13553 research outputs found
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Navigating Rainbow Parenthood At Work: An Exploration Of The Work Experiences And Changing Identities Of Rainbow Parents – A Qualitative Study
No full textAbstract New Zealand’s society has and continues to evolve, leading to more inclusive definitions of the concept of family. Over the past two decades, in particular, the population has changed, reshaping the structure and composition of families. As a result, different family structures have emerged, including rainbow families (families where both parents identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual, alongside other sexual and gender identities (LGBTQIA+), moving family structures beyond the traditional two-parent mother-father model. This change has partially been driven by the increasing number of people who identify as belonging to the rainbow community. According to Statistics NZ (Stats NZ) (2022), 4.4% of the population identifies as part of the rainbow community, with higher proportions among younger age groups (18-34) compared to those aged 35 and above. Additionally, the passing into law of same-sex marriage in 2013 and evolving social attitudes have further increased social acceptance towards rainbow parents. According to Gender Equal NZ (2019), there was an 18% increase in acceptance of gay men becoming parents and a 19% rise in acceptance of lesbian and bisexual women becoming parents between 2017 and 2019.Becoming a parent is a major challenge for employees, and employers play a crucial role in supporting the journey to parenthood. As family structures diversify, organisations must develop policies that accommodate the evolving needs of all families. Research in this area tends to focus on the experiences of heterosexual parents, often overlooking the unique challenges faced by rainbow parents in the workplace. What research does exist typically explores the impact of inclusivity and gender norms on work experiences. Indeed, the lack of research on rainbow parents is partially due to assumptions that rainbow employees are less likely to become parents, shaped by presumptions about their physiological capacity for parenting and perceived commitment to their careers. In light of this research gap, and drawing on social identity theory, this research explores the experiences of rainbow parents as they navigate their parental journey within their workplaces.The research was conducted with twenty rainbow parents from Auckland and Wellington. The findings reveal that rainbow parents face pressure to disclose or declare both their sexual and parental identity. For many, becoming a parent resulted in higher visibility and broadly positive employment outcomes. Some even reported becoming advocates for inclusive practices in their workplaces, while others reported a stronger shared bonding experience with fellow parents at work. These findings challenge the existing ‘one size fits all’ approach of HR policies and emphasise the need for inclusive and accessible workplace policies that better reflect the diversity of employees and modern society. Despite the growth of the rainbow community in New Zealand, limited research has explored the experience of rainbow parents, leaving a gap in understanding the influence of an individual’s rainbow parental identity at work.</p
Identity categories and the dilemma of calling police about family violence
No full textThe under-reporting of family violence is a global problem. Multiple barriers to help-seeking have been identified, including some associated with social identities like race, age and gender. This discursive psychology study examines identity and help-seeking in social interaction. We analysed 200 calls classified by police call-takers as family harm using conversation analysis and membership categorization analysis. We found that callers oriented to a locally generated identity category ‘the one who called police’ as problematic. Callers sought anonymity or proposed cover stories to avoid being identified by others. Anonymity raised practical problems for recording callers' names and cover stories raised questions about the legitimacy of alternative accounts for police contact. We found callers' concerns with being identified create a dilemma produced through competing moral judgements tied to coexisting institutional and relational identity categories. Participants display understandings that calling the police may be the right thing to do as a help-seeker, but the wrong thing to do as a friend or family member. Our findings reveal how a locally generated identity category was observable as a force shaping help-seeking in real-time high-stakes encounters
Spatial Conceptual Transfer: Evidence from English and Mandarin Chinese Speakers’ Use of the Adpositions in/li (里) and on/shang (上)
