Undergraduate Research in Australia
ACUR 2012 - Abstracts of SPOKEN Presentations
(alphabetical order of first name of students)
International Law, Palestine and the Two-State Solution: A Critical Legal Analysis
Ademir Hajdarpasic
Macquarie University
The humanitarian concerns arising from the conflict between Israel and Palestine are widely acknowledged in the international community as a whole, and pose an important challenge to international law's legitimacy. Acknowledging the current influence of geopolitical interests on international relations, many scholars and international lawyers from Palestine, Israel and elsewhere have sought a solution in international law. They have argued that Palestine is a state alongside Israel under international law, and that a peaceful resolution depends upon the recognition of this by the international community. This would afford Palestine the ability to negotiate as an equal with other states and access to international legal processes for redress. However, such a strategy relies upon the view that international law is a system of rules capable of regulating state action and promoting order. The theoretical insights of Critical Legal Studies (CLS) and the Marxist legal scholarship associated with China Miéville have not as yet been systematically applied to the question of statehood under international law. These critical schools challenge the prevailing methodology: while mainstream approaches aspire to scientific objectivity by emphasising rigorous logical analysis of legal rules, CLS and Miéville stress that a scientific account must interrogate the underlying structures that influence international law and bind it to other social phenomena. This paper begins by critically drawing on these radical frameworks to outline a theory of statehood under international law. It shows that international legal rules are structurally contradictory and incapable of providing definitive answers to legal questions, and that in its practical application international law is inextricably bound to geopolitical considerations. It then tests this theory by concretely applying it, with reference to historical evidence and legal debates, to key moments in Palestine’s quest for statehood. It concludes that the two-state solution cannot effectively address the humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
The Impact of Nicotine on Goal-Directed Behaviour
Andreea Heriseanu
Macquarie University
In both humans and animals reward-related behaviour initially requires planning and concentration, but with extended performance, behaviour shifts from being goal-directed to automatic or habitual. Recent research suggests that dopamine release in the striatum of the brain is key in habit formation. With extended behavioural training (e.g. lever-pressing) for rewards, dopamine release increases in the striatum. Similarly, the abused substance nicotine activates dopamine release throughout the striatum. This study addressed the influence of nicotine on the development of behaviour related to achieving a food reward in adult male Wistar rats. It was hypothesised that, in saline-treated rats, longer training would lead to habitual responding for rewards, whereas shorter training would not. A second hypothesis was that nicotine exposure would facilitate habitual responding even with shorter training. Saline-treated rats received long (experiment 1) or short (experiment 2) instrumental training in an instrumental devaluation task. Following this, the performance of short-trained rats pre-treated with chronic nicotine (experiment 3: 14 days, 0.4mg/kg/day followed by training), or receiving nicotine concurrent with training (experiment 4: 3 days, 0.4mg/kg/day) was examined. All rats were trained to lever-press for food reward, and were then given a test of goal sensitivity by devaluation of the instrumental outcome before testing in extinction and in instrumental reacquisition. As hypothesised, saline-treated, short-trained animals in experiment 2 showed a devaluation effect in extinction and reacquisition, whereas saline-treated, long-trained animals in experiment 1 persisted in responding in extinction and reacquisition despite the changed value of the reinforcer. Preliminary analyses also suggest that acute nicotine exposure in experiment 4 induced habitual responding during reacquisition despite the changed value of the reinforcer, but that nicotine-treated animals in experiments 3 and 4 did not respond habitually under extinction. This study contributes to a growing body of research linking nicotine to the development of habits and compulsions.
Shock waves in dense interstellar clouds
Andrew Lehmann
Macquarie University
Giant molecular clouds inhabit the vast space between the stars in our Galaxy. These clouds are quasi-stable against gravitational collapse due to violent internal random motions stirred up by star formation. Previous simulations of these turbulent motions have shown that in the presence of magnetic fields a significant fraction of the turbulent energy dissipates via shock waves. In this project, these shock waves are modelled to determine how the gas is heated, and to follow the chemistry driven by this heating, with the goal of providing observational tests for turbulence models. Standard numerical techniques were used to solve the hydromagnetic equations that govern fluids in typical molecular cloud conditions. As a result, temperature profiles of shock waves were computed for various magnetic field configurations and shock wave speeds. In addition, the populations of typical molecular species such as water and carbon monoxide are followed through the shock wave. These populations can be used to calculate the emission from such species. This provides an observational signature of shock waves in molecular clouds and thereby constrains the dissipation mechanism in turbulence models.
Jews and Judaism in the History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria
Ann Thompson & Alex Thompson
University of Sydney
Although a substantial Jewish population had lived in Egypt from the sixth century BCE, scholars have lamented the lack of sources for the history of the community in the early Medieval period. This project examines all references to Jews in The History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria, from the arrival of Saint Mark in the first century CE to the death of Cyril ibn Laklak in 1243 CE, to determine what role this text might play in constructing the history of Jews in Alexandria and Cairo. However, historiographical caution must be used, as the History is a complicated mixture of Coptic apologetic, memoir, and legend. Thus, a study of instances where Judaism is discussed more generally will also be undertaken to illustrate what, and how, attitudes and interconfessional polemics have been translated into the language of its narrative. This, when compared with the mentalities seen in the surviving writings of the History’s various editors, may shed light on the composition of the text, which is currently unclear. Instances where major events concerning Christian-Jewish relations are not mentioned in the text will also be noted. Preliminary conclusions suggest that influential early Bishops, such as Athanasius and Cyril, were significant in establishing a discourse that labelled the Jews as heretics, morally inferior, and targets for Christian evangelism. However, in the period after the Muslim conquest, the Jewish community is often linked with that of the Christians, as they shared a common struggle for survival under Islam. There are examples of competition for the favour of Muslim rulers and records of robust public debates concerning the truthfulness of all three Abrahamic faiths.
Driving Errors in School Zones: Observing the Influence of Traffic Light Intersections
Bree Gregory
Macquarie University
Historically, the act of speeding has been considered a deliberate violation made by the driver. Emerging evidence, however, underscores the importance of other factors, such as road design characteristics and internal psychological processes, which may influence whether drivers speed or not. The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether stopping at traffic light intersections, within school zones, may lead motorists to make inadvertent speeding errors upon accelerating away from the lights. To assess this, observers stood approximately 100m from such intersections and recorded vehicle speeds of drivers who were required to stop at a set of traffic lights (n=2496) and those who had an unimpeded passage through them (n=648), across four school zone locations. Motorists whose journeys were interrupted by the lights were significantly more likely to exceed the imposed 40 km/h speed limit (M=48.27 km/h) than motorists who were not interrupted (M=41.76 km/h) (95% CI = -7.045, -5.964, d = 1.08). To assess whether this increase in speed could be reduced by the presence of a flashing ‘check speed’ reminder cue, a second study was conducted (in progress). Preliminary analysis reveals that when compared to motorists who have no reminder cue, motorists show vehicle speed reductions of approximately 8.89km/h when interrupted by a set of traffic lights (M= 40.39 km/h) and a reduction of 2.71km/h when not interrupted by traffic lights (M= 39.05 km/h). Major themes for discussion include (1) the potential role of prospective memory, interruptions and delay, (2) implications for road designs and government initiatives.
Pinning it down: Double shank pins as evidence for Paeonian trade networks and cultural interactions
Candace Richards
University of Sydney
The ancient Paeonians are known from the historical record to have occupied the Central Balkan region between the Vardar and Styrmon rivers from the 6th to 2nd centuries BC. Their role in the military and political events throughout this period is largely portrayed as one of passive actors with little acknowledgement of an individual Paeonian identity. Within this historical record next to no discussion is given to the cultural practices or ethnic identity of the Paeonians. Thus, the investigation of ‘Who are the Paeonians’ must turn away from the historical sources. New archaeological research is beginning to unravel the mystery of the Paeonians by asking the question- Is there a distinct Paeonian identity visible in the archaeological record of the region? Recent excavations at Bylazora, in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, have begun to illuminate some hitherto unknown aspects of Paeonian cultural practices and interregional interactions. Of particular importance are two identical potters stamps impressed upon two very different types of local ceramics. The stamps were made using a particular type of double shank hair pin common throughout the Balkan region and Greece with special finds in Anatolia and South Italy, suggesting that Paeonia may belong within a much wider trade network than previously assumed. This paper will firstly present an overview of the excavations at Bylazora and the Paeonian region, with a particular focus on understanding the regional interactions during the 6th to 2nd centuries BC. This overview shall provide a framework in which to examine these pottery stamps and their connections within the wide distribution of double shank pins, with the hope to contribute to our understanding of the role the Paeonians played in the interregional interactions between the Balkan tribes and their Mediterranean neighbours.
A Compact Spectrograph to Search for Extrasolar Planets
Carlos Bacigalupo
Macquarie University
The most successful approach used so far to search for extrasolar planets is the radial velocity method. In this technique, to and fro motion of host star, shift its light periodically allowing us to detect an orbiting planet and to estimate its minimum mass. This has been used on large telescopes with large and expensive instrumentation, only enabling a small amount of observing time per star. We have developed a compact spectrograph fed by one or several single-mode fibres that avoids the need for complex fibre scrambling or gas absorption cells for calibration. In principle, this will enable planet searches around bright stars over the next few years, and paves the way for large networks of small telescopes searching for earth-like planets in the future. We are currently working on characterising this spectrograph to determine its stability, and the fidelity required for a simultaneous calibration source.
Volatilised free-base cocaine effects reward processing in the honey bee (Apis mellifera)
Catherine Radford, Andrew Barron and Eirik Søvik
Macquarie University
Cocaine is a potent psychostimulant that disrupts neurochemical signalling in the brain, thereby affecting perception of and responses to rewards. Repeated cocaine use can lead to dependence or addiction. Most addiction research relies on animal models, usually rats and mice. This study examined whether a simpler animal, the honey bee, also shows behavioural changes related to the development of drug addiction in humans. Individual bees were treated with volatilised free-base cocaine treatment to mimic the common human method of drug use and to rapidly deliver a cocaine dose to the brains of bees. Bees treated with cocaine displayed a dose-dependent increase in responsiveness to sucrose solution, but did not increase their responses to water. These results are consistent with previous studies showing the rewarding properties of cocaine in invertebrate systems. This investigation provides the first evidence of volatilised free-base cocaine modulating reward pathways in insects. Invertebrates display behavioural responses to cocaine that parallel those observed in mammals due to similarities in neurochemical systems affected by cocaine. Therefore, these results suggest that the honey bee provides a useful model for investigations into the underlying mechanisms of drug abuse and dependence.
