The Role of Autoethnography within Anthropology (How Self Narrative is a Useful Research Tool in Social Science)

This thesis explores the potential of Autoethnography in researching and representing social and cultural phenomena with the self as central. Its primary contribution to the extant literature is to provide a robust analysis of literature and texts, which fall broadly under the Autoethnography heading in order to contribute to the conversation of the place of Autoethnography as a reliable, valuable and ultimately necessary research approach within the academy. Autoethnography emerged to address the ‘something missing’ within research through a recognition and appreciation for narrative, both literary and aesthetic, and the emotions and the body as sources of research. The Autoethnographic Mode of Inquiry brings research to life as it supplements, complements, confirms and denies aspects of previous ethnographic research. Autoethnography is also extremely challenging, and thus reflects the trustworthiness of the self as a reliable resource in research and the positive and negative consequences of it. The research and methodology for this thesis combines a robust review and analysis of literature presented by both exponents and detractors of the method. The review and analysis also provide the structure for the thesis, which begins with examining what Autoethnography is, exploring its origins as the Study of One’s Own Culture, to what it has become, a Study of Cultural Phenomena from The Perspective of Personal Experience. Having appraised six texts that could be broadly claimed Autoethnographic, this thesis identified and offers examples of four categories of Autoethnography: The Study of One’s Own Culture; Second Generation Autoethnography (or Ethnic Identity Ethnography); Anthropologists’ Autoethnographies and Self-Reflective Experiential Autoethnography. Contextually, Irish texts are explored to highlight the correspondence between Autoethnography and ethnography and to illustrate how different perspectives focus on distinct issues. Due to the sensitive nature of Autoethnographic topics, and its actors, ethical consequences are also discussed. Additionally, criticism of and resistance to Autoethnography is considered. Finally, Autoethnography the new frontiers of foci for researchers, educators, and academics are outlined. These provide an opportunity to address social issues and concerns previously unspoken but which affect people and society on a daily basis. The thesis concludes by suggesting that Autoethnography, as a self-reflective method, contributes to Contemplative/Existential Anthropology, where Contemplative pedagogy offers an opportunity for researchers and readers to consider their position in life, give it meaning and make it better

Wise Up! Why It’s Time to Dump \u3cem\u3eReed v. Wiser\u3c/em\u3e and Get Real about Third-Party Actions

The Warsaw Convention of 1929 and the Montreal Convention of 1999 (Conventions) are international treaties governing the liability of the air carrier for damage arising during international carriage by air, e.g., passenger death or bodily injury. The foundation for the applicability of these Conventions is the contract of carriage. However, given the nature of the air transport operations and their technological complexity, a given accident can result from several causes attributable to different parties. The plaintiff (e.g., the passenger) may have the option of suing, not only the carrier based on the contract of carriage, but, alternatively, an airframe or component manufacturer, or an aviation service provider (e.g., airport or air traffic service provider), or even an employee or agent of the air carrier. These alternative defendants are third parties to the contract of carriage; as such, the Conventions do not apply to these claims. Where a plaintiff opts to sue a third party to the contract of carriage, that third party will often bring a third-party action for contribution or indemnification against the air carrier. The dilemma raised by such actions is whether the Conventions apply to them. If not, the risk arises that the provisions of those Conventions (e.g., monetary limitations of liability) will not apply, although they would have had the plaintiff to the main action sued the carrier directly. This would mean that the Conventions may be effectively circumvented and their purposes defeated. There is judicial division on the matter, both within the United States and internationally. This Article aims to identify and critically evaluate the doctrinal foundations of the competing arguments for and against the applicability of the Conventions to third-party actions and to establish which is doctrinally correct. It starts by examining how courts (and the international community) have treated the applicability of the Warsaw Convention to actions brought against employees and agents of the air carrier. Attention then turns to the related matter of the applicability of the Conventions to third-party actions for contribution or indemnification taken against air carriers; it identifies two distinct approaches taken by courts: the orthodox approach and the alternative approach. The thesis of this Article is that the favoring by U.S. courts of the alternative approach is the result of a doctrinal misstep traceable to the Second Circuit’s decision in Reed v. Wiser. This Article exposes the weakness of the Second Circuit’s reasoning and reveals the true policy justifications for the decision. This Article proves that these policies, although compelling at the time, no longer hold water and that, instead, the more doctrinally sound doctrine of the orthodox approach should be followed—a conclusion supported by recent decisions of some U.S. courts, as well as decisions from Australia and the United Kingdom. Although this would give rise to some invidious problems, this Article argues that only by freeing ourselves of the baneful influence of Reed v. Wiser and thereby setting ourselves back on a sound doctrinal footing can we hope to get real about third-party actions and find a solution to the problems posed by them

