title: Do socio-cultural issues matter? A qualitative psychological study of Chinese criminals in Aotearoa/New Zealand

authors: Feng, Qiu Yue

subjects: language barriers

abstract: Acculturation literature on Chinese immigrants and international students indicates that low language proficiency, over-emphasis on losing face and the consequent acculturative stress, may hinder the development of both language skills and socializing competence and lead to psychological and behavioural dysfunction. Contemporary research into the socio-cultural issues of immigrant prisoners, particularly Chinese prisoners, is sparse in New Zealand. Thus, some baseline information on the existence of socio-cultural issues and their related acculturative stress of this group of individuals is needed. The purpose of this study was to find out whether the socio-cultural issues, particularly language barriers, social isolation, anti-social peer pressure and acculturative stress were present among these Chinese prisoners prior to their offending. In addition, the researcher intended to discuss the possible links between these sociocultural issues and the participants’ offending in New Zealand society. The individual interviews of 13 Chinese inmates, or 13% of the total Chinese population in New Zealand prisons were conducted with the support of the Department of Corrections. The data suggested that low language proficiency and face-protection-oriented voluntary separation from the host society and the resulting social isolation and anti-social peer influence were major issues for most of these individuals. Many of them expressed very negative emotions or mistrust towards others and meaningless life experience with little support both from their family and the host society. Consequent depression and anxiety just before their offending were evident in the responses, particularly from some female prisoners. As a result, it is suggested that the socio-cultural issues that the participants in this study had encountered, may have contributed to their undermined psychological well-being and behavioural dysfunction and contributed to the resultant criminal action.

text: Do socio-cultural issues matter? A qualitative psychological study of Chinese criminals in Aotearoa/New Zealand Acculturation literature on Chinese immigrants and international students indicates that low language proficiency, over-emphasis on losing face and the consequent acculturative stress, may hinder the development of both language skills and socializing competence and lead to psychological and behavioural dysfunction. Contemporary research into the socio-cultural issues of immigrant prisoners, particularly Chinese prisoners, is sparse in New Zealand. Thus, some baseline information on the existence of socio-cultural issues and their related acculturative stress of this group of individuals is needed. The purpose of this study was to find out whether the socio-cultural issues, particularly language barriers, social isolation, anti-social peer pressure and acculturative stress were present among these Chinese prisoners prior to their offending. In addition, the researcher intended to discuss the possible links between these sociocultural issues and the participants’ offending in New Zealand society. The individual interviews of 13 Chinese inmates, or 13% of the total Chinese population in New Zealand prisons were conducted with the support of the Department of Corrections. The data suggested that low language proficiency and face-protection-oriented voluntary separation from the host society and the resulting social isolation and anti-social peer influence were major issues for most of these individuals. Many of them expressed very negative emotions or mistrust towards others and meaningless life experience with little support both from their family and the host society. Consequent depression and anxiety just before their offending were evident in the responses, particularly from some female prisoners. As a result, it is suggested that the socio-cultural issues that the participants in this study had encountered, may have contributed to their undermined psychological well-being and behavioural dysfunction and contributed to the resultant criminal action.

year: 2011

title: Looking back to look forward to the female gaze: An analysis on the foundational filmmakers and their female protagonists.

authors: Searle, Katherine

subjects: female gaze

abstract: This thesis examines theories of the female gaze through recognizing the foundational filmmakers and screenwriters who have explored varying female experiences throughout cinema history. Theories of the gaze stemmed from Laura Mulvey’s fundamental 1975 essay, from which her argument posited that mainstream Hollywood cinema constructs male centred subjects who control the gaze of the narrative, whilst female characters are depicted as objects who cater to the desires of the male spectator. Since then, theorists and scholars have explored ideas of a female gaze from which female-centred narratives are explored by filmmakers. Such narratives are explored by female protagonists who control the gaze through techniques crafted by directors and/or screenwriters, reflecting key ideologies and issues that resonate with the female spectator.  

This research aims to discover how theories of the female gaze have been reconstructed throughout cinema history by female directors and/or screenwriters through the representation of their female protagonists. Through conducting comparative text analysis, this thesis analysed two films within four key periods in cinema including; the French New Wave, New Hollywood Cinema, the Blockbuster Age, and contemporary Independent Cinema, to explore a range of innovative and nuanced female protagonists who have represented various female experiences on screen.  