Foraging site selection by Perameles nasuta in relation to the density of trees in a wet sclerophyll forest
Catherine Stuart
Macquarie University
Management of endangered long-nosed bandicoot, P. nasuta, populations along the east coast of Australia requires an understanding of those factors that influence its distribution. Given that the bandicoot hides during the day in a temporary nest made in the leaf litter and sticks, and is insectivorous, its distribution may be linked to the availability of trees. The bandicoot digs small, conical pits in search of insects. These diggings are an excellent indicator of the presence of bandicoots in the area. This study tested the hypothesis that there would be a positive correlation between the number of trees and the number of foraging diggings made by P. nasuta. Sampling was done in wet sclerophyll forest in Myall Lakes National Park, near Bungwahl, NSW. The density of trees and of bandicoot holes was quantified within 15 randomly positioned 5x10 m quadrats. A positive correlation between trees and bandicoot holes was found, indicating spatial variation in habitat use by the bandicoots. The higher density of bandicoot holes in denser vegetation may be explained by the trees providing a habitat and source of food for the insects that make up the majority of the bandicoots’ diet, or shelter and nesting materials for the bandicoots. Further studies are needed to test these alternate hypotheses.
“Her is going to bed now”: Investigating input-based explanations of why children produce non-nominative subjects
Cory Bill
Macquarie University
The purpose of this research is to evaluate different explanations of a particular pronoun error which children sometimes produce during language acquisition. This error involves children producing non-nominative pronouns in the subject position of some sentences (E.g. Her is kicking the ball). There has been an explanation of this phenomenon (known as the Agreement/Tense Omission Model, or ATOM) put forward by Schütze and Wexler (1996), based on the Universal Grammar theory (a theory which posits the existence of an innate language faculty in the mind). This model suggests that these errors are caused by children ‘underspecifying’ the agreement features in their psychological sentence representation (syntax). This account has been challenged in a number of papers (Pine, Rowland, Lieven, and Theakston, 2005; Ambridge and Pine, 2006), which found data that was not consistent with the predictions of the ATOM. Pine et al. (2005) went on to suggest that this pronoun error phenomenon could be better accounted for through an explanation based on the constructivist or language input-based theory (a theory which rejects the idea of an innate language faculty in the mind). This research endeavours to evaluate Pine et al.’s (2005) claim, by investigating (through the search of certain child-adult interaction transcripts in the ‘CHILDES” corpus) whether the language input provided to the children in Pine et al.’s (2005) study is consistent with the predictions of an input-based explanation of these child pronoun errors. The findings of this research do not appear to be supportive of the language input-based explanations which are investigated. Therefore, it would appear that future explanations attempting to account for this phenomenon (from both the Universal Grammar and constructivist perspectives) would benefit from further research and theory development.
The Relationship Between Human Rights and Democracy: Do Democracies Guarantee Human Rights in Asia?
Courtney Lor
Macquarie University
This paper addresses the following key question: Do democratic systems of government guarantee human rights in Asian countries? The presumed relationship between human rights and democracy will be examined and will inform a discussion of the possibility that democracies are more apt to adhere to human rights than other forms of governance. Primary data from reports by international organisations like the UN and its subsidiary branches and NGOs, including Amnesty International and the Asia Pacific Human Rights Network, will be considered. A focus will be the examination of various areas of human rights in Japan, India and China. The research will also include reviews of literature concerned with human rights problems in Asia. Globally, there has been mounting pressure from the Western world for Asian countries to increase their efforts to adhere to ‘international’ human rights standards and, traditionally, there has been a long-standing argument that democracy is the ‘universal’ form of government that protects human rights. This paper encourages debate about whether this is the case, especially insofar as economic, political, or social problems may effectively undermine human rights. All governments limit individual liberties, but differ in the amount of scope available to individuals to act free from governmental constraint. Thus, whereas an increasingly globalised society has revolutionised the way humans are considered and treated by their fellows, and while democracy may seem like the definitive solution to solving Asia’s human rights problems, variable constraints on individual liberty entail differing understandings of what democracy means. Such variables could prompt further research into what the most suitable types of government for Asia are in terms of human rights protection.
The Transmission of Gesture: The Effect of Modeled Actions on Gesturing and Task Performance in a Spatial Direction Context
Elizabeth Austin
Macquarie University
Gesture plays a key role in communication and cognition. In this study, we investigate the effect of modelled gesture on children’s and adults’ use of gesture and corresponding task performance in spatial direction situations. Adults and children have been shown to reproduce modelled actions, including causally irrelevant actions, to a high degree of accuracy. It is thought that gesture facilitates speech by alleviating the load on working memory resources. It is possible, therefore, that perceiving and imitating modelled gestures could alleviate the cognitive demands the task places on working memory, thus enhancing task performance. In this study, adults and children were presented with a small scale spatial array constructed from Lego. The model then provided a verbal description of the target path and depending on assigned gesture condition, accompanying gestures. There were three gesture conditions: no gesture condition, beat condition, and combined gesture condition which included meaningful and beat gestures. Participants then completed a filler task to prevent the use of memory strategies. Following this participants were asked to describe the path to the model, and then take a Lego figurine along the path. The participants description of the path was video and audio recorded to retain an accurate record of participant gesture and verbal response. These recordings were transcribed for coding and data analysis and an analysis of variance was conducted to ascertain if there was any difference between the gesture conditions and between adults and children. Initial findings suggest that adults’ and children’s spatial task performance tends to improve with more the gesture modelled.
Change and Continuity: The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras through Tradition and Postmodernism
Eloise Flanagan
University of Technology, Sydney
The purpose of my research project was to investigate, through the frameworks of tradition and postmodernism, how continuity and change are impacting on the message and aesthetic of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. In detail, it examines the festival through Eric Hobsbawm’s conception of ‘invented tradition’ and the ongoing impacts of globalisation, tourism and commercialism. Secondary research was the predominant form of methodology utilised, with the compilation of research from a variety of historians, philosophers, and academics. Using quantitative measures such as statistical data has enabled me to critically evaluate the rate of growth in interstate and international audiences. A level of primary research was undertaken as I have attended the Mardi Gras parade in previous years as a spectator, and as a result have been able to apply my own experiences of the parade to my research. My interest in choosing this site was kindled by the current social and political debate about same sex marriage. Whilst I excluded this discussion from my research, I saw the value in investigating one of the first and enduring celebrations of homosexuality, which has undoubtedly accelerated the gay and lesbian rights movement in Australia. My research has improved my understanding of society’s struggle to maintain tradition amidst an increasingly globalised world. Some argue that Sydney’s Mardi Gras is losing its community-orientated appeal by turning into an international spectacle and compromising its original purpose of celebrating homosexuality. However without the monetary support of corporations and the tourism industry, it can be inferred that Mardi Gras would fail to generate the required funds needed to support its costly activities, and keep its traditions alive. From my research I have come to the conclusion that it is vital that we accommodate for these commercial changes in order to better secure our connections with the past.
Sedimentation tank design for disadvantaged rural communities in the hilly regions of Nepal
Emilia Wisniewski
The University of Melbourne
Mathillo Semrang in rural Nepal relies on stream sources to provide suitable drinking water. These sources are often turbid due to erosion of mountainous terrain and deforestation. All turbid water sources require treatment for silt removal before distribution. Current practice is the use of round gravity sedimentation technology. Limitations of the technology include its large footprint and the inability to handle large increases in water flow rate or silt concentration during monsoon and landslide events. In partnership with Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) and Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB), the objective of this project was the design of a small footprint inclined plate settler (IPS) with the ability to effectively treat turbid influent with a flow-rate ranging from 0.25 to 4 L/s. Stokes' analysis revealed the IPS design results in a 76% decrease in footprint in comparison to round sedimentation design for source stream flow-rates of up to 4 L/s. This reduction in area is due to an increase in settling rate of particles exposed to inclined surfaces (Boycott Effect). Huisman analysis was used to calculate the required IPS cross-sectional area (10 m2) for the adequate settling of a dilute suspension of 10-micron particles. Laboratory analysis conducted on a scale model design revealed the optimum flow-rate of operation for the design is approximately 10% of the maximum design flow-rate (4 L/s). Further research is needed to establish this finding along with further collaboration with rural Nepalese communities and NEWAH.
“Silence here! You’re not allowed to speak!” – Stasi officer in Staats-Sicherheiten, Jena, 1975
Emily Collett
Macquarie University
This honours research project is a cutting edge study of the impact of storysharing through the medium of documentary theatre upon the development of post-reunification collective and individual German identity. The project will look at selected excerpts from two pieces of documentary theatre, ’50 Aktenkilometer Hörspiel’ (50 Kilometres of Files radio-play) and ‘Staats-Sicherheiten’ by the groups: Rimini Protokoll and the Hans-Otto Theater Potsdam respectively. Within both pieces a group of everyday Germans are brought together to tell the audience about their experiences with the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS/Stasi- State Security Service) and the secret files it kept on its citizens during the German Democratic Republic (GDR – the former East Germany). ‘50 Aktenkilometer Hörspiel’ compiles five people’s life narratives into a radio-play wherein they describe the challenges of post-GDR life and the experience of reliving the details of ones former life through the eyes of the MfS spies and their files. The stage play ‘Staats-Sicherheiten’ places 15 former victims of the MfS who were under surveillance, interrogated and imprisoned during the GDR on the stage. During the play they are narrators and protagonists interchangeably, bringing together the patchwork of their different life-stories into one overarching narrative that encapsulates the pain and trauma this time caused all of them. A hermeneutic analysis of selected sections of the plays (using excerpts from the transcript of the radio-play and the script of the play) will be combined with excerpts from interviews with the directors and participants, to gain insight into how this form of theatre has been formative to the forging of a new sense of identity in reunified Germany.
