title: How Do You Sleep At Night?  Investigating media representations and victim legitimacy of homeless individuals in the New Zealand news media

authors: Mueller, Sally

subjects: homelessness

abstract: Homelessness is a complex social issue affecting in excess of one billion people around the world. Despite varying definitions and cultural variations, key issues associated with homelessness appear to be similar across countries. Although New Zealand was once a country with high home ownership, recent governmental and welfare changes have contributed to a growing homeless population. Since contact between housed and homeless individuals is often limited, media coverage about the issue plays a vital role in the dissemination and distribution of information about homelessness and affected individuals. Although there are numerous studies analysing the portrayal of homeless individuals in overseas media, there is a distinct lack of comparable New Zealand based research. 

This study set out to investigate media representations and victim legitimacy of homeless individuals in the New Zealand news media, with a particular focus on how media representations and characterisations of homeless individuals may affect sympathy for them. This research encompasses both an overarching quantitative analysis of general reporting trends evident in the New Zealand news media (1995 - 2007), as well as an in-depth qualitative study of two particular case studies, namely media coverage following the murder of two homeless women, in order to further explore how sympathy	 can be supported or minimised, specifically during sad times.

Findings from the content analysis reveal that homeless people are predominantly portrayed as negative stereotypes. Most were identified as rough sleepers, often depicted drinking in parks and socialising in public spaces. Homeless people rarely address audiences, as stories were mediated by professionals, journalists and service providers. Although there were aspects of the coverage that promoted a sympathetic understanding of the issue and affected individuals and moved beyond narrow characterisations and discussions of homelessness, the majority supported the typecasting of rough sleepers which resulted in a dichotomous, almost voyeuristic relationship between housed and homeless individuals. All in all, the New Zealand coverage appears unsympathetic as it typecasts individuals and perpetuates the 'othering' of homeless individuals 

The violent death of two homeless women was expected to yield very sympathetic coverage and tragic storylines. The first victim, Betty Marusich, was a 69-year old homeless widow whose decomposed body is found in the Auckland Domain. The second victim was Sheryl Brown, a 45-year old homeless mother of three. Despite initial assumptions, the analysis revealed little sympathy for either victim. Instead a negative reporting framework supported by typecast terminology, reporting techniques, derogatory characterisations and implied blameworthiness, challenged each woman's victim status. Ultimately, this chapter questions whether either woman was ever considered a true victim deserving of public sympathy at all. 

The study concludes with a discussion about the findings and how typecast representations, narrow characterisations, and marginal coverage can influence perception about the importance placed on, and extent of homelessness in New Zealand. Some suggestions for further research are discussed, as are recommendations to make media coverage more inclusive and less dichotomous in order to stress that homeless people are no different to housed individuals, but are merely individuals without suitable and affordable housing.

text: How Do You Sleep At Night?  Investigating media representations and victim legitimacy of homeless individuals in the New Zealand news media Homelessness is a complex social issue affecting in excess of one billion people around the world. Despite varying definitions and cultural variations, key issues associated with homelessness appear to be similar across countries. Although New Zealand was once a country with high home ownership, recent governmental and welfare changes have contributed to a growing homeless population. Since contact between housed and homeless individuals is often limited, media coverage about the issue plays a vital role in the dissemination and distribution of information about homelessness and affected individuals. Although there are numerous studies analysing the portrayal of homeless individuals in overseas media, there is a distinct lack of comparable New Zealand based research. 

This study set out to investigate media representations and victim legitimacy of homeless individuals in the New Zealand news media, with a particular focus on how media representations and characterisations of homeless individuals may affect sympathy for them. This research encompasses both an overarching quantitative analysis of general reporting trends evident in the New Zealand news media (1995 - 2007), as well as an in-depth qualitative study of two particular case studies, namely media coverage following the murder of two homeless women, in order to further explore how sympathy	 can be supported or minimised, specifically during sad times.