No full textThis thesis examines conceptual transfer in Mandarin Chinese-speaking English learners’ usage of in and on, revealing how first language (L1) Mandarin spatial concepts may influence second language (L2) English spatial language knowledge. As a necessary part of this investigation the thesis also investigates crosslinguistic differences in language-mediated spatial cognition between L1 English and L1 Mandarin speakers’ conceptualization of spatial relationships expressed by the translation pairs in & li (里) and on & shang (上). These adpositions merit particular attention due to the fuzzy boundaries of CONTAINMENT/SUPPORT distinctions within and across languages, misalignments between translation equivalents, and their impact on second language knowledge.Previous corpus-based research has explored conceptual transfer in Mandarin-speaking English learners’ usage of the adpositions in and on, whereas cognitive linguistic research has documented variation in how spatial features are encoded by L1 English using these same adpositions. However, there is little empirical evidence concerning how these features are encoded in L1 Mandarin li (里) and shang (上), or how they are cognitively perceived by Mandarin-speaking learners of English as a second language.The methodology employed a web-based survey with three language tasks concerning the usage of in, on, li (里), and shang (上). Task 1 required participants to complete sentences describing photographs representing everyday spatial scenarios (e.g., a person sitting in a chair). Task 2 and 3 presented sets of stimulus pictures with systematically varied spatial features (a ball suspended at different levels over a box of more balls; a coin within sequences of a folded hand or a mask). Participants rated the appropriateness of sentences containing the target adpositions describing each picture using a Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 7 = Strongly Agree). L1 English speakers and L1 Mandarin-speaking L2 English learners completed these tasks in English, while L1 Mandarin speakers completed them in Mandarin.In terms of data analysis, responses to Task 1 were categorized as CONTAINMENT, SUPPORT, or OTHERS for each language group based on the distributions of provided answers. Statistical comparisons were then conducted to identify similarities and differences in photograph categorization across the three groups and to examine the performance patterns of L1 Mandarin-speaking L2 English learners in relation to both L1 groups. These findings were further supported by qualitative analysis of salient linguistic features of the photographs. For Task 2 and 3, linear mixed-effects models were constructed to determine how specific spatial factors influence appropriateness ratings for each adposition across language groups.The findings from Task 1 reveal that English and Mandarin speakers conceptualize spatial concepts of CONTAINMENT and SUPPORT differently, consistent with prior research. Mandarin-speaking L2 English learners show both alignment with L1 English patterns and distinctive features that deviate from L1 English usage. These differences in spatial adposition usage appear to be influenced by L1 Mandarin conceptualization patterns, helping to explain the deviations in L2 English learners’ performance from L1 English patterns. Tasks 2 and 3 show that not all spatial features significantly affect adposition ratings. Moreover, while there is consistency across language groups in which spatial features produce significant simple effects, the relative strength of these effects varies by language group. These features are also involved in different interactions in the analyses by language group. Similar to results from Task 1, Mandarin-speaking L2 English learners exhibit patterns resembling L1 English but also show systematic differences. Additionally, these learners align at times with L1 Mandarin patterns but also display unique traits that cannot be fully explained by L1 transfer.Based on these findings, the results suggest that L1 Mandarin-speaking L2 English learners exhibit evidence of L1 transfer, as their L2 performance reflects influence from L1 Mandarin spatial categorization patterns. These language users draw simultaneously on their L1 and L2 knowledge, awareness of translation equivalents between languages, and linguistically mediated cognitive representations.This study contributes to theoretical accounts of adposition usage by highlighting the dynamic interaction between language-mediated spatial concepts and language-specific adpositional realization in bilingual cognition. Furthermore, the methodological framework developed in this study offers potential applications for investigating other adpositions and additional language groups, advancing our understanding of crosslinguistic influence in spatial cognition and second language use.</p
One size does not fit all: An interpretative phenomenological study of the induction experiences of early career academics in Aotearoa New Zealand
