Simon, Katerina Heremoana2026-03-032026-03-032003-051175-3099https://hdl.handle.net/10289/17996"Reconciling similarity/ affinity and difference/ distinction is one of the most important development issues of our contemporary period. Yet much effort aimed at gaining support for the plight of Māori/ indigenous peoples remains locked into the assertion of difference and distinction alone, those points of cultural affinity that could play an important role in processes of reconciliation and movement forward being largely ignored. What is proposed here is what is referred to as the ‘affinity proposition’, that is, it is argued that Māori/ indigenous development requires, for its further advancement, a focus not only on difference and divergence, but also on similarity and affinity. At the very heart of Māori/ indigenous development are issues relating to social justice, economic equity, freedom, ecological sustainability and cultural diversity, concepts which are equally highly valued in many sectors of mainstream (non-indigenous) society. Certainly, there are important differences in the ways in which these values are perceived and articulated in the context of different cultures, and these differences have recently been the focus of considerable attention and debate. However, there are also similarities which have received less attention in spite of the fact that they may hold the key to achieving a sufficient level of mutual understanding to underpin effective Māori/ indigenous development. This paper explores the development of a synergistic process of reconciliation between Māori/ indigenous values and scientific conservatory values. It reports on the preliminary findings of a research project whose focus is a cross-cultural study of environmental governance and management regimes under the New Zealand Resource Management Act 1991. The central questions addressed here are: Can reconciliation be achieved through recognition of both affinity and difference? Could such reconciliation underpin effective Māori/ indigenous development? It is argued here that a process of synergy is already under way, a process that can best be understood in terms of a theoretical framework that encompasses both the concept of modernity and the sustainable development paradigm."enAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Development studiesMāori community developmentTikanga taiaoJournal Article10.15663/K10.140553021-5668