Point of view: Waikato Museum 2018

Point of View is a perception based installation presented as part of the 'INDELIBLE' exhibition at Waikato Museum. The work consists of a 3 sided box suspended above the viewer. The box is painted white and is projected onto from above the primary viewing point (this prevents the viewer from noticing the projector, but also from blocking the projection). The light-based projection onto the surface of the box creates the illusion that the 3 sided box is actually a 6 sided cube. The viewer is invited to move around the space, observing the cube. Once the viewer walks under or past the suspended cube, they enter the secondary viewpoint in which they see the actual form of the box – a 3 sided/open box. The work talks about how we as individuals perceive communities depending on our unique viewpoints. One may see a community as a negative group, where others see the same group as supportive or encouraging. Communities are built on shared or common attitudes and interests, because of this, our own experiences shape the way we see them. It raises questions about the difference between reality and perception

Point of view: Te Ruru light festival 2019

Point of View is a perception based installation presented as part of Te Ruru Light Festival 2019. The work consists of a 3 sided box suspended above the viewer. The box is painted white and is projected onto from above the primary viewing point (this prevents the viewer from noticing the projector, but also from blocking the projection). The light-based projection onto the surface of the box creates the illusion that the 3 sided box is actually a 6 sided cube. The viewer is invited to move around the space, observing the cube. Once the viewer walks under or past the suspended cube, they enter the secondary viewpoint in which they see the actual form of the box – a 3 sided/open box. The work talks about how our individual experiences shape the way we see. It raises questions about the difference between reality and perception

Narrative Self-Constitution and Recovery from Addiction

Why do some addicted people chronically fail in their goal to recover, while others succeed? On one established view, recovery depends, in part, on efforts of intentional planning agency. This seems right, however, firsthand accounts of addiction suggest that the agent’s self-narrative also has an influence. This paper presents arguments for the view that self-narratives have independent, self-fulfilling momentum that can support or undermine self-governance. The self-narrative structures of addicted persons can entrench addiction and alienate the agent from practically feasible recovery plans. Strategic re-narration can redirect narrative momentum and therefore support recovery in ways that intentional planning alone cannot

NGOS and Internet Use in Uganda

Information technology (IT) research has ignored examining\ud the impact of the Internet on unconnected stakeholder communities in the South. This research, which investigates how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with connectivity are utilising the Internet for their daily operations, and how they are able to acquire and disseminate information from the Internet to their stakeholders, hopes to correct such injustices. The research was undertaken over an eight-week period in early 1998 in Uganda, East Africa. The survey involved representatives of 33 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) responding to seven openended questions related to their organisations’ use of the Internet, and their information communication patterns. The paper begins with a brief background on Uganda and its telecommunications environment, including a summary of the seven Internet Service Providers (ISPs) currently operating in the country. The survey questions are identified, and the responses are organised into thematic categories which became apparent during the course of the study. The term “Internet” is used to refer to email-only services, as well as World Wide Web services. The research found that NGOs report benefiting from their use of the Internet through reduced transmission costs, access to new and relevant information, and greater contact with their own field sites and partner organisations. NGO representatives’ responses also indicate that the dissemination of Internet-acquired information is occurring with their stakeholders, regardless whether those stakeholders have connectivity or not. The majority of NGOs surveyed (70%) have only one computer with Internet connectivity within their offices; this presents challenges and restrictions in terms of the frequency with which the Internet can be accessed. A mere 5% of the NGOs with field sites reported that those sites were connected with either email or Internet; 33% reported having field sites without any means of direct voice or data transmission systems. The\ud majority of NGOs with World Wide Web service reported using the systems for accessing and researching documents relevant to their work, but 32% of those organisations reported that they either seldom or never used the Internet that was available to them. Most NGOs reported that they used the email to communicate with international partners; use of the\ud Internet for local communications is low. Respondents reported that email was a very convenient mode of communications, effective in transmitting documents at lower costs than other technologies. Obtaining access to the\ud computers, and the sending and receiving of attached documents proved the most problematic issues for respondents; the latter issue raises questions about the quality of training these organisations are receiving\ud from their ISPs. The paper concludes with lessons learned from the research, and recommends areas for more detailed study