title: A Poststructural Autoethnography: Self as event

authors: Moneypenny, Paula Dian

subjects: Poststructural autoethnography

abstract: This thesis takes the form of a poststructural autoethnography. It explores self as event in order to illustrate the fluid nature of self identities, and is informed by the writings of Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. In tandem with these theorists, I turn to the work of Michael White, narrative therapist, in my use of his Migration of Identity map (White, 1995) and the eight-point conversational map he developed to address personal failure (White, 2002). 

The launching points for my research were selected stories that significantly shaped my life, specifically two storylines of how I became mired in problem stories of blame and failure that lead to exhaustion and burnout. Taking a poststructural narrative therapeutic perspective has opened up space to bring forward subordinate, alternative stories that were previously overpowered by problem stories. In the process of troubling the discourses, and sedimented practices of those events and their subsequent effects, I have had opportunity to open up the possibility of transformation – taking off in lines of flight. Through plugging in to Deleuzo-Guattarian concepts, I also explore a professional relationship I had with my plastic surgeon across the decomposition and re-composition of facial identity.

Drawing on the work of Deleuze and Guattari (1987) made transformation possible, a freeing up of the constraining lines of force, movement that takes the research subject (my self) into different territory of being. The research became an opportunity to explore a migration of identity and to act to open the possibility for conceiving of self as fluid, a work in progress, self as a work of art. 

Writing plays an important part in this research and in bringing the self into existence. To this end, the thesis charts the course of a journey of compassionately witnessing self, and in the process, both reveals and troubles the positions offered and refused by the subject. 

Finally, this autoethnography is a journey towards ethical reflexive practice as it connects me to my desire to do the right thing – to become an ethical counselling practitioner, and to highlight the movement of becoming. I understand this reflexivity to be a continual process that makes possible a questioning of practice that explores effects of the work I do, how it contributes to others’ lives, and how others contribute to my life. I explore the process of becoming different through this witnessing of self, and, in the process, discover how this makes a compassionate witnessing of other possible. Witnessing of other brings me closer to doing hope in community, while, at the same time, scales it down to make it do-able, reasonable hope. This heightened awareness makes possible the witnessing of sparkling moments in therapeutic conversations and makes visible the possible in the impossible, and the impossible in the possible.

text: A Poststructural Autoethnography: Self as event This thesis takes the form of a poststructural autoethnography. It explores self as event in order to illustrate the fluid nature of self identities, and is informed by the writings of Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. In tandem with these theorists, I turn to the work of Michael White, narrative therapist, in my use of his Migration of Identity map (White, 1995) and the eight-point conversational map he developed to address personal failure (White, 2002). 

The launching points for my research were selected stories that significantly shaped my life, specifically two storylines of how I became mired in problem stories of blame and failure that lead to exhaustion and burnout. Taking a poststructural narrative therapeutic perspective has opened up space to bring forward subordinate, alternative stories that were previously overpowered by problem stories. In the process of troubling the discourses, and sedimented practices of those events and their subsequent effects, I have had opportunity to open up the possibility of transformation – taking off in lines of flight. Through plugging in to Deleuzo-Guattarian concepts, I also explore a professional relationship I had with my plastic surgeon across the decomposition and re-composition of facial identity.

Drawing on the work of Deleuze and Guattari (1987) made transformation possible, a freeing up of the constraining lines of force, movement that takes the research subject (my self) into different territory of being. The research became an opportunity to explore a migration of identity and to act to open the possibility for conceiving of self as fluid, a work in progress, self as a work of art. 

Writing plays an important part in this research and in bringing the self into existence. To this end, the thesis charts the course of a journey of compassionately witnessing self, and in the process, both reveals and troubles the positions offered and refused by the subject. 

Finally, this autoethnography is a journey towards ethical reflexive practice as it connects me to my desire to do the right thing – to become an ethical counselling practitioner, and to highlight the movement of becoming. I understand this reflexivity to be a continual process that makes possible a questioning of practice that explores effects of the work I do, how it contributes to others’ lives, and how others contribute to my life. I explore the process of becoming different through this witnessing of self, and, in the process, discover how this makes a compassionate witnessing of other possible. Witnessing of other brings me closer to doing hope in community, while, at the same time, scales it down to make it do-able, reasonable hope. This heightened awareness makes possible the witnessing of sparkling moments in therapeutic conversations and makes visible the possible in the impossible, and the impossible in the possible.