No full textEarly career academics (ECAs) often find their transition into academia challenging. Empirical studies suggest many ECAs lack an understanding of teaching pedagogy and require ongoing professional learning development. The ECAs in universities are a diverse group. They may vary within their disciplines in age, work experience, qualifications, the countries where they acquired their education and work experience. The international literature suggests there is ongoing debate around professional standards in tertiary teaching amid a dynamic educational landscape characterised by increased access to education, diverse institutional providers, and varied course offerings. This complexity, combined with the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic challenges ECAs.As such, this thesis seeks to examine ECAs experiences and perceptions of induction and ongoing professional development teaching in three universities in Aotearoa New Zealand. The aim is to identify what support, and ongoing professional development needs they would require to overcome the difficulties some may face in their initial teaching experiences. The study focused on the expectations of the ECA’s role, how they depicted and understood their experiences, what support was provided, and what ongoing professional needs ECAs might require. This study employed a qualitative research approach Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and utilising semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of ECAs across three universities. Eighteen ECAs, with up to five years teaching experience in three Aotearoa New Zealand universities were recruited. Five group experiential themes emerged (sustaining through socialisation, expectations of induction, Covid-19 exacerbating the existing situation, inclusive opportunities, well-being struggles), along with 11 personal experiential themes (mentoring, cohort collaboration support, leadership support and guidance, personalised vs standardised support, constraints on time, feelings of abandonment and neglect, disruption to induction, stress and anxiety due to isolation and an inadequate induction, experiences of Māori and Pasifika ECAs and institutional bicultural integration, mobile international academics in Aotearoa New Zealand, lack of support impacting on mental health).Evidence from the data showed the induction for my participants was challenging. The ECAs communicated there were aspects of their teaching they were not sufficiently prepared for, and the need for an induction that is tailored to an ECA’s specific needs. Study participants communicated the usefulness of a mentoring programme. However, the study highlighted the lack of cultural inclusion for ECAs. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for ECAs, impacting their professional development, teaching practices, and research endeavours. Consequently, there emerged the need for resilience, adaptation, and institutional support to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on teaching, research, and academic careers.The study applies Wenger’s dualities within communities of practice to illuminate practical challenges in the induction of ECAs in Aotearoa New Zealand universities. The findings address the needs of ECAs and suggest communities of practice to enhance collaborative learning among faculty members. By fostering a supportive and collaborative environment, educational organisations can enhance the professional growth of early career academics. The findings underscore the urgent need for the universities in the study to reassess and enhance their support mechanisms for ECAs for induction, particularly in the context of ongoing disruptions caused by severe crises like the Covid-19 pandemic. Comprehensive and tailored induction programs that meet the specific needs of the ECA, coupled with ongoing mentorship and professional development opportunities, are imperative.</p
Developing Integrated Extended Pharmacist Roles and Services for Equitable Access and Outcomes in Primary Healthcare: A Realist Evaluation
No full textBackground: Pharmacists’ roles have been moving from dispensing towards more patient-focused extended clinical care, signalling changes in health service policy and delivery. This paper evaluates the development of practice pharmacists’ roles and services in primary healthcare (PHC) settings in New Zealand (Aotearoa), how services were implemented, and how pharmacists, patients, and other PHC professionals responded to role and service developments. Methods: We applied a realist evaluation methodology, identifying context (C) into which initiatives are introduced, mechanism (M) triggered or attenuated by the context, and resulting outcome (O). CMO configurations were developed, tested and refined through rapid realist review, key informant interviews, six case studies, and a national survey. Although not every project stage is fully documented in this paper, each contributed to the final theories. The desired outcome was defined as: Practice pharmacists are integrated within PHC teams, and their services are accepted and utilised by patients. Practice pharmacist services are equitably accessible throughout Aotearoa and contribute to equitable health outcomes. Results: Four programme theories, based on 22 CMO configurations, showed how contexts and mechanisms at national, service, role, and patient levels could enable or attenuate reaching the desired outcome; for example, through a burning platform for change, supportive colleagues and infrastructure, well-fitting roles, and patient awareness, or conversely through, disjointed leadership, limited understanding and role uncertainty, and lack of access to practice pharmacists. Funding, regardless of source, operated across all levels as context and mechanism. Conclusion: Practice pharmacist services operate within multiple contexts and levels; their development and implementation requires a systems view. Opportunities exist to achieve the desired outcome by strengthening enabling contexts or reducing barriers within attenuating contexts. Policy-makers now need to focus on equitable service distribution, sustainable ways to fund and employ practice pharmacists, and the equity impact of patient copayments