Findings from the content analysis reveal that homeless people are predominantly portrayed as negative stereotypes. Most were identified as rough sleepers, often depicted drinking in parks and socialising in public spaces. Homeless people rarely address audiences, as stories were mediated by professionals, journalists and service providers. Although there were aspects of the coverage that promoted a sympathetic understanding of the issue and affected individuals and moved beyond narrow characterisations and discussions of homelessness, the majority supported the typecasting of rough sleepers which resulted in a dichotomous, almost voyeuristic relationship between housed and homeless individuals. All in all, the New Zealand coverage appears unsympathetic as it typecasts individuals and perpetuates the 'othering' of homeless individuals 

The violent death of two homeless women was expected to yield very sympathetic coverage and tragic storylines. The first victim, Betty Marusich, was a 69-year old homeless widow whose decomposed body is found in the Auckland Domain. The second victim was Sheryl Brown, a 45-year old homeless mother of three. Despite initial assumptions, the analysis revealed little sympathy for either victim. Instead a negative reporting framework supported by typecast terminology, reporting techniques, derogatory characterisations and implied blameworthiness, challenged each woman's victim status. Ultimately, this chapter questions whether either woman was ever considered a true victim deserving of public sympathy at all. 

The study concludes with a discussion about the findings and how typecast representations, narrow characterisations, and marginal coverage can influence perception about the importance placed on, and extent of homelessness in New Zealand. Some suggestions for further research are discussed, as are recommendations to make media coverage more inclusive and less dichotomous in order to stress that homeless people are no different to housed individuals, but are merely individuals without suitable and affordable housing.

year: 2009

title: Reducing food waste: An investigation of the food waste literacy of year 7 students in a New Zealand school

authors: Goswami, Deepa

subjects: Food waste

abstract: Food waste is a widespread global issue. Food is wasted at various stages of the food supply chain and there are unique reasons for wastage at each stage. Whatever may be the reason, food waste has social, economic, and environmental impacts which can be felt globally. It is unethical to waste food when there are so many hungry people in the world. It is a waste of our precious resources and a burden on our precarious food situation. Food waste in landfills releases methane - a harmful greenhouse gas, which adds to global warming, and a harmful liquid called leachate which is toxic to the environment. 
Food waste is a major issue globally and also in New Zealand. Fortunately, food waste at the consumers’ level may be reduced by developing their Food Waste Literacy. I explored existing studies and ideas in Food Literacy. However, the current definition of Food Literacy only includes the health and nutrition aspect of food. Therefore, the inclusion of food waste in Food Literacy warrants an explicit need at this point in time. Therefore, I proposed the term Food Waste Literacy in this study, which is the literacy for the judicious use of food, by acquiring the ability to use the food produced efficiently, with an understanding of concepts ranging from the production to consumption of food. Food Waste Literacy may include developing knowledge, attitudes and values, and behaviour towards food waste. This literacy may be situated alongside Environmental Literacy and may be developed by implementing a similar framework. 
The purpose of this study was to explore and develop the Food Waste Literacy of Year 7 students in a school in New Zealand. Primarily, the focus of my study was (1) to explore the students’ Food Waste Literacy, (2) to design an intervention to engage these students in developing their Food Waste Literacy, and (3) to explore the effect of the intervention in activating the students’ inquiry and decision making about Food Waste Literacy. I employed a convergent parallel mixed methods design in this case study. For this purpose, I collected qualitative data using class observations and focus group interviews, which were analysed using the thematic analysis. For the quantitative analysis, I collected responses from a questionnaire, before and after the class intervention. To analyse this data, I used mean, median, and standard deviation under descriptive statistics. I also collected qualitative data from the class teacher through interviews, as she was another stakeholder in this intervention for developing the students’ Food Waste Literacy.
Findings after the intervention indicated an enhanced Food Waste Literacy among the students and the teacher. There was a positive shift in the students’ knowledge about food waste and its various aspects including the reasons for food waste, ways of prevention of food waste, and its environmental, social, and economic implications. The students reported attitudes indicated their better decision-making involving food waste. Their reported behaviour suggested that they would make better decisions involving food purchase and consumption, which was also visible in almost negligible food waste in the classroom. However, some barriers were also identified which may influence the development of the students’ Food Waste Literacy.
 My study and its findings, highlights the gap in the existing concept of food literacy and informs the development of students’ Food Waste Literacy by creating appropriate opportunities in the curriculum.

