title: ‘Rise of ram raiders’: A foucauldian discourse analysis exploring media representations of collective youth crime in New Zealand media, 2019-2023.

authors: Ali, Aliyah

subjects: Youth

abstract: Over the past several years, there has been media commotion about the term ram raids and the escalation it has brought to youth crimes. Whilst there have been media claims towards increasing youth crime numbers and speculation from mainstream media about ram raiders’ involvement in crime; the statistical evidence seems to state otherwise. The media is a powerful institution that can lead to constructing discourses that can influence the attitudes of the general public and in turn lead to various policy changes. Ram raiders are presented in the media through predominantly negative narratives and have increased discussions in regard to controlling the youth from ram-raiding behaviour. There currently is no research that directly examines the discourses of youth ram raiders in New Zealand media. Therefore, this thesis will use a Foucauldian discursive approach to analyse the representation of the term ram raiders in newspaper articles in New Zealand media, and the consequences that arise as a result of such discourses. The results showed that there were three discourses identified: the criminal discourse, the outsiders discourse, and the moral panic discourse, alongside a competing discourse of youth as victims. The criminal discourse was identified as the dominant discourse which emphasises youth committing ram raids as an individualised issue. The outsiders discourse was supported by the criminal discourse and linked ram raiders to gang members and ethnic minorities further creating an us vs them rhetoric. Moral panic was a discourse that emphasised the power held by the media as the publications reached an extensive audience presenting ram raiders as criminals and outsiders creating a moral panic in public. A competing discourse was identified with ram raiders being presented as the victims shown to be a necessary addition to the conversation. It provided an alternative perspective that challenged the dominant discourse to allow for a well-rounded representation of the ram raiders. Further discursive practices represented the positionality of public and political figures leading to the punishment of young people participating in ram raids.

text: ‘Rise of ram raiders’: A foucauldian discourse analysis exploring media representations of collective youth crime in New Zealand media, 2019-2023. Over the past several years, there has been media commotion about the term ram raids and the escalation it has brought to youth crimes. Whilst there have been media claims towards increasing youth crime numbers and speculation from mainstream media about ram raiders’ involvement in crime; the statistical evidence seems to state otherwise. The media is a powerful institution that can lead to constructing discourses that can influence the attitudes of the general public and in turn lead to various policy changes. Ram raiders are presented in the media through predominantly negative narratives and have increased discussions in regard to controlling the youth from ram-raiding behaviour. There currently is no research that directly examines the discourses of youth ram raiders in New Zealand media. Therefore, this thesis will use a Foucauldian discursive approach to analyse the representation of the term ram raiders in newspaper articles in New Zealand media, and the consequences that arise as a result of such discourses. The results showed that there were three discourses identified: the criminal discourse, the outsiders discourse, and the moral panic discourse, alongside a competing discourse of youth as victims. The criminal discourse was identified as the dominant discourse which emphasises youth committing ram raids as an individualised issue. The outsiders discourse was supported by the criminal discourse and linked ram raiders to gang members and ethnic minorities further creating an us vs them rhetoric. Moral panic was a discourse that emphasised the power held by the media as the publications reached an extensive audience presenting ram raiders as criminals and outsiders creating a moral panic in public. A competing discourse was identified with ram raiders being presented as the victims shown to be a necessary addition to the conversation. It provided an alternative perspective that challenged the dominant discourse to allow for a well-rounded representation of the ram raiders. Further discursive practices represented the positionality of public and political figures leading to the punishment of young people participating in ram raids.

year: 2024

title: Abiotic factors influencing soil microbial activity in the northern Antarctic Peninsula region

authors: Díaz-Puente, F.J.

subjects: microbial activity

abstract: Microorganisms play a key role in the carbon (C) cycle through soil organic matter (SOM). The rate of SOM mineralization, the influence of abiotic factors on this rate and the potential behaviour of SOM are of particular interest in the northern Antarctic Peninsula and offshore islands. This is one of the most rapidly warming regions on Earth with numerous ice-free areas, some with abundant wildlife and with the greatest known soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in Antarctica. The latter implies extended Antarctic summer conditions promote increased terrestrial plant growth and soil microbial activity (SMA). SMA, determined by respirometry, is a measure of ecosystem function, and depends on microclimatic conditions and soil environmental properties. SMA and the effect of abiotic variables have been analysed in locations with different soil types, on Cierva Point (Antarctic Peninsula), Deception Island and Fildes Peninsula (King George Island). Soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) ranged from 5.66 to 196.6 mg SMBC kg−1and basal respiration (BR) from 2.86 to 160.67 mg CO₂ kg⁻¹ d⁻¹. SMBC and BR values were higher in Cierva Point, followed by Fildes Peninsula and Deception Island, showing the same trend of SOM abundance. Except for Cierva Point, low nitrogen, phosphorus and C concentrations were observed. SMBC/total organic carbon (TOC) levels indicated that SOC was recalcitrant and SOM content was closely related to the extent of vegetation cover observed in situ. High metabolic quotient values obtained at Cierva Point and Deception Island (median values 7.27 and 6.53 mg C-CO₂ g SMBC⁻¹ h⁻¹) and low SMBC/TOC in Cierva Point suggest a poor efficiency of the microbial populations in the consumption of the SOC. High SMBC/TOC values obtained in Deception Island indicates that SMBC may influence SOM stabilization. Mineralization rates were very low (negligible values to 1.44%) and sites with the lowest values had the highest SOM.

