bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Culture and Depression: A Cross-Cultural Meta-Analysis of the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale
Authors:   , Davies Nicholas
Published: November 2021

Cultural differences in the prevalence and symptomatology of depression have been well documented. Eastern samples typically display lower prevalence rates of depression coupled with greater reporting of somatic symptoms, while Western samples have higher prevalence rates and report more psychological symptoms. Scholars have argued that both collectivism and economic factors might explain these cultural differences. Less emphasis has been placed on cultural differences of depression levels, and whether dimensions of cultural variability and country-level factors can explain any observed differences. This study reports a cross-cultural meta-analysis of studies using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), examining mean scores of the SDS across 89,989 individuals from 30 countries. As expected, clinical samples showed higher depression scores compared to general population samples. Notably, income inequality (indexed by the Gini index) was weakly related to SDS scores, with higher levels of depression observed in nations with lower levels of inequality. In addition, SDS scores were not related to measures of collectivism. The results suggest that while economic factors do influence depression levels in a given society, differences in the emphasis societies place on the interdependence between individuals and the group do not exert any influence.
Investigating the analgesic properties of Kurkinorin, a novel mu-opioid receptor analogue of Salvinorin A
Authors:   , Shivaperumal Nirajmohan
Published: November 2021

Background: The mu-opioid receptor (MOPr) activating drugs such as morphine, fentanyl, etorphine and methadone are used to treat moderate to severe pain. However, their long-term use produces serious adverse effects such as respiratory depression, sedation, tolerance, nausea, dependence, and constipation and this signifies the search for an alternate pain therapeutic agent. Here we report the investigation of antinociceptive and side effect profiles of a structurally unique MOPr-activating drug, kurkinorin from Salvinorin A (Sal A) that was compared with morphine and herkinorin.  Methods: Adult male B6-SJL mice (22-29 g) were used to investigate the antinociceptive effects of kurkinorin, herkinorin and morphine utilising the 50° C warm-water tail-withdrawal assay. The 2% intra-dermal formalin assay was used to evaluate acute nociceptive and inflammatory pain and paw oedema. The side effect profiles were evaluated by measuring core-body temperature and utilising behavioural tests of motor co-ordination (accelerating rotarod test). Kurkinorin’s rewarding properties were assessed using the conditioned place preference (CPP) assay in male Sprague-Dawley rats (240-350 g).  Results: Kurkinorin produced significant antinociceptive effects in the tail-withdrawal assay at both 5 (p<0.01, 10 min, p<0.001, 15-60 min) and 10 mg/kg (p<0.001, 5-90 min, p<0.01, 120 min) and attenuated both nociceptive and inflammatory pain in the 2% intra-dermal formalin model in mice. The analgesic effects of kurkinorin at 10 mg/kg were similar to the analgesic effects of morphine at the same dose. The decrease in pain score in the intra-dermal formalin assay with kurkinorin and morphine produced a corresponding reduction of paw oedema. In comparison, herkinorin had reduced analgesic effects in the tail-withdrawal assay (10 mg/kg, p<0.05, 30 min) and attenuated inflammatory pain in the intra-dermal formalin assay (10 mg/kg, p<0.001) with reduced paw oedema (10 mg/kg, p<0.05). Morphine produced significant motor incoordination effects from 15-60 min post injection whereas kurkinorin produced no significant motor impairment. Kurkinorin and herkinorin (5 mg/kg, i.p) did not produce rewarding effects, whereas morphine produced a significant, rewarding effect in the CPP assay. Kurkinorin produced no change in the core body temperature while morphine significantly reduced the body temperature.  Conclusions: Kurkinorin is central acting and is as potent as morphine in attenuating acute nociceptive and inflammatory pain. It produced no significant sedative and rewarding effects. Therefore, kurkinorin has been identified as a structurally new class of mu-opioid analgesic, displaying improvements compared to morphine.
The Art of Social Connection: Exploring Former Refugee and Host Society Integration via a Collaborative, Participatory Painting Project in Wellington City
Authors:   , Kale Amber
Published: November 2021