text: Reducing food waste: An investigation of the food waste literacy of year 7 students in a New Zealand school Food waste is a widespread global issue. Food is wasted at various stages of the food supply chain and there are unique reasons for wastage at each stage. Whatever may be the reason, food waste has social, economic, and environmental impacts which can be felt globally. It is unethical to waste food when there are so many hungry people in the world. It is a waste of our precious resources and a burden on our precarious food situation. Food waste in landfills releases methane - a harmful greenhouse gas, which adds to global warming, and a harmful liquid called leachate which is toxic to the environment. 
Food waste is a major issue globally and also in New Zealand. Fortunately, food waste at the consumers’ level may be reduced by developing their Food Waste Literacy. I explored existing studies and ideas in Food Literacy. However, the current definition of Food Literacy only includes the health and nutrition aspect of food. Therefore, the inclusion of food waste in Food Literacy warrants an explicit need at this point in time. Therefore, I proposed the term Food Waste Literacy in this study, which is the literacy for the judicious use of food, by acquiring the ability to use the food produced efficiently, with an understanding of concepts ranging from the production to consumption of food. Food Waste Literacy may include developing knowledge, attitudes and values, and behaviour towards food waste. This literacy may be situated alongside Environmental Literacy and may be developed by implementing a similar framework. 
The purpose of this study was to explore and develop the Food Waste Literacy of Year 7 students in a school in New Zealand. Primarily, the focus of my study was (1) to explore the students’ Food Waste Literacy, (2) to design an intervention to engage these students in developing their Food Waste Literacy, and (3) to explore the effect of the intervention in activating the students’ inquiry and decision making about Food Waste Literacy. I employed a convergent parallel mixed methods design in this case study. For this purpose, I collected qualitative data using class observations and focus group interviews, which were analysed using the thematic analysis. For the quantitative analysis, I collected responses from a questionnaire, before and after the class intervention. To analyse this data, I used mean, median, and standard deviation under descriptive statistics. I also collected qualitative data from the class teacher through interviews, as she was another stakeholder in this intervention for developing the students’ Food Waste Literacy.
Findings after the intervention indicated an enhanced Food Waste Literacy among the students and the teacher. There was a positive shift in the students’ knowledge about food waste and its various aspects including the reasons for food waste, ways of prevention of food waste, and its environmental, social, and economic implications. The students reported attitudes indicated their better decision-making involving food waste. Their reported behaviour suggested that they would make better decisions involving food purchase and consumption, which was also visible in almost negligible food waste in the classroom. However, some barriers were also identified which may influence the development of the students’ Food Waste Literacy.
 My study and its findings, highlights the gap in the existing concept of food literacy and informs the development of students’ Food Waste Literacy by creating appropriate opportunities in the curriculum.

year: 2022

title: He maimoa i ngā whakatupuranga anamata: Ko te mātauranga taketake o ngā tūpuna me te whakarea tamariki

authors: Greensill, Hineitimoana

subjects: Poipoi tamariki

abstract: Kua āraua ki roto i te reo me ngā pūnaha mātauranga o ngā iwi taketake, ko ngā uara, ko ngā whakapono me ngā rapunga whakaaro e toko ake nei i tērā iwi. Kia whakahoropakitia tēnei ki roto o Aotearoa me Hawai‘i, i te whakaekenga o ō tātou kāinga tupu e ngā taua a te Pākehā me ngā tāmi o ngā tikanga whakawhenumi a te Kāwanantanga o muri, i tauwhatia ai te tuku o te reo Māori me te ‘ōlelo (reo) o Hawai‘i i waenga i ngā whakatupuranga, waihoki ko ngā māramatanga pūmau o roto i ngā reo i tauwhatia ai (Walker, 2004; Blaisdell & Mokuau, 1991). Ahakoa ēnei tauwhatinga, ka pupuri tonu tātou ki ngā karere i mau rā i te reo i roto i ngā ngā pātaka mātauranga a te Māori me nā kānaka (ngā tāngata) o Hawai‘i. Ko te mātauranga taketake, ngā kōrero o nehe me ngā ariā e āraua nei ki ngā tuhituhinga-ā-waha huhua, tae atu ki ngā whakataukī, ngā ‘ōlelo no‘eau, me ngā kīanga rongonui i tāngia hoki ki te pepa (Pukui, 1983). Ko te ia o ēnei momo kōrero tuku-iho taketake nei kei te kōrerotia i roto i ngā whakataukī me ngā ‘ōlelo no‘eau, he mea whakaara anō tēnei mātauranga ki ngā kaupapa whakaora reo ki Aotearoa me Hawai‘i. He momo mātauranga ēnei hei whakaara i a tātou kia mārama rawa ki ngā kano tirohanga o ō tātou tūpuna ki tō rātou ao, waihoki ko ngā hononga maha e paihere nei i a tātou ki ō tātou whanaunga.

