title: The Importance of Empowerment: New Parents' Experiences of Community Support Services, and the Impact that these Services have on Communities.

authors: Milligan (nee Marshall), Briar

subjects: Community Psychology

abstract: This thesis has focused on exploring the experiences of families with young children (aged three or under) and the role that community support services play in supporting these families. Previous researchers have found that support provided through community organisations could play a key role in increasing the wellbeing of parents and families. This study has investigated these findings, with the reference to the experiences of New Zealand families, a subject that has not yet been fully explored. The findings from this study demonstrated that community support services were able to increase parents' knowledge and skills; they assisted them in developing social networks and friendships and provided a range of resources for their children. However, when the services provided were not appropriate to the needs of the family, or the participants experienced discrimination and social judgement when accessing services, this lead to the families experiencing increasing levels of stress. The findings of this study mirrored the key ideas which had already been developed from previous research. However, this study also revealed some new theories and conceptions of support which have not been discussed. These included the impact support services can have on families' experiences of stress and the lowered social position which mothers can experience when accessing support. Further research is needed in order to fully explore these issues. In conclusion, this study has reinforced the significant role that community support services can play, in the empowerment of New Zealand families and the successful functioning of communities.

text: The Importance of Empowerment: New Parents' Experiences of Community Support Services, and the Impact that these Services have on Communities. This thesis has focused on exploring the experiences of families with young children (aged three or under) and the role that community support services play in supporting these families. Previous researchers have found that support provided through community organisations could play a key role in increasing the wellbeing of parents and families. This study has investigated these findings, with the reference to the experiences of New Zealand families, a subject that has not yet been fully explored. The findings from this study demonstrated that community support services were able to increase parents' knowledge and skills; they assisted them in developing social networks and friendships and provided a range of resources for their children. However, when the services provided were not appropriate to the needs of the family, or the participants experienced discrimination and social judgement when accessing services, this lead to the families experiencing increasing levels of stress. The findings of this study mirrored the key ideas which had already been developed from previous research. However, this study also revealed some new theories and conceptions of support which have not been discussed. These included the impact support services can have on families' experiences of stress and the lowered social position which mothers can experience when accessing support. Further research is needed in order to fully explore these issues. In conclusion, this study has reinforced the significant role that community support services can play, in the empowerment of New Zealand families and the successful functioning of communities.

year: 2010

title: Are international real interest rate linkages characterized by asymmetric adjustments?

authors: Holmes, Mark J.

subjects: real interest parity

abstract: This study tests for asymmetries in the adjustment mechanism towards real interest parity using monthly data over the period 1973–2004 for the U.S. and a sample of other OECD economies. There is stronger evidence of long-run cointegrating relationships when an explicit distinction is made between decreasing and increasing deviations from equilibrium. The speed of mean-reversion tends to be fastest when momentum gathers for increasing rather than decreasing deviations. This evidence is consistent with asymmetric monetary policy responses where close linkages with respect to the U.S. are likely to be less prevalent in a regime of rising nominal interest rates and falling inflation.

text: Are international real interest rate linkages characterized by asymmetric adjustments? This study tests for asymmetries in the adjustment mechanism towards real interest parity using monthly data over the period 1973–2004 for the U.S. and a sample of other OECD economies. There is stronger evidence of long-run cointegrating relationships when an explicit distinction is made between decreasing and increasing deviations from equilibrium. The speed of mean-reversion tends to be fastest when momentum gathers for increasing rather than decreasing deviations. This evidence is consistent with asymmetric monetary policy responses where close linkages with respect to the U.S. are likely to be less prevalent in a regime of rising nominal interest rates and falling inflation.

year: 2006

title: Viruses without vaccines, or valuing indigenous research? The tensions of introducing Western research assessment practices into an indigenous university

authors: Bruce Ferguson, Pip

abstract: Over my past twenty-five years of educational practice, I have striven to develop a better understanding of indigenous ways of being and doing (in New Zealand’s case, this involves the values and knowledge of Māori). I have done this by visiting and occasionally staying on marae (Māori gathering-places); by reading relevant literature; by engaging in conversations with knowledgeable scholars and by researching the impact of Western practices on indigenous peoples.

In 2003 I managed a research team for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, a Māori tertiary institution with branches across the country. Our Tertiary Education Commission had just introduced a variation of the English RAE, called the Performance-Based Research Fund, through which government research funds would henceforth be distributed. In collaboration with Māori colleagues, we chose to enter this process, believing that Māori research would be recognised and funded by our participation.

While this proved to be the case, there were significant examples of values clashes, such as the requirement for people to ‘boast’ of their research achievements in a context where such boasting is anathema; to claim ownership of knowledge where tradition often indicates that knowledge is not the property of individuals; and worst, at one point I found myself accused by my Māori manager of introducing ‘viruses without vaccines’. By this he meant Westernised ideas and practices which appeared to be benevolent but in fact were toxic (the idea derives from white settlers who apparently gave native Americans blankets permeated with a virus, causing thousands to die).

In this paper I will explore tensions of operating cross-culturally, and whether/how we can protect people from unintended toxic consequences of intended benevolent actions.

text: Viruses without vaccines, or valuing indigenous research? The tensions of introducing Western research assessment practices into an indigenous university Over my past twenty-five years of educational practice, I have striven to develop a better understanding of indigenous ways of being and doing (in New Zealand’s case, this involves the values and knowledge of Māori). I have done this by visiting and occasionally staying on marae (Māori gathering-places); by reading relevant literature; by engaging in conversations with knowledgeable scholars and by researching the impact of Western practices on indigenous peoples.

In 2003 I managed a research team for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, a Māori tertiary institution with branches across the country. Our Tertiary Education Commission had just introduced a variation of the English RAE, called the Performance-Based Research Fund, through which government research funds would henceforth be distributed. In collaboration with Māori colleagues, we chose to enter this process, believing that Māori research would be recognised and funded by our participation.

While this proved to be the case, there were significant examples of values clashes, such as the requirement for people to ‘boast’ of their research achievements in a context where such boasting is anathema; to claim ownership of knowledge where tradition often indicates that knowledge is not the property of individuals; and worst, at one point I found myself accused by my Māori manager of introducing ‘viruses without vaccines’. By this he meant Westernised ideas and practices which appeared to be benevolent but in fact were toxic (the idea derives from white settlers who apparently gave native Americans blankets permeated with a virus, causing thousands to die).

In this paper I will explore tensions of operating cross-culturally, and whether/how we can protect people from unintended toxic consequences of intended benevolent actions.

year: 2012