title: Domestic violence, discourses of romantic love, and complex personhood in the law

authors: Seuffert, Nan

abstract: The assumption that it is contradictory for women to love men who abuse them physically, psychologically and sexually is sometimes used in cross-examination of women who have been in abusive relationships to suggest that they are lying about the abuse, or to impinge their credibility as witnesses. This article challenges that assumption by considering selected dominant discourses of romantic love that constrain women's narratives of love and integrate domestic violence as part of love. The article then invokes the spectre of the jurisdiction of women's Courts of Love, highlighting the common law's repression of jurisdiction over matters of love, its lack of precedent within which to interpret women's statements of love, and its focus on relationships as functions of property. The constraints of discourses of love, the lack of common law precedents, and the paradoxical project of asserting agency in the act of constructing oneself as an object of love, all circulate in the courtroom dynamic in which women make statements of love about abusive men.

text: Domestic violence, discourses of romantic love, and complex personhood in the law The assumption that it is contradictory for women to love men who abuse them physically, psychologically and sexually is sometimes used in cross-examination of women who have been in abusive relationships to suggest that they are lying about the abuse, or to impinge their credibility as witnesses. This article challenges that assumption by considering selected dominant discourses of romantic love that constrain women's narratives of love and integrate domestic violence as part of love. The article then invokes the spectre of the jurisdiction of women's Courts of Love, highlighting the common law's repression of jurisdiction over matters of love, its lack of precedent within which to interpret women's statements of love, and its focus on relationships as functions of property. The constraints of discourses of love, the lack of common law precedents, and the paradoxical project of asserting agency in the act of constructing oneself as an object of love, all circulate in the courtroom dynamic in which women make statements of love about abusive men.

year: 1999-04-01

title: Evaluating the properties, fate and individual-to-ecosystem level impacts of contrasting microplastics in freshwaters

authors: McKie, Brendan G.

subjects: Environmental Sciences

abstract: Microplastic particles (MPs) are fragments, fibres and other shapes derived from plastic polymers in the size range of 1–5 000 μm. Concern about the environmental impacts of MPs and their implications for human wellbeing has never been higher. Unfortunately, growth in the empirical understanding of the dynamics and impacts of MPs lags behind. This hinders the capacity of scientists, managers and policymakers to address public concerns about the true level of risk posed by MPs, and to develop effective management, policy and governance strategies for eliminating or reducing those risks. Research on the behaviour and impacts of MPs in freshwater ecosystems is especially deficient, despite their vulnerability to inputs of plastic waste (e.g. via storm water and other terrestrial runoff), and their capacity to act as key transport pathways through the landscape. This represents a substantial black box in our understanding of the dynamics of MPs from inland to the ocean. In seven research activities (5 mesocosm experiments, 1 field study and 1 literature review) we addressed two broad research questions :a) Initial fate and environmental interactions of MP particles in streams, including biofilm formation and sorption of chemical stressors b) Ecological impacts of MPs on resource consumption, growth and survival of organisms, and on key ecosystem processes. Among our key results addressing the initial fate and biofilm formation of MP particles, we found that (i) biofilm formation generally made denser particles more buoyant and caused more buoyant particles to sink faster, (ii) biofilms on polystyrene MPs supported more cyanobacteria than other polymers, and (iii) aquatic macrophytes increase MP retention by up to 94 %. Among our key results addressing the ecological impacts of MPs, we found that almost all MP shapes and polymers studied had one or more effects on stream microbial organisms and associated ecosystem processes (e.g. microbial respiration, detritus breakdown), and/or on the life history of a model macroinvertebrate detritivore. We also provide evidence that effects of MPs on microbial organisms can propagate up food-chains to affect consumer growth and fat storage. Some MP impacts were similar to those of naturally occurring organic and inorganic particles, whilst others represented a risk over and above that associated with natural particles. The number of MP impacts detected in our experiments provides sufficient basis for “moving beyond the precautionary principle” when motivating a need for monitoring and management – there is now sufficient evidence that MPs alter key aspects of the functioning of stream benthic food webs to motivate a need for action. Based on our results, we further provide a series of recommendations for monitoring, policy and management targeting MPs, and for future research.

