bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creating Kin, Remaking Kinship: An Exploration of Queer Experiences of Motherhood in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors:   , Aikman Hayley
Published: December 2021

Kinship norms in Aotearoa New Zealand are inherently heteronormative, constructed out of the settler colonial ideal that a heterosexual couple with children in a nuclear family are the ultimate social unit. This thesis outlines queer experiences of motherhood given this context, highlighting the ways queer people engage with family narratives that implicitly exclude them. By drawing on the stories of six queer individuals, I trace these engagements through the adoption and foster system, usage of assisted reproductive technologies, and finding a sense of belonging and community. In each of these contexts, my participants subvert, reject, and reproduce, heteronormative understandings of family. These accounts primarily draw from in-depth interviews, as well as one instance of participant observation. I analyse the actions of my participants in relationship to LGBTQ+ political stances, examining whether they represent positive progress, or assimilation into heteronormativity. I argue that regardless of political intent, the engagements my participants make with family norms prove the malleability of kinship ideology. Through relating this to the construction of family narratives in Aotearoa New Zealand by settler colonial action, I emphasise that kinship norms are not static nor universal. This thesis posits that if kinship ideology is not naturally arising, or permanent, it has the potential to be remade more inclusively in the future.
Beyond accident: A model for the compensation of work-related harm in New Zealand
Authors:   , Duncan Dawn
Published: December 2021

This thesis examines the compensation of work-related injuries and illnesses under the Accident Compensation Act 2001 (ACA). It proposes a set of legislative reforms to enable fairer and more equitable access to compensation for workers and improvements to work health and safety. This thesis approaches the development of a model for reform as an endeavour within labour law (rather than welfare or insurance law) and adopts a labour law theoretical framework for analysis.  This thesis argues that the current coverage problems are a product of the scheme’s unique political history, and starts by outlining the historical origins of the scheme and the political compromises, theoretical tensions, and ideological shifts that have led to the current ACA. It also examines the challenges posed by changes in the nature of work, the workforce, and the ways workers are engaged to perform work. This thesis focusses on the cover of chronic work-related health problems, and, in particular, the complex relationships of causation in work-stress related depression, cardiovascular disease and musculoskeletal conditions. While particular attention is paid to the complexities associated with work-stress-related illness the model proposed is intended to improve the cover of, and data collection on, all work-related health problems in New Zealand.  This thesis proposes a new Act to replace the ACA, with a new structure, new purpose section and definitions, new cover test, and the creation of a new work-health review panel. The reform proposal is intended to achieve fairer coverage of work-related health problems, and contribute to improvements in work health and safety in New Zealand, ensuring compensation, treatment and rehabilitation is available to the increasing numbers of workers affected, and making those conditions more visible within the workplace injury and illness statistics.
The Correlates and Consequences of Believing in Free Will
Authors:   , Snater Melissa
Published: December 2021

Research has indicated that weakening people’s belief in free will may likewise weaken their belief in moral responsibility and potentially license them to morally transgress. Recent studies in social psychology suggest that diminished belief in free will is associated with a range of anti-social or otherwise negative outcomes. For example, cheating, unjustified aggression, and less prosocial helping behaviour. In response to these findings, illusionist philosophers have recommended that even if scientists somehow conclusively showed that free will does not exist it might nevertheless be necessary to foster widespread belief as a useful-fiction. In the opposing camp, free will disillusionists maintain that belief in free will has a dark side that we would be better off without. The problem they say, is the close connection between free will and the belief that people justly deserve what they get. So rather than having the instrumental benefits that illusionists claim, belief in free will is too often taken to justify treating people in severe and demeaning ways. Who then is correct? I report empirical results comparing the beliefs and attitudes of free will sceptics and people naïve to the debate. Results are consistent with the claims of disillusionists. Free will sceptics are more compassionate, and are less likely to believe in just deserts and harbour retributive attitudes.
The need for a structured approach to extradition between China and New Zealand
Authors:   , Griffiths Joseph
Published: December 2021