Cultural Influences on Remembering and Reminiscing
Emma Nile
Macquarie University
This study explored the ways in which Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians think about and remember the past. Memories of past experiences are significant because people tend to remember things that are meaningful to them (Wareham & Salmon, 2006). Memories are shared with others to elicit emotion, teach lessons and develop bonds (Alea & Bluck, 2003). Nonetheless, recent research suggests that culture may play a part in determining what and how we remember our past (Alea & Bluck, 2003; Wang, 2001). In particular, cultures with a strong oral tradition may have earlier first memories and be more likely to remember more detail of past experiences as adults. In this research we examine the memories of Indigenous Australians, who have not yet been represented in the Australian or international memory literature. An online survey and follow-up interviews were used to examine Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants' age of first memory, memory for past positive events and self-reported functions of reminiscing. It was hypothesised that Indigenous participants would report more detailed and earlier memories than non-Indigenous participants. Individual differences within both groups were also expected. Preliminary results indicate no cultural difference in age of first memory, but more elaborative recall of positive past events by Indigenous participants. Indigenous participants also reported reminiscing more frequently and scored higher on all 8 subscales of the Reminiscence Functions Scale (Webster, 1993). This study adds to a growing body of cross-cultural research into memory and contributes to the field of cognitive psychology, in which participants of European descent are currently over-represented.
The "Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels": looking beyond the myth
Emma Rogerson
University of Wollongong
The popular myth of the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’ has throughout the generations asserted the belief that Papuan carriers, during the 1942 battle for Kokoda, willingly provided assistance to the Australian war effort as volunteers. However, numerous contradictions surround the history of the Papuan carriers and their experiences with evidence of mistreatment, poor conditions, and conscription of labour. It is these contradictions surrounding the history of the Papuan carriers during the battle for Kokoda in 1942 which will be presented. The purpose of the research project is to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the experiences of Papuan carriers in order to present a counter narrative to the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel’ myth. This is achieved by a revisionist approach and empirical research, examining personal records of Australian soldiers, Australian war unit diaries, war diaries of the Australia New Guinea Administrative Unit, newspaper reports of the period, and recollections of Papuans who served during the war as carriers in addition to secondary sources. The contrasting stories of Papuan experiences as carriers have been left out of the Australian story for a number of reasons. This prominent exclusion of Papuan experiences and recollections of the war has led to a ‘white’ version of events. As a result this exclusion has in turn affected the way Papuans see their role as carriers in post-war history as well as raising issues of recognition, compensation and remembrance.
The World in a Grain of Sand": Contrary ideologies and their ecological implication in William Blake's "Songs of Innocence and Experience"
Erin Corderoy
Macquarie University
Can the literature of the past help us understand and change the present? Recent trends in literary theory suggest that it can. Ecocriticism, the revelation of humans’ impact on nature via literary texts, is a particular area of interest in this endeavour to find in the past what we need in the present. William Blake’s poem “Auguries of Innocence” and a selection of poems from Songs of Innocence and Experience reveal an ecological understanding of the impact of human endeavours on nature, which it is beneficial for us to explore and examine. I will provide an examination of the ecological concerns in a selection of poetry from Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. Ecocriticism is currently experiencing a theoretical divide between wildness and primal nature on the one hand, and sustainability and human intervention on the other. The aim here is to come to a common understanding between the two theories and reveal the state of nature and its relevance to the modern world in Blake’s poetry. This paper will explore and examine the contrary states of Innocence and Experience and how they reveal the natural world as truth, the natural world as ideal in Innocence and the natural world under threat in Experience. The revelation will be that the faith people put in an ideal natural world is not sustainable by real-world actions. That is, real nature is under threat by peoples’ other ideal, industry. Industry alienates nature, and the ideologies of industry and the ideologies of nature cannot be sustained together – one is necessarily neglected. Real nature, as it exists unsullied by people, suffers under human ideologies and even the ability to idealise nature will not see it revived once dead.
The Fires of Passion: Simile and Emotion in Ovid's 'Metamorphoses'
Gabrielle Gillmer
Australian National University
Ovid’s Metamorphoses is one of the most comprehensive mythological works that has been handed down to us from antiquity. His reach has influenced great poets such as Chaucer, Marlowe and Shakespeare and continues to do so for authors such as David Malouf. Engaging with the Latin in specific techniques, this thesis examines how Ovid’s similes reflect the panorama of the human psyche throughout the Metamorphoses. There is little scholarship, aside from S.G. Owen’s 'Ovid’s Use of the Simile' (1931), Eliza G. Wilkins in 'A Classification of the Similes in Ovid' (1932), Theodore F. Brunner in 'The Function of the Simile in Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’' (1966) and the more recent 'Simile and Identity in Ovid’s Metamorphoses' by Marie Louise von Glinski (2012) on the simile itself and, in particular, Ovid’s use of similes in conjunction with other techniques to engage the audience. These and the extensive scholarship on Ovid and his poetics will be used as a base for investigating Ovid’s employment of Latin. For this paper, the focus is just one of the four techniques discussed in the Honours thesis: Ovid’s use of fire imagery to project desire as a dangerous and destructive passion for both gods and men. This theme is prevalent throughout the Metamorphoses and when paired with similes, either draws in or rejects the audience at critical points in the narrative.
Us and them: Identifying an ideology of segregation
Graeme Hadfield
Macquarie University
Reviewing the language used by texts that talk about social inclusivity, we see that the ways of expression represent an implicit and deep seated ideology of segregation and discrimination. The current push for socially inclusive society in Australia is driving attempts to change individual attitudes toward particular groups of disadvantaged individuals. Unfortunately, lagging behind are the culturally entrenched ways of talking about the life experience of certain members of our society. This project explores the relationship between language and its affects upon the attitudes and values of individuals and communities. It begins with an investigation into the manner in which \'disability\' terminology is used in a number of texts. The project goes on to demonstrate how language implies an attitude of segregation of individuals who are given the label of \'disabled\'. The corpus texts, chosen for their focus upon issues of discrimination, were scanned for instances of the words: \'disability\', \'disabilities\', \'disable\' and \'disabled\'. For each instance, the immediate context was analysed in order to determine the particular function of the word. The results were tabled in order to show the prevalence of usage of the terminology. This data was then drawn on to show how the authors, and their readership, appear to understand and use the concept of \'disability\'. Following the work of Ruqaiya Hasan on the \""Ontogenesis of Ideology\"" (1996), the analysis illuminates how enculturated \'everyday\' language can promote an \'unthinking bias\' toward segregatory attitudes. The conclusions, so far, suggest a need to carefully consider how we use language and, with Steven Brown (1996), that we each must choose whether to accept, reject or modify the definitions that we receive through our culture. On-going investigation may reveal other factors, though it is estimated that these will only provide further evidence of an ideology of segregation.
Ménage à trois: the problem with ‘three-ways’ involving predatory wasps
Gurion Ang
University of Queensland
When herbivorous insects like caterpillars start chewing on a plant, the plant responds in various ways including the release of volatiles. Interestingly, studies have shown that volatile signatures of plants are unique to different insect herbivores feeding on them. Predators of these herbivores such as parasitoids can smell these volatiles and may use them to locate their prey. Parasitoids are a specialized group of insects, mainly wasps, which inject their eggs into other insects so that their young feed exclusively on the bodies of their unfortunate host. If the volatile signatures from plants are specific to the herbivores eating them, does it mean that parasitoids can detect and discriminate between these unique signatures to locate prey efficiently?
The wasp Cotesia glomerata is a parasitoid of the small cabbage white Pieris rapae, a pest butterfly species. Cabbage white caterpillars have a voracious appetite for many crop plants including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, canola etc. and account for major agricultural losses annually. My study revealed that when given the choice, C. glomerata showed no preference towards plants infested with P. rapae, plants infested with the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (another agricultural pest but one that C. glomerata cannot use), or plants infested with both. This suggests that C. glomerata may not discriminate between volatiles produced from its host, and it is likely that these volatiles are only rudimentary cues used in prey location. This may have implications for the manipulation of these biocontrol agents in pest management strategies.
Australian drought and climate change in the Southern Hemisphere
Guy Leech
Australian National University
Rainfall, and other climatic variables, are strongly influenced by the behaviour of the subtropical ridge, a band of high atmospheric pressure spanning the hemispheres at mid-latitudes. The decline in rainfall over much of southern Australia since the 1970s has been linked to the increase in pressure (intensification) of the subtropical ridge over Australia. This presentation reports on research into whether this intensification occurs throughout the Southern Hemisphere, which could explain or predict large changes in rainfall, weather and climate. Broad spatial averages of atmospheric pressure are used to characterise subtropical ridge average location, intensity and variability. Comparisons are made between two 34 year periods, to identify long-term trends; and different regions, to discern spatial variations. The primary result is that subtropical ridge intensification seems to only be occurring over the Indian Ocean region, and is most pronounced during March–July. The regional intensification is hence most likely to affect Australia, Southeast Asia and southern Africa. The timing of the intensification is the same as the period of greatest rainfall decline over Australia, suggesting a physical relationship. The cause is hypothesised to be increased evaporation and atmospheric movement over the Southeast Asian region. Other results include: 1) a baseline dataset of some subtropical ridge and Southern Hemisphere pressure characteristics; 2) pressure has increased across the hemisphere in recent decades; 3) the trend in Southern Hemisphere pressure has changed from negative to positive between periods, except for the tropics, where the opposite occurs and; 4) there has been no change in variability of subtropical ridge intensity through time.
How does law based community service learning benefit community and academic stakeholders?
