title: Spiritual beliefs, practices, and shadows of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at in Fiji

authors: Berndorff, Valentýna

abstract: This doctoral thesis examines the self-perceptions and lived experiences of Fijian Ahmadis - members of a transnational religious minority who self-identify as Muslims under the spiritual leadership of the Khalifa based in London, UK. The global Ahmadiyya Jama’at positions its adherents as divinely appointed bearers of the truest form of Islam, uniquely entrusted with leading others “from darkness to light”. 
At its core, this thesis poses a central question: how do Fijian Ahmadis pursue and sustain their religious identity and practices in a remote Pacific context, within a pluralistic yet predominantly Christian society? Drawing on six months of ethnographic fieldwork in Fiji, complemented by additional research among Ahmadis in New Zealand, this study explores how Fijian Ahmadis conform to doctrinal orthodoxy, navigate communal authority, articulate theological claims and interact both internally and with other Fijians. In this thesis, I critically examine the tensions Fijian Ahmadis face in balancing their local religious life with the global aspirations of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at - addressing certain contradictions while allowing others to remain obscured in the shadows of rigorous daily practice. A strong sense of communal exclusivity is shown to be sustained through the movement’s bureaucratic apparatus, which promotes submission to its centralised hierarchy, religious discipline, and personal sacrifice. I contend that by prioritising religious identity and communal purity, this framework reorients Fijian Ahmadis away from their immediate social environment towards alignment with the global Ahmadiyya Jama’at, thereby limiting their deeper engagement with broader Fijian society. Further, this thesis addresses gendered expressions of religiosity and modesty, illustrating how the practice of purdah among Fijian Ahmadis both embodies and reinforces traditional gender roles. Finally, while the community publicly promotes values of tolerance and humanism, these ideals often remain bounded by religious and moral distinctiveness. The tension between rhetorical inclusivity and lived exclusivity becomes especially evident in the Ahmadiyya leadership’s controversial response to the ongoing conflict and genocide in Gaza.

text: Spiritual beliefs, practices, and shadows of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at in Fiji This doctoral thesis examines the self-perceptions and lived experiences of Fijian Ahmadis - members of a transnational religious minority who self-identify as Muslims under the spiritual leadership of the Khalifa based in London, UK. The global Ahmadiyya Jama’at positions its adherents as divinely appointed bearers of the truest form of Islam, uniquely entrusted with leading others “from darkness to light”. 
At its core, this thesis poses a central question: how do Fijian Ahmadis pursue and sustain their religious identity and practices in a remote Pacific context, within a pluralistic yet predominantly Christian society? Drawing on six months of ethnographic fieldwork in Fiji, complemented by additional research among Ahmadis in New Zealand, this study explores how Fijian Ahmadis conform to doctrinal orthodoxy, navigate communal authority, articulate theological claims and interact both internally and with other Fijians. In this thesis, I critically examine the tensions Fijian Ahmadis face in balancing their local religious life with the global aspirations of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at - addressing certain contradictions while allowing others to remain obscured in the shadows of rigorous daily practice. A strong sense of communal exclusivity is shown to be sustained through the movement’s bureaucratic apparatus, which promotes submission to its centralised hierarchy, religious discipline, and personal sacrifice. I contend that by prioritising religious identity and communal purity, this framework reorients Fijian Ahmadis away from their immediate social environment towards alignment with the global Ahmadiyya Jama’at, thereby limiting their deeper engagement with broader Fijian society. Further, this thesis addresses gendered expressions of religiosity and modesty, illustrating how the practice of purdah among Fijian Ahmadis both embodies and reinforces traditional gender roles. Finally, while the community publicly promotes values of tolerance and humanism, these ideals often remain bounded by religious and moral distinctiveness. The tension between rhetorical inclusivity and lived exclusivity becomes especially evident in the Ahmadiyya leadership’s controversial response to the ongoing conflict and genocide in Gaza.

year: 2026-01

title: Tootling for supporting the inclusion of students with special needs in general education classrooms: A systematic literature review

authors: Kabalinskaya, Alevtina

abstract: Disruptive behaviours negatively impact students’ academic and social progress, leading to poor outcomes later in life. The effects can be especially detrimental for students with additional needs. After decades of reliance on a punitive approach to behaviour management in schools, positive behaviour interventions are gaining recognition for their ability to manage problematic behaviours by teaching students the appropriate ways to interact and creating positive and supportive environments. The Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Interventions and Support (SWPBIS) framework provides a proactive, flexible approach to behaviour management through a tiered system of supports. Supports are provided in accordance with the needs of a student, with the strategies of Tier 1 designed to support the needs of the majority of students. Considering that physical placement of special needs students in general education classrooms does not always mean meaningful inclusion of those students on academic and social processes of the classrooms, strategies for inclusion are needed. As inclusion strategies should target both typical and special needs students, they should be implemented schoolwide, as Tier 1 strategies. In this systematic literature review a positive behaviour intervention called Tootling is evaluated as a potential strategy for enhancing inclusion of students with special needs in general education classrooms. Being implemented classwide Tootling has a potential improving behaviour of special needs students without separating or singling them out in any other way.

