New Zealand history in a global perspective: the way forces of imperialism, colonisation, capitalism and racial conflict have shaped modern New Zealand and its place in the world.

Aotearoa New Zealand was the last landmass to be settled by humans and has been made and remade by connections to the Pacific, British and Asian worlds and has in turn influenced those places. Taking a global as well as national perspective, HIST 107 aims to bust myths, puncture preconceptions, and extend existing knowledge of New Zealand’s past and present. It explores how the global forces of imperialism, colonisation, migration, capitalism and conflict have shaped modern New Zealand and its place in the world. We pay particular attention to Māori and settler societies, migrations and explorations, cross-cultural passions and tensions, conflicts and wars, and social, environmental and political movements in shaping New Zealand's modern identity.

As well as spanning New Zealand's human history, this paper introduces students to key concepts and conventions used by historians. These analytical and communication skills are highly regarded and extremely transferable, which helps explain why History graduates are found in diverse professions.

The paper is essential for students who major in History, and it also complements studies in a wide range of subjects, including Law, Geography, Psychology, Politics, Anthropology, Gender Studies, Film and Media Studies, Criminology, Religion, Education, Sociology, Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies, Tourism and English.