title: A Literary and Cultural History of Military Science Fiction and the United States of America, 1870s-2010s

authors: Nicholson, Blair

subjects: History

abstract: This thesis is both a literary history of the military science fiction (military SF) subgenre and a cultural history of the United States of America during the twentieth and early-twenty-first centuries. This thesis academically rehabilitates a neglected literary subgenre, and utilises it to prove the efficacy of using literary texts, specifically science fiction (SF) texts, in the study of cultural history. It expands both the sources and methods of interpretation open to cultural historians. Employing the military SF subgenre as its archive, it examines the military SF narratives’ engagement – through extrapolation, metaphor and allegory, as well as didacticism – with their historical-cultural contexts and those contexts’ popular rhetorics, adopting methodologies from cultural history, the history of ideas, and the literary New Historicism. In addition to looking at period-specific themes – ranging from the emergence of the military-industrial complex and consensus anticommunism during the 1950s, through soldier alienation and the ‘cult of the mercenary’ during the Vietnam and post-Vietnam era of the 1970s and 1980s, to the renewed American Exceptionalism and military-civilian divide of the 2000s – this thesis focuses on American attitudes towards militarism and militarisation. The concept of militarism also provides a foundational division in the subgenre, between the two ‘streams’ of militaristic military SF and antimilitaristic military SF. This thesis, however, shows that the subgenre has primarily been sympathetic to militaristic and right-wing rhetorics, support for which has become increasingly strident in modern military SF.

text: A Literary and Cultural History of Military Science Fiction and the United States of America, 1870s-2010s This thesis is both a literary history of the military science fiction (military SF) subgenre and a cultural history of the United States of America during the twentieth and early-twenty-first centuries. This thesis academically rehabilitates a neglected literary subgenre, and utilises it to prove the efficacy of using literary texts, specifically science fiction (SF) texts, in the study of cultural history. It expands both the sources and methods of interpretation open to cultural historians. Employing the military SF subgenre as its archive, it examines the military SF narratives’ engagement – through extrapolation, metaphor and allegory, as well as didacticism – with their historical-cultural contexts and those contexts’ popular rhetorics, adopting methodologies from cultural history, the history of ideas, and the literary New Historicism. In addition to looking at period-specific themes – ranging from the emergence of the military-industrial complex and consensus anticommunism during the 1950s, through soldier alienation and the ‘cult of the mercenary’ during the Vietnam and post-Vietnam era of the 1970s and 1980s, to the renewed American Exceptionalism and military-civilian divide of the 2000s – this thesis focuses on American attitudes towards militarism and militarisation. The concept of militarism also provides a foundational division in the subgenre, between the two ‘streams’ of militaristic military SF and antimilitaristic military SF. This thesis, however, shows that the subgenre has primarily been sympathetic to militaristic and right-wing rhetorics, support for which has become increasingly strident in modern military SF.

year: 2016

title: A Personality study of university students beginning transcendental meditation

authors: Crawford, Bruce Cameron

abstract: Transcendental meditation (TM), as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, is now being practised by hundreds1 of New Zealand University students. This meditation form, which is defined as "a simple, natural process which involves the progressive refinement of the nervous system through the regular alternation of deep rest and activity" (Katz 1968, p 2) is claimed to be easily taught and universally applicable. 
 From the research point of view it has a number of advantages: 
(1) Large numbers of subjects are being taught at the same time. 
(2) The effects are said to become apparent from the beginning of practice. 
(3) Practice starts at the beginning of a short (4 days) "training" period. 
(4) No concentration or effort of any kind is involved. 
(5) Subject can practice in any comparatively quiet environment for as little as 15 minutes twice a day. 
These considerations allow the practice of transcendental meditation to be scientifically investigated with comparative ease. Physiological measurements on practitioners have already been carried out.

text: A Personality study of university students beginning transcendental meditation Transcendental meditation (TM), as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, is now being practised by hundreds1 of New Zealand University students. This meditation form, which is defined as "a simple, natural process which involves the progressive refinement of the nervous system through the regular alternation of deep rest and activity" (Katz 1968, p 2) is claimed to be easily taught and universally applicable. 
 From the research point of view it has a number of advantages: 
(1) Large numbers of subjects are being taught at the same time. 
(2) The effects are said to become apparent from the beginning of practice. 
(3) Practice starts at the beginning of a short (4 days) "training" period. 
(4) No concentration or effort of any kind is involved. 
(5) Subject can practice in any comparatively quiet environment for as little as 15 minutes twice a day. 
These considerations allow the practice of transcendental meditation to be scientifically investigated with comparative ease. Physiological measurements on practitioners have already been carried out.

year: 1972

title: Ascending the Poutama: Culturally responsive diabetes care for Māori communities

authors: Crosswell, Rebekah Jane

subjects: culturally responsive

abstract: Introduction
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) significantly impacts Māori populations in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) who experience health disparities including suboptimal disease management.

Aim
To explore culturally responsive approaches to supporting Māori living with T2D from the perspective of healthcare providers.

Methods
Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with clinicians from various disciplines (general practitioner, podiatrist, exercise physiologist, three kaiāwhina, dietitian, two pharmacists); five clinicians identify as Māori, four as non-Māori. Kaupapa Māori inductive thematic analysis was used.

Results
Four key themes emerged: empowering patient-centred communication, whānau involvement, interprofessional collaboration, and culturally appropriate analogies.

Discussion
The findings underscore the need for holistic, culturally responsive T2D care that prioritises culturally appropriate communication to improve patient engagement, health outcomes and address Māori health disparities.

text: Ascending the Poutama: Culturally responsive diabetes care for Māori communities Introduction
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) significantly impacts Māori populations in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) who experience health disparities including suboptimal disease management.

Aim
To explore culturally responsive approaches to supporting Māori living with T2D from the perspective of healthcare providers.

Methods
Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with clinicians from various disciplines (general practitioner, podiatrist, exercise physiologist, three kaiāwhina, dietitian, two pharmacists); five clinicians identify as Māori, four as non-Māori. Kaupapa Māori inductive thematic analysis was used.

Results
Four key themes emerged: empowering patient-centred communication, whānau involvement, interprofessional collaboration, and culturally appropriate analogies.

Discussion
The findings underscore the need for holistic, culturally responsive T2D care that prioritises culturally appropriate communication to improve patient engagement, health outcomes and address Māori health disparities.

year: 2025