title: Evaluating web mapping applications for visualising demographic diversity

authors: McHardie, Tristan James

subjects: Demography diversity

abstract: The use of maps on the World Wide Web is revolutionising how people access information. These web maps harness text, audio, video, animation, graphics and, most importantly, user interaction to improve the communication and interpretation of geographic phenomena. In this interactive and dynamic environment, web application developers have the opportunity to allow map readers to also be map producers; users can be enabled to query and analyse data and then assemble maps and other visualisations themselves, enhancing their understanding of the data and its geospatial relationships. This thesis focuses on what factors are important for the design of web mapping applications that provide visualisations of demographic diversity. Demographic information is inherently geospatial, making maps the ideal tool for visualising population statistics and their spatial relationships. An outcome of this research is a set of guidelines for reviewing web mapping applications that portray demographic diversity information. This thesis also provides an insight into the current standard for web mapping of demographic information and identifies the potential for improvement. A review of the literature, as well as a reflexive implementation, are the principal methods used to develop these guidelines. The essential components include the needs of demographers, and principles of cartography and human-computer interaction, as well as a consideration of open source and proprietary software. Five prominent, national demographic web mapping applications (two Australian, and one from New Zealand, the United States of America, and Canada) are used to develop these guidelines, as well as providing an insight into the current standard. The main conclusion of this research is that the guidelines developed provide a worthwhile structure but need to be kept broad. Also, there needs to be more emphasis on user data upload facilities, which is important for demographers, and cartographic communication needs to be given higher priority.

text: Evaluating web mapping applications for visualising demographic diversity The use of maps on the World Wide Web is revolutionising how people access information. These web maps harness text, audio, video, animation, graphics and, most importantly, user interaction to improve the communication and interpretation of geographic phenomena. In this interactive and dynamic environment, web application developers have the opportunity to allow map readers to also be map producers; users can be enabled to query and analyse data and then assemble maps and other visualisations themselves, enhancing their understanding of the data and its geospatial relationships. This thesis focuses on what factors are important for the design of web mapping applications that provide visualisations of demographic diversity. Demographic information is inherently geospatial, making maps the ideal tool for visualising population statistics and their spatial relationships. An outcome of this research is a set of guidelines for reviewing web mapping applications that portray demographic diversity information. This thesis also provides an insight into the current standard for web mapping of demographic information and identifies the potential for improvement. A review of the literature, as well as a reflexive implementation, are the principal methods used to develop these guidelines. The essential components include the needs of demographers, and principles of cartography and human-computer interaction, as well as a consideration of open source and proprietary software. Five prominent, national demographic web mapping applications (two Australian, and one from New Zealand, the United States of America, and Canada) are used to develop these guidelines, as well as providing an insight into the current standard. The main conclusion of this research is that the guidelines developed provide a worthwhile structure but need to be kept broad. Also, there needs to be more emphasis on user data upload facilities, which is important for demographers, and cartographic communication needs to be given higher priority.

year: 2016

title: Intersex mental health

authors: Roen, Katrina

subjects: Variations of sex characteristics

abstract: This chapter takes a critical psychology approach to reviewing research on psychological distress among people with variations of sex characteristics. The focus is on depathologizing emotional distress and developing affirming and empowering approaches to healthcare. Affirming approaches to psychosocial healthcare can be undertaken by health professionals who have enough knowledge about intersex, diverse sex development, or variations of sex characteristics to be able to support positive adaptation to bodily variation and facilitate non-stigmatizing talk about the experience of living with a diagnosis. There is room for significant development here, particularly research addressing psychosocial well-being in ways that are non-medicalized and culturally relevant in diverse global regions.

text: Intersex mental health This chapter takes a critical psychology approach to reviewing research on psychological distress among people with variations of sex characteristics. The focus is on depathologizing emotional distress and developing affirming and empowering approaches to healthcare. Affirming approaches to psychosocial healthcare can be undertaken by health professionals who have enough knowledge about intersex, diverse sex development, or variations of sex characteristics to be able to support positive adaptation to bodily variation and facilitate non-stigmatizing talk about the experience of living with a diagnosis. There is room for significant development here, particularly research addressing psychosocial well-being in ways that are non-medicalized and culturally relevant in diverse global regions.

year: 2020

title: Key concepts in Māori and iwi histories: A critique of Te Takanga o te Wā (2015)

authors: Palmer, Georgia

subjects: History

abstract: In 2019, the New Zealand government announced a “reset” of the national history curriculum, with the intention of including more Māori content and addressing ongoing petitions to make the New Zealand Wars compulsory in all schools. Two curricula - one for mainstream schools and the other for Māori immersion Kura - were developed, with each drawing on a recent Ministry of Education publication Te Takanga o te Wā (2015) to provide key insights to Māori history concepts and themes. The Māori curricula has since taken on the name of that document, and uses those themes in its new framework, while the mainstream curriculum also adopts some of these same concepts. But how relevant are these proposed themes and concepts to Māori history, and what have Māori and iwi historians and experts actually written or said about the significance of these concepts to Māori historical practice, content, and theory?
This thesis critiques the five key themes and concepts presented in Te Takanga o te Wā and evaluates their relevance as leading Māori history concepts. These are Whakapapa, Tūrangawaewae; Mana-Motuhake; Kaitiakitanga, and Whānaungatanga. This study surveys the existing work produced by Māori historians and other experts over the past century, particularly the extent to which they have used these themes or discussed their significance to Māori and iwi historical practice and thinking. This dissertation argues that aside from whakapapa, the majority of the themes presented in Te Takanga o te Wā are not reflected in the historiography of the field, and that there are in fact a range of other crucial concepts missing. These include discussions about Wā, the importance of te reo Māori, tikanga, Mātauranga-a-iwi and other important approaches like “historical trauma”, “survivance”, Kaupapa Māori and decolonisation.

text: Key concepts in Māori and iwi histories: A critique of Te Takanga o te Wā (2015) In 2019, the New Zealand government announced a “reset” of the national history curriculum, with the intention of including more Māori content and addressing ongoing petitions to make the New Zealand Wars compulsory in all schools. Two curricula - one for mainstream schools and the other for Māori immersion Kura - were developed, with each drawing on a recent Ministry of Education publication Te Takanga o te Wā (2015) to provide key insights to Māori history concepts and themes. The Māori curricula has since taken on the name of that document, and uses those themes in its new framework, while the mainstream curriculum also adopts some of these same concepts. But how relevant are these proposed themes and concepts to Māori history, and what have Māori and iwi historians and experts actually written or said about the significance of these concepts to Māori historical practice, content, and theory?
This thesis critiques the five key themes and concepts presented in Te Takanga o te Wā and evaluates their relevance as leading Māori history concepts. These are Whakapapa, Tūrangawaewae; Mana-Motuhake; Kaitiakitanga, and Whānaungatanga. This study surveys the existing work produced by Māori historians and other experts over the past century, particularly the extent to which they have used these themes or discussed their significance to Māori and iwi historical practice and thinking. This dissertation argues that aside from whakapapa, the majority of the themes presented in Te Takanga o te Wā are not reflected in the historiography of the field, and that there are in fact a range of other crucial concepts missing. These include discussions about Wā, the importance of te reo Māori, tikanga, Mātauranga-a-iwi and other important approaches like “historical trauma”, “survivance”, Kaupapa Māori and decolonisation.

year: 2022