title: Exposing the hidden politics of housing provision in Aotearoa New Zealand: The complex governance landscape of new housing in Hamilton

authors: Dodd, Francesca Jane

abstract: Delivery of sufficient affordable, quality new housing in New Zealand has been high on the political agenda since the 1990s and, despite considerable government activity and policy attention, achieving that goal remains elusive. Access to an affordable house that is fit-for-purpose is, therefore, becoming increasingly remote for many New Zealanders, including those who earn above average incomes. In fact, it has become common to refer to the problem as a housing crisis. This research aims to analyse the effectiveness of the governance arrangements involved in delivering new housing in Aotearoa New Zealand, by examining the logics and discourses of public and private actors within that process and the decisions that emerge from those interactions. In approaching this question, it begins by exploring past approaches to governing new housing provision, before reporting on a case study of planning for new housing in the rapidly growing city of Hamilton. The in-depth qualitative study approaches decision-making for the provision of new housing in Hamilton through a network governance lens. It involved reviewing the local District and Structure Plans and other planning documents prepared by Hamilton City Council, including strategic documents about the future growth of the city. It also included interviewing 31 participants involved in making decisions about new housing for the city. These were from the public sector, largely council planners but also practitioners from the Building Unit and Growth and Analytics Unit. They were also from the private sector, including developers, architects, consultant planners and lawyers. One participant from an NGO was interviewed as well, to get a national perspective of the problems with new housing delivery.
The study examined their interactions, and the ideas and logics that informed the decisions about new housing that emerged from the governance network. It finds that entrenched beliefs and ideas about what constitutes a normal house in terms of who it is built for, the type of property it is, and the way that property should be delivered profoundly shape the decisions of actors within the governance network, although new ideas are emerging. Underpinning these ideas and beliefs, the market was consistently referred to as a credible source of information about the types of houses and communities householders needed and desired. Reference to the market was therefore an accepted way of explaining decisions about the size, design, location, type and density of new housing. The analysis also provides insights into the forces of inertia that continue to mean suboptimal outcomes are delivered. These included the complexity of the network, with multiple agencies involved in decision-making. Conflicting interests and imperatives within the governance network was also a barrier to change. The concentration of resources in the hands of developers was found to underpin conservative attitudes to development. Prospects for change were found within the network, such as examples of local authorities exercising leadership over built outcomes. Also, developers with innovative perspectives, and the resources to implement housing developments inspired by such perspectives, were found to exist in Hamilton.
In taking a governance approach to understanding decision making for new housing provision in New Zealand, the study extends traditional research approaches that have focused on policy solutions. It develops our understanding of the housing crisis, and why resolving it remains difficult.

text: Exposing the hidden politics of housing provision in Aotearoa New Zealand: The complex governance landscape of new housing in Hamilton Delivery of sufficient affordable, quality new housing in New Zealand has been high on the political agenda since the 1990s and, despite considerable government activity and policy attention, achieving that goal remains elusive. Access to an affordable house that is fit-for-purpose is, therefore, becoming increasingly remote for many New Zealanders, including those who earn above average incomes. In fact, it has become common to refer to the problem as a housing crisis. This research aims to analyse the effectiveness of the governance arrangements involved in delivering new housing in Aotearoa New Zealand, by examining the logics and discourses of public and private actors within that process and the decisions that emerge from those interactions. In approaching this question, it begins by exploring past approaches to governing new housing provision, before reporting on a case study of planning for new housing in the rapidly growing city of Hamilton. The in-depth qualitative study approaches decision-making for the provision of new housing in Hamilton through a network governance lens. It involved reviewing the local District and Structure Plans and other planning documents prepared by Hamilton City Council, including strategic documents about the future growth of the city. It also included interviewing 31 participants involved in making decisions about new housing for the city. These were from the public sector, largely council planners but also practitioners from the Building Unit and Growth and Analytics Unit. They were also from the private sector, including developers, architects, consultant planners and lawyers. One participant from an NGO was interviewed as well, to get a national perspective of the problems with new housing delivery.
The study examined their interactions, and the ideas and logics that informed the decisions about new housing that emerged from the governance network. It finds that entrenched beliefs and ideas about what constitutes a normal house in terms of who it is built for, the type of property it is, and the way that property should be delivered profoundly shape the decisions of actors within the governance network, although new ideas are emerging. Underpinning these ideas and beliefs, the market was consistently referred to as a credible source of information about the types of houses and communities householders needed and desired. Reference to the market was therefore an accepted way of explaining decisions about the size, design, location, type and density of new housing. The analysis also provides insights into the forces of inertia that continue to mean suboptimal outcomes are delivered. These included the complexity of the network, with multiple agencies involved in decision-making. Conflicting interests and imperatives within the governance network was also a barrier to change. The concentration of resources in the hands of developers was found to underpin conservative attitudes to development. Prospects for change were found within the network, such as examples of local authorities exercising leadership over built outcomes. Also, developers with innovative perspectives, and the resources to implement housing developments inspired by such perspectives, were found to exist in Hamilton.
In taking a governance approach to understanding decision making for new housing provision in New Zealand, the study extends traditional research approaches that have focused on policy solutions. It develops our understanding of the housing crisis, and why resolving it remains difficult.

