Contact details +6469516217

Dr Nina Harding PhD

Lecturer - Social Anthropology

School of People, Environment and Planning

My research and teaching interests focus on the intersecting construction of Aotearoa New Zealand national identity, and the identity of individual citizens. My research has largely been based on ethnographic fieldwork with the New Zealand Army/Ngāti Tūmatauenga.

Professional

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy - Massey University (2016)

Research Expertise

Research Interests

Military identity and culture, the anthropology of Aotearoa New Zealand, gendered and neoliberal identities. 

Thematics

21st Century Citizenship

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Anthropology (160100): Social and Cultural Anthropology (160104): Studies In Human Society (160000)

Research Outputs

Journal

Harding, N. (2022). Thwarted selves: neoliberal boredom among Aotearoa New Zealand peacekeepers. Critical Military Studies.
[Journal article]Authored by: Harding, N.
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2

Book

Brosnan, A., Greener, B., Harding, N., Lewis, KV., & MacKenzie, M. (2025). The Rebalancing Army Project: Navigating Research into Gender Issues in the New Zealand Army. In BT. Waruszynski, Y. Yanakiev, & DP. McDonald (Eds.) Team Diversity and Inclusion in Defence and Security: International Perspectives. (pp. 33 - 46). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland AG
[Chapter]Authored by: Greener, B., Harding, N.
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Harding, N. (2023). Retaining a national security workforce: Army personnel shortages in a mobile neoliberal society. In W. Hoverd, & DA. McDonald (Eds.) State of Threat: The challenges to Aotearoa New Zealand's national security. (pp. 59 - 69). Auckland, New Zealand: Massey University Press
[Chapter]Authored by: Harding, N.
Harding, N. (2020). Awkward biculturalism: Embodying ambiguity in New Zealand Army haka. In A. Dundon, & R. Vokes (Eds.) Shifting States: New Perspectives on Security, Infrastructure, and Political Affect. (pp. 112 - 125). London, United Kingdom: Routledge
[Chapter]Authored by: Harding, N.
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Harding, NJ. (2017). Locking in a military identity: Making soldiers. In BK. Greener (Ed.) Army Fundamentals: From making soldiers to the limits of the military instrument. (pp. 33 - 53). Auckland, New Zealand: Massey University Press
[Chapter]Authored by: Harding, N.
Fish, WJ., Greener, BK., Harding, N., & Sigley, C. (2017). The limits of the military instrument. In Army Fundamentals: From Making Soldiers to the Limits of the Military Instrument. (pp. 219 - 244). Auckland, New Zealand: Massey University Press
[Chapter]Authored by: Fish, W., Greener, B., Harding, N.Edited by: Greener, B.

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Azizian, R., Burton, J., Greener, P., Harding, N., Hutching, M., Johanson, T., . . . Patman, R.(2019). The Defence Capability Plan 2019: Ten Different Views from Security Commentators.
[Discussion Paper]Authored by: Harding, N.Edited by: Harding, N.
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Azizian, R., Choi, S., Belgrave, D., Greener, B., Harding, N., Hoverd, W., . . . Prinsen, G.(2018). The 2018 Strategic Defence Statement: Ten Different Views from Massey Scholars. Security, Politics and Development Network
[Discussion Paper]Authored by: Choi, S., Greener, B., Harding, N., Powles, A., Prinsen, J.Edited by: Greener, B.
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Thesis

Harding, NJ. (2016). You bring it, we'll bring it out : Becoming a soldier in the New Zealand Army. (Doctoral Thesis, Massey University, New Zealand) Harding, NJ. (2016). You bring it, we'll bring it out : Becoming a soldier in the New Zealand Army. (Doctoral Thesis)
[Doctoral Thesis]Authored by: Harding, N.
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Conference

Harding, N.No Duff: The effect of playacting on real world civil-military relationships on Exercise Southern Katipo 2017. . Wellington
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Harding, N.
Harding, N.Theoretical Storytelling as Translation: Practical storytelling in the New Zealand Army. . Wellington
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Harding, N.
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Harding, NJ.White Men Can't Dance: The haka as ambiguous embodiment of the bicultural state. . Adelaide, Australia
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Harding, N.
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Harding, NJ.Unwilling cosmopolitans: The Royal New Zealand Air Force in the 1991 Gulf War. . Queenstown, New Zealand
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Harding, N.
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Other

Greener, BK., Harding, N., Powles, A., & Prinsen, G. (2018). Terms of Engagement: When Academe meets Military. In SPDN Working Papers(pp. 1 - 21). In Palmerston North, New Zealand: Security Politics Development Network Massey University
[Working Paper]Authored by: Greener, B., Harding, N., Powles, A., Prinsen, J.
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Teaching and Supervision

Teaching Statement

146102 Endangered Cultures 

230110 Turangawaewae: Identity & Belonging in Aotearoa NZ

Contact Supervisor

Graduate Supervision Statement

My supervision approach is to support students to construct their own unique projects. I work regularly and closely with students to help them produce their best work.

I can supervise theses in the areas of military identity and culture, the anthropology of Aotearoa New Zealand, and the anthropology of institutions and power.


Summary of Doctoral Supervision

Position Current Completed
Co-supervisor 1 0

Current Doctoral Supervision

Co-supervisor of:

  • Willow Forgeson - Doctor of Philosophy
    Child centred ethnograpgy of a Playcentre