1,720,969 research outputs found
The legend of the RMA: A trilogy
No full textIn this presentation the author paints the conflict of people versus nature in light of the RMA, and go on to
look at the repercussions of this through not only the plans that were prepared under this
controversial legislation, but also their implementation and resulting environmental
outcomes. The author highlights some strategies for lifting the
expectations of environmental outcomes achieved under the RMA through improving the
quality of planning and governance under this legislation
The Influence of flood protection on perception of flood hazard and choice of adjustment by residents of Otorohanga Borough, New Zealand
Get PDFMan and the results of his work are distributed according to the decisions he makes. In endeavouring to interpret and explain the spatial distribution of any particular phenomena reflecting man's actions over a part of the earth's surface, the geographer should, of necessity, take account of human behaviour and, in particular, individual decision making. This may not be an easy task since decision making is a complex process involving many variables. Nevertheless, geographers are devoting increasing attention to behavioural variables in their analyses of the man-land relationship. To this end the theme of environmental perception is a significant one in geographic research since it is concerned with analysing human behaviour in terms of men's reaction to his environment.
This study embraces the theme of environmental perception. Its particular concern is with man's view or awareness of flood hazard, and his attitude towards the adoption of measures for reducing flood damage. A single urban community with a history of flooding was chosen in order to examine the behaviour of residential managers (i. e. householders) towards flooding. In the chosen study area, Otorohanga, an evaluation of flood hazard perception by individual managers was made and their adjustments to this hazard analysed
Kaitiakitanga o te Taiao - Reconciling Legislative Provisions and Outcomes for Māori
No full textThe Resource Management Act (1991) (RMA) was heralded as internationally ground-breaking for its integrated approach, and for cementing 'sustainable management' as its overarching purpose. It was ground-breaking also for its recognition of First Nations’ rights and values. This includes directing decision-makers to recognise and provide for the relationship of Māori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral lands, waters and treasured resources, to have particular regard to Māori customary practices, and to take into account the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The RMA provides for councils to transfer or delegate functions and powers to Māori, and for joint management arrangements.
In 16 years as environment officer for my iwi, I witnessed the failure of the RMA to protect Māori values and interests. This experience prompted me to undertake research to thoroughly investigate outcomes of the operation of the RMA for Māori. Two questions framed my research; the first asking whether kaitiaki have been empowered by the Māori provisions in the RMA, and the second seeking to determine overall outcomes for Māori from the Act.
Assessing such outcomes required an understanding of Māori values and interests, evaluation of the law, of the statutory plans that govern council administration of the RMA, implementation of these by councils and the Crown, and their treatment by the courts. To answer the two questions I present in this thesis a geographically focused study of two take (causes or significant issues) at Whangamatā, the construction of a marina, and the removal of mangroves.
I compare Ngāti Whanaunga experiences with those of Māori nationally. By doing so I provide the evidence base for an 'overall broad judgement' (as the RMA requires) that despite apparent empowerment by the Act and its statutory plans, Māori have suffered widespread and significantly negative outcomes under the RMA. Rather than being empowered, Māori struggle to participate in planning processes, and see ancestral values and interests eroded by waves of resource consent processes, in which effects on Māori are little considered
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Social impact assessment monitoring the Huntly monitoring project in retrospect
Get PDFThe emerging field of Social Impact Assessment Monitoring is critically examined through a review of the Huntly Monitoring Project (HMP). A summary of the HMP, which is both reflexive and critical, identifies practical issues and criticisms arising from that research experience, as well as describing its research method and results. Criticisms of the application of Positivism to Social Science published during the six years of the HMP provide a framework for an SIA Monitoring critique. Alternative philosophical and theoretical positions advanced by Albrow, Giddens, Hagerstrand and Pred are examined. Ideas pertinent to SIA Monitoring are brought together in a discussion of Albrow’s Dialectical Paradigm, Giddens’ Theory of Action, and Hagerstrand’s Time-Geography. The implications for SIA Monitoring of two opposing philosophical positions within Social Science are examined through a comparison of eight SIA Monitoring options, with only three found to be compatible with the non-positivistic position. SIA Monitoring as a Study of Structuration is one of these three options, and a coherent methodology is provided for it by Time-Geography. Finally, it is concluded that designing another Huntly Monitoring Project to include non-positivistic ideas is possible but politically difficult
Health reform and the impact on Mäori 1983-1997
Get PDFThis study investigates the New Zealand health sector reforms from 1983 to 1997and examines whether the reform process has been consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. It evaluates the impact of the reforms on Mäori from that perspective.
