title: Language death = identity death?: The role of Provençal in speaker identities

authors: Pickett, Jessica Valerie

subjects: Provençal

abstract: This thesis explores the role the Provençal language plays in the identities of those who speak, or are learning to speak the language. Twelve individuals, who were either teaching, learning or had been involved with Provençal, were interviewed in semi-structured interviews that lasted from 15 minutes to 90 minutes. The interviews were analysed to find the participants’ motivations and opinions in learning or teaching Provençal and how this reflected or impacted on their identity.
Language-and-identity is a popular discourse amongst activists, linguists and academics in the field of language revival and maintenance. By interviewing the participants who were directly involved with Provençal, and analysing the role that Provençal plays in their identities, this research strengthened the arguments for the revival and maintenance of Provençal voiced in the language-and-identity argument. 
The participants’ opinions mirrored those set out in the language-and-identity discourse. The emergence of several themes – identity, aesthetics and status – showed the different ways in which Provençal was reflected in or impacted on the participants’ identities. Personal connection through personal history, family, regional ties and interest were the main factors in the identity theme. Aesthetics dealt with the Provençal language, and the way the participants perceived it, and how this reflected on them. Status was about the other, how other groups in society are perceived to feel about Provençal, and the actions they take (or do not take) because of these feelings.
These findings constitute the need for further research into language and identity in a Provençal context, particularly the economic effects of a non-validated linguistic identity, and the role of technology in facilitating the validation of speakers’ identities.

text: Language death = identity death?: The role of Provençal in speaker identities This thesis explores the role the Provençal language plays in the identities of those who speak, or are learning to speak the language. Twelve individuals, who were either teaching, learning or had been involved with Provençal, were interviewed in semi-structured interviews that lasted from 15 minutes to 90 minutes. The interviews were analysed to find the participants’ motivations and opinions in learning or teaching Provençal and how this reflected or impacted on their identity.
Language-and-identity is a popular discourse amongst activists, linguists and academics in the field of language revival and maintenance. By interviewing the participants who were directly involved with Provençal, and analysing the role that Provençal plays in their identities, this research strengthened the arguments for the revival and maintenance of Provençal voiced in the language-and-identity argument. 
The participants’ opinions mirrored those set out in the language-and-identity discourse. The emergence of several themes – identity, aesthetics and status – showed the different ways in which Provençal was reflected in or impacted on the participants’ identities. Personal connection through personal history, family, regional ties and interest were the main factors in the identity theme. Aesthetics dealt with the Provençal language, and the way the participants perceived it, and how this reflected on them. Status was about the other, how other groups in society are perceived to feel about Provençal, and the actions they take (or do not take) because of these feelings.
These findings constitute the need for further research into language and identity in a Provençal context, particularly the economic effects of a non-validated linguistic identity, and the role of technology in facilitating the validation of speakers’ identities.

year: 2013

title: Agricultural land management strategies to reduce phosphorus loads in the Gippsland Lakes, Australia

authors: Roberts, Anna M.

subjects: Benefit:Cost analysis

abstract: A target to reduce phosphorus flows into the Gippsland Lakes in south-eastern Australia by 40% in order to improve water quality has previously been established by stakeholders. This target, like many others worldwide, has been set mostly on the basis of environmental concerns, with limited consideration of issues such as technical feasibility, socio-economic constraints, political factors and associated costs and benefits. An integrated analysis at the catchment scale is undertaken to assess the agricultural land management changes required to achieve this target, and to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these changes. Based on assumptions used, it appears technically feasible to achieve a 40% reduction in P load entering the Lakes. However, the least-costly way of doing so would require around A$1 billion over 25 years, a dramatic increase in the current levels of funding provided for management. Results of a sensitivity analysis indicate that there is little or no chance of investment in a 40% reduction being cost-effective. On the other hand, a 20% P reduction could be achieved at much lower cost: around $80 million over 25 years and requiring more modest land-management changes. Reliance on voluntary adoption of ‘Current Recommended Practices’ is unlikely to deliver changes in management practices at the scale required to have sufficient environmental impacts. Enforcement of existing regulations for the dairy industry would be amongst the most cost-effective management strategies. The major implications of this work for agriculturally induced diffuse-source pollution include the need for feedback between goal setting and program costs, and consideration of factors such as the levels of landholder adoption of new practices that are required and the feasibility of achieving those adoption levels. Costs, landholder adoption of new practices and socio-political risks appear neglected in the formulation of many water quality programs. The study provides a demonstration of an approach to integrated multidisciplinary research addressing complex environmental problems with multiple decision makers, multiple stakeholders, and high uncertainty. On the evidence of experience in this study, the approach deserves consideration in other contexts.

