title: Lifting the Silence: Ethical Representation of Mental Illness in Contemporary Young Adult Fiction

authors: Thomas, Loren

subjects: Mental Illness

abstract: Young adult (YA) fiction is a fast-growing area of literature that is constantly responding to commercial pressures and the demands of its growing audience. Although it has a large commercial popularity, the critical focus on YA literature is lacking in some areas. As YA literature expands and increasingly engages with more complex issues, such as mental illness, there is a need for rigorous analysis of the ethical issues and questions raised by this fiction.  

In answering recently scholarly calls for critical analysis of YA literature, this thesis considers two novels that fall under the often-used label of the “problem novels”—Neal Shusterman’s Challenger Deep (2015) and Sophie Kinsella’s Finding Audrey (2015)—in order to explore ethical representation of mental illness in YA fiction. The discussion is informed by the scholarship of Wayne C. Booth, whose The Company We Keep: An Ethics of Fiction foregrounds the ethical responsibilities of both writer and reader, and Mike Cadden, who seeks to improve the power dynamic between reader and writer through the use of double-voiced discourse theory.

This thesis is a creative practice thesis and the exegesis will be followed by a YA novella narrated by a teenage girl attempting to recover from an anxiety disorder and regain control of her life.  The creative component is closely linked to the exegesis not only in terms of genre and theme, but also in its engagement with ethical issues. The creative component highlights that ethical representation is possible and beneficial, but also reveals that double-voiced discourse is a challenging theory to apply as it requires the writer to constantly step back from the narrative in a way that disrupts immersion in the creative process.

text: Lifting the Silence: Ethical Representation of Mental Illness in Contemporary Young Adult Fiction Young adult (YA) fiction is a fast-growing area of literature that is constantly responding to commercial pressures and the demands of its growing audience. Although it has a large commercial popularity, the critical focus on YA literature is lacking in some areas. As YA literature expands and increasingly engages with more complex issues, such as mental illness, there is a need for rigorous analysis of the ethical issues and questions raised by this fiction.  

In answering recently scholarly calls for critical analysis of YA literature, this thesis considers two novels that fall under the often-used label of the “problem novels”—Neal Shusterman’s Challenger Deep (2015) and Sophie Kinsella’s Finding Audrey (2015)—in order to explore ethical representation of mental illness in YA fiction. The discussion is informed by the scholarship of Wayne C. Booth, whose The Company We Keep: An Ethics of Fiction foregrounds the ethical responsibilities of both writer and reader, and Mike Cadden, who seeks to improve the power dynamic between reader and writer through the use of double-voiced discourse theory.

This thesis is a creative practice thesis and the exegesis will be followed by a YA novella narrated by a teenage girl attempting to recover from an anxiety disorder and regain control of her life.  The creative component is closely linked to the exegesis not only in terms of genre and theme, but also in its engagement with ethical issues. The creative component highlights that ethical representation is possible and beneficial, but also reveals that double-voiced discourse is a challenging theory to apply as it requires the writer to constantly step back from the narrative in a way that disrupts immersion in the creative process.

year: 2017

title: Calculated spectroscopy and atmospheric photodissociation of phosphoric acid

authors: Yekutiel, Mivsam

subjects: chemistry

abstract: Detection of phosphine (PH₃) gas in the upper troposphere suggests that the biogeochemical P cycle also includes an atmospheric component that consists of volatile phosphorus-containing molecules. A reasonable end product for the oxidation of PH3 in the atmosphere is phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄). We propose that H₃PO₄ may be photodissociated into HOPO₂ and H₂O in the stratosphere, where H₃PO₄ is likely to be present in gaseous form. We have calculated the energy barrier of this reaction and show that in addition to electronic transitions, OH-stretching overtone transitions can also provide the necessary energy. OH-stretching fundamental and overtone transitions were calculated with the use of an anharmonic oscillator local mode model. The probability of overtone induced photodissociation was estimated with molecular dynamical reaction coordinate simulations. Electronic transitions were calculated with the equation of motion coupled cluster singles doubles method. We have calculated the photodissociation rate constants for absorption of visible, UV, and Lyman-α radiation at altitudes from 20 to 100 km. We show that at altitudes between 30 and 70 km, the photodissociation of H3PO4 is likely to proceed via absorption in the UV region by electronic transitions.

