 78-102. https://doi.org/10.11157/sites-vol11iss2id265