New Zealand will increasingly be confronted with human rights issues arising from the extradition of individuals to China due to perceived inadequacies in China’s criminal justice system and the practice of using force to extract confessions by China’s law enforcement agencies. This thesis examines the failings of New Zealand’s current ad hoc extradition system with its reliance on diplomatic assurances to guarantee fair trial rights and protection against torture for individuals extradited to China. Due to these inadequacies it is possible that the only way in which New Zealand can fulfil its obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption in cases involving corruption is for New Zealand to exercise its extraterritorial jurisdiction as an alternative to extradition. The Law Commission’s approach in its 2016 report recommending changes to the Extradition Act 1999 fails to comprehend the essential role bilateral treaties are likely to play in terms of New Zealand’s extradition relationships with countries such as China in the future. It is argued that a more structured approach is needed by concluding a legally binding treaty with China that provides for specific human rights guarantees and a monitoring regime. This treaty should also allow either state party to offer to try an individual sought for extradition by exercising the requested party’s extraterritorial jurisdiction as an alternative to extradition. Furthermore, consideration should be given to expanding the scope of New Zealand’s extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction in cases involving individuals requested for extradition under the treaty.
Flood inundation and broader ecosystem service modelling in a data-sparse catchment; application of LUCI to Marokopa, NZ
Authors:   , Barlow Kameta Raiatea
Published: December 2021

Event magnitude, societal vulnerability, and exposure define hazard impact. In New Zealand, flooding is the most common and damaging hazard at the decadal scale. Residents within the Marokopa catchment (west coast of the Waikato region) identify flood and erosion as significant local hazards. Flooding is influenced by a diverse range in factors, from environmental factors in the catchment, such as hydrology and climate, to socio-political policies and community awareness. Each of these factors is themselves influenced by climate change, and therefore requires study at the local and national scales.  A mixed-methods approach was used to analyse flood and erosion through application of the Land Use and Capability Indicator (LUCI). Qualitative analysis along with rainfall-runoff, inundation, and holistic ecosystem service (ES) modelling are used to evaluate both flood and erosion extent, but also influencing factors. This research used a unique, mixed-methods approach to research a traditionally quantitative topic, improve on the understanding of karstic rainfall-runoff modelling and support LUCI development through application in a geomorphologically distinct location.  Local knowledge facilitated both temporal and spatial outlining of flood and erosion extent at macro and catchment-scales. Bespoke rainfall-runoff modelling of the Marokopa upper catchment defined localised rainfall, seasonality and the karstic system as significant influences on runoff, with poor to excellent model-fit. Preliminary inundation findings outlined tidal, upper catchment bank-overflow, and overland flow as significant mechanisms of flooding. Finally, flood and erosion mitigation ecosystem services were modelled, with synergistic comparisons also analysed. Priority areas for future land management and hazard mitigation investment include the Marokopa floodplains ~5 km inland from the coast. Novel integration of physical and social observations outlines current flood risk extent and evaluates factors which contribute to flooding, providing a thorough knowledge base for future flood modelling within the Marokopa catchment.
Young People’s Knowledge and Understanding of the Youth Justice System in New Zealand: A Community Sample
Authors:   , Dean Phillippa
Published: December 2021

New Zealand (NZ) has a separate youth justice system that is designed to be responsive towards the developmental needs of young people that have engaged in antisocial behaviour. It is therefore essential that young people are ‘Fit to Stand Trial’ when legal proceedings are brought against them. A young person can be found legally unfit on the basis of ‘mental impairment’, and whilst this is undefined it largely overlooks the impact a young person's developmental level may have on their engagement with court processes. No research has examined young people’s understanding of the justice system in NZ. However, international research has demonstrated that those 13 years and younger are almost exclusively found unfit to stand trial due to their developmental level, whereas those 16 years and older tend to be found fit to stand trial. The legal capabilities of those aged 14 to 15 years are difficult to predict given the extensive developmental changes occurring around that age. The current research aimed to address three research questions: 1) is there a relationship between age and fitness to stand trial, 2) is there a relationship between IQ and fitness to stand trial, and 3) how does NZ research compare to international literature. Participants aged 13 to 18 were recruited from six schools around NZ (n = 89). They were interviewed using a semi-structured interview tool that was designed for this study to assess young people’s understanding of the justice process and fitness-related abilities. A brief measure of participant IQ was also taken. It was found that fitness-related abilities, such as knowledge and understanding, were positively associated with age and IQ, such that older participants and those with higher IQ scores performed better on this semi-structured interview. Attending a high decile school, and being female was also predictive of better performance. These findings indicate that developmental level—as indicated by age and IQ—impacts young people’s understanding and participation in the justice system. Therefore, the current legislative response to young people who offend does not sufficiently recognise the impact of a young person’s developmental capabilities.
Stranger Things: Complex Serial, Complex Industry. The Institutional, Cultural, and Textual Significance of Internet-Distributed Television
Authors:   , Grandy Caitlin
Published: December 2021

