Entrances and exits: changing perceptions of primary teaching as a career for men

Original article can be found at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713640830~db=all Copyright Informa / Taylor and Francis. DOI: 10.1080/03004430802352087The number of men in teaching has always been small, particularly in early childhood, but those that do come into teaching usually do so for the same reasons as women, namely enjoyment of working with children, of wanting to teach and wanting to make a difference to children's lives. However, in two separate studies, the authors have shown that on beginning teacher training in 1998, and at the point of leaving the profession in 2005, men and women tend to emphasise different concerns. This article will explore those differences and seek possible explanations for how men's views of teaching might be changing over time.Peer reviewe

Accessible Buses in a Commercial Environment

This paper considers the operation of accessible urban buses in a commercial environment with particular reference to the provision of services in Wellington, New Zealand. The goal of achieving fully accessible urban public transport is shared by government authorities in many OECD countries. This goal has been expressed in both specific legislation that relates directly to urban transport (eg the “Americans with Disabilities Act” (ADA)) or in the adoption of board human rights policies that imply such accessibility (eg the Australian “Disability Discrimination Act 1992” (DDA)). The implementation of this policy has given rise to widespread controversy in regard to practicality; cost effectiveness; reverse discrimination against other transport users; and ultimate financial responsibility. This controversy has been fuelled by the broad range of goals on the part of accessibility advocates, from those who are intent on developing a working transport system that provides a wider range transport options for the disabled, to those who see accessibility as a “right” that cannot be compromised by practical or financial issues. This paper addresses these issues firstly from the perspective of the operator who provides service in a commercial, competitive environment, and highlights the contrast between this environment and that in the United States, Europe and Australia where different regulations apply. Secondly, the broad issues of accessibility in buses are discussed. Thirdly, the impact that accessibility requirements will have on bus design and urban transport infrastructure are outlined, with an emphasis on the impact on smaller and medium sized buses. Fourthly, the capital and operating costs are quantified. Finally, the resolution process that has been implemented in Australia to replace legal argument is described

'Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place': Anti-discrimination Legislation in the Liberal State and the Fate of the Australian Disability Discrimination Act

This article offers a critical analysis of some of the practical implications for disabled people of the Disability Discrimination Act of 1992. Specifically, it raises questions about politics and the role of the law as an instrument of social change?taking greater account of the interests of disabled people?on the one hand, and of the reliance of the social model of disability on a strategy based upon legal rights on the other. The article also suggests that the constraining effects of Australia's constitutional protections of rights and its federal system of government hinder the mildly progressive elements of the Disability Discrimination Act. To illustrate this, the paper employs empirical evidence to suggest that these effects have been exacerbated by the passage of the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Act in 1999

Different Routes to Relationship Recognition Reform: A Comparative Discussion of South Africa and Australia

Relationship recognition has profound implications for the dignity, equality and property rights of disadvantaged groups. The paper will consider the often intertwined interests of women and gay men and lesbians in relationship recognition reform. It will also address situations where these interests sometimes diverge depending on how the reform debate is framed. It will compare South Africa’s recognition of same- sex marriage and its failure to protect the rights of domestic partners with recent proposals in Australia to remove discrimination against gay and lesbian couples and their children in federal legislation. The paper will focus on the varied roles played by law reform bodies, legislators and the courts in these two separate processes as well as touching on the approaches of some of the social movements in lobbying for changes. It will conclude with the caution that relationship recognition through law must challenge conservative legal and social categories if the rights and interests of people in choosing the forms of family appropriate for them are to be advanced.This conference has been generously sponsored by the School of Social and Political Sciences and the Sydney Law School, University of Sydney, in collaboration with the School of Law, University of Western Sydne

Stepping out: information for families of young people with a disability moving from secondary school to adult life

Leaving secondary school means making the change from being a school student to becoming a young adult. It is a critical time and can have a significant impact on the lives of the young person and family members. This transition period involves many changes which can be both challenging and rewarding. It is a time of moving towards independence and may not always be an easy or smooth process. Choices about further study, training for work and moving out of home all need to be considered

Building Relationships with Aboriginal People: A Cultural Mapping Toolbox

This article describes a cultural mapping tool developed specifically for working with Aboriginal people experiencing mental health problems. The tool has broad scope, drawing from ecological and systems approaches. It will assist social workers to understand cultural and family obligations and build relationships with Aboriginal service users. Students learning about cultural diversity have expressed concern about asking culturally-sensitive questions. Australian human service workers typically state they feel inadequate in addressing Aboriginal culture in their practice approaches. The three components of the cultural mapping toolbox, (a) the social and emotional wellbeing cluster map, (b) the community and cultural diversity map, and (c) the migration map, provide social workers with a way of supporting a culturally connected lifestyle in contemporary society

Human rights obligations and Australian newspapers: a media monitoring project, using peace journalism to evaluate Australian newspaper coverage of the 2004 HREOC report regarding children in detention centres.

This research thesis investigates news journalists’ role in the promotion and protection of peace and human rights. I explore how news journalists do not just have the ability, through the discursive selections they make, to be a catalyst for peace and non-violent solutions, it is their obligation under international human rights. My study links arguments about universal ethics for media based on international human rights with the practical and analytical approach of ‘peace journalism’. The main argument rests on the idea that objectivity or impartiality in news journalism does not equal ethical neutrality since there is always a discursive selection made by the news journalists. In order to monitor whether news journalists discursive selections comply with the international human rights obligations, I have explored how the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC) report A Last Resort? were covered in three Australian newspapers when it was published in 2004. The HREOC report was a testament of human rights abuses by the Australian Federal Governments towards children in Australian detention centres. I establish that health professionals were a significant group for both HREOC’s main findings and recommendations and a key group for the contextualisation of the human rights violations explored and exposed in the HREOC report. Informed by conflict analysis and peace studies theories I argue HREOC establish how the detention policy equals ‘structural violence’ that caused ‘direct violence’, which was justified and normalised because ‘cultural violence’. I use discourse analysis to explore the discursive selections in the newspapers, and establish that the report received limited coverage and health professionals were omitted in the news while the political conflict was reported. This trivialised the report and health professionals’ role, which led to the naturalisation and normalisation of the violence. I finally reinforce these finding by exploring alternatives to the coverage using a peace journalism framework, which further clarifies the subjective nature of the discursive selection

Government accountability for outsourced services

The effect of outsourcing on government accountability for public services continues to be contested. Analysts point to an accountability deficit while governments insist that accountability is retained (and indeed improved). The existence of an accountability deficit is confirmed, using examples from the Commonwealth Job Network. The government claim, that accountability remains, is best interpreted as rhetorical, as a refusal to shift blame to private contractors, even though some channels of accountability may be weakened. The claim can be seen as evidence of an increasing incorporation of private contractors into the overall structure of government