In light of the global humanitarian crisis, a climate of fear has arisen around refugees which is often exacerbated by the media perpetuating misinformation and negative stereotypes. Such misrepresentation is problematic as a skewed perspective of refugees, compounded with ethnic and cultural barriers to belonging, is leading to discriminatory practices in New Zealand. Thus, there exists an incongruence between New Zealand’s non-discriminatory equal citizenship rights in law; and refugee and ethnic discrimination and marginalisation in processes of social integration. To begin to bridge this incongruence, this research explores how theories of social connection may be practically applied to enable more equitable social outcomes. A scholar activist orientation was employed, informed by a participatory action research epistemology. These philosophical foundations influenced a qualitative multi-method methodology consisting of painting workshops, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and public feedback. Within the workshops, former refugee and host society participants explored how concepts of home, belonging, and visibility within public space are imagined, normalised, and contested within everyday practices of inclusion and exclusion in Wellington. These themes were significant in enhancing understanding of participants’ unique experiences of displacement and place-attachment, and theorising how host societies might extend a more sincere welcome to newcomers. Applying a sociospatial relational framework to centralise participant interactions, I analysed how processes of social connection can begin to deconstruct negative refugee stereotypes, challenge normative conceptualisations of belonging, and enhance former refugees’ access to citizenship rights. As New Zealand prepares to raise the annual refugee quota, such democratic explorations and representations of place are crucial in informing a multicultural social policy framework to guide equitable integration praxis and critical political debate.
Museum Diplomacy: Developing cultural partnerships between New Zealand and China
Authors:   , Bayly-McCredie Lillian
Published: November 2021

Museums play an increasingly important role in cultural diplomacy. New Zealand cultural organisations support international objectives by assisting cultural exchange, increasing mutual understanding and connecting key players. However, the intersection between museum and government activity is often regarded with scepticism, stemming from a general antipathy towards instrumentalism in museum and cultural policy studies literature. This research draws on recent work by Nisbett (2013), which revealed how British cultural organisations inverted instrumentalism—the use of cultural ventures by governments to help achieve goals in other areas—to achieve their own goals. The literature suggests that British museums strategically promoted their cultural diplomacy activity to formulate cultural policy and expand the scale of their international activity. This provides a useful model for the New Zealand cultural sector to build on, in its unique environment.  This dissertation addresses this gap in the literature by investigating the intersection of museum and government activity between New Zealand and China. Through a case study of the partnership between Te Papa and the National Museum of China the research explored the state of cultural organisation partnerships, and assessed to what extent museums benefit by acting instrumentally. Interviews were conducted with ten cultural sector professionals and grounded theory was used to analyse the data.  This research found that New Zealand’s national museum positioned itself as willing and able to engage in cultural diplomacy activity, in order to develop its international activity, and offer benefits in return to its principal funder, the government. Results suggested that while the museum has not utilised instrumentalism to impact cultural policy in New Zealand, there is scope to develop this. Consequently, the research identifies an emerging area in museum practice, ‘museum diplomacy’, which I define as the developing practice of intersecting activity between international museum work and state-sponsored cultural diplomacy. The research contributes to museum and cultural policy studies literature by producing modest, yet original data about museum partnerships and cultural diplomacy in New Zealand, and provides insights for government and the cultural sector in international cultural partnerships. It echoes the critical view of the disjuncture between museum theory, policy and practice, and concludes by discussing some recommendations and calling for further research to be conducted on museum diplomacy.
Towards a curatorial continuum or How to fire a gun and time-travel
Authors:   , Phillips Bruce E.
Published: November 2021

This thesis questions the ethics of curatorial agency: an issue that has plagued the profession since the influence of institutional critique of the 1960s. The proliferation of the ‘curatorial turn’ during the 1990s developed out of this legacy of institutional critique by grouping a diverse range of alternative practices that aimed to question curatorial agency. Curator Maria Lind defines this shift by making a methodological distinction between ‘curating’ and the ‘curatorial’. This is a binary division that posits curating as conventional practice that maintains hegemonic power structures and the curatorial as progressive and emancipatory. However, critics and curators such as Paul O‘Neill and Nina Möntmann argue that methodologies of the curatorial turn have become compromised by personal, institutional, political and economic motivations. Due to this, it is apparent that a shift in methodology alone is not sufficient to question the ethics of curatorial agency and that Lind's dichotomy of curating and the curatorial requires revision.  This study therefore explores how curators practice by studying different methodologies and to understand why curators practice by considering to what extent motivations influence the application of a curator’s methodology. The research specifically addresses these questions in relation to contemporary art curating within the broader framework of museum and heritage studies. To do so, I have put my own curatorial practice under scrutiny, using a range of mixed qualitative methods such as autoethnography, in order to delve deep into the decision-making process.  My research consists of six exhibition case studies that pertain to one of three common exhibition forms: group, solo or process-led exhibitions. Through a cross case analysis of these different exhibitions my findings suggest that there is not a distinct division between curating and the curatorial. Instead, I reveal that there is a complex interplay between spectrums of methodology and motivation. From this perspective, I argue for a new philosophy of curating that considers curatorial practice as an emergent spectrum charged with infinite possibilities, what I call the curatorial continuum.
Quantitative analysis of New Zealand-Antarctica plate motions during the Paleogene and Late Cretaceous
Authors:   , Chambord Amandine
Published: November 2021

