Working to End Racial Oppression (WERO)

WERO research is organised around four themes that address key societal domains where racism is apparent and meaningful responses can be developed:

Racism and Inequality in Employment

Geographies of Racism and Exclusion

Institutional Responses to Racism

Whanaungatanga: Intergroup Relations

Across these themes, more than 30 researchers are undertaking a range of research projects, alongside partners in community, government and the private sector, combining expertise from Māori studies, Pacific studies, anthropology, economics, human geography, psychology and sociology.

Exploring racism and its impacts requires a focus on the systems that create advantages and disadvantages for different groups. WERO research explores systems through which racism is (re)produced through analyses of: the settler colonial racialisation of differentially positioned communities of colour (including tangata whenua, tangata Moana, and migrants of colour); the maintenance of settler colonialism through historical narratives; the role of privileged populations in excluding racialised minorities; the significance of employment and housing systems in maintaining inequalities; and the role of mainstream and social media in exacerbating inequalities.

Working to End Racial Oppression also aims to provide solutions. WERO includes a focus on developing responses to racism in the form of toolkits to audit and address institutional racism; protocols to promote inclusive online communication; strategies for building relationships between racialised communities; and guidelines for the ethical remembering of New Zealand history.

Science Lead Associate Professor Waikaremoana Waitoki (Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao)
Theme Lead Dr Arama Rata (Independent Researcher)
Theme Lead Professor Francis L. Collins (university of Auckland)
Theme Lead Associate Professor Rachel Simon-Kumar (University of Auckland)

Research Fellows: Dr Kyle Tan; Dr Jessica Terruhn; Hemopereki Simon, and Dr Ritu Parna Roy