Deakin University: openjournals@Deakin
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Opening Doors: African Fan Personas and the Growth of Fan Studies Perspectives
Full text linkTraditionally, political affiliation has proven to be one of the most fruitful mechanisms to create division and derision amongst the voting masses. So polarising is the topic of politics that it has coined its own phrase – political divide. Drawing from insights in fan studies, this article explores toxic fan practices within political fandom, as highlighted by Petersen et al. (2023) and Le Clue (2024). It examines the participation and practices of online users/fans within South African politics by focusing on the use of #voestsekanc via X (formerly Twitter) as a case study.In the constantly evolving landscapes of online communities, fan studies provides a lens to comprehend the complexity of participation and engagement, which can both empower and disempower individuals (Pearson 2010, p. 84). Despite this level of agency, the representation of African voices in fan studies is severely limited, which excludes the possibility of a comprehensive understanding of online dynamics within the African context. Therefore, this paper expands the scope of fan studies beyond Western perspectives and contributes to a more diverse scholarly discourse within this field of study
Breaking deficit views through a "language as resource" orientation: One teacher’s journey of shifting lenses
Full text linkIn this paper, we illuminate the powerful shift in one teacher’s understanding of “language as a problem” to “language as a resource”. Drawing on the concepts of “language as resource” (Ruiz, 1984), “multilingual resources” (French, 2016), and “acts of reciprocity” (Windle et al., 2023), we analyse critical events shaping one teacher’s development of the LAR orientation across a seven-year period from initial teacher education into the early career years of teaching. Our findings show how the LAR orientation can be a productive starting point to help teachers develop an asset-based orientation towards language. We conclude by calling attention to the significant need in teacher education for initiatives and practices that foster “collaborative creations of power” (Cummins, 2000). Given the centrality of multilingual realities in the classroom, supporting a new generation of teachers to leverage language as a resource is essential to engage in responsive teaching in an increasingly diverse and inequitable world
When the system cannot hold: Designing an antifragile humanitarianism
Full text linkThe abrupt suspension of U.S. humanitarian aid in early 2025, in addition to the famines in Gaza and Sudan, exposed the fragility of the international aid system and triggered a sector-wide reckoning. Written from the perspective of a humanitarian practitioner, this paper argues that current structures are brittle: designed for stability and repeatedly failing under volatility. Drawing on twelve years of operational experience, it explores how an ‘antifragile’ humanitarian model could not just withstand, but improve from disruption. Four design principles are proposed: (1) Start where we are—confront power and political realities; (2) Embrace uncertainty—design for volatility, experimentation, and risk-taking; (3) Do less but better—focus on core life-saving outcomes while discarding ineffective practice; and (4) Respect agency—centre the perspectives and leadership of people affected by crisis, guarding against elite capture. Together these principles point towards a shift from generosity-based, donor-driven aid to solidarity-based, self-sustaining systems of response—anchored in local actors, diversified financing, and multiple centres of power
A Peek at Cesuo as Nonhuman Online Fan Persona on Weibo
No full textAs media platforms expand, fan communities reshape both the industry and the ways to interact. Cesuo [厕所, toilet], unlike algorithmic social bots, is user-operated: real individuals enforce norms, moderate content, and coordinate discourse—while mimicking bot-like behaviour. This distinctive form of information exchange in Chinese internet culture plays a dual role in fandom, functioning as both an organisational tool and a mechanism of identity regulation. As a fan NHOP, Cesuo represents a digital persona decoupled from individual identity, enabling collective performance through personal accounts. This study identifies key traits of fan NHOPs in Cesuo: rulemaking, anonymity, use of fan-specific slang and memes, and emotional engagement via fan paratexts. Drawing on qualitative analysis of two representative Cesuo accounts, the research examines their construction, operation, and embedded power structures. By engaging with and extending the NHOP framework, it argues that Cesuo enables fans to forgo individual identity in favour of shared persona, fostering emotional resonance and a sense of belonging. Though it may appear as a single bot-like entity, Cesuo is a collaborative creation
Book Review: Reynolds et al. (Eds.). (2024). Decentering Advocacy in English Language Teaching: Global Perspectives and Local Practices. University of Michigan Press.