year: 2020

title: The use of education for sustainability websites for community education in Chile

authors: Aguayo Corvalan, Claudio

subjects: education for sustainability

abstract: An increasing recognition of the impact of human activity on the natural environment has oriented attention to the role of education for sustainability (EfS) as a means to create more ecologically literate and sustainable societies. One premise is that socio-ecological sustainability issues and challenges are immediate and locally rooted. This calls for educational interventions that promote participative action by local communities, recognizing that adults in those communities need to engage in action and change towards sustainability. In relation to this, current evidence indicates that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet have the potential not only to promote teaching and learning for EfS, but also to increase knowledge, and promote attitude and behaviour change of individuals and the broader community. 

In addition, sustainability issues are interrelated with other social dimensions with inherent complexity. Similarly, the design, implementation and use of ICT in education bring together learning and technology in complex ways. To address these types of educational contexts, both the ICT and EfS literature support a holistic and systems thinking approach. This suggests that developing a theoretical framework that informs the development of EfS websites, based on a systems thinking approach, might be an effective way to enhance ecological literacy, and action competence for socio-ecological sustainability at the community level. Within this context, this PhD research study aimed to investigate the use of Internet websites for community EfS in Chile.

A theoretical model for the design and development of EfS websites aimed at the community and non-formal level was developed based on literature from EfS, systems thinking, ICT, and community education. This model was trialled in an authentic context in Chile, through the design and build of an EfS website addressing the ecological sustainability issues of a lake, and its impact on the local community and visitors. Key considerations of this model relate to a deep understanding of the local, social and cultural characteristics and needs of the target community, and associated sustainability issues; the use of culturally meaningful ICT affordances such as multimedia, Web 2.0, and social networking tools; and the inclusion of EfS pedagogical considerations and strategies for learning, such as promoting ecological literacy, critical thinking and action competence through knowledge integration and challenging beliefs.

Within a naturalistic paradigm, using an interpretive methodology, and following an activity theory analytical framework, the evaluation of the use of the EfS website by 24 local participants was conducted through the following research design. Firslty participants were administered a pre-intervention questionnaire, which assessed participants’ prior knowledge related to ICT use, and to local sustainability issues. Immediately after they were invited to visit and browse the EfS website for a period ranging between 10 to 20 minutes. Following participants’ use of the EfS website, a post-intervention interview explored participants’ perceptions, understanding change, and motivations to take action. Finally, a follow-up online survey assessed participants’ change in understanding, actions, and adoption of sustainable living principles, based on revisits to the EfS website during a period of five weeks, five months after their first visit. 

Findings indicate that EfS websites are culturally shaped tools with the potential for facilitating transformative understanding processes, and empowering community members in engaging in action and participation towards socio-ecological sustainability at the local community level. A key aspect of the successful use of EfS websites for community education is to achieve meaningfulness and relevance through the website on local community members. Different considerations from the theoretical model appeared to have contributed in to the achievement of such relevance in the Chilean community addressed in this study. These are fully presented and explored in the coming chapters. The expected contribution of this study is to inform the literature on the effective use of ICT to enhance practice of EfS at the community level.

text: The use of education for sustainability websites for community education in Chile An increasing recognition of the impact of human activity on the natural environment has oriented attention to the role of education for sustainability (EfS) as a means to create more ecologically literate and sustainable societies. One premise is that socio-ecological sustainability issues and challenges are immediate and locally rooted. This calls for educational interventions that promote participative action by local communities, recognizing that adults in those communities need to engage in action and change towards sustainability. In relation to this, current evidence indicates that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet have the potential not only to promote teaching and learning for EfS, but also to increase knowledge, and promote attitude and behaviour change of individuals and the broader community. 