This thesis explores the emergence and significance of internet-distributed television by unpacking the industrial, cultural, and textual ramifications of programming originated for an online context. As one of the foremost streaming services both globally and within the United States, Netflix will be the central focus of this thesis. The programmes that Netflix originates facilitate discussions around the potential of this network and its online platform to encourage innovation and novelty in its long-form TV drama. Netflix’s Stranger Things (2016–), a programme concept that was reputedly rejected by a number of cable networks before being accepted by Netflix, provides a compelling case study of the creative possibilities afforded by streaming capabilities.  This exploration is structured into three chapters. The first examines the environmental and institutional factors of the US television industry from which internet-distributed networks emerged. This chapter also explores the different economic models and the associated storytelling methods of each. Chapter 2 demonstrates the cultural significance of streaming on consumption behaviours and explores how broadcast, cable, and internet-distributed TV networks conceive of and pursue audiences. The analysis of several seminal TV dramas, such as The Sopranos (HBO 1999-2007), Game of Thrones (HBO 2011-2019), and Breaking Bad (AMC 2008-2013), provides comparisons from which to better understand the significance of Stranger Things to both the network that commissioned it and to the American television industry at large. The third chapter offers a detailed analysis of Stranger Things as an exemplar of Netflix’s ability to commission what Trisha Dunleavy (2018) terms the ‘complex serial drama’ and in doing so emulate the successful strategies first deployed by US cable networks.
Cultural Identity in Film Posters
Authors:   , Freire Jessica
Published: December 2021

This thesis investigates the current representation of the Latin American identity in mainstream media cinematic posters. While in recent years, the film industry has begun to acknowledge issues in cultural representation, current Latin American portrayals continue to lack depth and rely on ill-informed historical stereotypes.  Cinematic promotional posters were once considered an art form, but recent technological developments and the Hollywood culture has led them to become formulaic, unoriginal, and lifeless. In an attempt to enrich the conversation around diversity, and reinterpret the power of the film poster, the visual portrayal of the Latin American identity in film posters will be analysed and redressed to present complex, multidimensional characters and narratives that embrace and emphasise their current cultural identity. This research portfolio presents a visual analysis of 120 film posters, identifying and categorising key themes, tropes, and elements that form stereotypical representations. This analysis informs an iterative design process. It utilises Latin American visual design language to reinterpret the possibilities that film posters have in creating elaborate narratives that treat audiences with respect and complexity. The resulting designs were used as prompts for discussion and critique with relevant stakeholders, to further inform conversations about cultural representation through design and inform further iterations.  This process ultimately suggests a method of culturally embedded film promotion design. By re-imaging film posters through Latin American design traditions, I will offer an alternative perspective on Latin American characters that challenge dominant stereotypes.
Mnemonic Oasis: Interior architecture as a stimulus for wellbeing through sensorial experience
Authors:   , Schubach Trevon
Published: December 2021

In today’s society the priority of work and careers has resulted in highly stressful environments. In the twenty-first century the tendency of inflated urban centres has encouraged people to move to the cities and as the urban population increases, the quality of life, people’s wellbeing and overall life satisfaction, becomes a concern. Interested in the effect of human perception through spatial design, this thesis explores how sensorial experience can influence the design of interior architecture to promote productivity and wellbeing.  This research aims to explore the implications of environmental stimuli and sensory experience to enhance an occupant’s behaviour and wellbeing within an interior space. Looking closely at the built environment that we inhabit and identifying how it impacts its occupants would aid in how we as designers could design spaces that benefit the occupant’s quality of life.  This thesis asks how interior architecture may be utilised to enhance the sense of productivity, wellbeing and life satisfaction of the working class and city dwellers. In addition, this thesis aims to adaptively reuse a historic site in the Wellington CBD as the principal vehicle for the design component of this study.  Overall the research suggests providing multiple opportunities for occupants to engage with the built and natural environment whereby interior architecture, through atmospheres and sensorial experiences, contributes to the solution in establishing a sense of productivity, wellbeing and life satisfaction.
Computational Chemistry of Compounds with Donor-Acceptor Interactions
Authors:   , Altaf Yasir
Published: December 2021