text: Evaluating the properties, fate and individual-to-ecosystem level impacts of contrasting microplastics in freshwaters Microplastic particles (MPs) are fragments, fibres and other shapes derived from plastic polymers in the size range of 1–5 000 μm. Concern about the environmental impacts of MPs and their implications for human wellbeing has never been higher. Unfortunately, growth in the empirical understanding of the dynamics and impacts of MPs lags behind. This hinders the capacity of scientists, managers and policymakers to address public concerns about the true level of risk posed by MPs, and to develop effective management, policy and governance strategies for eliminating or reducing those risks. Research on the behaviour and impacts of MPs in freshwater ecosystems is especially deficient, despite their vulnerability to inputs of plastic waste (e.g. via storm water and other terrestrial runoff), and their capacity to act as key transport pathways through the landscape. This represents a substantial black box in our understanding of the dynamics of MPs from inland to the ocean. In seven research activities (5 mesocosm experiments, 1 field study and 1 literature review) we addressed two broad research questions :a) Initial fate and environmental interactions of MP particles in streams, including biofilm formation and sorption of chemical stressors b) Ecological impacts of MPs on resource consumption, growth and survival of organisms, and on key ecosystem processes. Among our key results addressing the initial fate and biofilm formation of MP particles, we found that (i) biofilm formation generally made denser particles more buoyant and caused more buoyant particles to sink faster, (ii) biofilms on polystyrene MPs supported more cyanobacteria than other polymers, and (iii) aquatic macrophytes increase MP retention by up to 94 %. Among our key results addressing the ecological impacts of MPs, we found that almost all MP shapes and polymers studied had one or more effects on stream microbial organisms and associated ecosystem processes (e.g. microbial respiration, detritus breakdown), and/or on the life history of a model macroinvertebrate detritivore. We also provide evidence that effects of MPs on microbial organisms can propagate up food-chains to affect consumer growth and fat storage. Some MP impacts were similar to those of naturally occurring organic and inorganic particles, whilst others represented a risk over and above that associated with natural particles. The number of MP impacts detected in our experiments provides sufficient basis for “moving beyond the precautionary principle” when motivating a need for monitoring and management – there is now sufficient evidence that MPs alter key aspects of the functioning of stream benthic food webs to motivate a need for action. Based on our results, we further provide a series of recommendations for monitoring, policy and management targeting MPs, and for future research.

year: 2023-06

title: Maori children : Conceptions of Death and Tangihanga

authors: Jacob, Juanita Emily

subjects: Maori

abstract: Research pertaining to Maori children‟s experiences and perceptions of death and tangihanga is sparse. Much of what is available, relating to children and their experiences with death, particularly death of a loved one, is generalised and stems from Western paradigms of knowledge. In contrast, this study aimed to investigate Maori children‟s experience relating to death and tangi through the eyes of Maori parents. Five areas were explored with Maori parents: (1) childhood experiences of Maori parents relating to death and tangi, (2) parental conceptualisation pertaining to ideas of an afterlife (3) how and when Maori parents talk with children about topics relating to death, tangi and an afterlife (4) how Maori children understand and conceptualise these events, and (5) how these practices will continue on in the future. Findings of this study suggest that Maori children: (a) received abundant support from kinship networks to help them cope with their grief, (b) they were included and involved in all aspects relating to death and tangi, (c) they were encouraged to express emotions openly and without restraint, (d) they understood and comprehended death through personal experience and exposure to tangi, (e) the business of grieving came secondary to the fact that tangi was more like a holiday with family, (f) Maori parents informed and talked to their children about death and tangi, and (g) they often use both Christian ideologies and cultural beliefs to explained death and afterlife to their children. From this study we learn that death was not hidden from children, that parents talked with their children in very open and age relevant ways, and considered their children‟s participation in tangi as an important way to grieve and ensure continuity with kinship networks and support. This study suggests that the challenge now is to ensure that these practices continue to persist between parents and their children, and continue on through generations.

text: Maori children : Conceptions of Death and Tangihanga Research pertaining to Maori children‟s experiences and perceptions of death and tangihanga is sparse. Much of what is available, relating to children and their experiences with death, particularly death of a loved one, is generalised and stems from Western paradigms of knowledge. In contrast, this study aimed to investigate Maori children‟s experience relating to death and tangi through the eyes of Maori parents. Five areas were explored with Maori parents: (1) childhood experiences of Maori parents relating to death and tangi, (2) parental conceptualisation pertaining to ideas of an afterlife (3) how and when Maori parents talk with children about topics relating to death, tangi and an afterlife (4) how Maori children understand and conceptualise these events, and (5) how these practices will continue on in the future. Findings of this study suggest that Maori children: (a) received abundant support from kinship networks to help them cope with their grief, (b) they were included and involved in all aspects relating to death and tangi, (c) they were encouraged to express emotions openly and without restraint, (d) they understood and comprehended death through personal experience and exposure to tangi, (e) the business of grieving came secondary to the fact that tangi was more like a holiday with family, (f) Maori parents informed and talked to their children about death and tangi, and (g) they often use both Christian ideologies and cultural beliefs to explained death and afterlife to their children. From this study we learn that death was not hidden from children, that parents talked with their children in very open and age relevant ways, and considered their children‟s participation in tangi as an important way to grieve and ensure continuity with kinship networks and support. This study suggests that the challenge now is to ensure that these practices continue to persist between parents and their children, and continue on through generations.

year: 2011