text: Agricultural land management strategies to reduce phosphorus loads in the Gippsland Lakes, Australia A target to reduce phosphorus flows into the Gippsland Lakes in south-eastern Australia by 40% in order to improve water quality has previously been established by stakeholders. This target, like many others worldwide, has been set mostly on the basis of environmental concerns, with limited consideration of issues such as technical feasibility, socio-economic constraints, political factors and associated costs and benefits. An integrated analysis at the catchment scale is undertaken to assess the agricultural land management changes required to achieve this target, and to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these changes. Based on assumptions used, it appears technically feasible to achieve a 40% reduction in P load entering the Lakes. However, the least-costly way of doing so would require around A$1 billion over 25 years, a dramatic increase in the current levels of funding provided for management. Results of a sensitivity analysis indicate that there is little or no chance of investment in a 40% reduction being cost-effective. On the other hand, a 20% P reduction could be achieved at much lower cost: around $80 million over 25 years and requiring more modest land-management changes. Reliance on voluntary adoption of ‘Current Recommended Practices’ is unlikely to deliver changes in management practices at the scale required to have sufficient environmental impacts. Enforcement of existing regulations for the dairy industry would be amongst the most cost-effective management strategies. The major implications of this work for agriculturally induced diffuse-source pollution include the need for feedback between goal setting and program costs, and consideration of factors such as the levels of landholder adoption of new practices that are required and the feasibility of achieving those adoption levels. Costs, landholder adoption of new practices and socio-political risks appear neglected in the formulation of many water quality programs. The study provides a demonstration of an approach to integrated multidisciplinary research addressing complex environmental problems with multiple decision makers, multiple stakeholders, and high uncertainty. On the evidence of experience in this study, the approach deserves consideration in other contexts.

year: 2012

title: Iwi, institutes, societies & community led initiatives

authors: Whaanga, Hēmi

abstract: With the rapid evolution, innovation and incredible growth of ICT, the avenues to exchange, access, manage, create, disseminate, display and research Indigenous data and Mātauranga Māori have increased at astounding rates. This generation, often referred to as ‘digital natives', ‘homo zappiëns’, ‘Net generation’, ‘millennials’, ‘i-generation’ (see, for example Akçayır, Dündar, & Akçayır, 2016; Kirschner & De Bruyckere, 2017; Prensky, 2001; Yong & Gates, 2014), have been raised, immersed and exposed to a myriad of digital technologies, video games, computers, digital music players and cellular phones during their brief lifetimes. Technologies have dramatically transformed how each generation access, communicate, share knowledge, distribute and view information. Social networks like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Pinterest, Tumblr and social networking apps such as Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat, QQ Chat, QZone, Viber, LINE, and Snapchat, with billons of active users per month, are as familiar to this generation as was the radio, television and landline telephones to the Baby Boomers who grew up with pre-cellphone mobile technology.

text: Iwi, institutes, societies & community led initiatives With the rapid evolution, innovation and incredible growth of ICT, the avenues to exchange, access, manage, create, disseminate, display and research Indigenous data and Mātauranga Māori have increased at astounding rates. This generation, often referred to as ‘digital natives', ‘homo zappiëns’, ‘Net generation’, ‘millennials’, ‘i-generation’ (see, for example Akçayır, Dündar, & Akçayır, 2016; Kirschner & De Bruyckere, 2017; Prensky, 2001; Yong & Gates, 2014), have been raised, immersed and exposed to a myriad of digital technologies, video games, computers, digital music players and cellular phones during their brief lifetimes. Technologies have dramatically transformed how each generation access, communicate, share knowledge, distribute and view information. Social networks like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Pinterest, Tumblr and social networking apps such as Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat, QQ Chat, QZone, Viber, LINE, and Snapchat, with billons of active users per month, are as familiar to this generation as was the radio, television and landline telephones to the Baby Boomers who grew up with pre-cellphone mobile technology.

year: 2017