Quantifying past motions of tectonic plates in the southwest Pacific is important because the Pacific-Antarctic ridge is the only non-destructive boundary between the Pacific plate and other major plates. However, formation of sea-ice near Antarctica impairs the collection of magnetic anomaly data that are necessary to calculate plate rotations. A detailed analysis of all ship-track magnetic data available in the southwest Pacific (61 cruises, 153 profiles, including several cruises collected after 1995) is presented here. Four different sources of uncertainty are quantified: (1) confidence of magnetic anomaly identification, (2) magnetic reversal location picking precision, (3) ship navigation precision, and (4) magnetic data quality. Finite plate rotations are calculated for the southwest Pacific (42.5 to 79 Ma) using the resulting magnetic anomaly database (1528 magnetic reversal data). Finite rotations were calculated using the Hellinger criterion, or by a new method presented here that assumes orthogonality between fracture zones and ridge segments. The new method requires less parameters and is hence able better estimate rotations in cases with an uneven distribution of sparse magnetic data. Rotations and formal uncertainties are calculated for thirty-one chrons (c20y to c33o). They confirm the existence of a three plate system (Pacific, Marie Byrd Land, Bellingshausen) in the southwest Pacific from before c31o (68.7 Ma) until c28y (62.5 Ma). After c28y, the Bellingshausen and Marie Byrd Land plates moved as a single plate.
Situated literacy : a study of family literacy in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Authors:   , Smith Juliet Suzanne
Published: November 2021

This study investigated the family as a site for literacy. The theoretical approach is that all literacy is situated in a social context. Eleven parents were interviewed about literacy use and practices both in their present families. The parents were from India, Sri Lanka, Britain and Aotearoa/ New Zealand. The study explored generational differences as well as aspects of diversity among the families. While there were similarities in the uses of literacy across the generations, diversity was evident in the differences in purpose between the Pakeha families and the others. For the Paheka the purpose of reading was for pleasure while the other parents stressed the importance of reading for moral messages and guides to behaviour. Parents spoke more often about reading than about writing, they recalled favourite books, especially those by Enid Blyton, and reported stories they told their own children. It is suggested that teachers might explore their own literacy experiences to better understand the issues of both literacy and diversity.
Placing the Nation: The Politics of Spatial Production at Auckland Airport and Wellington Airport
Authors:   , Anderson Rachael
Published: November 2021

The airport is a site that blurs spatial boundaries. While primarily functioning to move aircraft and passengers between land and air, the airport is simultaneously a complex social institution that mediates the relationship between the local and global, the public and private, and national and international space. This thesis discusses the changing nature of Auckland International Airport and Wellington International Airport as spaces that are produced through a number of historical, economic and political contexts. Using spatial, cultural and critical theory along with concepts from human geography and mobilities research, this study examines each airport as a dynamic, ongoing process of spatial relations. Central to this analysis is the understanding that space, subjectivity and technologies of power produce and reproduce each other on different scales. Drawing upon news stories, promotional material, institutional representations and popular representations of Auckland and Wellington airports, the following thesis will explore the ways in which their spaces have been imagined, produced and used over time.
From the Fragrant Highlands to the Netherlands: A Case Study on the Evolution of the Adoption of Ethical Value Chains for Kerinci Cinnamon
Authors:   , Wikaningtyas Theresa Sila
Published: November 2021

The concept of ethical value chains emerged as a response to conventional trade that has put a strain on small producers in the resource periphery. The alternative chains are said to allow trade to be carried out in fairer terms and for the benefits to be distributed to all actors in the value chains. This concept however, has not been widely used in the global spice industry.  This research aims to investigate the nature and evolution of ethical value chains of an Indonesian cinnamon commodity. As part of the resource periphery, Indonesia is the leading producer of cinnamon, with 66% of the world’s cinnamon supply coming from this country. The cinnamon industry itself has long been an important source of income for the people of Kerinci, the largest cinnamon producing area in Indonesia. Using a qualitative case study, this research examined TAKTIK, a farmers’ group in Kerinci, which is known to have been implementing some form of ethical practices in their value chains.  The study found that ethical practices occurred as a result of a value chains intervention programme conducted by an International NGO and a local NGO. Ethical value chains were adopted through the establishment of a farmers’ organisation, adoption of organic farming and certification, and Geographical Indications registration. This study finds that the factors that prompted the adoption of the ethical practices varied among value chain actors. However, there was a common goal of improving the livelihood of farmers and realising more equitable commodity trade. This research enriches the global literature on ethical value chains, particularly on spice commodity and the benefits of adoption for value chain actors.
“Keeping the wet in wetlands”: A case study of wetland response to projected changes in climate at Mathews Lagoon, Boggy Pond and Wairio Wetlands
Authors:   , Warren Samwell Mytton
Published: November 2021