Compounds with donor-acceptor interactions find important applications in catalysis, C-H activation, phosphorus activation, selective oxidation and cyclization. Moreover, they are potential candidates for use in the synthesis of materials, polymers and light-harvesting systems. The efficient use of a chemical entity is possible when we know its structural and bonding properties. This computational study is intended for the same by studying in detail the structure and bonding properties of donor-acceptor complexes of heavier main-group metals with cyclophane ligands and some heterobimetallic complexes. Additionally, we explored the fluorescence characteristics of benzanthrone dyes.  The first part (i.e. main group metal complexes) involves the exploration of structural features and thermal properties through DFT optimization and then calculating the change in enthalpy of formation for all the possibilities under consideration. For this purpose we selected the last three elements from each of Groups 13, 14 and 15 to explore their different coordination modes with two cyclophane ligands; [2.2.2]paracyclophane and deltaphane. We opted for chlorides of each metal to allow them to coordinate from outside the phenyl rings of the cyclophane cavity and from the top of the cavity. To see the coordination of the metals with the inner core of the selected cyclophanes, we put metal cations in the centre of the cavity and optimized. Subsequently, the bonding properties of these inclusion complexes have been analysed in detail on the basis of Morokuma-Ziegler energy decomposition analysis.  Secondly, we investigated the structure and bonding properties of some indium-zinc heterobimetallic compounds through geometry optimization, NBO analysis and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis--also known as Bader's analysis. We propose that the heterobimetallic reactant involves donor-acceptor bond that cleaves as a result of the addition of mesityl azide. The newly formed complex has In-N and Zn-N bonds.  In the final part benzanthrone dyes containing intramolecular donor-acceptor interactions, (and hence, undergoing intramolecular charge transfer) were subject to the computational investigation of the mechanism of fluorescence taking place in them. Electronic excitations and the structure of first excited state in each case has been discussed thoroughly based on the time-dependent density functional theory. To check for the non-radiative loss of energy, we also performed calculations for the vertical excitations of the triplet states of all the molecules under study. To get a deeper insight into the intramolecular charge transfer, we performed NTO analysis that gives us information based on different colours in regions of charge accumulation and charge depletion.
Exploring the potential of Urban Leftover Spaces
Authors:   , Azhar Jasim
Published: December 2021

A city’s spatial environment emerges from the ongoing negotiation between the constructed environment, urban processes, and bodily experience. Many spaces do not represent a static notion but are continually challenged and reconstituted, including spaces that appear to be ‘leftover’. The ability to recognise leftover spaces in the urban context is an integral part of the urban redevelopment process, where structured and layered approaches become useful in understanding how to transform these spaces into places. Consequently, leftover spaces in the urban fabric can be seen both as having potential and as threatening. Researchers have pointed out the issues, conditions, and importance of the positive utilisation of leftover spaces. These spaces can be designed, transformed, and integrated into the main urban fabric to achieve environmental and social gains. Creative and flexible design should lead to psychologically healthy places by improving the image of a city from within. However, there is insufficient information available on how to go about designing such spaces.  The revitalisation and aesthetic quality of leftover spaces could expand the dynamism of a city through strategic design interventions. This study explores how the visual perception of leftover spaces in Wellington City that influences both personal experiences and their potential usage could be enhanced. The research aims to investigate the potential of different types of urban leftover spaces, which could be used in a more effective way than they are present. The mixed methodology undertaken in this study seeks to inform planning initiatives by knowing what people feel about leftover spaces and their aspects that need improvement. This research, therefore, examines how such leftover spaces are defined and can be redesigned to become part of a built environment. The research thus consists of three studies starting with an initial visual preference study to understand human perceptions that could lead to better design solutions. The second study explored the differences in design preferences among participants coming from different fields of study, forming the main visual preference study. Visual preferences can guide behaviour and the emotional responses of different users in the redesign of such spaces and their essential attributes. Lastly, focus group discussions were held with built and non-built environment participants. To sum up, the results revealed that providing more vegetation is a critical design attribute for such spaces. The study contradicts theories that hold there are differences in the ways built and non-built environment experts perceive the environment.
Stratigraphic and tectonic framework of Late Cretaceous and Paleogene strata of southern Aotea Basin, northwest New Zealand
Authors:   , Skinner Callum
Published: December 2021