text: Abiotic factors influencing soil microbial activity in the northern Antarctic Peninsula region Microorganisms play a key role in the carbon (C) cycle through soil organic matter (SOM). The rate of SOM mineralization, the influence of abiotic factors on this rate and the potential behaviour of SOM are of particular interest in the northern Antarctic Peninsula and offshore islands. This is one of the most rapidly warming regions on Earth with numerous ice-free areas, some with abundant wildlife and with the greatest known soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in Antarctica. The latter implies extended Antarctic summer conditions promote increased terrestrial plant growth and soil microbial activity (SMA). SMA, determined by respirometry, is a measure of ecosystem function, and depends on microclimatic conditions and soil environmental properties. SMA and the effect of abiotic variables have been analysed in locations with different soil types, on Cierva Point (Antarctic Peninsula), Deception Island and Fildes Peninsula (King George Island). Soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) ranged from 5.66 to 196.6 mg SMBC kg−1and basal respiration (BR) from 2.86 to 160.67 mg CO₂ kg⁻¹ d⁻¹. SMBC and BR values were higher in Cierva Point, followed by Fildes Peninsula and Deception Island, showing the same trend of SOM abundance. Except for Cierva Point, low nitrogen, phosphorus and C concentrations were observed. SMBC/total organic carbon (TOC) levels indicated that SOC was recalcitrant and SOM content was closely related to the extent of vegetation cover observed in situ. High metabolic quotient values obtained at Cierva Point and Deception Island (median values 7.27 and 6.53 mg C-CO₂ g SMBC⁻¹ h⁻¹) and low SMBC/TOC in Cierva Point suggest a poor efficiency of the microbial populations in the consumption of the SOC. High SMBC/TOC values obtained in Deception Island indicates that SMBC may influence SOM stabilization. Mineralization rates were very low (negligible values to 1.44%) and sites with the lowest values had the highest SOM.

year: 2020

title: Te rima tekau ngahurutanga o Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

authors: Dixon, Ngahuia

subjects: Tohu mātauranga

abstract: E te Whare Wānanga o Waikato – te tohu o te mātauranga, tēnā koe.  Tēnā koe i roto i tō rima tekau tau ngahurutanga.  Kua pakeke haere koe.  Kua tau atu koe ki tērā kaumātuatanga nō reira me mihi ka tika.  He hōnore nui tēnei mōu ake i te mea nāu te moana o mātauranga i roto o Waikato i tuku kia rere, kia pari, ka rere anō.  He wai marino ēnei i ētehi wā, he rehutai i ētehi atu,  he wā anō ka karekare, ka haruru rānei i te pai o te rere o āu mahi.  Ahakoa ēnei huringa o ngā awa o te wā, kei te rere tonu te moana nei, me ōna pikonga ki uru, ki rāwhiti, ki tonga, ki raki rānei, arā ki ngā pito katoa o te ao.  He mātauranga ēnei i tukuna e koe kia pīoioi i te ao.  Hei aha - hei whakawhānui ki te mātatoru o te tangata, he aha kei ō whare kōrero, hei whakakīkī haere i ā rātou kete mātauranga, ahakoa Māori, tauiwi huri noa.  Koinei ngā korowai mō ngā manu i kai i te mātauranga nāu i rumaki.   Ināianei arā te kōrero:

Nō rātou, nō mātou, nō tātou te ao 

E kore e mimiti ēnei huarahi tautoko āu, - nā mēnā ka tūwhera tonu tō ngākau ki ngā kete kōrero, mātauranga āku ake a ngāi-Māori, kei hea mai tō mana.

text: Te rima tekau ngahurutanga o Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato E te Whare Wānanga o Waikato – te tohu o te mātauranga, tēnā koe.  Tēnā koe i roto i tō rima tekau tau ngahurutanga.  Kua pakeke haere koe.  Kua tau atu koe ki tērā kaumātuatanga nō reira me mihi ka tika.  He hōnore nui tēnei mōu ake i te mea nāu te moana o mātauranga i roto o Waikato i tuku kia rere, kia pari, ka rere anō.  He wai marino ēnei i ētehi wā, he rehutai i ētehi atu,  he wā anō ka karekare, ka haruru rānei i te pai o te rere o āu mahi.  Ahakoa ēnei huringa o ngā awa o te wā, kei te rere tonu te moana nei, me ōna pikonga ki uru, ki rāwhiti, ki tonga, ki raki rānei, arā ki ngā pito katoa o te ao.  He mātauranga ēnei i tukuna e koe kia pīoioi i te ao.  Hei aha - hei whakawhānui ki te mātatoru o te tangata, he aha kei ō whare kōrero, hei whakakīkī haere i ā rātou kete mātauranga, ahakoa Māori, tauiwi huri noa.  Koinei ngā korowai mō ngā manu i kai i te mātauranga nāu i rumaki.   Ināianei arā te kōrero:

Nō rātou, nō mātou, nō tātou te ao 

E kore e mimiti ēnei huarahi tautoko āu, - nā mēnā ka tūwhera tonu tō ngākau ki ngā kete kōrero, mātauranga āku ake a ngāi-Māori, kei hea mai tō mana.

year: 2016