Hamish Clift
QUT
Community service learning models have been popular in America for the past decade and are gaining popularity in Australia. Participatory action research, or PAR, describes a mode of agent-driven heuristic learning which is both a research method and object; and outside the ambit of normative law pedagogies, which tend to be doctrinal and algorithmic in their approach to teaching and learning. This essay draws on the results of a recent PAR based Community Service Learning Lab project, run by the Queensland University of Technology, which, paired students from the Law School with, inter alia, the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS); and reflects upon the efficacy of PAR in achieving deliverable outcomes for community legal centres. The goal of the project was to investigate the effect of the recent High Court decision of Shahi v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship on refugee family reunion visas and included case, comparative, law reform and client data analyses. Following an explanation of the project and the outcomes it was able to deliver for RAILS, the essay considers the processes established by the project in engaging with the various stakeholders to the project: RAILS, including their clients and staff; QUT; and the student participants. The essay culminates in a series of recommendations for future iterations of the project and answers the question of how community service learning effects community stakeholders, finding that the heuristic approach demanded by PAR fosters a collaborative environment which benefits all stakeholders.
'Beware the Jabberwock': Fear Renewal in Adults Using An Indirect Learning Paradigm
Isabella Jacomb
Macquarie University
Recent studies have shown that children can develop fears for a novel animal via the provision of threatening verbal information, even if they have no direct negative encounters with this animal (Field & Lawson, 2003). These studies support Rachman’s (1977) viewpoint that anxieties and fears are not only acquired directly through experience, but are also indirectly acquired through verbal information. A recent study has also shown that threatening verbal information can also be ‘unlearned’ or ‘extinguished’ by providing additional positive information that the animal is not dangerous (Kelly, Barker, Field, Wilson, & Reynolds, 2010). In animal and human research, fear acquisition and extinction in direct learning procedures using Pavlovian conditioning paradigms have shown that fear extinction is contextually regulated (Vervliet, Baeyens, Van den Bergh, & Hermans, 2012). Specifically, a renewal of fear occurs when the subject is relocated from the context of fear extinction, and partly explains processes of relapse following treatment for anxiety disorders.
The aim of the current study examined whether renewal of extinguished fear beliefs can also be observed using indirect learning procedures in adults. Results confirming this hypothesis have implications for current theoretical frameworks of fear extinction and the treatment of anxiety disorders. In the current study, of primary interest were differences between fear beliefs about a novel animal following three critical stages of the experiment: baseline, acquisition, and extinction of fear. Self-report measures and a Behavioural Approach Task were employed to measure participants’ fear beliefs. Results should show that negative verbal information about the novel animal increases fear (fear acquisition) while subsequent positive information about the animal reduces fear (fear extinction). Furthermore, a renewal of fear should occur when participants are placed in a context that is different to the context employed for extinction, and thus indicate that fear renewal also occurs in indirect learning.
Transition Japan: the Transition Town Movement in a Japanese Context
Jacqueline Lau
ANU
Environmental and energy problems have become global concerns, and the transition towns movement has emerged as an important and practical community response. The movement encourages changes to the way we live and structure our lives, with projects such as local energy, local food markets and gardens and local currency. Since 2006, the movement has spread to over 34 countries. While it advocates and practices localization, the movement is global. This paper explores global/ local tensions in the movement through the case study of Transition Town initiatives in Japan. It thus addresses a lacuna in sociological studies of the movement outside a Western context, as well as exploring the nature of Japanese civil society. My research suggests that the ideas of transition resonate strongly with Japanese society and that the nature of the movement (as a rhizomatic, open, apolitical network) works particularly well in a Japan context. Thus, the nature of the movement enables it to successfully straddle a local/global nexus. Much of my research was conducted using the movement’s online presence, through discourse analysis of transition initiative blogs, newsletters and websites. In addition, I have translated and analysed online interviews with members and leaders of the movement. I hope that the translation of the movement in Japan will be beneficial to the movement as a whole, and will demonstrate how the transition town model works in a culturally different context to the UK and how it is being reproduced in other global contexts.
Exploring indigenous early childhood education from a New Zealand perspective
Jess Buchanan & Cushla Dargan
University of Canterbury
Kohanga Reo is a Maori immersion early childhood programme which was established in 1982. The Kohanga Reo movement arose during a period of conscientisation, whereby Maori realised the urgency of revitalising their language and culture. Kohanga Reo resulted in many initial successes for Maori in their quest to revitalise language, strengthen identity and gain autonomy and self-determination. In its earliest stages, Kohanga Reo experienced rapid growth which paved the way for the establishment of Maori immersion programmes in primary, secondary and tertiary contexts. However, the successes of Kohanga Reo have been overshadowed by hegemonic socio-political factors such as excessive regulatory expectations and a significant lack of funding and support. These factors changed the dynamics of Kohanga Reo and it consequently experienced rapid decline, which has led to disillusionment and hindered progress in recent years. These factors highlight notable power imbalances in New Zealand society. This paper examines the significance of the Kohanga Reo movement through a wider systematic investigation of historical and present socio-political contexts. We examine the Kohanga Reo movement at an operational level and consider the teaching methodologies and pedagogical underpinnings involved. This process has also led us to question the changes that could occur from within the Kohanga Reo movement itself in order to support the diverse and ever-changing needs of families in the twenty first century. In exploring the aforementioned aspects we look to international heritage language programmes for a more comprehensive understanding of indigenous education. Interviews, observations and existing literature have informed our understandings of Kohanga Reo from an operational and theoretical perspective. Preliminary conclusions contain implications for indigenous peoples and education nationally and internationally. We consider possibilities for reclaiming the movements' initial successes through stronger advocacy and changes at local and policy levels.
Was Trojan Women the greatest anti-war play of all time?
Jessica Alexander-Lillicrap
ANU
Euripides’ Trojan Women, first performed in 415 BC, has been characterised in both theatre and academic work as an Anti-War piece. Often the play is defined as such in literature, with little to no explanation as to why the author believes it: it is simply assumed knowledge. Furthermore, performances of the play have clustered around wars, and only seem to have become popular in the twentyth century. This paper attempts to understand how the play has been perceived as pacifist by most if not all that have read it, and whether this is because of pre-conceived notions or actually represents Euripides’ intentions.
An Encounter with the Australian Navy in Australian Indigenous Rock Art
Jessica Viney
Australian National University
In collaboration with a major ARC archaeological research project in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, I have analysed an Indigenous rock art painting of an European ship. The painting is from a major rock art gallery in the coastal sandstone Wellington Range of Arnhem Land. This archaeological site contains a nationally significant assemblage of culture contact rock art imagery. Therefore the objective of my research has been to identify the features, class of this naval vessel, and if possible, the specific ship, in order to give historical context to the painting. This process of investigation provides a greater understanding of the relationship and interactions between Indigenous people and maritime Australia. The painting was subsequently identified as the HMAS Gayundah, from a specific voyage in 1911 where the ship was tasked to intercept illegal Indonesian fishermen. The history of this interaction provides a view of a time just after Federation which illustrates that Australia’s concerns in the 21st Century have not diverged from the past as much as we might think. The rock art imagery also provides an avenue of discussion regarding the first interaction between Indigenous people of Arnhem Land and a modern Australian naval warship. This study highlights the diversity of culture contact experienced by Indigenous Australians, and the significance of interdisciplinary investigation via archaeology, history, and maritime studies.
A measure of abundance and diversity of invertebrate communities across roadside and non-road side environments in open, dry sclerophyll forest (Smiths Lake, Australia)
Julia Wyllie
Macquarie University
The anthropogenic disturbance of environments can influence the abundance, distribution and taxon richness of resident invertebrate communities. The construction of roads fragments environments by creating barriers between habitat patches, and degrades habitat along their edge. Although large freeways may have largest impacts, smaller gravel access roads may also have an effect. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the abundance and species richness of invertebrates would decrease with proximity to a small gravel access road running through dry sclerophyll forest, Smiths Lake, New South Wales, Australia. Insects were sampled from plants immediately adjacent to and 25 meters from the road’s edge, using six 5 x 10 m quadrats at each distance. Despite our hypothesis, we found no difference between the abundance of invertebrates or winged invertebrates between the two environments. Similarly, there was no difference in the diversity of invertebrate orders between sampling locations. The absence of an effect of the road may be related to its narrow width and small volume of traffic. Alternatively, even the habitat 25 m from the road may be disturbed. Future research will be needed to distinguish between these hypotheses.
Optic flow in stingless bees Trigona carbonaria
Kate Hardwick & Karen Bulmer
Macquarie University
Flying insects navigate complex landscapes and they use a range of strategies, including optic flow, to accomplish this. Optic flow is the pattern of apparent motion generated by static objects as they pass through the field of vision of a moving observer. Recent research has shown that several insect species can use information derived from optic flow to guide their navigation. However the extent to which the use of this strategy has been conserved among flying insects is as yet unknown. The Australian native stingless bee Trigona carbonaria may be one of the earliest members in the stingless bee tribe Meliponini, a sister tribe to honeybees, and therefore offers insight into the evolution of spatial acuity and navigational strategies in these taxa. To determine whether the use of optic flow extends to stingless bees Trigona carbonaria, we trained bees to fly through four patterned tunnels, each offering a different degree of optic flow artificially generated by striped material. Vertical and horizontal stripes produce high and low optic flow respectively, as bees fly through the tunnels. We first investigated the centering response of the bees: the ability to balance boundary distance to either side in order to negotiate narrow gaps. We found that stingless bees used optic flow, generated by the striped material, to centre themselves in the flight tunnels. Optic flow also affected bees’ flight speed. Bees flew faster when optic flow was low and flew slower when optic flow was high. High-speed photography showed that stingless bees appear to angle their bodies toward the side that produced higher optic flow, suggesting that optic flow is a key component in navigational strategies. This study represents another step in deconstructing mechanisms of navigation and spatial learning within bee families.