Seismic reflection data reveal thick sediment sequences of Late Cretaceous to Paleogene age in the region northwest of Taranaki Basin. A new stratigraphic framework for latest Cretaceous and Paleogene strata is created based on stacking patterns and stratal termination relationships of seismic reflectors. Sequence-bounding reflectors are tied to petroleum exploration wells, including recently-drilled Romney-1, to assign age and paleoenvironment interpretation. I identify the following sequences: (1) a late Haumurian to Teurian (68 – 56 Ma) aggradational shelf sequence, with at least two regressional events linked to eustatic sea-level falls; (2) a diachronous deepening of the basin that progressed from north to south during the late Waipawan to Heretaungan (53 – 46 Ma); (3) small-scale volcanism at the southern boundary with Taranaki Basin is contemporaneous with this deepening; (4) a prograding delta on Challenger Plateau during the Porangan to Runangan (46 – 35 Ma) that is evidence for tectonic uplift of the basin margins; and (5) an onlapping sequence from latest Runangan to present (35 – 0 Ma) that indicates Challenger Plateau subsided 1,300 m. A revised set of paleogeography maps and generalised stratigraphic chart summarise these observations. The Eocene phase (52-46 Ma) of tectonic subsidence and diffuse volcanism is one of the earliest signs of tectonic activity associated with development of the Cenozoic plate boundary through New Zealand. Petroleum system analysis reveals that southern Aotea Basin is prospective for petroleum exploration, with 3 plays identified in the Late Haumurian to Teurian (79 – 56 Ma) strata, in spite of Romney-1 proving unsuccessful.
Complexity in wellbeing and the 'leave no-one behind' agenda: Studies in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors:   , Reid Chelsey
Published: December 2021

International development’s preoccupation with growth-oriented strategies has abated in response to the inadequacies of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of societal progress. The broader framing of a wellbeing agenda promises a departure from the policymaking status quo, yet its measures have not kept pace. Efforts to operationalise wellbeing have relied on familiar statistical tools and linear models that limit the information considered relevant for human flourishing. The resulting loss of complexity and diversity distorts policy messages and systematically perpetuates the structural conditions that generate wellbeing inequities. In New Zealand, the re-emergence of wellbeing as a political focal point, coupled with a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) call to ‘leave no-one behind’, places pressure on wellbeing frameworks to improve outcomes for people experiencing hardship. This research explores wellbeing from the perspective of those experiencing hardship in Cannons Creek, Porirua, and analyses how holistic approaches to wellbeing might enable more targeted policies that address wellbeing inequities. Critical theory guided this research and was complemented by the methodologies of participatory action research and the capability approach. Participatory mixed methods enabled an exploration of participants’ perspectives via focus group discussions, diagramming activities, and free-list surveys. The results revealed a disconnect between New Zealand’s macro level wellbeing framework and community level realities, primarily in what was measured and why it was considered relevant for wellbeing. Participants conceptualised wellbeing as a balance of domains in a non-hierarchical system, and an analysis of wellbeing inter-relationships indicated that some domains acted as catalysts of change or as bridges between seemingly unrelated wellbeing processes. The conclusion can be drawn that for the operationalisation of wellbeing to reach fuller potential, policymakers should make use of alternative framings that shift emphasis from static linear thresholds to a continuum of dynamic, inter-related processes embedded in time, place, and context. As New Zealand’s transition to a wellbeing agenda marks new opportunities to pioneer discussions on how best to ‘leave no-one behind’, this research makes a strong case for measures of progress to reflect the intrinsic and inescapably complex nature of wellbeing as it is experienced in people’s daily lives.
Helping Youth Athletes Thrive: An Exploratory Study of the Youth Tennis Market in New Zealand
Authors:   , Emery Jacob G.
Published: December 2021

This project investigated the commercial opportunities for innovation in the youth tennis market. A lean startup methodology approach was adopted for business development within the project. The first study consisted of interviewing players, parents and coaches involved in the youth tennis environment in New Zealand. It was found that the key problems identified by athletes were psychological challenges while both coaches and parents struggled with relationship management. The second study surveyed athletes from a wide range of sports to test if the findings from the first study would generalise to other sports as well as investigating reasons why athletes may not have engaged with existing sport psychology products and services. The results showed the findings in the first study did extend to other youth sports and highlighted a lack of knowledge and perceived efficacy as well as financial cost as barriers to use for existing sport psychology products and services. A literature review relating to the problems identified during the research for this project documents motivational, goal-setting and self-regulatory mechanisms which could be incorporated into a product or service to assist youth athletes. A third, and final, study tested potential mediums for a commercial offering as well as reaction to several features. The findings support the use of a mobile phone application and features relating to communication, motivation, goal-setting, and self-regulation were all supported. A business case presents a path to commercialisation for a mobile phone application addressing the problems faced by youth athletes utilising key research identified in the literature review. This project was able to identify a clear market need, uncover solutions and present the next steps in developing a commercially viable product.
Exploring Josef Hofmann’s Recordings in My Pianistic Journey
Authors:   , Wu Qian
Published: December 2021

