title: The Philosophical Implications of Evolutionary Biology

authors: Hanik, Benjamin

subjects: evolution

abstract: 'The Philosophical Implications of Evolutionary Biology' is a philosophical enquiry written in dialogue form which asks the question 'how does modern evolutionary theory affect our notions of self and freewill?' The enquiry begins by examining the process of decision making, followed by an evolutionary explanation of how and why we make decisions. With this knowledge a theoretical value system is created which cumulatively describes the source of the perception of quality and the orientation of all human thought and behaviour. In conclusion a logical deadlock is reached: it becomes evident that our values are dictated by our evolutionary past, that we are trapped within this value system, and that even if we attempt to break free from it we inevitably fail because everything we do, even if it is designed to go directly against the system, is still inescapably directed by it.

text: The Philosophical Implications of Evolutionary Biology 'The Philosophical Implications of Evolutionary Biology' is a philosophical enquiry written in dialogue form which asks the question 'how does modern evolutionary theory affect our notions of self and freewill?' The enquiry begins by examining the process of decision making, followed by an evolutionary explanation of how and why we make decisions. With this knowledge a theoretical value system is created which cumulatively describes the source of the perception of quality and the orientation of all human thought and behaviour. In conclusion a logical deadlock is reached: it becomes evident that our values are dictated by our evolutionary past, that we are trapped within this value system, and that even if we attempt to break free from it we inevitably fail because everything we do, even if it is designed to go directly against the system, is still inescapably directed by it.

year: 2010

title: Social conflict in communities impacted by tourism

authors: Yang, Jingjing

subjects: China

abstract: This paper is based upon 12 months of ethnographic study while living among the Tuva and Kazakh people in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. Based on observation, interviews, participation and secondary documents the paper uses Coser's theory of Social Conflict to suggest a four part model of how tourism engenders different forms of social conflict and fluctuating alliances between stakeholders in an environment where tourism has been introduced by agents external to the indigenous community. The actors are ethnic groupings and members of those groups, governmental officials at local, regional and national level, intermediaries of the tourism industry and private sector entrepreneurs drawn from the majority and minority ethnic groups. Tensions are identified as being based on beliefs, resources and power, and a sequential pattern of primacy is identified consistent with stages of the tourist area life cycle.

text: Social conflict in communities impacted by tourism This paper is based upon 12 months of ethnographic study while living among the Tuva and Kazakh people in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. Based on observation, interviews, participation and secondary documents the paper uses Coser's theory of Social Conflict to suggest a four part model of how tourism engenders different forms of social conflict and fluctuating alliances between stakeholders in an environment where tourism has been introduced by agents external to the indigenous community. The actors are ethnic groupings and members of those groups, governmental officials at local, regional and national level, intermediaries of the tourism industry and private sector entrepreneurs drawn from the majority and minority ethnic groups. Tensions are identified as being based on beliefs, resources and power, and a sequential pattern of primacy is identified consistent with stages of the tourist area life cycle.

year: 2013

title: Māori academic success: Why the deficit perspectives?

authors: Aporosa, S. 'Apo'

subjects: Māori

abstract: Academics have long discussed the power of communication to both motivate and discourage. Concerning education, Paulo Freire (1997) had explained the dialogical learning process and the empowerment that comes from the inclusion of student knowledge. Alternatively, Carlson & Dimitriadis (2003) describe disempowerment and underachievement among Afro-American students resulting from societal expectations that they will fail. In a recent education environment scan focused on the Waikato-Tainui rohe, 28 kaupapa Māori education providers were identified as sites of high educational success, with one described as “outshining private schools and bucking national trends” (Carson, 2013). This aside, perceptions of generalized educational failure among Māori are commonplace in Aotearoa New Zealand. These impressions are fed by the media, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and in some cases, academic publications. This paper discusses the power of deficit models and counter-narratives to academic underachievement. This will be juxtaposed with commentary on why some students and their education providers within the Waikato-Tainui rohe appear to be unaffected by these counter- narratives and deficit theorizing.

text: Māori academic success: Why the deficit perspectives? Academics have long discussed the power of communication to both motivate and discourage. Concerning education, Paulo Freire (1997) had explained the dialogical learning process and the empowerment that comes from the inclusion of student knowledge. Alternatively, Carlson & Dimitriadis (2003) describe disempowerment and underachievement among Afro-American students resulting from societal expectations that they will fail. In a recent education environment scan focused on the Waikato-Tainui rohe, 28 kaupapa Māori education providers were identified as sites of high educational success, with one described as “outshining private schools and bucking national trends” (Carson, 2013). This aside, perceptions of generalized educational failure among Māori are commonplace in Aotearoa New Zealand. These impressions are fed by the media, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and in some cases, academic publications. This paper discusses the power of deficit models and counter-narratives to academic underachievement. This will be juxtaposed with commentary on why some students and their education providers within the Waikato-Tainui rohe appear to be unaffected by these counter- narratives and deficit theorizing.

year: 2016