Mediating Weeping Woman: A live/ digital performance study
Kate Maguire-Rosier
Macquarie University
This production thesis in Performance Studies is a response to the witnessing of war images of human suffering broadcast in the news media. The project comprises a performance Mediating Weeping Woman which took place at Macquarie University in April 2012, and an accompanying written thesis. This artistic research, currently in process, investigates notions of witnessing images of war and suffering. Aims of this research are divided into two layers: artistic intentions and qualitative objectives. With the advent of new screen technologies has come a plethora of images that shapes our everyday experience. The overarching artistic intention was to explore the encounter between a viewer (witness) and mediatised images of human suffering in war. Video projection was used as a medium through which processes of witnessing, that is encountering, consuming and generally experiencing mediatised images, could be expressed. With a reference to Picasso’s Guernica and his Weeping Woman series, the performance explored the act and state of a woman as she weeps. The character Woman, found herself before, within and perhaps somewhere inbetween the mediatised images she saw. Swaying between war zones, pixelated images and domestic spaces, Woman, like the audience, often found herself at a distance from unsettling scenes and yet bound to them, inescapably. Qualitative objectives were designed around three particular effects of video projection – presence, dominance and interaction of live and digital performers – that I evaluated on the basis of an audience feedback survey. The survey sought to ascertain, at critical moments, which performer was perceived as dominant or present and to examine the question: What is the combined effect when the live and digital performers interact? For the conference presentation, I will discuss specific outcomes of this survey in relation to one particular scene in which the live performer danced a duet with her projected life size double.
Alternative Waste Management in Metropolitan Areas
Kylie Bishop
RMIT
Australia is one of the highest waste generating countries in the world per head of population, with the majority of land filled waste originating from the municipal sector. Population growth and increasing consumerism have led to increasing amounts of municipal solid waste being generated, as our demand for products and services grows. Recently, governments have targeted this issue by requiring the diversion of greater volumes of waste from landfill in order to reduce environmental damage as well as manage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption in response to climate change. As a result, this study identified alternative technologies that may be implemented to successfully manage municipal solid waste in metropolitan areas. In addition, the most relevant policy and legislative requirements which could be targeted to promote the uptake and success of alternative technologies were also investigated. It was found that by utilising the existing infrastructure at waste water treatment facilities, the organic fraction of waste could not only be managed outside of a landfill but could also be used in the production of renewable energy. This solution not only diverts this waste from landfill but also poses many environmental and economic benefits that may otherwise not be realised. Through the development of a business case, the social, financial, environmental and technical considerations of converting waste to energy were assessed to determine the viability of implementing a change to current waste management systems. A review of global case studies determined that the most substantial improvements in waste management have been made in countries where legislation and economic drivers have had the greatest influence. The findings of the study found that this method of converting waste to energy is a viable way of managing waste in Australia, but its success is dependent upon supporting legislative and economic drivers.
Poissonality: something fishy going on? The role of rearing environment in determining personality in crimson spotted rainbowfish (Melanotaenia duboulayi)
Larissa Trompf
Macquarie University
Personality in animals is a relatively new field of study, but one that has yielded findings that shed fresh light on a range of ecological issues including invasion biology and animal conservation. Animals as diverse as sea urchins and birds have been found to show differences between individuals in boldness, exploration and sociality for example. Animals also vary in their reactions to environmental variation – some individuals may be more plastic in their responses than others. We wanted to know the role that different rearing environments may play in determining personality and plasticity. We looked at three personality traits in crimson spotted rainbowfish (Melanotaenia duboulayi), that we reared in two different environments, complex and impoverished. We tested boldness, activity and aggression across two contexts: the presence and absence of a predator (a spangled perch, (Leiopotherapon unicolor)) located in the tank, physically separated but visible through clear perspex. At the population level, fish reared in an impoverished environment decreased their level of activity and aggression when a predator was present. Fish from enriched environments maintained their behaviour regardless of the context. Behavioural reaction norms were used to analyse results for individual fish and showed that, in terms of activity and aggression, the enriched fish showed more consistency in their behaviours across the predation and non-predation contexts. These results are not unexpected – fish that had been exposed to a number of different stimuli are more habituated to changing situations and less likely to modify behaviours in different contexts. Rearing environment has clearly been a factor across both these conditions. It may also have been at play in determining reaction to a predator: fish that perceive a constant greater risk of predation alter risk taking behaviour accordingly – to forage effectively they are willing to take greater risks compared to low predation risk counterparts.
An Evaluation of the Use of Social Networking Sites: Singapore General Election 2011
Lijuan Abigail Wong
RMIT University
The theory of information exchange model (Marcella and Baxter, 1999, 2000a, 2000b. 2001, 2002) contrasts politicians’ and citizens’ perceptions of communication during an electoral process. My research uses this model to examine the influence of social networking sites during an election. Social networking sites enhance people and relationships (Boyd 2007). They enable people to share media to entertain, inform, and connect with friends, customers and others (Shih 2011). My research tests this claim to ask whether the use of social networking sites bridged the communication gap between politicians and citizens in the 2011Singapore General Election. My question is based upon the premise that adoption of social networking sites in a media-controlled state such as Singapore afforded citizens freedom of speech more commonly observed in liberal Western democracies (Mutalib 2000). I gained insights into politicians’ perceptions of their communication with citizens via qualitative unstructured interviews with a sample of politicians. Those data were contrasted with secondary data from politicians’ and citizen’s blogs, personal biographies and forums. Applying the theory of information exchange model, I identified common themes from both perspectives through thematic analysis (Strauss and Corbin 1998), rearranging the model according to dominant themes identified from the data. In doing so, I extended the theory of information exchange model to accommodate the influence of social networking sites. My research indicates that social networking sites promote the flow of communication between the politicians and citizens in a domino-fashion. For instance, rapid dissemination of information leads to a flow of transparent information to citizens, enabling the “well-informed citizen” (Schutz 1946) - a new experience for many Singaporean citizens. Furthermore, the lack of media control inspires the connotation of ‘freedom of speech’, which encourages political parties to enter into two-way participation with citizens. Potential thus exists for social networking sites to re-model the Singaporean political process, liberalising political communication.
Spatial variation in benthic infauna with respect to coastal development, Smith’s Lake, NSW
Louise Tosetto
Macquarie University
The effects of coastal development are far reaching and impact on almost all major aquatic ecosystems. Coastal settlements can input nutrients into aquatic environments, resulting in eutrophication and algal blooms that influence the abundance and diversity of taxa in the benthic zone. The benthic zone is the sea floor, which extends from the shallow intertidal areas to the deepest ocean floor. Benthos refers to all organisms that live within this zone, while infauna refers to the organisms that live within sedimentary deposits. This study compared benthic infaunal assemblages between urban and non-urban areas of Smiths Lake, NSW, hypothesising that there would be a greater abundance and reduced diversity of benthic infauna adjacent to urban environments. Benthic infauna were collected from three urban and non-urban locations in September 2011. At each location two sites were selected and 5 cores of sediment, 10cm deep by 10cm wide were collected at 5 m intervals just above the wetting zone to give a total of 30 cores per zone. Samples were sorted and identified to order. The study found that there was no significant difference between urban and non-urban zones in the total abundance or richness of invertebrates but did find that two of three urban locations had a considerably higher abundance of amphipods than the three non-urban locations. The results suggest that there are processes in the urban environment that favour some species. Further studies are required to investigate the mechanisms by which these species are facilitated.
Optimising adherence to group exercise interventions for the prevention of falls: systematic review & meta-analysis
Lucy McPhate
Monash University
Background: Group exercise interventions have been shown to reduce falls among older adults. However, there has been little empirical investigation of the effects of adherence on the efficacy of these interventions. Purpose: We aim to investigate the factors that affect adherence to group exercise interventions for the prevention of falls, and to examine whether adherence influences intervention efficacy. Data sources: Papers were systematically identified through a search of the full holdings of electronic databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL and Pedro) up until November 2011. The search was supplemented with papers known to the authors. Study selection: Two researchers independently determined study eligibility for inclusion. Randomised controlled trials, examining the effect of a group exercise intervention on falls were sought. Of the 201 articles identified, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction: Adherence data, and various intervention factors, including duration and frequency of the intervention and type of exercise were extracted. Data synthesis: Participant adherence rates were pooled via random effects meta-analysis. Random effects logistic regression was performed to examine the effect of each intervention factor on adherence. Random effects maximum likelyhood meta-regression was performed to determine the interaction between adherence and falls prevention efficacy of the trial. Conclusions: The pooled estimate of adherence was identified as 73.6% (95% CI = 0.67 to 0.80) of the total number of sessions. Lower levels of adherence were found in group exercise interventions with a longer duration, more than two sessions per week, and interventions that included a flexibility component. However, further research is encouraged to more accurately determine the effect of intervention level factors on adherence. A trending but non-significant relationship was found between adherence and falls prevention efficacy.
Performance in the construction of religious identity
Lydia Gore-Jones, Alexandra Wrathall & Natasha Langley
Macquarie University
The Dead Sea Scrolls which were discovered around the mid-20th century at Khirbet Qumran in the Judean Desert have opened another door to our understanding of religious life during the latter part of the Second Temple Period (2nd century BCE – 70 CE). There is wide consensus that the scrolls belonged to a Jewish sectarian group who withdrew from temple-focused Judaism and lived a communal life near the caves where the scrolls were discovered. One of the most important scrolls, dubbed “Community Rules” or 1QS, describes requirements and procedures for entry to the community as well as the code of discipline by which the community was to live. It finishes with a hymn. What kind of hymn is it? What was its use and function? Was it performed publicly or was its use rather private and devotional? What can it tell us about the sectarians – their self-perceived identity and religious experience? By analyzing its content in the Hebrew language and comparing it with other scrolls as well as sections within 1QS itself, we identify it as belonging to a genre to be designated Hodayot or Thanksgiving Hymns. Its original Sitz im Leben is difficult to resolve, but we propose that it was adapted and liturgically used in community worship. Specifically, it was most likely sung at the annual ceremony when new members were initiated into the community and existing members renewed their commitment. The ceremony is described in 1QS, hence the hymn’s inclusion in the “Community Rules”. By applying anthropological theory on performance and rituals, we see how, through hymns like this and the ceremonies with which they were associated, the Qumran community was able to construct and bolster its unique identity. The hymn reveals a highly ritualized existence – a religious life which was not merely internally spiritualized, but physically performed.