Wetlands are some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. They are critical for global, regional and local ecosystems, and provide considerable social and economic value for human populations (Findlayson, et. al., 2011). Wetlands have been extensively destroyed in many developed countries, establishing a growing concern and greater awareness of the importance of wetlands in the global hydrological cycle - for climate regulation, and for ecological migration (Pfadenhauer & Grootjans, 1999). Changes in climate, driven by increases in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses are predicted to cause significant changes to the spatial and temporal distributions in rainfall. Since water is the dominant forcing component in the structural development of wetland systems, they are particularly susceptible to changes in climate. While considerable work is now being conducted globally to better understand how wetlands will respond to changes in climate, little work has been conducted in New Zealand to identify the vulnerability of New Zealand wetland systems.  Recent projection by NIWA (2016a) on regional changes in climate have been used to assess how three wetland systems (Wairio Stage 1, Boggy Pond, and Mathews Lagoon), located in the Lower Wairarapa Valley may respond to changes in climate. This study identifies relationships between ground and surface water, examines the interactions and connections between the three wetlands, and explores the sensitivity of the wetlands to climate-induced changes in evapotranspiration, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rainfall. Wairio stage 1 has been identified as the most susceptible wetland of the three due to a lack of recharge source, while Boggy Pond is the least susceptible due to its interaction/connection with the local groundwater system.
Topology Control for Resource Management in Microwave Backhaul Networks
Authors:   , Deng Alexander
Published: November 2021

Microwave backhaul networks are the dominant technology used to connect together access and core networks for their flexibility and cost-effectiveness in deployment. Unfortunately, microwave backhaul networks are susceptible to interference and are statically managed leading to poor Quality of Service (QoS) in the form of high delays and loss as well as being inefficient on energy. The use of Software Defined Networking (SDN) is proposed to address these problems by dynamically managing resources to work around the interference and remove static allocations. Two new algorithms, CUT and OptiCUT were designed to compute an optimal topology, to minimise loss and delay while at the same time reducing power consumption.
Normal Faulting and Volcanism in the Kora 3D Seismic Volume
Authors:   , Hurst Ian
Published: November 2021

The spatial and temporal relationship between normal faulting and volcanism in offshore Western North Island, New Zealand can be used to gain insight into basin formation, hydrocarbon resources, regional tectonics, and large subduction processes. It is hypothesised that there is a causal relationship between volcanic activity and faulting, however, within the Taranaki Kora 3D seismic volume (survey) this relationship has not yet been explored. The overall aim of this thesis was to map and identify whether there is a relationship between volcanism and normal faulting within the Kora 3D survey.  A causal relationship in location and timing between volcanic processes and fault activity was discovered in this study. Two novel models were created to explain the creation of the local stress leading to this causal relationship. The first model uses intrusive magma build up and the second extrusive cone building to explain the changes in local stress. These models not only support the causal relationship between volcanism and faulting activity but also provide a new understanding into how Kora volcanic cone activity may have influenced active faulting in the Kora 3D survey.  Application of this new information will allow innovative insights into basin formation, regional and local tectonics, and subducting plate geometry in the Taranaki Basin. This research could be utilized to increase knowledge for prospecting and reduce geologic uncertainty, which is of importance for the New Zealand petroleum industry at this northern end of the Taranaki Basin.
Tweet Carefully, Museums: A Case Study of the #decolonizeourmuseums Protest
Authors:   , Liverant Natalie
Published: November 2021

