title: The Bom Santo Cave (Lisbon, Portugal): Catchment, Diet, and Patterns of Mobility of a Middle Neolithic Population

authors: Carvalho, António F.

subjects: Social Sciences

abstract: The study of the Bom Santo Cave (central Portugal), a Neolithic cemetery, indicated a complex social, palaeoeconomic and population scenario. With isotope, aDNA and provenience analyses of raw materials coupled with stylistic variability of material culture items and palaeogeographical data light is shed on the territory and social organization of a population dated to 3800–3400 cal BC, i.e. the middle phase of the period. Results indicate an itinerant farming, segmentary society, where exogamic practices were the norm and patrilocality probably predominated. Its lifeway may be that of the earliest megalithic builders of the region, but further research is needed to correctly evaluate the degree of participation in such phenomenon.

text: The Bom Santo Cave (Lisbon, Portugal): Catchment, Diet, and Patterns of Mobility of a Middle Neolithic Population The study of the Bom Santo Cave (central Portugal), a Neolithic cemetery, indicated a complex social, palaeoeconomic and population scenario. With isotope, aDNA and provenience analyses of raw materials coupled with stylistic variability of material culture items and palaeogeographical data light is shed on the territory and social organization of a population dated to 3800–3400 cal BC, i.e. the middle phase of the period. Results indicate an itinerant farming, segmentary society, where exogamic practices were the norm and patrilocality probably predominated. Its lifeway may be that of the earliest megalithic builders of the region, but further research is needed to correctly evaluate the degree of participation in such phenomenon.

year: 2016

title: Sexual assaults on gay and bisexual men: Barriers to reporting to the police

authors: Patlakas, Peter

subjects: sexual assault

abstract: Sexual assault is a matter of public concern that affects many individuals globally, regardless of their gender and sexual orientation.  With many survivors of sexual assaults choosing not to report their victimisation to police, it appears that prevalence rates based on reports made to the police represent only a fraction of the actual occurrence of assaults.  This is especially the case where assaults on gay and bisexual men are concerned.  This study examined the barriers gay and bisexual male survivors of sexual assaults face in reporting their victimisation to the police.
This study aimed to address a lack in New Zealand based research on the topic and develop an overall representation of the various barriers these survivors may encounter, as well as solutions for their reduction.  This was achieved by conducting semi-structured interviews with six service providers functioning as key informants and four gay/bisexual male survivors of sexual assault.  Interviews were recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis.  The qualitative software NVivo was used to allow for the development and organisation of themes and subthemes from the interview data collected.  Four themes were identified pertaining to barriers: personal, social, institutional, and abuse-specific.  Personal and social barriers were more readily recognised than those within the institutional and abuse-specific themes.  A fifth theme, the reduction theme, emerged in relation to suggestions for decreasing barriers.
The following eight barrier areas were identified within the personal barrier theme: defence mechanisms, cognitive mindset, revisiting, knowledge, emotions, privacy/confidentiality, past experience, and mental health.  The social theme consisted of nine barrier areas: family, queer community, support, culture and religion, homosexuality and gender, myths, judgement, homophobia and prejudice, and location and environment.  Seven barrier areas were identified within the institutional theme: poor responses, services and counselling, cons to reporting, the law, court dynamics, limitations, and police.  The abuse-specific barrier theme consisted of nine barrier areas: time, need for proof, victim-perpetrator relationship, age, drugs and alcohol, disclosure of details, consent issues, report scrutiny, and labelling and defining.
Finally, six areas were identified pertaining to the reduction of barriers: services, youth, police, information, reporting process, and societal attitudes.  Many of the suggestions for reduction methods, such as increasing police training and services offered within the queer community, were seen to be beneficial, yet they may still be subject to various difficulties in their implementation, such as funding concerns.
Queer-specific barrier aspects were deemed important to account for in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic.  Various linkages between barriers also emerged, effectively making a decision to report to the police even harder for survivors.  A case study based on one of the survivors interviewed helped to illustrate this complex weaving of barriers.
Further research is needed to examine these barriers on deeper levels, particularly in terms of addressing any differences between youth and adult survivors.  The results of this study serve as the first step in developing the foundation to bring information on this topic to the forefront of New Zealand research in the area.

