title: The ‘problem’ of Asian women’s sexuality: public discourses in Aotearoa/New Zealand

authors: Simon-Kumar, Rachel

subjects: Asian

abstract: Public health research in New Zealand views Asian health - particularly, Asian women's sexual health issues - as a priority problem. In recent years, high rates of abortion and the growing incidence of unsafe sex among younger age Asian migrants have been publicised as a health concern. Public health research implicates migrant experiences and cultural factors as responsible for these trends. Loneliness and isolation among international students, inability to communicate effectively in English and lack of knowledge of available services are highlighted as reasons for the growing sexual ill-health in the Asian population in New Zealand. Extending from these, public health measures aim at improving culture-sensitive services, including targeted education. The present paper offers a critical commentary on these accepted public health perceptions that inform policy in New Zealand. It takes a Third World feminist approach to critique dominant public health discourses on Asian women's sexuality and questions the construction of knowledges about what are 'normal' and 'pathological' sexual practices. The paper revisits the data used to describe the 'problem' of Asian sexuality and argues that in order to understand sexual practices, it is important to query the cultural lenses that are used to describe and define them.

text: The ‘problem’ of Asian women’s sexuality: public discourses in Aotearoa/New Zealand Public health research in New Zealand views Asian health - particularly, Asian women's sexual health issues - as a priority problem. In recent years, high rates of abortion and the growing incidence of unsafe sex among younger age Asian migrants have been publicised as a health concern. Public health research implicates migrant experiences and cultural factors as responsible for these trends. Loneliness and isolation among international students, inability to communicate effectively in English and lack of knowledge of available services are highlighted as reasons for the growing sexual ill-health in the Asian population in New Zealand. Extending from these, public health measures aim at improving culture-sensitive services, including targeted education. The present paper offers a critical commentary on these accepted public health perceptions that inform policy in New Zealand. It takes a Third World feminist approach to critique dominant public health discourses on Asian women's sexuality and questions the construction of knowledges about what are 'normal' and 'pathological' sexual practices. The paper revisits the data used to describe the 'problem' of Asian sexuality and argues that in order to understand sexual practices, it is important to query the cultural lenses that are used to describe and define them.

year: 2009

title: Randomising block sizes for BlockCopy-based wind farm layout optimisation

authors: Mayo, Michael

subjects: computer science

abstract: The BlockCopy stochastic local search algorithm is a state-of-the-art optimiser for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem. Unlike many other metaheuristics-based optimisers, BlockCopy requires the specification of only one key parameter, namely a block size. In this paper, we investigate the effect on different block sizes on the optimisation results. Using standard benchmarks for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem, we show that smaller fixed block sizes (relative to overall layout size) produce better optimised layouts than larger fixed block sizes. More interestingly, we also show that randomising the block size parameter results in optimisation performance at the same or a better level than that produced by the best algorithm with a fixed block size. Effectively, this means that the user can ignore the need to tune the block size parameter and simply randomise it instead. Such a strategy results in what is effectively a parameterless, but none-the-less effective, optimisation algorithm for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem.

text: Randomising block sizes for BlockCopy-based wind farm layout optimisation The BlockCopy stochastic local search algorithm is a state-of-the-art optimiser for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem. Unlike many other metaheuristics-based optimisers, BlockCopy requires the specification of only one key parameter, namely a block size. In this paper, we investigate the effect on different block sizes on the optimisation results. Using standard benchmarks for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem, we show that smaller fixed block sizes (relative to overall layout size) produce better optimised layouts than larger fixed block sizes. More interestingly, we also show that randomising the block size parameter results in optimisation performance at the same or a better level than that produced by the best algorithm with a fixed block size. Effectively, this means that the user can ignore the need to tune the block size parameter and simply randomise it instead. Such a strategy results in what is effectively a parameterless, but none-the-less effective, optimisation algorithm for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem.

year: 2016

title: What is Māori typography?

authors: Kennedy, Nikki Eileen

subjects: Māori Design

abstract: Te Reo Māori was traditionally an oral language similar to many indigenous cultures. Writing systems were not familiar to Māori until 1769 where Māori were introduced to the written language by Pākehā. Early Māori writing can be found printed, carved and painted in a number of different parts of Māori society. These myriad texts were strongly influenced and inspired by Pākehā biblical texts and newspapers. The influence of Pākehā texts meant that overtime the written language of Te Reo Māori had a Pākehā visual identity.