Tweet Carefully, Museums presents an in-depth case study of audiences and a museum using social media in the current Web 2.0 age. It explores online protest and controversy over an event held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) in 2015. This dissertation addresses a current gap in the literature centred on public use of social media as a platform to engage in museum-centred debate and discussion. At the moment, literature discussing new technologies in museums focuses heavily on an institution-to-audiences model. While this is indeed useful information, there is another aspect of digital media that has been largely neglected. In their case study, Gronemann et al. observed that overall, museums distanced themselves from discursive co-construction in their Facebook posts. The lack of engagement with audience can have adverse effects as social media grows in its popularity to mobilise the public in the name of social justice. “Western” museums, many of which have a history of fostering colonial narratives, can also be perceived as authoritative institutions. Museums need to engage more conscientiously with their online audiences. Unconsidered or insensitive engagement over social media may have adverse effects on institutions.  Kimono Wednesdays was an event where the public was invited to try on kimono in Gallery 255 at the MFA. The MFA advertised the event on a few social media platforms. On Facebook, the advertisement drew the harshest criticisms from a section of the Asian-American community. The sensational attention on Facebook grew quickly into physical protest inside Gallery 255. This case study analyses a sample of the dialogic posts, comments, and replies left on Facebook during the protests. It also analyses a symposium organised by the MFA, Kimono Wednesdays: A Conversation, where a panel made up of academics, museum staff, and a protester discussed the various concepts and perceptions of the museum’s controversial advertising and event.  This case study demonstrates that social media is a double-edged sword for museums, as it is a useful tool, but presents uncomfortable challenges. The key findings from this study show how content on the internet can be misinterpreted and how implicit bias can occur from any institution. As museums embrace Web 2.0 applications, they too must become more aware of their online presence and set in place methods of dialogic co-construction so as to better understand and communicate with the diversifying cultures that surround them.
Chapman: To be or not to be
Authors:   , Levy Samuel Oliver
Published: November 2021

Declining core business in the conventional beverage categories of beer and carbonated sodas has compelled companies to turn to innovation to grow their sales and profitability. The research focus of this project was to determine, through adjacent category innovation whether my new branded premium craft carbonated soda product range was a consumer relevant innovation, scalable and therefore able to sustainably enhance market growth and profitability for my project partner, DB Breweries.  A mixed methods research approach using qualitative and quantitative surveys revealed strong consumer preferences for the product to be authentic, artisanal, premium, health focussed and particularly targeted to females, older consumers and as an alternative to alcohol. These findings represented market opportunities, however, the clear-cut preference for a homespun, handcrafted, local and small batched produced product as opposed to mass machine manufactured, was an unexpected finding with significant implications for the project.  This core finding created a tension between the preference for authenticity and the original concept of leveraging my project partner’s scale machine based manufacturing capacity. These findings and my advisory board’s guidance reshaped the business model canvas, proposing a joint venture between Chapman (my company) and my project partner, which as an established beverage company would bring know-how and distribution with my company being the entrepreneurial, authentic, artisanal, small batch producer.  The reshaped strategy and business model shifted the adjacent category innovation from a product to a geographical perspective, with export potential to China and possibly the Muslim market. The online sales channel in China has significant export appeal with its deep retail market penetration and rapid growth, but very low current penetration in the beverage category which is forecast for significant growth. Successful export entry into China would establish a potential platform to enter segments of the global Muslim market, a commercially attractive market for premium non-alcoholic beverages.  A deeper understanding of the rapidly growing negative consumer perception of artificial sweeteners led to a further innovative opportunity emerging from this project. As a consequence of this intersectional thinking a sub-project to develop a New Zealand natural sweetener based on indigenous plants, fruits or trees commenced.  This research project has revealed the new branded premium carbonated soda product range to be a consumer relevant innovation, scalable but not as a straight forward product adjacent category innovation and with export success has the potential to significantly enhance market growth and profitability for DB Breweries.  This project is now on a trajectory to be commercialised.
The Politics of Land Law: Poverty and Land Legislation in Bangladesh
Authors:   , Billah S M Masum
Published: November 2021

This thesis examines the major colonial and post-colonial land laws of Bangladesh and their relationship with poverty. It interprets them in the light of historical developments and social realities. The thesis argues that land laws in Bangladesh are essentially anti-poor. They contribute to the perpetuation of poverty.  At present, two-thirds of the poor in Bangladesh are land-related poor. The land system that prevailed in colonial Bengal during the British period deprived the peasants of their land rights. This situation demanded a radical land reform based on a distributive approach upon decolonisation in 1947. Unfortunately, in the post-colonial political and legal settings of Bangladesh, land distribution has been unequal. Such inequality coupled with a weak land tenure system and fragile institutional reform created widespread poverty.  The Bangladeshi land laws are complex and vague and dominated by politics. Its land law regime has structural loopholes and ideological drawbacks, which are enough to make reform attempts dysfunctional.  Poverty in Bangladesh is a result of cumulative and mutually reinforcing deprivations. Land law is a major participant in it. Poverty will persist unless law addresses the true reasons of the poverty and a pro-poor approach to land reform is pursued.  The gap between “law” and “land” is exposed and a distributive land law reform model is proposed.
Influence of metal halide perovskite modifications on structure and functionality
Authors:   , Service Erin
Published: November 2021