This analysis showcases the long-standing history of theories surrounding the female gaze, and identifies the socio-cultural contexts that influenced the reconstruction of the gaze by filmmakers across time and space. The results of this research highlights the different interpretations of the female gaze by key filmmakers and/or screenwriters, illustrates similarities and disparities between protagonists by filmmakers during similar periods, and reveals the importance of 
socio-cultural contexts that underpin various representations of female experiences throughout cinema history.

text: Looking back to look forward to the female gaze: An analysis on the foundational filmmakers and their female protagonists. This thesis examines theories of the female gaze through recognizing the foundational filmmakers and screenwriters who have explored varying female experiences throughout cinema history. Theories of the gaze stemmed from Laura Mulvey’s fundamental 1975 essay, from which her argument posited that mainstream Hollywood cinema constructs male centred subjects who control the gaze of the narrative, whilst female characters are depicted as objects who cater to the desires of the male spectator. Since then, theorists and scholars have explored ideas of a female gaze from which female-centred narratives are explored by filmmakers. Such narratives are explored by female protagonists who control the gaze through techniques crafted by directors and/or screenwriters, reflecting key ideologies and issues that resonate with the female spectator.  

This research aims to discover how theories of the female gaze have been reconstructed throughout cinema history by female directors and/or screenwriters through the representation of their female protagonists. Through conducting comparative text analysis, this thesis analysed two films within four key periods in cinema including; the French New Wave, New Hollywood Cinema, the Blockbuster Age, and contemporary Independent Cinema, to explore a range of innovative and nuanced female protagonists who have represented various female experiences on screen.  

This analysis showcases the long-standing history of theories surrounding the female gaze, and identifies the socio-cultural contexts that influenced the reconstruction of the gaze by filmmakers across time and space. The results of this research highlights the different interpretations of the female gaze by key filmmakers and/or screenwriters, illustrates similarities and disparities between protagonists by filmmakers during similar periods, and reveals the importance of 
socio-cultural contexts that underpin various representations of female experiences throughout cinema history.

year: 2025-02-21

title: Indigenous people in Aotearoa New Zealand are overrepresented in cannabis convictions

authors: Rapana, Wetini

subjects: Cannabis

abstract: Background: Previous work has demonstrated that cannabis laws have had a disproportionate impact on Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2019, the New Zealand Government amended cannabis laws, providing police with the power to determine whether a therapeutic or health-centred approach would be more beneficial than a conviction. In the current study, we use population level data to assess whether this law change has ameliorated the bias in cannabis convictions for Māori. Methods: Data were drawn from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), a large government database hosted by Aotearoa New Zealand’s national statistics office. In the IDI, we selected individuals who (1) were between 18 and 65, (2) were Māori or Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) and, (3) had any cannabis charges that proceeded to the courts. Results: Māori ethnicity was a significant predictor of the odds of receiving a cannabis conviction for Māori males (Odds: 1.56), with a marginally significant effect for Māori females (Odds: 1.57). Further, for Māori, there was no reduction in the number of cannabis charges before vs. after the amendment to cannabis laws. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that the bias in cannabis convictions for Māori remain. Given this, the New Zealand Government must follow other countries around the world and move forward on cannabis law reform.

text: Indigenous people in Aotearoa New Zealand are overrepresented in cannabis convictions Background: Previous work has demonstrated that cannabis laws have had a disproportionate impact on Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2019, the New Zealand Government amended cannabis laws, providing police with the power to determine whether a therapeutic or health-centred approach would be more beneficial than a conviction. In the current study, we use population level data to assess whether this law change has ameliorated the bias in cannabis convictions for Māori. Methods: Data were drawn from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), a large government database hosted by Aotearoa New Zealand’s national statistics office. In the IDI, we selected individuals who (1) were between 18 and 65, (2) were Māori or Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) and, (3) had any cannabis charges that proceeded to the courts. Results: Māori ethnicity was a significant predictor of the odds of receiving a cannabis conviction for Māori males (Odds: 1.56), with a marginally significant effect for Māori females (Odds: 1.57). Further, for Māori, there was no reduction in the number of cannabis charges before vs. after the amendment to cannabis laws. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that the bias in cannabis convictions for Māori remain. Given this, the New Zealand Government must follow other countries around the world and move forward on cannabis law reform.

year: 2022