Gove Rnme Ntalities of Local Partnerships: the Rise of a “Partnering State” in New Zealand

In discussions of neoliberalism, the Zealand Experiment of the 1980s and 1990s is often seen as a paradigmatic case. It was an early, and, to a certain extent, exemplary instance of the move towards understandings of economy and society. International attention focused on this country not only because of the depth and speed of the reforms instituted by successive governments since 1984, but also because this case appeared to involve the direct application of a clearly delineated theoretical model. Today, the new New Zealand Experiment is also receiving international attention.