Metal halide perovskites (ABX₃) represent an important class of materials with respect to optoelectronic applications such as photovoltaic and light-emitting devices. In this thesis, modification of these materials was explored through metal substitutions, halide substitutions and also nanocrystal synthesis. The ability for these modifications to take place was analyzed, and related to the effects on structural and optoelectronic properties.  Heterovalent metal substitutions were explored through the substitution of Bi³⁺ into methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃). It was found that a two phase material composed of MAPbI₃ and MA₃Bi₂I₉ forms during these substitutions. This resulted in changes to electron-hole generation in the thin films and separation in photovoltaic devices, as observed through optical absorption and current-voltage measurements. Substitutions of Bi³⁺ and Tl⁺ were also carried out at dopant concentrations of 0.1–1%. Although the bulk crystal structure was maintained here, the power conversion efficiencies of devices decreased, with a bigger effect measured for Bi³⁺ doping. The ability for halide ions in MAPbBr₃ to be substituted with the thiocyanate ion (SCN)⁻ was investigated and compared to previous reports concerning MAPbI₃. From the studies conducted here, it is unlikely that the (SCN)⁻ ion becomes incorporated into the perovskite crystal lattice. This appeared to be primarily due to the reactivity of MA⁺ ion with (SCN)⁻. Finally, Cs₃Bi₂I₉ nanocrystals were synthesized via the hot injection method. This was supported through XRD, TEM and EDS measurements, where the crystals were found to display hexagonal symmetry. Subsequent experiments on the mixed halide nanocrystals (I/Br) revealed the sensitive nature of this synthesis to oxygen contamination.
The perceived destination image of Indonesia: An assessment on travel blogs written by the industry’s top markets
Authors:   , Petriana Bernadeth
Published: November 2021

The tourist gaze theory suggests that tourists are taught by the destination marketing organisation to know how, when, and where to look. However, the birth of travel blogs has challenged this image as they offer the public “unfiltered” information. Travel bloggers have become more powerful in influencing the decision making of potential tourists. This study employs textual and photographic content analysis to investigate the destination image of Indonesia held by the industry’s key markets; Singapore and Australia. 106 blog entries and over 1,500 pictures were content analysed, and the results suggest that overall tourists tended to have positive images of Indonesia. International tourists are still very much concentrated in the traditionally popular places such as Bali and Jakarta. Negative images of Indonesia include inadequate infrastructure, ineffective wildlife protection, and westernisation of Bali. Natural and cultural resources are proven in this thesis to be Indonesia’s top tourism products. Influenced by their cultural backgrounds, Singaporean and Australian bloggers have demonstrated a dissimilar tourist gaze. The current study also analysed the bloggers’ image of Indonesia as opposed to the image projected by the government through the national tourism brand “Wonderful Indonesia”. The results indicate a narrow gap between the two images. Implications for Indonesian tourism practitioners include stronger law enforcement to preserve local culture and natural attractions, and recognising the market’s preference to promote other destinations. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
Architecture of the athlete
Authors:   , Zivkovic Jared
Published: November 2021

Designers of sports facilities focus on physical aspects, like walls and tile angles to improve an athlete’s performance. However, from experience, the mental components of an athlete’s performance are overlooked; which is believed to have a greater impact on their overall performance.  Using my experiences to produce a unique body of research, this thesis focusses on using the athlete’s perspective to design. This thesis investigates Sporting Facilities and Natatoriums are the focus. Using the skill of architects to create space and affect emotion, the thesis will investigate how they can be used to create an atmosphere that will allow an athlete to enter the optimal emotional state to achieve a successful sporting performance.  The research will look the emotion and atmosphere of architecture, and the knowledge of sports psychology to understand how atmosphere can be used to challenge current design conventions.  The approach will look at the relationship of facilities with and without local community involvement when they are not being used for competitions. This allows the needs of the community which has an effect upon the design, to be controlled. Which allows for an athlete’s perspective to drive the design.  Using Natatoriums as the focus of the thesis, a series of design investigations will be conducted looking at how these spaces can be developed and arranged to optimise athlete performance. Objectives are to understand the arrangement of program and atmosphere required at each stage of an athlete’s pre-competition process, so a facility can be developed that is biased towards an athlete’s mental state versus other design factors.
Liminality as a lens on social meaning: A cross-variable analysis of gender in New Zealand English
Authors:   , Hazenberg Evan
Published: November 2021