text: Sexual assaults on gay and bisexual men: Barriers to reporting to the police Sexual assault is a matter of public concern that affects many individuals globally, regardless of their gender and sexual orientation.  With many survivors of sexual assaults choosing not to report their victimisation to police, it appears that prevalence rates based on reports made to the police represent only a fraction of the actual occurrence of assaults.  This is especially the case where assaults on gay and bisexual men are concerned.  This study examined the barriers gay and bisexual male survivors of sexual assaults face in reporting their victimisation to the police.
This study aimed to address a lack in New Zealand based research on the topic and develop an overall representation of the various barriers these survivors may encounter, as well as solutions for their reduction.  This was achieved by conducting semi-structured interviews with six service providers functioning as key informants and four gay/bisexual male survivors of sexual assault.  Interviews were recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis.  The qualitative software NVivo was used to allow for the development and organisation of themes and subthemes from the interview data collected.  Four themes were identified pertaining to barriers: personal, social, institutional, and abuse-specific.  Personal and social barriers were more readily recognised than those within the institutional and abuse-specific themes.  A fifth theme, the reduction theme, emerged in relation to suggestions for decreasing barriers.
The following eight barrier areas were identified within the personal barrier theme: defence mechanisms, cognitive mindset, revisiting, knowledge, emotions, privacy/confidentiality, past experience, and mental health.  The social theme consisted of nine barrier areas: family, queer community, support, culture and religion, homosexuality and gender, myths, judgement, homophobia and prejudice, and location and environment.  Seven barrier areas were identified within the institutional theme: poor responses, services and counselling, cons to reporting, the law, court dynamics, limitations, and police.  The abuse-specific barrier theme consisted of nine barrier areas: time, need for proof, victim-perpetrator relationship, age, drugs and alcohol, disclosure of details, consent issues, report scrutiny, and labelling and defining.
Finally, six areas were identified pertaining to the reduction of barriers: services, youth, police, information, reporting process, and societal attitudes.  Many of the suggestions for reduction methods, such as increasing police training and services offered within the queer community, were seen to be beneficial, yet they may still be subject to various difficulties in their implementation, such as funding concerns.
Queer-specific barrier aspects were deemed important to account for in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic.  Various linkages between barriers also emerged, effectively making a decision to report to the police even harder for survivors.  A case study based on one of the survivors interviewed helped to illustrate this complex weaving of barriers.
Further research is needed to examine these barriers on deeper levels, particularly in terms of addressing any differences between youth and adult survivors.  The results of this study serve as the first step in developing the foundation to bring information on this topic to the forefront of New Zealand research in the area.

year: 2013

title: Mahi Toi Skills in Contemporary Education, Training and Maori Development

authors: Joseph, Makarita Ngapine Tangitu

subjects: Kia mau ki nga taonga tuku iho o nga tupuna

abstract: Since the 1980’s, national investment in human capital and skill formation policy in education has been promoted as key to economic success and social inclusion. Social inclusion, however, is often expressed as helping citizens to become employable. Although employability is a key focus of skills formation and education policy, the context of the western ideologies that it derives from and caters to perpetuates the exclusion of mahi toi (arts and crafts) skills in education. Using a kaupapa Māori approach, two key informants who specialise and teach mahi toi skills, either rāranga (weaving) or pounamu (jade/greenstone), were interviewed. The aim was to get a better understanding of how these skills can contribute to personal, professional and Māori development in the 21st century, and to provide information indicating where and how these skills can be learnt, either through private training enterprises (PTE) or public tertiary educational institutions (TEI), thereby highlighting the value of teaching and learning rāranga and pounamu skills. Findings from analysing their pūrākau indicate that learning rāranga or pounamu skills can provide a foundation for believing in your potential, contribute to cultural identity, improve confidence and communication skills, help an individual be bestowed or acquire mana, offer a type of therapy, enhance career progression and professional identity, provide financial rewards and stability, and help with the revitalisation and transfer of cultural knowledge. Ultimately, it is concluded that mahi toi skills such as rāranga and pounamu can contribute to the development of an individual’s personal and professional lives, but also has benefits for the organisation where they become employed as well as extended whānau, hapū and iwi.

text: Mahi Toi Skills in Contemporary Education, Training and Maori Development Since the 1980’s, national investment in human capital and skill formation policy in education has been promoted as key to economic success and social inclusion. Social inclusion, however, is often expressed as helping citizens to become employable. Although employability is a key focus of skills formation and education policy, the context of the western ideologies that it derives from and caters to perpetuates the exclusion of mahi toi (arts and crafts) skills in education. Using a kaupapa Māori approach, two key informants who specialise and teach mahi toi skills, either rāranga (weaving) or pounamu (jade/greenstone), were interviewed. The aim was to get a better understanding of how these skills can contribute to personal, professional and Māori development in the 21st century, and to provide information indicating where and how these skills can be learnt, either through private training enterprises (PTE) or public tertiary educational institutions (TEI), thereby highlighting the value of teaching and learning rāranga and pounamu skills. Findings from analysing their pūrākau indicate that learning rāranga or pounamu skills can provide a foundation for believing in your potential, contribute to cultural identity, improve confidence and communication skills, help an individual be bestowed or acquire mana, offer a type of therapy, enhance career progression and professional identity, provide financial rewards and stability, and help with the revitalisation and transfer of cultural knowledge. Ultimately, it is concluded that mahi toi skills such as rāranga and pounamu can contribute to the development of an individual’s personal and professional lives, but also has benefits for the organisation where they become employed as well as extended whānau, hapū and iwi.

year: 2018