This exegesis studies Josef Hofmann’s pianistic intricacy and sophistication by surveying the minutiae and architectonics of his performances of Romantic and Classical piano compositions. The scores, together with a variety of other pianists’ recordings of the pieces involved, are referenced to establish the originality and significance of Hofmann’s interpretations. Chapter I introduces late-Romantic and modern perceptions of Hofmann's style, and a framework is introduced for the analysis of his technique, based on elemental pianistic parameters. Chapter II elaborates on Hofmann's jeu perlé, which is associated with non legato and leggiero touches. Chapter III addresses Hofmann's passagework, including fioriture and trills, which are imbued with jeu perlé and largely devoid of manneristic gestural agogics. It also addresses the continuous runs in the mode of toccata or perpetuum mobile, where he exerts an elastic control of tempo. Chapter IV focuses on Hofmann's voicing, especially his exploration of inner voices and hidden melodies. Chapter V discusses Hofmann’s phrasal shaping and structural projection, in particular how he calibrates and contextualises dynamic contrast, including crescendo, decrescendo, and accentuation. Chapter VI covers Hofmann’s modification of the score, including added repeated notes, octaves, and ornaments. This detailed study offers insight into the complex make up of a pianistic personality, and offers any pianist—myself included—an avenue for self-comparison and thus self-analysis.
An ecosystem services perspective of Lake Wairarapa: Insights from the past, present, and toward the future
Authors:   , Halford Sky
Published: December 2021

Ecosystem services encompass the wide range of intrinsic and extrinsic benefits that humans derive from ecosystems and how such services contribute to community wellbeing. The delivery of effective and efficient provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services at Lake Wairarapa (a shallow, super-trophic, coastal lake in the lower North Island) has been heavily impacted through current land use. Using a pragmatic epistemology and mixed methods approach, this research sought to understand the past, present, and future delivery of ecosystem services at Lake Wairarapa through three distinct, yet complementary, studies.  Firstly, a palaeo-environmental reconstruction using five proxies was completed to build an understanding of past environmental conditions at Lake Wairarapa. Prior to human arrival, the lake was stable and resilient in response to environmental perturbations. However, alteration of the landscape following human arrival has reduced ecosystem service effectiveness, prompting a transition into an entirely new environmental state at Lake Wairarapa. This chapter highlighted the abrupt removal of mānuka and centennial shift from a forest catchment into one dominated by agriculture so a field trial was conducted to assess the ability of mānuka to reduce nitrogen leaching and E. coli contamination. Mānuka can significantly reduce the conversion of ammonium to nitrate compared to pasture, thus regulating nitrate leaching; however, the impact on E. coli counts was less conclusive. Finally, cultural services present at Lake Wairarapa and future community aspirations were assessed through seven semi-structured interviews of Wairarapa community members. Place attachment was recognised as the underlying factor that facilitated strong cultural service delivery. Social and environmental restoration was identified as the key vision for the future, underpinned by collaboration within resource management.  From this research, four recommendations were made to enhance ecosystem service delivery at Lake Wairarapa: establishment of ecologically appropriate restoration plans, facilitated collaborative management, further investigation of environmental and economic properties of mānuka, and development of community engagement programmes. This multi-disciplinary and holistic approach outlines a pathway towards a positive and inclusive future for Lake Wairarapa and its communities.
A Woman to Rule the World: Rome Personified in the Roman Republic
Authors:   , Orchard Campbell
Published: December 2021

Revitalised by Mussolini in the early twentieth century as a symbol of the ‘New Roman Empire’, Roma has endured a long history of national representation. Traditionally the figure of Roma is on the one side associated by historians with the Roman imperial cult and Augustus, and on the other by Numismatists as the helmeted female figure on the coinage of the Roman Republic. However, these figures are not presently considered one and the same. When describing this figure, Roma is considered a Greek innovation travelling west, which naturally discounts well over two centuries of Roman issued coinage. Roma inaugurated by Hadrian and previously manipulated by Augustus was not simply a Greek import, but a complex Roman idea, which, true to Roman form, incorporated native and foreign elements in shaping an outward looking signifier of Roman identity.
In a Split Second
Authors:   , Zheng Wen Jun
Published: December 2021