The variationist sociolinguistic enterprise has been successful in developing models of structural (i.e., language-internal) drivers of variation and change, but one of the barriers preventing the development of a parallel model accounting for social drivers is the difficulty in operationalising salience. Using a corpus of sociolinguistic interviews collected in Auckland, New Zealand between 2013 and 2015, this project examines the relationship between language variation and gendered identity, and proposes an analytical approach of liminality – of examining the linguistic practices of people who have crossed a culturally-reified category boundary – as a possible solution to the problem of identifying socially salient variables.  The participants in this study are straight, queer, and transsexual native speakers of New Zealand English (NZE), representing two age groups that straddle the period of social change in the 1980s that saw a destabilisation of traditional gender roles in New Zealand. Variation in three linguistic systems is examined: adjectival modifiers (intensifiers and moderators), sibilants (/s/, /z/ and /ʃ/), and the vowels of NZE. The project uses established variationist and sociophonetic methodologies, as well as introducing a new metric for making comparisons across the vowel space as a whole. The findings show that speakers are able to encode their gendered identity across multiple variables, and that subtle linguistic signals can be used to affiliate with (or distance from) particular groups. The two most ‘distant’ groups are older straight men and younger [straight, queer, and transsexual] women, which this thesis argues is a reflection of the general societal criticism directed at young women by hegemonic masculinities. There is also evidence that the mainstreaming of queer identities in the wake of the 1986 decriminalisation of homosexuality has decreased the linguistic distance between straight and queer urban New Zealanders, demonstrating the relative rapidity with which social changes can be incorporated into the linguistic system.  This study highlights the utility of studying variation across linguistic systems rather than in variables in isolation, and proposes a typology of variation based on the boundedness and dimensionality of the linguistic systems under investigation. The framework of liminality is found to be productive with respect to the role of gender in language variation, although future research will have to test whether this framework can be generalised to other dimensions of social identity that are perceived as categorical (e.g., ethnicity and heritage culture in immigrant communities).
Protective Factors in the Sexual Offending Area: Analysis of the Concept and a Preliminary Model
Authors:   , Miller MacDonald Imogen
Published: November 2021

Traditionally, there has been a preoccupation with the concept of risk in criminal justice research and practice, with very little emphasis placed on the notion of protection. Recently, forensic psychology researchers and practitioners have become more interested in the idea of protective factors – the factors that are association with a reduction rather than an increase in offending. However, this area of research is in its infancy, and much is still unclear. The current thesis aims to analyse the development of this concept, as well as how it is currently understood. I will argue that current conceptualisations of protection are limited, and will outline a range of criticisms. I then develop a preliminary model that will aim to overcome these problems. More specifically, I will clearly define the notion of protection, offer an explanation of how protective factors may exert their protective effects, and discuss how this understanding of protection can be applied to offender interventions.
Together as brothers: A catalytic examination of Pasifika success as Pasifika to teu le va in boys' secondary education in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors:   , Reynolds Martyn
Published: November 2021

Pasifika education, the education of students with connections to the Pacific in Aotearoa New Zealand, is intercultural; Pasifika students are generally taught by Palangi (European-origin) teachers in a system originally designed to meet the perceived needs of European settlers. The field has a history of inequity, consigning many Pasifika students to mediocrity in formal education. A cultural reading of the situation connects a need for emancipatory self-description with the achievement of social justice within the kind of participatory democracy imagined by Dewey. Recent government initiatives such as the Pasifika Education Plan have sought ‘Pasifika success’ through targets and initiatives, the most visible focusing on success as achievement understood by comparison to other ethnic groups. This has been critiqued as not seeking success as, but of Pasifika, in effect another assimilative practice. This thesis interrogates how success in formal education is understood, described, and explained by male Pasifika students as they enter the secondary sector. This is complemented by: paying attention to experiences of success in primary education; extending discussion to families; and the catalytic use of Pasifika community-sourced data to create opportunities for teachers to re-vision their practice. The inquiry is a bounded case study in the atypical context of a high-decile single-sex state school. A framework which combines a critical theory, critical race theory, and a Pacific Indigenous research paradigm provides a nuanced strengths-based approach. A dialogical-relational methodology argues for a mediated dialogue to teu le va (care for the relational spaces) between participants. The thesis demonstrates how catalytic attention to relationality can help teachers positively re-vision their practice. Attention to relationality also supports a complex positionality where a Palangi researcher seeks to edgewalk between Pasifika and Palangi concepts and communities, teachers and students, and Pacific-orientated research and the academy. Findings suggest that male Pasifika students hold a wide basket of forms of success which both contrast with and complement success as achievement: ideas about a ‘good education’, acceptance, participation, comfort, resilience, and the contextual extension of competence. These can be understood through Pacific origin concepts such as va (relationality), malaga (journey) and poto (wisdom), disturbing existing thinking about Pasifika education. As a result, the thesis has potential to assist a re-framing of theory and practice in the field as well as providing a model of relational inquiry for further social justice research into intercultural fields such as Pasifika education.
Immunisation and the law : slippery slope to a healthy society
Authors:   , Kerr Jessica Dorothy
Published: November 2021