Hei whāinga matua e āta arohaehae ana tēnei pepa i ngā momo tuhituhinga-ā-waha nei, arā ko te ‘ōlelo no‘eau me te whakataukī, kia tīroua ake ngā karere e hāngai ana ki ngā tamariki a te Māori rātou ko ngā kānaka o Hawai‘i me ngā pānga ki ngā mahi whakatupu tamariki o mua. Ka toro tēnei tuhinga ki te whakataukī me te ‘ōlelo no‘eau ki te whakapuaki i te mātauranga i mahue mai i ngā tūpuna hei rei arataki mā tātou ngā iwi taketake me ō tātou wheako tonu o nāianei.

text: He maimoa i ngā whakatupuranga anamata: Ko te mātauranga taketake o ngā tūpuna me te whakarea tamariki Kua āraua ki roto i te reo me ngā pūnaha mātauranga o ngā iwi taketake, ko ngā uara, ko ngā whakapono me ngā rapunga whakaaro e toko ake nei i tērā iwi. Kia whakahoropakitia tēnei ki roto o Aotearoa me Hawai‘i, i te whakaekenga o ō tātou kāinga tupu e ngā taua a te Pākehā me ngā tāmi o ngā tikanga whakawhenumi a te Kāwanantanga o muri, i tauwhatia ai te tuku o te reo Māori me te ‘ōlelo (reo) o Hawai‘i i waenga i ngā whakatupuranga, waihoki ko ngā māramatanga pūmau o roto i ngā reo i tauwhatia ai (Walker, 2004; Blaisdell & Mokuau, 1991). Ahakoa ēnei tauwhatinga, ka pupuri tonu tātou ki ngā karere i mau rā i te reo i roto i ngā ngā pātaka mātauranga a te Māori me nā kānaka (ngā tāngata) o Hawai‘i. Ko te mātauranga taketake, ngā kōrero o nehe me ngā ariā e āraua nei ki ngā tuhituhinga-ā-waha huhua, tae atu ki ngā whakataukī, ngā ‘ōlelo no‘eau, me ngā kīanga rongonui i tāngia hoki ki te pepa (Pukui, 1983). Ko te ia o ēnei momo kōrero tuku-iho taketake nei kei te kōrerotia i roto i ngā whakataukī me ngā ‘ōlelo no‘eau, he mea whakaara anō tēnei mātauranga ki ngā kaupapa whakaora reo ki Aotearoa me Hawai‘i. He momo mātauranga ēnei hei whakaara i a tātou kia mārama rawa ki ngā kano tirohanga o ō tātou tūpuna ki tō rātou ao, waihoki ko ngā hononga maha e paihere nei i a tātou ki ō tātou whanaunga.

Hei whāinga matua e āta arohaehae ana tēnei pepa i ngā momo tuhituhinga-ā-waha nei, arā ko te ‘ōlelo no‘eau me te whakataukī, kia tīroua ake ngā karere e hāngai ana ki ngā tamariki a te Māori rātou ko ngā kānaka o Hawai‘i me ngā pānga ki ngā mahi whakatupu tamariki o mua. Ka toro tēnei tuhinga ki te whakataukī me te ‘ōlelo no‘eau ki te whakapuaki i te mātauranga i mahue mai i ngā tūpuna hei rei arataki mā tātou ngā iwi taketake me ō tātou wheako tonu o nāianei.

year: 2017