On the ground: Reimagining community protection of the ecosphere in the Northern Rivers

It would appear that the effects of sustained overuse of the planet’s resources is straining the natural world to its limits. The consequences of staying on this path may be catastrophic for both planet and humankind. At this time, when the ecosphere which sustains us all is so fragile, it seems imperative that we address the nature of the fundamental relationship between humans and their environment. Hence, we should perhaps undertake to reimagine our relationship with nature, with place and with each other if we are to counteract such malign influences. This paper will argue that localised, direct democratic action offers us one way in which we may begin to redeem these relationships by providing an account of the way in which an assortment of subcultures in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales united to successfully oppose mining for coal seam gas. The Northern Rivers is renowned for its natural endowments and a community which boasts great diversity. A variety of motivations led to an array of groups exerting their collective power and unity at grassroots level to defeat the attempt to introduce unconventional methods of gas extraction. In this process, a sense of place emerged as an important factor for many of those resisting the mining. The movement as it unfolded ‘on the ground’ proposes an alternative way of being and belonging, developed through a different relationship to place, community and the ecosphere

A preventative approach to plagiarism: an empirical study of a first-year unit for undergraduates

This paper reports on an empirical study into the communications of academic values, codes and conventions within a large-scale foundation studies unit for first-year undergraduates at a regional Australian university in first semester 2005. In this unit, one of the foci was teaching students about issues of plagiarism and assessing how students reflected upon and took up those ethics. The unit’s content and its assessment were conducted online. Students engaged in experiential learning within multiple online tasks associated with plagiarism and of direct relevance to unit assessment. Unit design, delivery and assessment involved a cyclic process of action research, which facilitated insights into students’ value communications and academic skill development over the semester. A qualitative analysis of students’ communications within sequential online assessment tasks and anonymous surveys, as well as the value discourses articulated by students and staff, reveals most students were highly receptive to information on plagiarism and intent upon avoiding it through developing academic skills

Time and study: Open Foundation female students\u27 integration of study with family, work and social obligations

Adult women over the age of 20 years are one cohort being offered the opportunity to undertake the Open Foundation equity program to gain entry to university, However, research shows that women\u27s social responsibilities associated with marriage and parenting reduce the likelihood of their enrolling in higher education, The ABS Time Use Survey 1997 (1998) shows that despite increases in women\u27s enrolment in higher education and labour force participation rates, women continue to do 66 per cent of the unpaid work in Australia, This suggests that study may represent an extra commitment for mature-age female students, Age, stage in the life cycle, level of emotional and economic support, educational enrolment and paid work status have all been identified as variables which impact on women\u27s ability to succeed in higher education. Through the use ofa survey and focus groups, this study seeks to examine the time patterns ofadult Women in a preparatory higher education course. The aim ofthe study is to gain information to design strategies, which will enable females enrolled in Open Foundation courses to succeed. The process of identifying and accommodating areas of educational disadvantage is fundamental to transforming policies of equity and access into practice

The housing pathways of single older non-home owning women in a rural region of Australia

This paper reports on empirical, qualitative research conducted in a rural region of Northern New South Wales, Australia. Using a Feminist Standpoint approach, this paper examines the housing pathways in relation to the current circumstances of single, older, non-home owning rural/regional women who live independently. Between June and December 2011, 47 eligible women aged 45 years and over were interviewed and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. Key findings are that relationship dissolution and a gendered ethic of care had a cumulative and negative effect over the life course, for which the participants paid a large material penalty. We attempt to show how these women have been caught in the crosshairs of changing cultural norms which may still be current in rural/regional Australia. This study is important in raising the visibility of this specific cohort in rural communities so that policymakers can plan for their future housing needs

On the ground: Reimagining community protection of the ecosphere in the Northern Rivers

It would appear that the effects of sustained overuse of the planet’s resources is straining the natural world to its limits. The consequences of staying on this path may be catastrophic for both planet and humankind. At this time, when the ecosphere which sustains us all is so fragile, it seems imperative that we address the nature of the fundamental relationship between humans and their environment. Hence, we should perhaps undertake to reimagine our relationship with nature, with place and with each other if we are to counteract such malign influences. This paper will argue that localised, direct democratic action offers us one way in which we may begin to redeem these relationships by providing an account of the way in which an assortment of subcultures in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales united to successfully oppose mining for coal seam gas. The Northern Rivers is renowned for its natural endowments and a community which boasts great diversity. A variety of motivations led to an array of groups exerting their collective power and unity at grassroots level to defeat the attempt to introduce unconventional methods of gas extraction. In this process, a sense of place emerged as an important factor for many of those resisting the mining. The movement as it unfolded ‘on the ground’ proposes an alternative way of being and belonging, developed through a different relationship to place, community and the ecosphere