In addition, sustainability issues are interrelated with other social dimensions with inherent complexity. Similarly, the design, implementation and use of ICT in education bring together learning and technology in complex ways. To address these types of educational contexts, both the ICT and EfS literature support a holistic and systems thinking approach. This suggests that developing a theoretical framework that informs the development of EfS websites, based on a systems thinking approach, might be an effective way to enhance ecological literacy, and action competence for socio-ecological sustainability at the community level. Within this context, this PhD research study aimed to investigate the use of Internet websites for community EfS in Chile.

A theoretical model for the design and development of EfS websites aimed at the community and non-formal level was developed based on literature from EfS, systems thinking, ICT, and community education. This model was trialled in an authentic context in Chile, through the design and build of an EfS website addressing the ecological sustainability issues of a lake, and its impact on the local community and visitors. Key considerations of this model relate to a deep understanding of the local, social and cultural characteristics and needs of the target community, and associated sustainability issues; the use of culturally meaningful ICT affordances such as multimedia, Web 2.0, and social networking tools; and the inclusion of EfS pedagogical considerations and strategies for learning, such as promoting ecological literacy, critical thinking and action competence through knowledge integration and challenging beliefs.

Within a naturalistic paradigm, using an interpretive methodology, and following an activity theory analytical framework, the evaluation of the use of the EfS website by 24 local participants was conducted through the following research design. Firslty participants were administered a pre-intervention questionnaire, which assessed participants’ prior knowledge related to ICT use, and to local sustainability issues. Immediately after they were invited to visit and browse the EfS website for a period ranging between 10 to 20 minutes. Following participants’ use of the EfS website, a post-intervention interview explored participants’ perceptions, understanding change, and motivations to take action. Finally, a follow-up online survey assessed participants’ change in understanding, actions, and adoption of sustainable living principles, based on revisits to the EfS website during a period of five weeks, five months after their first visit. 

Findings indicate that EfS websites are culturally shaped tools with the potential for facilitating transformative understanding processes, and empowering community members in engaging in action and participation towards socio-ecological sustainability at the local community level. A key aspect of the successful use of EfS websites for community education is to achieve meaningfulness and relevance through the website on local community members. Different considerations from the theoretical model appeared to have contributed in to the achievement of such relevance in the Chilean community addressed in this study. These are fully presented and explored in the coming chapters. The expected contribution of this study is to inform the literature on the effective use of ICT to enhance practice of EfS at the community level.

year: 2014

title: Maori children and death: Views from parents

authors: Jacob, Juanita

subjects: Maori

abstract: Research about Maori children's experiences and perceptions of death and tangi (Maori death rituals) is sparse. What is available tends to be generalised and stems from Western paradigms of knowledge. In this study we explore Maori children's experiences of death and tangi through the eyes of Maori parents. Through semi-structured interviews with 17 Maori parents, five areas were explored: a) the childhood experiences of parents and how they learned about death and an afterlife; b) what their adult beliefs about these matters are; c) how they have communicated the death concept to their children; and d) whether their children are likely to do the same in the future. From this study we learn that death was not hidden from children, that parents talked with their children in very open and age relevant ways, and considered their children's participation in tangi an important way to grieve and ensure continuity with kinship networks and support. This study suggests that the challenge now is to ensure that these practices continue to persist between parents and their children, and future generations.

text: Maori children and death: Views from parents Research about Maori children's experiences and perceptions of death and tangi (Maori death rituals) is sparse. What is available tends to be generalised and stems from Western paradigms of knowledge. In this study we explore Maori children's experiences of death and tangi through the eyes of Maori parents. Through semi-structured interviews with 17 Maori parents, five areas were explored: a) the childhood experiences of parents and how they learned about death and an afterlife; b) what their adult beliefs about these matters are; c) how they have communicated the death concept to their children; and d) whether their children are likely to do the same in the future. From this study we learn that death was not hidden from children, that parents talked with their children in very open and age relevant ways, and considered their children's participation in tangi an important way to grieve and ensure continuity with kinship networks and support. This study suggests that the challenge now is to ensure that these practices continue to persist between parents and their children, and future generations.

year: 2011-12