Teaching Prison Abolition to Criminology Students: Critical Reflections on a Pedagogy of De-Initiation
No full textThe abolitionist movement is gaining momentum in the United States and the United Kingdom and calls to shrink the carceral state have become a staple of grassroots movements and activist groups fighting for a more just world in the 21st century. The role played by higher education (HE) educators in this struggle for a world without prisons is an important and yet difficult one, as they can expose university students to abolitionist ideas but have to do so in the context of a HE sector that is increasingly governed by neoliberal logics of marketization and professionalization. In this article, I reflect on my own experience teaching prison abolition to criminology students at Liverpool Hope University (LHU). The article revisits Richard Stanley Peters’ notion of education as initiation to show how an abolitionist pedagogy grounded in critical perspectives on punishment can be practiced to de-initiate students from criminological common sense and reformism
Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against hospitalisation, death and infection over time in Aotearoa New Zealand: a retrospective cohort study
No full textAs Aotearoa transitioned to a COVID-19 mitigation strategy, real-world vaccine effectiveness (VE) data became vital. This retrospective cohort study (Dec 2020–Feb 2023) assessed VE against hospitalisation, death and infection during the Omicron period. Second booster VE against hospitalisation was 81.8% at one month, declining to 49.0% by six months. VE against death remained high at 87.2% up to six months post-booster. Protection against infection was moderate but sustained. These findings highlight the importance of booster doses and provide critical evidence to guide vaccination policy and preparedness for future COVID-19 waves in NZ
Kinship Care, Rights-Based Approaches and Te Tiriti o Waitangi
No full textThis online webinar, hosted by Family For Every Child and the Child Rights Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, was part of a panel discussion titled 'Strengthening Kinship Care and Whanau Care in Aotearoa New Zealand'. My presentation examined the potential and pitfalls to rights-based approaches to kinship care, especially from a kaupapa Māori perspective, and with particular reference to te Tiriti o Waitangi and the right of tino rangatiratanga over kainga. My co-panelists were Dr Braden Clark and Dr Kerri Cleaver
The Motivations and Impacts of Cannabis Use in Aotearoa New Zealand
No full textDespite the significant rates of cannabis use globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ), most people who use cannabis do so without experiencing significant harm. However, a minority of users can and do experience significant adverse impacts of their use. This research aims to explore potential factors in the development of cannabis related harms within an ANZ context. Based on existing research findings, this thesis aims to assess if people in ANZ use cannabis as a coping mechanism, and if so, whether using cannabis to cope is associated with experiencing harm. I utilized a mixed-methods design including a broad survey on cannabis use, motivations, and impacts, followed by eight follow-up interviews, which focused on the individuals' experiences and opinions of cannabis use. Participants were required to be over 18, spend the majority of their time in NZ, and have used cannabis at least once. This research found that approximately 30% of survey participants indicated that they use cannabis to cope, and endorsement of all three cannabis use motives was significantly associated with indicating they have experienced harm as a result of their use. Connections were also made between cannabis use and mental health across both studies, highlighting the role of mental health in cannabis use harm. These results support the arguments for decriminalisation of cannabis use, increased efforts to discourage use amongst adolescents and teens, and the prioritization of increased education and mental health support for at-risk groups. In combination, these implications could reduce reliance on cannabis to cope, thereby reducing the rate and severity of individual and societal harm from cannabis use in ANZ.</p
Critical Perspectives on Accounting and Race: Shifting the Focus From Periphery to Centre Using a Critical Race Theory and Critical Dialogic Accounting and Accountability Approach
No full textThis book contains Open Access chapters. Reflection around accounting and race is long overdue
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