year: 2013

title: Dynamics and precursor signs for phase transitions in neural systems

authors: Negahbani, Ehsan

subjects: nonlinear dynamics

abstract: This thesis investigates neural state transitions associated with sleep, seizure and anaesthesia. The aim is to address the question: How does a brain traverse the critical threshold between distinct cortical states, both healthy and pathological? Specifically we are interested in sub-threshold neural behaviour immediately prior to state transition. We use theoretical neural modelling (single spiking neurons, a network of these, and a mean-field continuum limit) and in vitro experiments to address this question.
Dynamically realistic equations of motion for thalamic relay neuron, reticular nuclei, cortical pyramidal and cortical interneuron in different vigilance states are developed, based on the Izhikevich spiking neuron model. A network of cortical neurons is assembled to examine the behaviour of the gamma-producing cortical network and its transition to lower frequencies due to effect of anaesthesia. Then a three-neuron model for the thalamocortical loop for sleep spindles is presented. Numerical simulations of these networks confirms spiking consistent with reported in vivo measurement results, and provides supporting evidence for precursor indicators of imminent phase transition due to occurrence of individual spindles.
To complement the spiking neuron networks, we study the Wilson–Cowan neural mass equations describing homogeneous cortical columns and a 1D spatial cluster of such columns. The abstract representation of cortical tissue by a pair of coupled integro-differential equations permits thorough linear stability, phase plane and bifurcation analyses. This model shows a rich set of spatial and temporal bifurcations marking the boundary to state transitions: saddle-node, Hopf, Turing, and mixed Hopf–Turing. Close to state transition, white-noise-induced subthreshold fluctuations show clear signs of critical slowing down with prolongation and strengthening of autocorrelations, both in time and space, irrespective of bifurcation type.
Attempts at in vitro capture of these predicted leading indicators form the last part of the thesis. We recorded local field potentials (LFPs) from cortical and hippocampal slices of mouse brain. State transition is marked by the emergence and cessation of spontaneous seizure-like events (SLEs) induced by bathing the slices in an artificial cerebral spinal fluid containing no magnesium ions. Phase-plane analysis of the LFP time-series suggests that distinct bifurcation classes can be responsible for state change to seizure. Increased variance and growth of spectral power at low frequencies (f < 15 Hz) was observed in LFP recordings prior to initiation of some SLEs. In addition we demonstrated prolongation of electrically evoked potentials in cortical tissue, while forwarding the slice to a seizing regime. The results offer the possibility of capturing leading temporal indicators prior to seizure generation, with potential consequences for understanding epileptogenesis.
Guided by dynamical systems theory this thesis captures evidence for precursor signs of phase transitions in neural systems using mathematical and computer-based modelling as well as in vitro experiments.

text: Dynamics and precursor signs for phase transitions in neural systems This thesis investigates neural state transitions associated with sleep, seizure and anaesthesia. The aim is to address the question: How does a brain traverse the critical threshold between distinct cortical states, both healthy and pathological? Specifically we are interested in sub-threshold neural behaviour immediately prior to state transition. We use theoretical neural modelling (single spiking neurons, a network of these, and a mean-field continuum limit) and in vitro experiments to address this question.
Dynamically realistic equations of motion for thalamic relay neuron, reticular nuclei, cortical pyramidal and cortical interneuron in different vigilance states are developed, based on the Izhikevich spiking neuron model. A network of cortical neurons is assembled to examine the behaviour of the gamma-producing cortical network and its transition to lower frequencies due to effect of anaesthesia. Then a three-neuron model for the thalamocortical loop for sleep spindles is presented. Numerical simulations of these networks confirms spiking consistent with reported in vivo measurement results, and provides supporting evidence for precursor indicators of imminent phase transition due to occurrence of individual spindles.
To complement the spiking neuron networks, we study the Wilson–Cowan neural mass equations describing homogeneous cortical columns and a 1D spatial cluster of such columns. The abstract representation of cortical tissue by a pair of coupled integro-differential equations permits thorough linear stability, phase plane and bifurcation analyses. This model shows a rich set of spatial and temporal bifurcations marking the boundary to state transitions: saddle-node, Hopf, Turing, and mixed Hopf–Turing. Close to state transition, white-noise-induced subthreshold fluctuations show clear signs of critical slowing down with prolongation and strengthening of autocorrelations, both in time and space, irrespective of bifurcation type.
Attempts at in vitro capture of these predicted leading indicators form the last part of the thesis. We recorded local field potentials (LFPs) from cortical and hippocampal slices of mouse brain. State transition is marked by the emergence and cessation of spontaneous seizure-like events (SLEs) induced by bathing the slices in an artificial cerebral spinal fluid containing no magnesium ions. Phase-plane analysis of the LFP time-series suggests that distinct bifurcation classes can be responsible for state change to seizure. Increased variance and growth of spectral power at low frequencies (f < 15 Hz) was observed in LFP recordings prior to initiation of some SLEs. In addition we demonstrated prolongation of electrically evoked potentials in cortical tissue, while forwarding the slice to a seizing regime. The results offer the possibility of capturing leading temporal indicators prior to seizure generation, with potential consequences for understanding epileptogenesis.
Guided by dynamical systems theory this thesis captures evidence for precursor signs of phase transitions in neural systems using mathematical and computer-based modelling as well as in vitro experiments.

year: 2014

title: Transformative pedagogy and language learning in Maori and Irish contexts

authors: Glynn, Ted

subjects: transformative pedagogy

abstract: Establishing positive learning communities in classrooms where pedagogies are socially and culturally responsive and centred on shared life experiences is critical for the revitalisation of minoritised languages such as Irish and Māori, which lack the dominance and power of the wider languages of government and communication. Transformative pedagogy and pedagogical re-positioning of teachers are essential to legitimising and affirming minoritised languages in the classroom. Three small-scale New Zealand studies of emerging literacy in Māori are introduced, exemplifying a responsive and transformative pedagogy that enables teachers to position themselves as socially and culturally responsive participants within classroom contexts. These studies offer strategies that might facilitate the development of similar transformative pedagogy in Irish contexts also.

text: Transformative pedagogy and language learning in Maori and Irish contexts Establishing positive learning communities in classrooms where pedagogies are socially and culturally responsive and centred on shared life experiences is critical for the revitalisation of minoritised languages such as Irish and Māori, which lack the dominance and power of the wider languages of government and communication. Transformative pedagogy and pedagogical re-positioning of teachers are essential to legitimising and affirming minoritised languages in the classroom. Three small-scale New Zealand studies of emerging literacy in Māori are introduced, exemplifying a responsive and transformative pedagogy that enables teachers to position themselves as socially and culturally responsive participants within classroom contexts. These studies offer strategies that might facilitate the development of similar transformative pedagogy in Irish contexts also.

year: 2009