The study introduces the health sector reforms generally and then their specific effects on Mäori. It draws on two research exercises undertaken by the author, being research for the Wai 692 Napier Hospital and Health Services claim to the Waitangi Tribunal and on improving Mäori Health outcomes for the National Health Committee. The methodologies used are those from the discipline of history.
The study outlines the argument for Crown responsibilities under the Treaty and draws out the distinctions between Article 2 and Article 3 of the Treaty. It provides a historical background to the place of the Treaty in the health sector, and forms the basis for a Treaty based analysis of the health reforms and their impact.
The New Zealand health sector has undergone massive government initiated structural change throughout the period under study. During this time the neo-liberal reforms have had a key role in reshaping health service structures. The process of change, the international influences on the changes, and the resulting entities are described. An example from Tainui Iwi of the effect of structural health reform illustrates the changes in Mäori health service provision by Mäori.
Since 1983 successive governments have produced copious Mäori health policy. The key policy documents, and their recommendations, are identified, as is the degree to which they were implemented. The cyclical nature of such policy making suggests that it is not always followed by policy implementation. While Mäori are identified as a health gain priority, the evidence reviewed shows that the responsibility to implement and monitor the policy is diffuse and ineffective.
The Wai 692 claim provides a detailed look at the impact of the 1990s health reform for Mäori. The claim was precipitated by the threatened closure of Napier Hospital, but was broadened to include a wide-ranging look at the impact of health reform on Mäori. As a case study it provides a specific example of one Iwi’s experience of the reality of policy implementation at that time versus policy making.
Crown evaluation of the effectiveness of its own policies, and the extent to which its own agencies breach those policies is explored. The lack of control and accountability measures, plus the inability of the Crown to monitor (let alone sanction) success or failure, is highlighted. A contrast is drawn between the health and local government sectors, using the operation of the Resource Management Act (1991).
The latest health sector reforms consequent on the 1999 Labour/Alliance coalition government are briefly considered, together with an overview of the Crown’s effectiveness in delivering improved Mäori health outcomes. The study suggests that the use of the Treaty as a cornerstone for Maori health policy formation and delivery may lead to more effective engagement between the Crown and Mäori in addressing Mäori health issues. The study concludes by asking the question, has the health sector reform process of the 1980s and 1990s itself been a Treaty breach?
A brief postscript considers the further reform of the health sector beyond the period of study
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Small islands and global action: Coming of age in global change
Get PDFThis study aims at advancing theoretical understanding of the role of small island developing states (SIDS) in contemporary international relations (IR). It does this by examining their interaction between, participation in, and contribution to, IR within the framework of the UN. The literature on small states in IR was reviewed, in order to develop a conceptual framework for critiquing the small states paradigm, which is based on realist theory. This paradigm views the role of small states in IR as determined by inherent internal factors (physical size and capacity to act) and prescribes them as being insignificant and passive actors in IR.
Contrary to the small states paradigm, a review of literature showed SIDS to be highly visible and proactive in IR in recent times. Thus, the research question the thesis pursued was: How can the small states paradigm in IR be strengthened to better explain the rising importance of the role of SIDS in contemporary IR? The literature review also suggested a proposition for testing empirical research: that external factors outside states are facilitative of the proactive and contributory behaviour of small states in IR.
Two case studies of the role of SIDS in UN negotiations were selected to assess the extent to which they may have been influential on outcomes: Law of the Sea and Climate Change. The role SIDS played in the negotiations for each case was explored through analysis of relevant documents and interviews with diplomatic and resource persons from a selection of participating SIDS.
Results strongly suggest that external factors are instrumental in facilitating proactive and influential behaviour of SIDS in these two UN negotiations. The key external factors numbered 18 and were grouped into the following dimensions: developments, events, trends, issues, circumstances and actors.
These results call for revising the small states paradigm, so that it includes external factors as explanatory variables for the proactive and contributory behaviour of small states. Thus, external factors were added to the paradigm as open-sky dimensions which, unlike closed-ground dimensions (internal factors), are dynamic, flexible, optimistic and open elements (like the sky), and thus provide far wider potential or opportunities for small states in IR
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