Applications close on 2 February 2009 for Wallace Scholarships to support tertiary student research work in any discipline exploring a topic related to the 2008 general election and the use, understanding, trust, or valuing of New Zealand's electoral framework and processes.  A promotional flyer is available under Downloads, right.

Introduction

Education on electoral matters is one of the central goals of the Electoral Commission.  We are particularly focused on encouraging knowledge, interest and participation amongst groups in society where political engagement is currently low.  However we are hampered in the design of information and education programmes by the lack of good research on levels of participation and what inhibits or motivates participation.

The Wallace Scholarships and Wallace Awards are named for the first president of the Electoral Commission, Sir John Wallace, who also chaired the 1985-6 Royal Commission on the Electoral System which recommended New Zealand adopt the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system.

Wallace Scholarships will be awarded to students who undertake research work which will add to ongoing debate, or that we can use in designing our education and information programme, suggesting policy change, and helping raise public awareness of the issues.  The research may be in any discipline.

Each year the commission specifies the areas in which we want research conducted.

2009 research

The research must relate to the 2008 general election and must address  a component of the the Electoral Commission's vision statement of "New Zealand's electoral framework and processes are widely used, understood, trusted and valued".  Topics could include (but are not limited to):

• understanding aspects of turnout
• the election online
• the election in the school classroom
• third party campaigning
• political or electoral marketing 

The piece of work may form all or part of a thesis, dissertation or research project with a points value (for the project or portion to which the scholarship applies) of at least a quarter of a fulltime equivalent year.  The work must include original research.  Comparative work is acceptable, subject to it including New Zealand.  We  expect completion of the work within a year of the award. 

The scholarships

Wallace scholars will usually receive a sum of money in the range of $500 to $2000 depending upon how well the proposal fits with our needs, available budget, and the number of scholarships awarded.  The money will be paid in two instalments: 1/3rd when the selection is made and the remaining 2/3rds when we receive a copy of the submitted work.

Scholars are also encouraged to use the Electoral Commission as a point of contact for information, discussion and comment on drafts.  The chief executive of the Electoral Commission, Dr Helena Catt, is a political scientist and was an Associate Professor at the University of Auckland before taking up this post and so has extensive experience in supervising research. 

The commission may also provide working space to out of town scholars visiting Wellington for their research. 

Applications

Closing date: 2 February

Notification of awards: 16 February

Applications are welcomed from any discipline, including but not restricted to law, political science, marketing, communications, journalism, management, sociology, public policy or management, education, Māori studies, Pacific studies, Asian studies.

To apply please send:

• Your contact details
• A 1-page research proposal covering the questions to be considered, the methodology used and the intellectual framework to be used
• The qualification that you are enrolled for and the points value of both the qualification and the research component
• A brief letter of endorsement from the academic who will be your supervisor for this piece of research work
• (We do not want to know how you would spend the money or your project budget.)

Send applications to: Electoral Commission,

PO Box 3050, Wellington 6140 

or helena@elections.govt.nz

Selection

Proposals will be assessed by two members of the Electoral Commission staff plus an invited academic who has no connection with any of the proposals.  The decisions of the selection panel are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Questions

Any questions should be directed to Dr Helena Catt, Electoral Commission chief executive, at helena@elections.govt.nz or phone 04 474 0676.

Wallace Scholars

2008

Alexandra Marett enrolled for a Masters thesis at University of Canterbury supervised by Dr. Alex Tan on the role of internet-based media participation in the 2008 general election.

Bronwyn Wood enrolled for a doctorate in Education at Victoria University of Wellington supervised by Joanna Kidman and Mark Sheehan. The application specifies a piece of work form the first year entitled Action or apathy in youth of Aotearoa New Zealand?: The role of social studies education.

Holly Donald enrolled for a Masters thesis at University of Canterbury supervised by Dr. Alex Tan entitled The value of the vote for under-30s: Understanding the motivations of young ‘principled’ non-voters in New Zealand.

Margaret Joiner enrolled for a honours dissertation at University of Auckland supervised by Associate Professor Raymond Miller entitled The Electoral Finance Bill: A Case Study in Public Participation?

Thomas Lee enrolled for a Masters thesis at University of Canterbury supervised by Dr. Alex Tan entitled A Desire for Active Citizens: The challenge of citizenship education for youths and migrants in New Zealand.

2007

Jessica Buck, Masters thesis on the political attitudes and efficacy of young Asian New Zealanders.  Supervised by Drs Bronwyn Hayward and Alex Tan.  School of Political Science and Communications,  University of Canterbury.

Wakaiti Dalton, Honours research dissertation “Indigenous language acquisition and children’s political participation: Comparative Perspective".  Supervised by Lindsey Te Ata o Tu MacDonald and Dr Bronwyn Harward.  School of Māori and Indigenous Studies - University of Canterbury.

2006

Kirsten Chambers, enrolled in a BA Hons (mass communication),  University of Canterbury. Supervised by Jim Tully.  Research report entitled ‘Use of Māori media during the 2005 election campaign, with an emphasise on how it is used to encourage voting’.

Nicky Wilson-Kelly, enrolled in a BA Hons (Political Studies), University of Canterbury. Supervised by Dr Bronwyn Hayward.  Research report  which considers personal political efficacy amongst newly enrolled women, comparing those who voted and those who did not.

Jacky Zvulun, enrolled in a Doctorate in Political Studies, Otago University. Supervised by Professor Marian Simms.  Thesis entitled ‘Political participation in New Zealand local elections, under STV and FPP’.

2005

Kim Summersby, enrolled in a Master of Arts (Māori Studies) programme at the University of Auckland.  Supervised by Associate Professor Ann Sullivan.  Her thesis is a study of Māori electoral representation in local government.  It will focus mainly on the October 2004 local body elections and use case studies to consider the impact of FPP, STV, and the Māori constituencies in the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Shee-Jeong Park, enrolled in doctorate in Politics at the University of Auckland.  Supervised by Dr Raymond Miller and Professor Jack Vowles.  Her thesis is entitled 'Political Participation of Asian New Zealanders’ and will be based upon a survey of Asian New Zealanders that asks about different forms of participation, their views on politics in New Zealand, and measures of their personal electoral efficacy.