The immunisation of children against communicable diseases is a crucial public health intervention with both individual and collective outcomes. Current New Zealand immunisation policy prioritises parental autonomy, but has not succeeded in actively targeting all of the factors that prevent parents from ever making informed immunisation decisions. Consequently, our coverage rates are unsatisfactory both in absolute (by reference to the goal of 'population immunity') and relative terms. In order to have a realistic chance of meeting the Ministry of Health's optimistic coverage targets, it is necessary to consider whether New Zealand's comparatively weak immunisation law could be strengthened to eliminate the phenomenon of 'passive' non-immunisation without fatally undermining the decision-making capacity of parents. If this is not possible, then either the goal of population immunity or the prioritisation of individual choice must be abandoned. Of the three options for law reform explored by this paper, two are thought to be unworkable because they would, or should, be perceived as failing to achieve the delicate balance between individual freedom and public good. These are, first, a universal mandatory immunisation requirement, which may be justifiable in principle but would almost certainly encounter prohibitive public opposition; and, secondly, a targeted law that would require beneficiaries to make active decisions about immunisation, and (it is submitted) represents an unwarranted misuse of the vulnerability of those dependent upon taxpayer support. The reform option recommended is more moderate and more equitable. Creating a legal presumption in favour of immunisation, at the point of entry into primary school, would shift New Zealand from its current paradigm of 'informed consent' - whereby parents must actively opt in to immunisation - to a United States-style model that required parents who wished to opt out of immunisation to undergo a 'informed refusal' process. The stringency of this process would depend upon the degree to which policy-makers were satisfied that only those parents whose deeply held convictions prevented them from being open to persuasion were attempting to invoke it. Unless the size of the anti-immunisation lobby significantly increases, it is suggested that an informed refusal requirement could successfully tackle the problem of passive non-immunisation, thereby discharging the State's responsibility to further the interest of all New Zealanders in achieving and maintaining population immunity levels.
The involvement of teachers in curriculum change : with special reference to the introduction of programmes in mathematics in primary classes
Authors:   , Palmer Edwin Arthur
Published: November 2021

Curriculum building is a complex process; a process which has in recent years intensified. The rapidity of technological development has placed on educationalists a greater pressure than ever before. Furthermore, the concept of co-operative curriculum building, with the involvement of a wider number of people has come to receive greater acceptance.  This thesis sets out to examine the process of syllabus revision in New Zealand in one particular subject area, mathematics. It aims to evaluate the degree of consultation between the New Zealand Educational Institute, the teachers' professional organization, and the Department of Education which is ultimately responsible for syllabus revision. In particular the thesis wishes to discover the role played by the practising teacher in this revision.
Adaptive Initial Users’ Overview of a Map Visualisation
Authors:   , Namini Mianji Zahra
Published: November 2021

The ability to customise different aspects of a visualisation system for users is typically lacking in current applications[30]. This results in less immediate and relevant visualisation information to users, as all users are presented with the same overview irrespective of their persona. This thesis proposes a dynamic, adaptive visualisation system that customises the initial view of the visualisation based on the information received from users. This adaptive approach improves the upfront user experience connected with the first stage in Shneiderman’s Information Seeking Mantra ’overview first’[57]. This thesis aims to explore whether and how the users’ interactions in the first four steps of Shneiderman’s tasks [57] can be used to create the appropriate early experience for future users with the same goals or characteristics. The evaluation confirms the possibility of the idea and raises further questions and issues.
Distributed leadership for professional learning: Effective leadership practices in early childhood education
Authors:   , Denee Rachel
Published: November 2021

In Aotearoa New Zealand, leadership within the early childhood education (ECE) sector is both positionally assigned and a required practice of all teachers. Within this context, distributed leadership – where all team members have the opportunity to lead – is increasingly seen as an effective leadership model (Thornton, 2010). The purported benefits of distributed leadership have significant overlap with professional learning: increased engagement, deeper learning, context-specific learning and improved pedagogical practices among teachers (Poekert, 2012). This study considers the relationship between distributed leadership and professional learning in ECE settings, and seeks to discover practices of effective positional leaders in facilitating both. A nationwide survey was carried out in Aotearoa New Zealand to capture a picture of current perceptions of ECE teachers and positional leaders about professional learning communities and, in particular, distributed leadership for professional learning. Subsequently, the leadership practices for distributed leadership and professional learning in three previously-identified high quality ECE services were investigated through individual and group interviews. The analysis of literature, survey and interview findings from this study led to a framework of effective leadership practice, consisting of six elements: inquiry and articulation of thinking; teachers enacting leadership; collaboration and dialogue; mentoring and coaching; fostering relational trust; and, creating vision and designing supportive structures.