Ancient Erotic Satire: Straton's “The Boyish Muse“
Marguerite Humphries
Australian National University
The study of pederasty in the Greco-Roman world has long been plagued by censure, accusations of pedophilia and modern concepts of sexuality and homosexuality. The work of the Greek poet Straton, The Boyish Muse (Mousa Paidikh), who wrote in the 1st/2nd century AD on pederastic relationships and sexual encounters with boys, presents an opportunity to examine the development and nature of pederasty during the Roman period. In translating and analysing 90+ poems by Straton, this paper examines how Straton uses an explicit erotic tone and terminology in his poetry, sexualised puns and conundrums, and eroticised references and allusions to his literary predecessors and myths, including Ganymede and Zeus, to depict the pederast and pederastic relationship. Pederasty was part of a cultural norm, ingrained into tradition in antiquity - at times encouraged by society - and thus any study on pederasty needs to be separated from its modern prejudices. The presentation of the pederastic relationship – the erastes (the older man, the “active”) and the eromenos (the beloved youth, the “passive”) – by Straton departs from the pedagogical and initiatory relationships depicted on vases and described in the literature of the Classical era. In Straton's poetry, relationships are driven purely by sexual desire and money – prostitution and money-greedy boys abound. The poetry also highlights societal attitudes towards pederasty and sex, including a blinding distaste towards older youths and men taking the passive role in sex (persisting from the Classical era), revealing the life cycle of the Greco-Roman male with regards to sexual partners and roles. The poetry of Straton has largely been ignored by Classicists until recently, with a few Italian and German commentaries being published within the last twenty years. The poetry of Straton, however, is important, showcasing the change in the practice of pederasty in the Roman period. It also offers a glimpse into the reciprocal relationship of influence and imitation of Latin and Greek authors contemporary to Straton.
“All In A Day's Work”: An Exploratory Study of Workers’ Experiences of Therapeutic Intervention with Suicidal Clients and Clients Who Went On To Commit Suicide
Maria Chan
University of New South Wales
This social work Honours thesis is an exploratory study of workers’ experiences of therapeutic intervention with suicidal clients and clients who went on to commit suicide. The last few decades have seen an increasing recognition of the adverse effects which working with suicidal clients can have on workers. There is an abundance of literature which claims that working with suicidal clients is an extremely stressful experience and that losing a client to suicide can be a major trauma. However, existing studies are quantitive in nature and tend to impose trauma symptomatology on workers’ experiences. Thus, little is known about the ways workers believe themselves to be affected by their work. This study addresses this gap by asking how workers perceive themselves to be affected, how they made sense of their experiences and how they managed their responses. This study is underpinned by a qualitative methodology and constructionist paradigm which focuses on the meaning people give to their lives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven workers from diverse disciplines and practice settings. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. A small part of the findings confirmed existing research as all participants reported some negative impacts. Surprisingly, this study found that for the large part, participants were not distressed and saw their negative experiences as part of the nature of their work. A major finding was participants’ resilience and their capacity to move beyond painful emotions, develop effective coping strategies and even grow through adversity. The findings of this study present an alternative understanding of the effects of working with suicidal clients and highlight the capacity of workers to successfully navigate and potentially benefit from the challenges of their work. The findings of this study can helpfully contribute to organisation and education policies which nurture workers’ resilience in working with this population.
We are what we know: the role of language in the social identity of Italo-Australians
Mary Giordano
La Trobe University
Much has been written about social identity and how it is manifested by people with transnational ties; this paper further explores the issue with relation to Italian-Australians. Based on research undertaken by scholars in a variety of disciplines, the paper explores the complexities involved in attempting to determine the most influential factors of the social identity of Italo-Australians. Notable differences in the processes of cultural adaptation distinguish Italian immigrants of the nineteen fifties from subsequent generations. Immigrants in the mass migration of last century brought certain aspects of their social identity from Italy to which they introduced new aspects in Australia to assist in their integration in the Diaspora. In contrast, their children and grandchildren developed, and continue to develop, a distinct social identity comprised of many Anglo-Saxon influences intertwined with Italian elements inherited from their families. As a result, their social identity is often neither clear nor easy to distinguish. Their identities often vary according to social contexts and they are usually the agents in their own socialisation, free to articulate and affirm their social identity as they consider appropriate. Similar nuances characterise the social identities of their peers in other Italian Diasporas worldwide but due to the brevity of this paper, it does not draw comparisons to highlight the various similarities and differences. In this paper, the Italian language is questioned as the basic criterion for the formation of the social identity of Italo-Australians in an attempt to determine the extent to which ‘they are what they know’. The results, which may challenge some scholars’ views (including Bettoni 1985 and Rell & Rothman 2007) about the role of language in the assertion of individual social identity, suggest it is not the most fundamental component.
The effects of climate change and sea-level rise on Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary
Micala Witton
RMIT
This project discusses the likely effects of climate change and subsequent sea-level rise on Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary and immediate surrounds. The focus is on weathering and erosion processes that occur within Port Phillip and how these will be exacerbated by sea-level rise. An assumed global sea-level rise by the end of 2100 of up to 0.6m has been based on the A1F1 scenario in the 2007 IPCC report. This will compound seasonal fluctuations in sea-level – already up to 0.5m in Port Phillip and which currently contribute to erosion within the bay. The research included a review of literature into sea-level rise and erosion and analysis of in situ geotechnical testing at Ricketts Point. Results show a 70% reduction in shear strength of the Red Bluff Sandstone (RBS) after heavy rains. This drop in shear strength, with increasing saturation, demonstrates the susceptibility of the RBS to erosion under rising sea-level and the concomitant increase in storm intensity. The reduction in rock strength is considered to be due to a moderate percentage of clays such as illite in the soil – as a drop in the moisture content leads to the formation of shrinkage cracks. Higher sea levels and greater storm frequency will clearly increase erosion rates, leading to the risk of failure of major infrastructural assets such as Beach Road and storm water reticulation systems. Importantly, the height of infrastructure in the immediate area ranges from 1.0 - 3.0m above MHWS and will be extremely susceptible to even small rises in sea-level. In order to mitigate environmental degradation following sea-level rise, micro-zoning of the area is being undertaken. This will permit identification of the infrastructure most at risk through inundation and/or slumping, and lead to the proposal of an environmentally and socially responsible plan for the Ricketts Point region.
Chinese Postmodernism: an evaluation of an empire's new export
Nathalie Jones
UTS Sydney
The article Chinese Postmodernism: an evaluation of an empire’s new export investigates the ways that hybridising traditional and postmodern techniques can assist Chinese artists in asserting their cultural and ethnic identity. The methodology used in this research was to draw broad discursive ideas about the shaping of Chinese identity from the work of both eastern and western theorists and to apply these ideas to the real artistic examples provided by Sydney’s largest private collection of postmodern Chinese art, the White Rabbit Gallery. The gallery was chosen for analysis because its Sydney-based location is essential to its effectiveness. China’s rhetoric of freedom has been scarred by oppressive policies and political events, such as the Cultural Revolution and Tiananmen Massacre, which have prevented Chinese artists from exhibiting subversive works in their home country. The White Rabbit implants these works in a new context where they can be appreciated without consequence and enrich our understanding of the role of hybridisation in allowing Chinese artists to establish an authentic sense of their own identity. Comparing discursive and artistic representations of Chinese identity revealed that tradition and postmodernism achieve vastly different social outcomes when applied in the east or west. In my research, I discovered that there have been many academics who have grappled with the paradoxes of the Chinese adapting postmodernism and the Western world attempting to return to tradition, but few have discussed what happens when Chinese artists attempt to hybridise between tradition and postmodernism, and further, there seemed to be little existing analysis of how Western audiences respond when confronted with this ‘interpretation of themselves’. This research found that where postmodernism is manifested in oriental art, it can be used as a tool to interrogate and understand a tradition that has previously been suppressed by government authority.
The Tomb of Memi: A New Approach to Research, Learning and Teaching in Egyptology and Archaeology
Nicole Leong
Macquarie University
Egyptology, and Archaeology more broadly, have yet to adopt or utilize 3D virtual reconstructions in normal research, learning and teaching practices. The aim of my research has been to explore how this may be applied to an archaeological setting and the benefits to learning and teaching for students and academics alike. By using game development software and 3D modeling programs to reconstruct the partially destroyed Tomb of Memi (which was excavated by a Macquarie University archaeological team, led by Professor N. Kanawati), this work-in-progress serves as a proof of concept that published archaeological resources can be accurately reconstructed and re-contextualized. My methodology has involved three main stages: researching the art and architecture of the Tomb of Memi and also game development software; the initial virtual construction process; testing, correcting, showcasing and the further refinement of the tomb’s artistic and architectural features. My success in accurately reconstructing this tomb demonstrates that this software can be used by those without a background in game development. Furthermore, there are numerous research, learning and teaching benefits to be gained from using 3D reconstructions within Ancient History. For example, archaeological site studies can be undertaken, particularly when travel is hindered by geo-political situations. Art, architecture and artefacts can be examined virtually without risk of damage from decomposition, handling, theft or vandalism. This technology also allows for the integration of current scholarship into learning and teaching so that complex designs, relationships, ideas and theories may be contextualized by students and educators. Virtual reconstructions allow greater flexibility in teaching presentations, the re-examination of existing research with current on-going scholarship in a contextualized learning and teaching environment, and provide the learner with greater access to material for study. Thus, in Egyptology and Archaeology 3D virtual reconstructions hold great potential for the future of research, learning and teaching.