Children and adolescents with the medical condition Spastic Cerebral Palsy (CP) may develop an abnormal gait, resulting in walking difficulties. This may be helped overtime with noninvasive Ankle Foot Orthotics (AFOs) braces, such as Solid Ankle Foot Orthotics (SAFOs), customised to suit patients needs. However, the acquisition of patient measurements for customisation and manufacturing itself is manual, slow, intrusive, subjective, and requires specialist skills to accomplish. This can commonly result in negative experiences for patients and reduce the access to healthcare to many people. This can especially affect vulnerable patients such as children or adolescents with Spastic CP.  Research has identified that a 3D digital system that scans patients’ limbs and prints orthotics has the potential to improve the AFO creation process through speed, accuracy, and data availability. However, this system requires new technologies to fulfill its required performance, including a reliable way to acquire the three-dimensional shape of the limbs.  As such, a close-range photogrammetry system was identified as a fast and accurate alternative for producing surface measurements through 3D models compiled from images taken simultaneously. This research portfolio explores the design development of such a system by identifying areas of improvement, barriers, and solutions in a multi-method iterative research-through-design approach and pragmatic design framework. The aim was to achieve quick and accurate acquisition of a patient’s’ lower half measurements, while focusing on the experience of users during system interaction. The final output is a formally evaluated close-range photogrammetry scanner prototype, that created a non-intrusive and accurate alternative to traditional methods via quick and detailed capturing of patient surface measurements for later analysis. While also facilitating the needs of two user groups: vulnerable patients, and operating technician, to better their user experience.
Measurements of Magnetic Fiber Dynamics in Magnetic Fields using Optical and Electrical Techniques
Authors:   , Swan Shaun
Published: December 2021

The fabrication of piezoelectric ceramics (Piezoceramics) currently relies on a costly dice and fill process to create an array of aligned pillars. These pillars act as waveguides, improving the performance of the piezoceramic wafers over the bulk piezoceramic alone. It is theorised the creation of aligned pores in the piezoceramic may exhibit the same waveguiding effect, removing the need for the dice and fill process.  A technique for creating these pores is in development at Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand, where nickel coated carbon fibers are added to the ceramic slurry, aligned with a magnetic field, and attracted to the bottom of a mold. The number of fibers and degree of alignment dictate the waveguiding effectiveness and hence the performance of the piezoceramic. Additionally the time taken for fibers to form an array in the bottom of the mold dictate the piezoceramics fabrication time. Thus it is crucial to be able to measure the alignment and magnetically assisted sedimentation of these fibers in-situ. However the ceramic slurry is opaque, hence the optical methods traditionally can not be implemented.  This thesis describes the development and implementation of an electrical technique using the anisotropic conductance of fibers, for measuring fiber dynamics during the fabrication of piezoceramics. The results of this electrical technique are compared to both optical monitoring results in a transparent solution, and models for the motion of rigid cylinders in a fluid suspension.  The change in conductance corresponding to fiber rotation was found to have a time constant corresponding to fiber rotation which is a scalar multiple of that of transmission microscopy and the mathematical modeling. This is a product of the geometry of the electrode configurations used to measure conductance. Furthermore, for fiber rotation, the fiber concentration in the solution changes the effective fluid viscosity due to hydrodynamic turbulence created by the rotating fibers.  The conductance change corresponding to the magnetically assisted fiber settling is in good accordance with both the optical observations and mathematical modeling for 50 mPas solutions, however for 30 mPas solutions the modeling underestimates the settling time by 20%. The maximum fiber concentration to create a single layer of aligned fibers in the bottom of the mold was found to be 12 fibers=mm³. Exceeding this limit results in a secondary and tertiary layer of fibers forming directly below the fiber suspension injection location.
Drugs on the internet: Mapping the terrain of engagement with darknet drug cryptomarkets in New Zealand
Authors:   , Moss-Mason Lucy
Published: December 2021

This thesis explores the experiences of New Zealanders who order illicit drugs from cryptomarkets, with particular attention to their perspectives on New Zealand’s conventional illicit drug market, the negatives and positives of drug cryptomarkets, and their notable insights and features. Internationally, research on engagement with drug cryptomarkets is emergent. However, peer-reviewed research on New Zealand drug cryptomarket users remains absent. This thesis attempts to begin to fill this gap, exploring the experiences and viewpoints of New Zealand drug cryptomarket users within the context of existing international literature. The study utilised qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 12 New Zealanders who have accessed drug cryptomarkets. The data from the interviews were interpreted through thematic analysis using constructivist grounded theory.  The research found that the constraints of New Zealand’s conventional drug market push some drug consumers to use cryptomarkets to access illicit drugs. Although drug cryptomarkets have various pull factors that attract participants to them, they also have negative aspects which influence participants’ choices and behaviours when accessing cryptomarkets. The findings that are presented give voice to the lived experiences of New Zealanders who access drug cryptomarkets, extend scholarly knowledge of cryptomarket users, and highlight further avenues for research.
Perception versus reality: Investigating the impact of talkativeness on children’s credibility and reliability
Authors:   , Pierce Helen
Published: December 2021

