National Maori and Pacific psychologies symposium: Claiming spaces

In 2002 the Maori and Psychology Research Unit made a valuable contribution to the teaching and practice of psychology in Aotearoa via the two day Maori Graduates of Psychology Symposium: Making a Difference. Mid-way through 2006, our collective memories of the hard work in 2002 diminished, so much so that we once again considered hosting a similar event. Building on the foundations laid in 2002, the theme of the 2007 symposium was "Claiming Spaces", with our focus expanding to include peoples of the Pacific. This theme reflected that the time had come for Maori and Pacific Psychologies to move from the margins and claim legitimate space within psychology. It recognized that here in Aotearoa we have the potential to be pioneers in the development of psychologies relevant and applicable to Maori and Pacific peoples, and to better understand what science, culture and practice means when indigenous and cultural world views are prioritised. It was an inclusive theme, with the programme comprising presentations led by Maori and Pacific psychologists, graduates of psychology and psychology students. These presentations reflected on and made connections to the theme of "Claiming Spaces"

Gender, Violence and Peace: A Post-2015 Development Agenda

Gender has increasingly become a part of the international peace and security agenda, particularly since the passage of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and subsequent resolutions on women, peace and security. Yet little attention has been given to examining how the resources and political will generated by the post-2015 framework could help move this agenda forward.In this paper, Saferworld and Conciliation Resources set out a vision for including gender, peace and security in the post-2015 framework. A gender, peace and security approach to post-2015 includes, but also goes beyond a focus on women's empowerment. Inter alia, it means paying attention to the relationships between gender, violence and inclusive decision-making. Building on our previous recommendations for including peacebuilding commitments in the post-2015 development agenda, we suggest targets and indicators that illustrate how gender, peace and security can best be integrated into the framework

Innovating thermal treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW): Socio-technical change linking expectations and representations

This paper combines two theoretical perspectives: future technological expectations mobilising resources; and social representations assimilating new ideas through anchoring onto familiar frames of reference. The combination is applied to the controversial case of thermal-treatment options for municipal solid waste (MSW), especially via gasification technology. Stakeholders’ social representations set criteria for technological expectations and their demonstration requirements, whose fulfilment in turn has helped gasification to gain more favourable representations. Through a differential ‘anchoring’, gasification is represented as matching incineration’s positive features while avoiding its negative ones. Despite their limitations, current two-stage combustion gasifiers are promoted as a crucial transition towards a truly ‘advanced’ form producing a clean syngas; R&D investment reinforces expectations for advancing the technology. Such linkages between technological expectations and social representations may have broader relevance to socio-technical change, especially where public controversy arises over the wider systemic role of an innovation trajectory

Spartan Daily, September 19, 2017

Volume 149, Issue 11https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartan_daily_2017/1052/thumbnail.jp