Trouble in the pipeline: Lead contamination of grazing lands adjacent to the Hunter Valley's Chichester Trunk Gravity Main Water supply system
Paul Harvey
Macquarie University
This study examines the accidental poisoning of cattle and the related contamination of grazing lands from the use of lead solder on large water supply pipes in the Hunter Valley, NSW. The Chichester Trunk Gravity Main in the Hunter Valley, is the only water pipe transporting water to consumers in the Maitland and Cessnock areas. Joints in the pipe were sealed with lead solder, which were replaced regularly over the last 70 years. However, safe removal of old solder has been incomplete with waste lead being left on the ground adjacent to the pipeline. As a result, surface soils have become highly contaminated and have been linked to a number of cases of lead poisoning in cattle and other animals on properties adjoining the pipeline. In order to delineate the extent and risk associated with livestock access to the pipeline area, soils, grasses and water bodies adjacent to a section of the pipeline at Woodberry, 22 km northwest of Newcastle, NSW were examined. Delineation of the extent of the contamination was required so that the landowners could be advised of the extent of problem and possible solutions and lead exposure mitigation strategies. The data show that soil lead levels decrease significantly with distance from the pipeline. For example, one transect revealed a 99.8 % decrease in surface soil lead concentrations at the pipeline (20,600 mg/kg) compared to those only 11 m away (32 mg/kg). Surface soils within 3 m the pipe were enriched significantly (mean 2515 mg/kg of lead, n = 12) compared to background surface samples (26.3 mg/kg of lead, n = 3). The surface soil lead enrichment factor around the pipeline is ~ 95 times above background values and concentrations are considered to be significantly in excess of safe soil lead concentrations for agricultural use (300 - 600 mg/kg - see NEPC, 1999). Grass samples close to the pipeline were also analysed for metal bioavailability. These revealed they too presented a risk of lead poisoning containing up to 50 mg/kg of lead.
The value of the cranial-caudal mammographic view in breast cancer detection: a preliminary study
Phuong Dung Trieu
University of Sydney
Aim: This paper aims to assess the value of the single cranio-caudal view mammogram in the detection of breast cancer.
Background: Mammography is considered a reliable modality in detecting early breast lesions with high level of sensitivity (60% -80%) and specificity (73% - 95%) being demonstrated (Maggio, 2004) . Although a single medio-lateral oblique (MLO) view used to be the routine protocol, many studies indicated that two-view (cranio-caudal and mediolateral oblique) mammogram provides radiologists with more information to detect breast cancer (Seigneurin et al., 2009). Nevertheless, there have been growing concerns about the effects of radiation exposure on patients who absorb approximately double radiation dose with a routine two-view mammography (Law & Faulkner, 2008). Although one view MLO was proved to be less effective than two views in detecting cancer lesions, the value of cranio-caudal view has never been established.
Materials and methods: 129 radiologists were asked to report 60 two-view mammograms of the left and right breasts (20 malignant lesions) and 55 radiologists assessed a set of 55 single cranio-caudal views (23 malignant lesions). Participants were asked to search for the presence of any breast lesions and provide confidence scores for their decisions. The sensitivity, specificity and localization sensitivity of each reader were analysed and JAFROC figure of merit and ROC Az values calculated.
Results: Two-view mammograms showed more effectiveness in detecting malignant nodules than single cranio-caudal view in terms of sensitivity (0.84 > 0.62; p<0.001), localized-sensitivity (0.6 > 0.5; p=0.006), ROC (0.82 > 0.64; p<0.001) and JAFROC (0.67 > 0.62; p =0.02). The single CC view had a higher (non-significant) specificity (0.79) compared to two-view mammography (0.72) (p=0.065).
Conclusions: Single view cranial-caudal mammogram reduces the ability of cancer detection in mammography; however its improved specificity may provide some benefit for low risk women having follow-up screening appointments.
Utility, sexuality, creativity: the search for meaning in a public loo
Raina Rabin
UTS
This paper uses the subterranean public toilets in Taylor Square, Darlinghurst to explore the social constructs of modernity and postmodernity. Based on Enlightenment theories, discussion of modernity’s progress through renewal and experimentation will reveal its impact on constructing moral parameters over time. Examination of the dynamic use of the toilets from one of utility to a meeting place for Sydney’s male homosexual subculture illustrates the intersection of modern and postmodern thought by questioning the dominant narrative of the period, transforming social mores. Hobsbawm’s concept of ‘invented traditions’ proves a useful tool to clarify the value of symbols and ritual in unifying individuals with regard to the development of the gay community in Sydney. A look at the present-day use of the toilets as an exhibition space for the art installation A Leaf From the Book of Cities reflects postmodern sensibilities by questioning prevailing social values and instigating an open conversation with the public on what it is to be a sustainable community.
The Challenge of Change: Acceptance, faith and homosexuality in the Catholic Church
Rayan Calimlim
University of Technology, Sydney
In a recent interview, the retiring Auxiliary Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn, Bishop Patrick Power, spoke of a disappointment with the Catholic Church hierarchy for its current, unreformed teachings on sexual ethic. Among the issues he identified were the Church’s viewpoints on homosexuality and its treatment of LGBT persons. My work focuses on this area of Catholic teaching. I analyse and discuss the traditional Catholic viewpoint as taught by the church in its official documents and the postmodern challenge to this teaching currently being proposed by theologians who begin with the stories of gay and lesbian Catholics and do theology from that perspective. Using St. Joseph’s Parish, Newtown and the LGBT Catholic group Acceptance as a starting point for my research, my work explores the current Catholic views on homosexuality and the flaws it holds, as well as how groups of theologians, clergy and lay people have sought to challenge this view in the hope of changing and reforming the Church’s perspectives on the issue. For this study I have undertaken a literature review of current official church documents on homosexuality as well as a literature review of biblical theologians working on reading the biblical texts in the light of modern scriptural scholarship and the changed social settings and psychological insights. I also review current moral theologians who take into account not only the church teaching on homosexuality but the new insights coming from biblical theology and the church’s teaching on conscience. I also review modern developments in Catholic sexual ethics which is under review by some theologians who believe the Church’s current approach may be too limited to provide a proper sexual ethic for today’s Catholics. I have also reviewed Catholic LGBT groups, such as Acceptance, to see how these teachings and the new theologies are being incorporated into Catholic practice by some LGBT Catholics. I conclude that there is a need for change within the Vatican’s current teachings, both as a theological matter and for the benefit of LGBT Catholics. I also look at what might be done in the Catholic Church in order for change to occur in this area.
Speaking the Blue Mountains
Rhiannon Hall
University of Wollongong
This paper will offer an examination of some of the ways in which writers from the Blue Mountains region express their relationships with the land in their texts. Through a close textual analysis of selected poems I aim to explore how place-based literature offers an important intervention in the increasingly vocal and visible campaigns to save the Earth. This premise draws on William Cronon’s assertion that ‘narratives are our chief moral compass’ and that they guide and influence our interactions with the non-human world (Cronon 1992, p1375). The paper will approach the selected works through a framework that draws on theories of pastoralism, Romanticism, postcolonialism and ecocriticism. All of these theories are important in gauging an understanding of how writing, nature and self interact, as I hope to show through a close reading of the work by poets such as Phillip Hall, Steven Herrick, Dorothy Hewett, Kate Llewellyn, Dennis McDermott, Peter Minter, David Musgrave, Mark O’Flynn and Dorothy Porter. When people write about the Blue Mountains, they are engaging with the natural world and often celebrating the bush. The outcomes of this study will be a deeper understanding of how literature is engaging with the Blue Mountains and if certain representations of place can challenge the risks posed by human actions to the environment.
An investigation of the experiences of radiologists participating in Multi-Disciplinary Breast Cancer Teams
Samantha Alcantara
The University of Sydney
Background: This project seeks to add to the research into improving radiologist’s performance, specifically in reporting breast images (mammograms, breast ultrasounds and breast MRI). One growing role for radiologists is participation in Multi-disciplinary Breast Cancer Teams (MDBCT) meetings. Multidisciplinary team meetings for breast cancer aims to bring together all the relevant specialties and allied health professionals, discuss all treatment options and collaboratively develop individual treatment plans for each patient (NBCC, 2005). Radiologist participation is recommended due to their expertise in breast image reporting crucial in diagnosis and consequent clinical decisions (RANZCR, 2008). There are however, numerous reported benefits of MDBCT participation to the radiologist themselves, including increased educational opportunities.
Research question or field of investigation: The aim of this pilot study is to explore the personal experiences of Australian radiologists participating in Breast Cancer Multi-disciplinary Team (BCMDT) meetings, and discern whether there is any impact on their education, practice and performance.
Methodology used in your research: Following invitation to attend MDBCT meetings, observations were undertaken at 4 separate sites over a number of weeks. Semi-structured interviews were being conducted with radiologists participating in MDBCT meetings in NSW. The interviews addressed questions on their personal involvement in meetings, key interactions with other attendees, the value of radiologists in participating, their educational needs and the effect of attendance on their decision-making.
Preliminary conclusions: Preliminary conclusions are that radiologists’ participation in MDBCT meetings fall into two broad categories; passive participation and active participation. This distinction arises primarily occurs due to the composition and processes of the particular meetings. Active participation, and hence education, by radiologists is seen in smaller meetings with a focus on correlating breast images with pathology reports. These meetings require radiologists to justify and seek external expert opinion rather than merely describe the radiographic appearances of the cancers. More learning opportunities for radiologists such as peer feedback regarding their accuracy occur in the smaller meetings however there is learning through passive participation in larger meetings with greater exposure to more specialist decision-making linking diagnosis to therapies. Another central theme was the positive value of radiologists’ learning more about the patient and their presentation/surgery through the meetings as often diagnosis is made in isolation to patient attendance for imaging.
