From environmentalism to race relations to feminism, the titles in the
BWB Texts Collection boldly tackle the most pressing issues in Aotearoa’s cultural conversation.
Described as ‘short books on big subjects’, they are written by some of New Zealand’s foremost authors and experts, and their purpose is to educate kiwis on our past, present and future.
With 93 published titles in this steadily growing collection, there are plenty of topics to get stuck into.
Access to
BWB Texts Online is free and always available (no need to wait!) – all you need to do is log in with your library card.
Read on for some of our picks of the BWB Texts Collection:
Bianca Elkington, Moana Jackson, Rebecca Kiddle, Ocean Ripeka Mercier, Mike Ross, Jennie Smeaton and Amanda Thomas / 2020
What might New Zealand look like if it adopted decolonisation? Led by highly respected scholar Moana Jackson, the authors of this compact but impactful book use real-life examples to bring to life their alternative vision for Aotearoa.
Decolonisation is a concept that is often misunderstood. In ‘Imagining Decolonisation’, its theories and ideas are unpacked and laid bare.
The ideas contained within these pages are not always comfortable for many New Zealanders, but all readers will find that they have much to think about after they have closed this book.
‘It is there, in the background. Always. Increasingly urgent. Its ominous hum is the soundtrack to every other story we tell.’
The bushfires that devastated Australia in the summer of 2019-20 brought the effects of climate change to the attention of New Zealanders like never before.
But then came COVID-19. Climate concerns were pushed out of the limelight as the pandemic became the public’s focus.
Now that we are beginning to move out of the pandemic, many are calling for a ‘green COVID-19 recovery’.
Joanna Kidman, Vincent O’Malley, Liana MacDonald, Tom Roa and Keziah Wallis / 2022
In this BWB Text, a team of researchers, some of whom from iwi attacked during the New Zealand Wars, contemplate Aotearoa’s complex history.
Drawing from primary sources, visits to archaeological sites and oral research, the authors investigate the gaps in our collective memory and how our warped recollections have shaped modern New Zealand.
The internet, and technology in general, seems to have an ever-increasing hold on individuals and society. It is of vital importance that these tools remain a force for good.
‘Shouting Zeroes and Ones’ presents an exploration of the hidden impacts of technology and how these impacts can be moulded by policy and personal action.
Above all, it is a call to action to make sure technology helps rather than hinders us.
Dr Melani Anae / 2020
In 2021, the Polynesian Panthers celebrated 50 years since their founding in 1971. Dr Melani Anae has been with them since the beginning – once a panther, always a panther.
Angered by the racist treatment of Pacific people in Aotearoa, Dr Anae snuck out with a friend one cold winter’s night in 1971 and joined the Panthers in their peaceful struggle for Pacific empowerment and the elimination of racism.
‘The Platform’ is Melani’s honest and personal story of her involvement with the movement and a great primer for anyone wanting to explore the Panthers’ legacy.
Sarah Bennett (ed) / 2020
Contrary to our clean, green image, New Zealand tourism is an ongoing environmental disaster. Can the industry be reformed and made sustainable?
This collection of essays by kiwi environmentalists is a desperate plea for an overhaul of Aotearoa’s tourism industry. If we don’t put the environment before profits, in the end, we will be left with neither.
Alice Te Punga Somerville / 2020
Alice Te Punga Somerville, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Māori & Indigenous Studies at the University of Waikato, and a distinguished writer and researcher of Māori history.
In this humorous yet deeply researched BWB Text, Alice responds to the legacy of Captain Cook and questions everything we think we know about the explorer.
Start learning
BWB Texts can be read digitally on smartphones, eReaders and tablets. Print versions of most titles are also available.
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