Does how much children say predict how credible they are as a witness? Children’s talkativeness can be easily observed by jurors, but we know very little about how it affects judgements of children’s credibility. The present research investigates the effect of talkativeness on juror perceptions and children’s actual testimony. In Study 1 participants rated six transcripts from low/high talkative 5-, 8-, or 12-year old children. Results showed that mock jurors rated high-talkative children more favourably than low-talkative children and older children were rated more favourably than younger children. In Study 2 we analysed transcripts of memory interviews from 5-, 8-, and 12-year-old children. Talkativeness was not associated with accuracy, but child age was. Talkativeness and child age were both associated with the amount of information recalled. This research shows that talkativeness of child witnesses not only influences juror perceptions but also is an indication of the amount of information that children recall in a memory interview. It is not just what a child says, but also how they say it that matters.
Early childhood curriculum in Thailand: An investigation into perceptions of the cultivation of Thainess in young children
Authors:   , Iemamnuay Sureepan
Published: December 2021

In 2003, the Thai Government introduced a revised early childhood curriculum to replace the 1997 Pre-Primary Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1997a). This was in response to social and economic changes in Thailand such as both parents working, increasing cultural diversity, and influences from other countries (Ministry of Education, 2003b; Renard, 2006). According to the Ministry of Education, these changes had a negative impact on the cultivation of Thainess and citizenship in a changing society. The 2003 Early Childhood Curriculum (2003-2017) provides a framework and specific guidelines for early childhood education and care for children from birth to 5 years of age (Ministry of Education, 2003b).  This study investigates how early childhood services addressed young children’s learning of Thai culture and identity when the early childhood services implemented the official curriculum. The investigation explored how services perceived the role of the government in supporting the cultivation of Thainess with young children. Parents’ perceptions of their participation in promoting Thainess with their children is also addressed.  The research design included a survey and a multiple case study, both carried out in two districts of central Bangkok: Klongtoey and Wattana. The survey received 235 responses while the multiple case study involved eight services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with principals, head teachers, early childhood teachers, and parents. Document analysis was also used.  Findings revealed that the majority of the services integrated various aspects of Thai culture and identity into their daily programme despite the 2003 Early Childhood Curriculum not providing specific guidelines in this area. However, government regulations were key in promoting Thainess through young children’s participation in cultural activities and practices when attending early childhood services.
Expanding Oldenburg: A quantitative study of the association between perceptions of third places and social capital in Wellington neighbourhoods
Authors:   , Turner Grace
Published: December 2021

A neighbourhood with a well-designed and high-quality built environment has been shown to have a positive impact on residents’ physical and social wellbeing, and their overall quality of life. There is a plethora of research demonstrating how walkable, dense, connected, and mix land-use neighbourhoods improve people’s physical health however, empirical evidence supporting the built environment’s association with social well-being and social capital remains somewhat elusive. Interest in the relationship between walkability and social capital is growing momentum but considerations of other features of the built environment, such as third places remains sparse. Empirical assessments of the built environment and social capital have been conducted in Europe, North America or Australia, and studies of this relationship in a New Zealand context are almost non-existent.  This thesis aims to address these gaps by investigating the association between residents’ perceptions of third places in their neighbourhood and two dimensions of social capital: sense of community (SoC) and neighbouring in three neighbourhoods in Wellington, New Zealand. Specifically, this thesis’ core objectives are to identify what types of places New Zealanders perceive as third places, the meaning and value they attach to third places, and to explore the association between SoC, neighbouring and people’s perceptions of third places.  Data was obtained from a cross-sectional survey (n=160) and analysed using linear regression. Respondents most commonly perceive third places as either places of nature or as places that host activities and facilitate social interaction. For residents, it is important that third places are inclusive and accessible. The perceived quality of third places was significantly and positively associated with SoC. This relationship appears to be unaffected by demographic variables. The findings of this study provide scope for local policy makers and planners to provide for the presence of high-quality third places that are of nature or host activities to encourage social interaction between residents in new neighbourhoods.