What’s the Law Got to Do with Corruption in Indonesia? A Case Study for Systems Theory
Samuel Chan
The Australian National University
This paper is an extract of an Honours Thesis submitted to the ANU College of Law under the supervision of Associate Professor Daniel Fitzpatrick. During Indonesia’s reform era, new anti-corruption legislation and institutions were introduced to prevent and eradicate corruption. Yet empirical evidence reflects a somewhat disappointing effect. According to Transparency International’s corruption perception index (an indicia scaled out of 10 as to how corrupt each country’s public sector is perceived), Indonesia has merely improved from 2.0 to 2.8 in the past decade (Aspinall and Klinken 2011: 4–5). Likewise, domestic opinion polls reveal ‘alarmingly low levels of trust in public institutions’ and ‘a common view that corruption is all-pervasive’ (Aspinall and Klinken 2011: 4–5). This paper investigates the relevance and usefulness of systems theory in analysing law–society relationships with respect to corruption in Indonesia. Systems theory directs our attention to the internal operations of different social systems, the interfaces between them, and the different meanings that each system constructs of their social environment (King 1993: 230). In so doing, systems theory allows regulators to ‘identify emerging forms of legal phenomena outside the formal legal system’ and to ‘make predictions about their impact on other social systems’ (King 1993: 230). To narrow the scope of discussion, the paper broadly examines how politics, economics, and local self-regulatory systems reconstruct the anti-corruption law that defines most (if not all) corrupt activities as illegal. Based on the case study, the paper observes that systems theory may not be the best socio-legal theory available to analyse corruption in Indonesia with. It is certainly instructive in directing regulators to areas where law–society relationships are weak and can be further worked on. However, systems theory’s analysis of corruption remains vague and aspirational. It offers little substantive or practical policy advice that is useful for regulators. Systems theory merely tells us where the problems lie, but not how they can be solved.
Too White to be Black, too Black to be White: an exploration of Aboriginal identity in contemporary Australian cinema
Sarah Henderson
University of Technology
This paper will explore Aboriginal identity in contemporary Australian cinema through films, released in 1955,1990,1996 and 2002 depicting aboriginal identity. The current research on Aboriginal identity is for the most part compiled by non-indigenous academics. Debatably, this Anglo-centricity unintentionally steals the Aboriginal voice and muffles Aboriginal people from articulating their own identity and issues to a broader audience. Given this, auto-ethnographic studies by Aboriginal people (specifically in contemporary Australian cinema) provide valuable insight into how representational practices of Aboriginal people have transformed Aboriginal identities Though, these representations have historically been controversial, in more recent times as Aboriginal people have entered the film making business, paving the way for a more diverse and nuanced expressions of identity. This paper will focus on five films: Charles Chauvel’s 1955 film Jedda, Paul Goldman’s 2002 film Australian Rules, Iven Sen’s 2002 film Beneath Clouds, Tracey Moffett’s 1990 film Night Cries: a Rural Tragedy and Darlene Johnson’s 1996 short film Two Bob Mermaid. These films will be analysed across a range of theoretical frameworks: identity studies, post-colonial studies, discourses of blackness and whiteness (race studies) and screen studies. This work will also explore how societal expectations of blackness/whiteness may shape the formation of individual, group identities, police how identity is understood and expressed and the relationship of skin colour and Aboriginality. This exploration will be undertaken via an examination of how these expectations are represented in the media and how it translates onto the cinematic screen. The methodological approaches used in this research are auto-ethnography, ethnography and discourse analysis, in the context of the selected films and their influence on perceptions. These approaches aim to explore how films on Aboriginality impact the everyday experiences and existences of Aboriginal Australians. Through research conducted via informal conversations, this paper will discuss the experiences of Aboriginal Australians with identity and identity policing. These stories will be combined with my own experiences and an analysis of the recent media attention on Aboriginal identity. The representations of Aboriginal people in cinema have been limited to quite stereotypical roles that do not represent the majority of Aboriginal Australians. However as Aboriginal filmmakers enter the scene this representation has diversified and challenged the stereotypical roles.
Soft as Silk and White as Snow: Feminism, Mythology and “Affect” in Eliza Keary’s “Little Seal-Skin”
Sarah Kelly
Monash University
Research question: My research is interested in the notion of “literary mythology”, with particular attention to the non-canonical woman poet, Eliza Keary. Keary’s employment of Irish mythology to investigate the concerns of Victorian feminists and has potentially far-reaching applicability for contemporary feminist writers. Keary’s poem “Little Seal-skin” which deals with enforced domesticity and wilful misapprehension of female desire may provide insight into how to fully harness the mythological form’s potential for radical social commentary.
Methodology: My research will examine Keary’s subversive use of affect in her collection of poems, and the ramifications of this particular approach. Attention will be paid to the interlinking of the myth and folklore forms in the work of writers such as Marina Warner and Claude Levi-Strauss. Central to the research is a close reading analysis of Keary’s poem, “Little Seal-skin”. The complexity of this close reading not only elucidates the central concerns of Keary’s work but also validates the choice of her work for academic attention. The research also examines the tensions in examining Keary’s work from both a feminist and an Irish nationalist perspective.
Background: Eliza Keary was chosen due to her position as non-canonical female writer, sitting outside both the Western Canon and the Irish Literary Canon. Her contributions to both Victorian poetry and children’s literature have long been overlooked, and I feel, worthy of academic attention.
Conclusion: The combined elements of mythology and the culture of affect and feminism in “Little Seal-Skin” have enabled Eliza Keary to talk more concretely about the imbalances in gender roles and the true desires of women than the majority of her contemporaries and her work may serve as a model for contemporary feminist writers.
Determining physical characteristics for pre-planetary nebulae
Shane Vickers
Macquarie University
Planetary nebulae are the beautiful but short-lived, glowing ejecta of dying, low-to-intermediate mass stars. These objects are formed when an expanding red giant star throws off its outer layers, allowing the hot white dwarf star to shape and ionize the ejected gas. This project investigates the very brief, poorly-studied phase that precedes the planetary nebulae stage. Such rapidly evolving objects are called pre-planetary nebulae (PPN). Understanding this brief stage of evolution requires knowledge of their physical characteristics which are not currently well known for the 200 PPN identified so far. The calculation of physical characteristics of PPN are dependent on their distances from Earth. These are not available in the literature as they have been very difficult to determine accurately. To address this problem, we have calculated distances to 400 PPN and related objects from the Torun catalogue (Szczerba et al. 2007, version 2.0) by modelling their spectral energy distributions, and numerically integrating across a broad wavelength range to ascertain the total distance-dependent flux of the objects. In fact, PPN appear to be good `standard candles' in the infrared --- allowing the assumption of a constant luminosity for all objects. The calculated distances from the Galactic mid-plane will be compared with the different morphological populations in the literature and any dependence of morphology on the initial mass of the star will allow a narrowing of the different physical mechanisms responsible for the varying shapes. At the end of this project we will have determined accurate distances to a significant sample of PPN using this SED technique, and hence produce a catalogue of physical properties of these short-lived dying stars that is currently lacking in the literature.
"10 Years on from 9/11" Muslim women media advocates reflect on Challenges and Achievements
Widyan Al Ubudy
University of Wollongong
On September 11, 2001, millions of people around the world stopped in their tracks as they watched in horror while the World Trade Centre collapsed. Consequently the ‘War on Terror’ and the conflict in the Middle-East became the heart of media coverage across the U.S, Europe and Australia. That day saw the relation between Muslims and societies drastically deteriorate. Against the background of hostility, negative media representation continued to engulf Australian media, exuding fear and uncertainty in the minds of Australians towards Islam. This toxic yet familiar trend has bought about the disfranchising of Muslims, particularly Muslim women within Australian society. Muslims women who adorn any form of head covering will always remain the carrier of anti-Muslim sentiment as the Hijab is the most recognisable symbol for Islam. Such a misrepresentation of Muslim women and the faith they follow have continues to receive inaccurate and unjust media coverage. As Susan Carland argues in her, ‘Islamphobia, free of loss of freedom, and the Muslim woman’, Muslim women are simultaneously bringers and of the fear of loss of freedom, and the bearers of it, (2011, p 473). Such a paradox leaves women in a difficult position when dealing with the representation of themselves in Australian media. Forcing Muslim women to lose faith in the Australian legal and justice system and eradicating any trust left in the Australian media as reliable and creditable informers of true, fair and equal information. There is ample research demonstrating racism and stereotyping in media representations of Muslim women since September 11, 2001, yet very little research which explores the agency and advocacy of Muslim women in response to media portrayals. My research addresses this absence and will contribute new knowledge to the field of Muslim women and media representations. The research paper will argue that at times individuals who feel alienated are left with no desire to actively change their status, however, on rare occasions feeling alienation is motivation for individuals to become more pro-active in developing strategies to achieve equal citizenship. It appears that the latter has been adopted by various Muslim women across Australia. This thesis will discuss and analyse how Muslim women have responded through media activism and advocacy work in challenging such media misrepresentation. The thesis will feature 12 semi-structured interviews that will be conducted with Muslim women who have undertaken advocacy work in the media and analyse the challenges and achievements as well as limitations faced when challenging the dominant and inaccurate view presented by Australian media post 9/11. Lastly, the thesis will make recommendations and give the interviewees an opportunity to suggest further media projects for areas that require more attention, something which is lacking in the existing research on Muslim women.
Guarding Against Crime: Real-Life Cases of Australian Guardians
Zarina Vakhitova
Griffith University
In the crime event model presented in routine activity theory (Felson & Cohen, 1980), the guardian is considered to be the pivotal element when it comes to crime prevention and control. Capable guardians can be effective crime controllers by preventing or disrupting crimes in progress, thereby protecting targets from victimization. This study describes the first empirical analyses of over 100 real-life cases of crime intervention by citizens that resulted in the successful disruption of crime events in progress. This investigation involved content analysis of newspaper articles reporting on cases of citizen’s arrest contained in the Australia/New Zealand Reference Center Database between 1995 and 2012. These cases of citizen’s arrest were used to identify patterns in: the individual characteristics of guardians who intervene; the types of crime events in which guardians intervene; the characteristics of the victims and offenders involved; and the situational characteristics of incidents of intervention. To identify the cases of citizen intervention, several search phrases such as “citizen’s arrest” and “bystander intervened” were used to query the database. Variables related to the offender, the victim, the guardian, as well as the surrounding situational factors were extracted for analysis. Logistic regression analyses and conjunctive analysis of case configurations (QCA) (Miethe et al, 2008) revealed the dominant situational contexts in which guardians successfully intervene to disrupt crime events. The results provide empirical support for the significant role that guardians play as effective agents in the crime control process. This study was performed as part of the Griffith University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Undergraduate Research Internship Program.