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“It’s About the People”: An Exploration of the Constructions and Lived Experiences of Association Members in Sister-City Relationships

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Date

2025

Authors

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Chile, Love
Gillovic, Brielle
Mendoza, Perseville

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Doctor of Philosophy

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Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

Purpose – Involving thousands of communities globally, sister cities form one of the world’s largest municipal networks. Initially established as a grassroots peace movement, the phenomenon has developed over time to encompass numerous aims and objectives; however, research has not kept pace with this dynamism. One overlooked area has been the role of those outside of local government who contribute to shaping and sustaining sister-city relationships. This research addresses this gap by exploring how members of sister-city associations across Aotearoa New Zealand construct and experience the phenomenon. Design/Methodology/Approach – Adopting a constructivist approach informed by grounded theory and interpretive phenomenology, this research provides contextually grounded insights. Data were collected across three case studies through multiple in-depth, unstructured, and semistructured interviews over a one-year period and analysed using the constant comparison method and interpretive phenomenological analysis. Findings – Members navigated various enablers, constraints, vulnerabilities, and uses tied to their sister-city relationships. These themes, consistent across all case studies, were shaped by broader sociological and technological shifts, reflecting past decisions, present demands, and future possibilities. For members, sister-city relationships represented complex socio-technical processes that accumulate over time, rather than being flexible and iterative tools. Research Limitations/Implications – COVID-19 pandemic restrictions limited access to exchange programmes and confined the study’s scope to Aotearoa New Zealand. While this allowed for a deeper focus on local contexts, future research could compare perspectives across different geopolitical and cultural settings. The thesis also highlights the need for longitudinal research, providing theoretical and methodological grounding to support such efforts. Practical Implications – Insights from this research underscore the need for a collective, holistic approach to sustaining sister cities, one that empowers those involved to innovate, strengthen discourse, and develop effective practices. An adaptable formula that consolidates resources to create systematic solutions could help alleviate existing burdens, enhance accessibility, and sustain the movement’s viability. Originality/Value/Contribution – By foregrounding association members’ constructions and lived experiences, this research provides a reframing of how sister cities can be viewed. It highlights the pre-eminence of ambiguity and indefiniteness in sister-city relationships and provides means by which these may be addressed and navigated. The importance of embracing both factors is illustrated through the proposition of a conceptual framework that positions the phenomenon as accumulative and considers the risks of hollowness. Finally, this research sets a possible trajectory for future research, emphasising the role of reflexivity and the ‘fit’ of constructivist/interpretivist methodologies.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/19930

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Doctoral Theses