text: Calculated spectroscopy and atmospheric photodissociation of phosphoric acid Detection of phosphine (PH₃) gas in the upper troposphere suggests that the biogeochemical P cycle also includes an atmospheric component that consists of volatile phosphorus-containing molecules. A reasonable end product for the oxidation of PH3 in the atmosphere is phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄). We propose that H₃PO₄ may be photodissociated into HOPO₂ and H₂O in the stratosphere, where H₃PO₄ is likely to be present in gaseous form. We have calculated the energy barrier of this reaction and show that in addition to electronic transitions, OH-stretching overtone transitions can also provide the necessary energy. OH-stretching fundamental and overtone transitions were calculated with the use of an anharmonic oscillator local mode model. The probability of overtone induced photodissociation was estimated with molecular dynamical reaction coordinate simulations. Electronic transitions were calculated with the equation of motion coupled cluster singles doubles method. We have calculated the photodissociation rate constants for absorption of visible, UV, and Lyman-α radiation at altitudes from 20 to 100 km. We show that at altitudes between 30 and 70 km, the photodissociation of H3PO4 is likely to proceed via absorption in the UV region by electronic transitions.

year: 2010

title: Will access to COVID-19 vaccine in Aotearoa be equitable for priority populations?

authors: Whitehead, Jesse

abstract: AIM: This research examines the equity implications of the geographic distribution of COVID-19 vaccine delivery locations in Aotearoa New Zealand under five potential scenarios: (1) stadium mega-clinics; (2) Community Based Assessment Centres; (3) GP clinics; (4) community pharmacies; and (5) schools.
METHOD: We mapped the distribution of Aotearoa New Zealand’s population and the location of potential vaccine delivery facilities under each scenario. Geostatistical techniques identified population clusters for Māori, Pacific peoples and people aged 65 years and over. We calculated travel times between all potential facilities and each Statistical Area 1 in the country. Descriptive statistics indicate the size and proportion of populations that could face significant travel barriers when accessing COVID-19 vaccinations.
RESULTS: Several areas with significant travel times to potential vaccine delivery sites were also communities identified as having an elevated risk of COVID-19 disease and severity. All potential scenarios for vaccine delivery, with the exception of schools, resulted in travel barriers for a substantial proportion of the population. Overall, these travel time barriers disproportionately burden Māori, older communities and people living in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation.
CONCLUSION: The equitable delivery of COVID-19 vaccines is key to an elimination strategy. However, if current health services and facilities are used without well-designed and supported outreach services, then access to vaccination is likely to be inequitable.

text: Will access to COVID-19 vaccine in Aotearoa be equitable for priority populations? AIM: This research examines the equity implications of the geographic distribution of COVID-19 vaccine delivery locations in Aotearoa New Zealand under five potential scenarios: (1) stadium mega-clinics; (2) Community Based Assessment Centres; (3) GP clinics; (4) community pharmacies; and (5) schools.
METHOD: We mapped the distribution of Aotearoa New Zealand’s population and the location of potential vaccine delivery facilities under each scenario. Geostatistical techniques identified population clusters for Māori, Pacific peoples and people aged 65 years and over. We calculated travel times between all potential facilities and each Statistical Area 1 in the country. Descriptive statistics indicate the size and proportion of populations that could face significant travel barriers when accessing COVID-19 vaccinations.
RESULTS: Several areas with significant travel times to potential vaccine delivery sites were also communities identified as having an elevated risk of COVID-19 disease and severity. All potential scenarios for vaccine delivery, with the exception of schools, resulted in travel barriers for a substantial proportion of the population. Overall, these travel time barriers disproportionately burden Māori, older communities and people living in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation.
CONCLUSION: The equitable delivery of COVID-19 vaccines is key to an elimination strategy. However, if current health services and facilities are used without well-designed and supported outreach services, then access to vaccination is likely to be inequitable.

year: 2021