The paranormal and the politics of truth: A discursive perspective

Topics such as psychic powers, flying saucers and ghosts have become popular in the media and with the general public in recent years. This thesis is a sociological examination of the controversies that surround such "paranormal" topics. In it, I trace the development of these controversies from the medieval Church's crusade against the "occult" and Enlightenment intellectuals' condemnation of "pseudoscience," to the disputes that collectively constitute the contemporary "paranormal debate." A major aim of this thesis is to provide a sociological account of the processes that underlie this debate. Through a detailed examination of the players, issues, strategies and underlying factors that constitute the politics of disputes over the paranormal, I develop a model that shows the debate as being inextricably bound to wider discursive formations that underlie Western thinking generally. I also show how participants involved in such disputes serve as vehicles for the expression and proliferation of these wider discourses, and how the debate as a whole functions in terms of processes of wider socio-cultural continuity and change. In illuminating the relationship between the paranormal debate and wider discursive and socio-cultural processes, my study questions the view of many social analysts who regard the paranormal issue as somewhat marginal and trivial. In fact, I argue that the social analysis of this area is itself so deeply embedded within the wider politics of truth surrounding the paranormal subject, that analysts themselves are often unwitting players in the politics of the debate. In this respect, my study also offers a critique of the interests and objectives of social inquiry, particularly its claims to objectivity and neutrality

Young adults' decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour

This paper examines the real life contexts in which decisions surrounding heavy drinking are made by young adults (that is, on occasions when five or more alcoholic drinks are consumed within a few hours). It presents a conceptual model that views such decision making as a multi-faceted and multi-staged process. The mixed method study draws on purposive data gathered through direct observation of eight social networks consisting of 81 young adults aged between 18 and 25 years in Perth, Western Australia, including in-depth interviews with 31 participants. Qualitative and some basic quantitative data were gathered using participant observation and in-depth interviews undertaken over an eighteen month period. Participants explained their decision to engage in heavy drinking as based on a variety of factors. These elements relate to socio-cultural norms and expectancies that are best explained by the theory of planned behaviour. A framework is proposed that characterises heavy drinking as taking place in a multi-staged manner, with young adults having: 1. A generalised orientation to the value of heavy drinking shaped by wider influences and norms; 2. A short-term orientation shaped by situational factors that determines drinking intentions for specific events; and 3. An evaluative orientation shaped by moderating factors. The value of qualitative studies of decision making in real life contexts is advanced to complement the mostly quantitative research that dominates research on alcohol decision making.Decision making Heavy drinking Binge drinking Young adults Planned behaviour Australia Alcohol

A critical approach to evidence-based resettlement policy: Lessons learned from an Australian Muslim refugee sports program

The increasing emphasis placed on evidence-based policy in government and community organisations presents some interesting challenges and potential opportunities in the area of immigration research. Policy in this area, perhaps more so than any other, has been influenced by various public discourses that to a considerable extent have been devoid of an evidencebase. The area is therefore ripe territory for academics to construct a more critically oriented approach to evidence-based policy that aims for greater transparency and justification grounded in research findings. This paper outlines how evidence-based research can move beyond being research for policies to being research of policies through critically evaluating immigration and resettlement policies in terms of their objectives, relevance and effectiveness through the lens of program evaluation. The case of the Australian government\u27s cultural integration program for refugee settlers will be examined, with the lessons learned from a program that attempted to link Muslim youth to community sporting clubs being discussed in relation to the critical approach outlined. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT

Climate, vulnerability and farming: A preliminary study among Australian food growers

The present study examines climate change, vulnerability to climate, and other environmental challenges from the perspective of 80 horticulture operators from different Australian states. Vulnerability in the form of storms and droughts are respondents\u27 main environmental concerns; in some cases, the impact of wildlife displacement is affecting their production outputs. In addition, substantial negative impacts of climate change on food production, particularly the effects of global warming, are of concern to respondents, which they claim is both limiting the volume and quality of grown crops. Many respondents seek to adapt farming practices to address current climatic and environmental challenges, especially through planting and irrigation practices. However, adaptability, as well as proactive and reactive measures comes at a price that may not necessarily be recuperated. With limited resources and support, growers worry that they may become even more vulnerable to future and potentially more severe climatic challenges and subsequent impacts