Transformation Change via Disruptive Technology: Removing Education Barriers in K-12 through Distance and Blended Learning

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by Lisa Cluxton Jones on July 29, 2013

Clinical Effectiveness of Family Therapeutic Interventions in the Prevention and Treatment of Perinatal Depression: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Family therapy is a potential strategy to increase family support for those suffering from perinatal depression. Family therapeutic interventions for this population typically target depressed women and their adult family members to improve family functioning and reduce depressive symptoms. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis is a synthesis of the current evidence on the usefulness of family therapy interventions in the prevention and treatment of perinatal depression and impacts on maternal depressive symptoms and family functioning. Methods: This study used the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Six electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials and cluster randomized trials. The primary outcomes included maternal depressive symptoms and family functioning. Results: Seven studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative analyses. Fixed effects models showed statistically significant reductions in depressive symptoms at post-intervention in intervention group mothers. Intervention intensity and level of family involvement moderated intervention impacts on maternal depression. A fixed effects model showed a trend in improving family functioning at post-intervention in intervention group couples. Conclusion: Although a limited number of controlled trials on family therapeutic interventions for this population exist, the findings show that these types of interventions are effective in both the prevention and treatment of perinatal depression. Recommendations for future research are addressed

Entangled Histories: An Analysis Of The Anglophone Histories Of Science In Latin America From Dependence Decoloniality, 1950-Present

Science in Latin America has a rich, complex history characterized by a hybridization of multiple Indigenous, Creole, imperial Iberian and Western/Northern knowledge practices. As a result of these entangled histories, Latin American science does not fit easily into the standard periodization of Western histories of science, nor into traditional Latin American historical periodization. This inability to effectively categorize and constrain the heterogeneous histories of Latin American science has meant that these fascinating narratives have been widely ignored by historians in the West. After reading widely from what has been published over the years, some patterns began to emerge in the ways in which Western-located academics have considered the subject. This thesis examines how Anglophone historians have written about science in Latin America over the previous 70 years, from the early narratives of dependence, through social histories and constructivism, to more recent postcolonial histories and decolonial standpoints. The hope is that through such historical self-reflection, Anglophone historians will more readily incorporate heterogeneous and pluriversal perspectives on science in Latin America in their research and in their curriculums, and also begin to publish works that are accessible to diverse peoples outside of niche academic circles

The Role of Autoethnography within Anthropology (How Self Narrative is a Useful Research Tool in Social Science)

This thesis explores the potential of Autoethnography in researching and representing social and cultural phenomena with the self as central. Its primary contribution to the extant literature is to provide a robust analysis of literature and texts, which fall broadly under the Autoethnography heading in order to contribute to the conversation of the place of Autoethnography as a reliable, valuable and ultimately necessary research approach within the academy. Autoethnography emerged to address the ‘something missing’ within research through a recognition and appreciation for narrative, both literary and aesthetic, and the emotions and the body as sources of research. The Autoethnographic Mode of Inquiry brings research to life as it supplements, complements, confirms and denies aspects of previous ethnographic research. Autoethnography is also extremely challenging, and thus reflects the trustworthiness of the self as a reliable resource in research and the positive and negative consequences of it. The research and methodology for this thesis combines a robust review and analysis of literature presented by both exponents and detractors of the method. The review and analysis also provide the structure for the thesis, which begins with examining what Autoethnography is, exploring its origins as the Study of One’s Own Culture, to what it has become, a Study of Cultural Phenomena from The Perspective of Personal Experience. Having appraised six texts that could be broadly claimed Autoethnographic, this thesis identified and offers examples of four categories of Autoethnography: The Study of One’s Own Culture; Second Generation Autoethnography (or Ethnic Identity Ethnography); Anthropologists’ Autoethnographies and Self-Reflective Experiential Autoethnography. Contextually, Irish texts are explored to highlight the correspondence between Autoethnography and ethnography and to illustrate how different perspectives focus on distinct issues. Due to the sensitive nature of Autoethnographic topics, and its actors, ethical consequences are also discussed. Additionally, criticism of and resistance to Autoethnography is considered. Finally, Autoethnography the new frontiers of foci for researchers, educators, and academics are outlined. These provide an opportunity to address social issues and concerns previously unspoken but which affect people and society on a daily basis. The thesis concludes by suggesting that Autoethnography, as a self-reflective method, contributes to Contemplative/Existential Anthropology, where Contemplative pedagogy offers an opportunity for researchers and readers to consider their position in life, give it meaning and make it better