To date, there is minimal research about the history and visual identity of Māori typography. The lack of research and resources about Māori typography confirms how underdeveloped Māori typography is and highlights the potential for research and development in this space.

This thesis aims to explore Māori typography. In particular, this thesis will provide an understanding of how Māori typography has evolved, addressing the perceptions of Māori text features and advice on design guidance of Māori typography.

Two studies within this thesis involved analysing the text-based features in 21 Māori newspapers dated from 1842-1935. Māori newspapers are a valuable resource that captured moments in history and also early displays of Māori text. The second study involved interviews with 50 participants — Māori and non-Māori, from a range of different backgrounds — who provided their understandings and perceptions surrounding the features of Māori text.

The results from these studies have shown that the serif typeface classification was commonly used in early print such as Māori newspapers. Serif lettering also reminded participants in our studies of early Māori texts such as old text books and newspapers. This appears to be the reason as to why, a strong theme of serifs and the style of Didone typefaces have been used throughout Māori typography and by default are recognised features of Māori typefaces today.

Having analysed Māori newspapers, an unexpected finding appeared in the 1908 Te Pipiwharauroa newspaper. Two unique letter characters were found that was revolution for Te Reo Māori text of the time. This oddity combined the ‘ng’ letters into one letter character and the ‘wh’ letters into one letter character also. The aim in combining the two letters together was to emphasise the one sound that the ‘ng’ and the ‘wh’ make to avoid confusion in the pronunciation of Māori words. The results showed that these two letter characters appeared from 1908 through to 1912. There is no evidence of these characters appearing after 1912 and also appearing in other newspapers. The two characters were a rare appearance of its time.

As a result of this research it is clear that the visual identity of Te Reo Māori remains unclear and was highly influenced by serif lettering. This thesis highlights the need for more research about Māori typography and design guidance for developing appropriate Māori typefaces that are influenced and inspired by Maori culture.

text: What is Māori typography? Te Reo Māori was traditionally an oral language similar to many indigenous cultures. Writing systems were not familiar to Māori until 1769 where Māori were introduced to the written language by Pākehā. Early Māori writing can be found printed, carved and painted in a number of different parts of Māori society. These myriad texts were strongly influenced and inspired by Pākehā biblical texts and newspapers. The influence of Pākehā texts meant that overtime the written language of Te Reo Māori had a Pākehā visual identity.

To date, there is minimal research about the history and visual identity of Māori typography. The lack of research and resources about Māori typography confirms how underdeveloped Māori typography is and highlights the potential for research and development in this space.

This thesis aims to explore Māori typography. In particular, this thesis will provide an understanding of how Māori typography has evolved, addressing the perceptions of Māori text features and advice on design guidance of Māori typography.

Two studies within this thesis involved analysing the text-based features in 21 Māori newspapers dated from 1842-1935. Māori newspapers are a valuable resource that captured moments in history and also early displays of Māori text. The second study involved interviews with 50 participants — Māori and non-Māori, from a range of different backgrounds — who provided their understandings and perceptions surrounding the features of Māori text.

The results from these studies have shown that the serif typeface classification was commonly used in early print such as Māori newspapers. Serif lettering also reminded participants in our studies of early Māori texts such as old text books and newspapers. This appears to be the reason as to why, a strong theme of serifs and the style of Didone typefaces have been used throughout Māori typography and by default are recognised features of Māori typefaces today.

Having analysed Māori newspapers, an unexpected finding appeared in the 1908 Te Pipiwharauroa newspaper. Two unique letter characters were found that was revolution for Te Reo Māori text of the time. This oddity combined the ‘ng’ letters into one letter character and the ‘wh’ letters into one letter character also. The aim in combining the two letters together was to emphasise the one sound that the ‘ng’ and the ‘wh’ make to avoid confusion in the pronunciation of Māori words. The results showed that these two letter characters appeared from 1908 through to 1912. There is no evidence of these characters appearing after 1912 and also appearing in other newspapers. The two characters were a rare appearance of its time.

As a result of this research it is clear that the visual identity of Te Reo Māori remains unclear and was highly influenced by serif lettering. This thesis highlights the need for more research about Māori typography and design guidance for developing appropriate Māori typefaces that are influenced and inspired by Maori culture.

year: 2020