The review examined sixteen studies that assessed the effects of Tootling at the classwide level in inclusive classrooms, alongside three studies that focused on individual students with special needs. Studies were evaluated using the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards for research design quality (Institute of Education Studies, 2017). Data were systematically aggregated to provide an overview of participants, methodologies, and findings. Additionally, the outcome data was subjected to systematic visual analysis for additional validation.

Findings indicate that Tootling is an effective, evidence-based intervention for reducing disruptive behaviour and increasing appropriate behaviour in inclusive classrooms, meeting the WWC “5-3-20” threshold (Institute of Education Studies, 2017). The evidence for the effect of Tootling on passive off-task behaviour was insufficient with a small number of studies that evaluated passive off-task and inconclusive results of those studies. The results regarding the effect of Tootling on disruptive and appropriate behaviour in individual students with special needs were promising. Further research from various research teams covering larger numbers of diverse participants is needed to strengthen the evidence base and explore long-term impacts.

text: Tootling for supporting the inclusion of students with special needs in general education classrooms: A systematic literature review Disruptive behaviours negatively impact students’ academic and social progress, leading to poor outcomes later in life. The effects can be especially detrimental for students with additional needs. After decades of reliance on a punitive approach to behaviour management in schools, positive behaviour interventions are gaining recognition for their ability to manage problematic behaviours by teaching students the appropriate ways to interact and creating positive and supportive environments. The Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Interventions and Support (SWPBIS) framework provides a proactive, flexible approach to behaviour management through a tiered system of supports. Supports are provided in accordance with the needs of a student, with the strategies of Tier 1 designed to support the needs of the majority of students. Considering that physical placement of special needs students in general education classrooms does not always mean meaningful inclusion of those students on academic and social processes of the classrooms, strategies for inclusion are needed. As inclusion strategies should target both typical and special needs students, they should be implemented schoolwide, as Tier 1 strategies. In this systematic literature review a positive behaviour intervention called Tootling is evaluated as a potential strategy for enhancing inclusion of students with special needs in general education classrooms. Being implemented classwide Tootling has a potential improving behaviour of special needs students without separating or singling them out in any other way.

The review examined sixteen studies that assessed the effects of Tootling at the classwide level in inclusive classrooms, alongside three studies that focused on individual students with special needs. Studies were evaluated using the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards for research design quality (Institute of Education Studies, 2017). Data were systematically aggregated to provide an overview of participants, methodologies, and findings. Additionally, the outcome data was subjected to systematic visual analysis for additional validation.

Findings indicate that Tootling is an effective, evidence-based intervention for reducing disruptive behaviour and increasing appropriate behaviour in inclusive classrooms, meeting the WWC “5-3-20” threshold (Institute of Education Studies, 2017). The evidence for the effect of Tootling on passive off-task behaviour was insufficient with a small number of studies that evaluated passive off-task and inconclusive results of those studies. The results regarding the effect of Tootling on disruptive and appropriate behaviour in individual students with special needs were promising. Further research from various research teams covering larger numbers of diverse participants is needed to strengthen the evidence base and explore long-term impacts.

year: 2025

title: Ka Mahuta, Ngāti Hauā and the importance of translation theory

authors: Roa, Raukura

subjects: Waiata Māori

abstract: In this paper, I provide an English translation of one Māori waiata - Ka Mahuta – a waiata of Ngāti Hauā, along with a discussion of the relevance of translation theory and of culturally appropriate translation processes that fully involve those whose guidance, support, knowledge and understanding are of critical importance.

text: Ka Mahuta, Ngāti Hauā and the importance of translation theory In this paper, I provide an English translation of one Māori waiata - Ka Mahuta – a waiata of Ngāti Hauā, along with a discussion of the relevance of translation theory and of culturally appropriate translation processes that fully involve those whose guidance, support, knowledge and understanding are of critical importance.

year: 2003-09