No full textIn recent decades, along with the emerging inquiry into the social and political dimensions of language education (e.g., Crookes, 2022), advocacy in English language teaching (ELT) – efforts on behalf of English language learners to promote social justice language education (Linville & Whiting, 2019) – has received growing attention. While there is growing global interest in ELT advocacy, the majority of published studies are situated within the Global North (e.g., United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia); advocacy research in postcolonial and/or underrepresented regions remains limited (Guerrero Nieto, 2020). Decentering advocacy in English language teaching: Global perspectives and local practices contributes to this body of work through the narratives of advocacy efforts within 11 diverse geopolitical and educational contexts in Africa (Nigeria, Cameroon), Central America (Belize, El Salvador), Asia (Vietnam, Laos), Middle East (Türkiye, Israeli and Palestinian Territories), and South America (Paraguay, Uruguay), each documented and reflected upon by the advocates themselves. It serves as a valuable resource for educational professionals working within the space of ELT advocacy, or students and researchers learning about current ELT advocacy efforts in the global context
Colonial Financial Power: The hidden architecture of a failed promise
Full text linkThe transfer of financial power to the Global South has stalled. Despite years of consensus on 'localisation', conventional excuses—risk aversion, capacity gaps—no longer suffice. They are not operational hurdles; they are the symptoms of a deeper, structural disease. This paper unmasks that disease by introducing Colonial Financial Power (CFP), a new analytical framework. Drawing on decolonial theory (Quijano, 2000) and critical power analysis (Barnett & Duvall, 2005), CFP reveals how colonial legacies are actively perpetuated in humanitarian finance. The framework is built on four interconnected mechanisms: (1) direct coercive control; (2) bureaucratic exclusion; (3) an architecture of inequality; and (4) the production of narratives that legitimise domination. By reinterpreting financial barriers through this lens, this paper offers leaders a new language to diagnose the problem, challenge the status quo, and forge a path toward a genuinely decolonial humanitarian system
Initial Teacher Education and the Emotional Geography of Languages: A conceptual intervention
Full text linkThe article addresses a key challenge faced by Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs: how to reconcile the growing multilingual reality of society with the limited adoption of multilingualism in educational practice. It begins by providing an overview of ITE and some of its challenges. It then examines the importance of Critical Multilingual Language Awareness (CMLA), which emphasizes multilingualism as essential for equity and inclusion in linguistically diverse contexts. To extend the discussion of CMLA, the idea of Emotional Geography of Languages (EGL) is introduced as a conceptual framework grounded in the affective turn in Applied Linguistics and TESOL, the spatial turn in education, and Indigenous views of land-people relationality. EGL explores how emotions and identities, tied to places and languages, shape human relationships while challenging policies that marginalize mother tongues and heritage languages. The article concludes by demonstrating how EGL can inform teacher candidates’ CMLA, preparing them to contribute to pedagogical and social transformation in linguistically diverse settings
Internship experiences in exercise and sports science: A comprehensive analysis of learning outcomes and professional development
Full text linkThis study investigated the educational outcomes and professional development of undergraduate exercise and sports science students through curricular internships. Analysis of data from 1,247 internships conducted between 2015-2020 at a large Italian university across diverse settings (fitness facilities, rehabilitation clinics, educational institutions, and sport organisations) revealed significant improvements in students' practical competencies, theoretical knowledge application, and professional identity development. Quantitative analysis demonstrated statistically significant increases in competency scores across all placement settings (p<0.001), with exercise post rehabilitation contexts showing the highest improvement in clinical reasoning (Cohen's d=0.89). Qualitative analysis identified four key themes influencing internship effectiveness: mentorship quality, alignment between academic preparation and practical demands, reflective practice opportunities, and professional networking. The tripartite relationship between students, university tutors, and industry supervisors emerged as central to internship effectiveness, particularly when characterised by regular structured communication and shared learning objectives. These findings suggest that structured internships with integrated reflection and assessment constitute a crucial transition phase in professional development, bridging theoretical knowledge and applied practice. Recommendations include standardised competency frameworks, mentor training programmes, and technology-enhanced collaborative assessment to maximise the educational value of exercise science internships
How EAL teachers harness a bespoke artificial intelligence tool to achieve personalised learning: A qualitative classroom-based study
Full text linkRecent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have led to a surge in AI-powered English language tutoring applications, with promising features integrated into teaching and learning. This article reports on a qualitative study of teachers’ leveraging AI to support pedagogical outcomes for adult learners of English as an additional language (EAL). The study involved five teachers from a Melbourne-based EAL provider, focusing on their use of a bespoke AI-powered application (app) in their superdiverse classrooms of adult migrant and refugee background students. Through classroom observations and teacher reflective conversations, the study examined how teachers were incorporating the app’s features into curriculum through their lesson plans and scaffolded activities. Findings reveal that despite various challenges, EAL teachers want to explore with guidance more of the app’s advanced features and expand their pedagogical use of the app to achieve and enhance personalised learning for students. This calls for increased opportunities for teachers to engage in classroom-based experimentation with the app and for professional development that boosts teachers’ confidence and agency to use AI teaching assistance with adult students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds