Time is wasting: con/sequence and s/pace in the Saw series

Horror film sequels have not received as much serious critical attention as they deserve this is especially true of the Saw franchise, which has suffered a general dismissal under the derogatory banner Torture Porn. In this article I use detailed textual analysis of the Saw series to expound how film sequels employ and complicate expected temporal and spatial relations in particular, I investigate how the Saw sequels tie space and time into their narrative, methodological and moral sensibilities. Far from being a gimmick or a means of ensuring loyalty to the franchise (one has to be familiar with the events of previous episodes to ascertain what is happening), it is my contention that the Saw cycle directly requests that we examine the nature of space and time, in terms of both cinematic technique and our lived, off-screen temporal/spatial orientations

Behind Glass

Behind Glass (BG) consists a series of objects devised to explore the presentation of artworks and the conventions surrounding the display of artefacts in gallery/museum settings. Rowe’s research reflects on the particular kinds of attention and focus we bring to bear on objects placed behind glass, by setting up situations and scenarios calculated to disturb the normal expectations of the viewer. Through interventions with other objects, treated as assemblages, and with the vitrine itself, Rowe explores the de-contextualising and re-contextualising of objects, questioning preciousness in objects and associated cultural values and value judgements. BG1 (2009), BG4 (2011) and BG6 (2013) are innovative in their use of precious metal in this context. Rowe capitalises on silver’s precious qualities as an especially appropriate material and vehicle for setting up atmospheres of expectation that when confounded not only expose the mutability of the viewer’s interpretative mechanisms, but also open speculations on the nature of everyday objects and our relation to them. The objects are designed in ways that purposefully blur the boundaries between art objects and their physical contexts. In other works – BG2 (2009), BG3 (2009) and BG5 (2010) – the framing of pictures behind glass is explored using similar strategies, the canvas being replaced by an industrial product: textured aluminium sheet. The series was shown with Gallery SO, London at ‘COLLECT’ 2009, 2010 and 2013. It was also shown at the Goldsmith’s Company’s London exhibition, ‘Mindful of Silver’ (2011). Rowe gave lectures explaining his creative approach and the aesthetic principles underpinning Behind Glass at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (2009), the Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Munich (2011), and at ‘Eredoctoraat Michael Rowe: Lectures on Contemporary Metalwork’, a seminar following his being awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Hasselt, Belgium (2010)

Exploring the characteristics of capable healthcare professionals

BACKGROUND: In order to negotiate complex clinical environments successfully, healthcare professionals must be more than competent – they must demonstrate an ability to adapt to dynamic situations and continually improve performance. However, emphasis on knowledge and skills alone may ignore opportunities for professional development that enables students to become practitioners.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to ascertain what clinical experts believe are the essential characteristics of capable healthcare professionals that go beyond academic and technical competencies. competent practice, but also explored other aspects of the learning process as part of developing professional identity. These included self-evaluation as part of professional development, building relationships with patients, and the importance of acknowledging students’ emotional responses to the clinical environment. Panel members also discussed the challenge of inappropriate role-models in the clinical context, who may have a negative influence on the development of professional practice. METHOD: This study used a nominal group technique (NGT) to gather data from a panel of South African and international clinical experts, using open-ended questions and qualitative data analysis to determine emergent themes. The NGT is an interpretive research method that can be used to explore poorly defined topics, in this case to develop an understanding of the characteristics of health professionals that go beyond knowledge and technical skill. RESULTS: Panel members highlighted the importance of knowledge and skills for CONCLUSION: By including the concept of capability alongside competency in undergraduate healthcare curricula clinical educators can help students develop a sense of being that emphasises professional growth alongside knowledge and technical skills.The project was partially funded by the National Research Research Foundation.Department of HE and Training approved lis

The use of a wiki to facilitate collaborative learning in a South African physiotherapy department

The dominant form of teaching in higher education remains the lecture, even though evidence suggests that it alone is inadequate to facilitate the development of the higher order thinking skills required in clinical practice. The use of wikis may have a role to play in facilitating collaborative learning practices that are important for professional development. This descriptive survey evaluated the use of a wiki for a collaborative learning activity within small groups of undergraduate physiotherapy students in a South African university. Students participated in a wiki-based assignment and were then surveyed using open- and closed-ended questions to determine their perceptions and experiences of the process. The results indicate that although a wiki can be used to develop relevant content, there were significant challenges in its implementation. These included a poor understanding by students of how to work effectively in groups, a lack of physical and epistemological access to the internet, and the need for adequate preparation and support. Some features of the wiki were found to have an impact on the quality of the work produced, including the use of Discussion pages, peer review, and the public nature of the wiki. The conclusion is that wikis may have a role to play in collaborative groupwork, but that that students need to be adequately prepared and supported throughout the process.Department of HE and Training approved lis

Pre-Genus

The object under scrutiny in each of Rowe’s Pre-genus works is a silver box. The focus is on the formal relations that operate within a box’s physical boundaries and beyond to its relation with its immediate surroundings. By paring back to basics and making boundaries uncertain, a level of ambiguity is introduced allowing the box to engage with three architectural ‘givens’ – walls, corners and horizontal surfaces. This establishes a kind of physical equation and visual reciprocity, outwardly with the orthogonal structures of architecture and inwardly to the boxes function, the purpose being to establish new readings of everyday objects. Innovation also lies in the way identity and autonomy are explored as we see the tools and templates necessary for the object’s creation incorporated in its configuration, and in the extreme level of deconstruction seen in these works, unparalleled in the world of silver. Rowe showed pieces from the Pre-genus series in the exhibition ‘Raising the Bar: Influential Voices in Metal’ (2008–9), which toured galleries in England, Scotland and Wales. In his catalogue essay, Eric Turner, Curator and Keeper of Metalwork at the V&A Museum, stated that: ‘Michael Rowe applies a searing, ruthless intellectual approach to his work, giving it immense formal dignity. He is currently interested in investigating both the spatial quality and the spatial context in which his work resides’. Individual pieces from this series have been exhibited in leading venues across Europe and Asia. These include ‘Age of Experience’, Ruthin Craft Centre and Dovecot, Edinburgh (2009), ‘Collect 2010’, and ‘Mindful of Silver’ at Goldsmiths Hall, London (2011). International dissemination included the exhibitions ‘Talking Hands: Spectrum of Contemporary Metal Works’, the Society of Seoul Metalsmiths Biennale held at Seoul National University Museum of Art (2009), and ‘Still Life’ at Galerie Sofie Lachaert, Antwerp, Belgium (2009)

Giving Voice to the Victims of Sexual Assault: the Role of Police Leadership in Organisational Change

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a long-term programme within a police service that sought to transform the policing of adult sexual assault cases through reforming case management and investigation practices, as well as cultural perspectives among staff. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a case-study approach of change and reform within a single police service. Fieldwork consisted of more than 240 semi-structured interviews and focus groups with police officers, civilian staff, victim advocates, crown prosecutors, defence lawyers, doctors and staff from victim specialist support agencies. Extensive documentary analysis supplemented the primary findings. Findings Changes to investigations of sexual assault were perceived to be wide-ranging and deeply embedded, and were regarded positively by police officers, staff and external agencies. These are identified in terms of improvements to initial reporting of offences, the development of more rigorous case management and investigations, and enhanced relations with external support agencies. Research limitations/implications The study is necessarily limited to one case study and the analysis would be usefully developed through further application to other police services. Social implications The findings have considerable implications for police leaders and managers and wider society. Victim support and recovery agencies benefit from the reforms outlined, and there are considerable consequences for wider criminal justice that continues to disadvantage victims. Originality/value The paper has considerable originality since it offers a “deep” and “thick” understanding of reform within a particular context. The programme of reform was highly unusual since it was designed and delivered over a ten-year period and addressed many aspects of police organisation

Desecration, Secularization, Restoration:Cologne's Churches during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1792-1815

The Napoleonic era was transformative for Cologne’s churches. The wars that characterized this period brought destruction and upheaval. The invading French army that occupied the city in 1794 was an agent of the new Republic, a polity then at war with Catholicism. Most spectacularly, this resulted in the desacralization of Cologne’s churches, some of which were turned into storage depots for the army or made into temples for the new republican cult. However, once Napoleon seized control of the Republic in 1799, a new French policy was enforced in the city and surrounding region. It restored many aspects of the old familiar religious order, but at the same time created new institutions of church management and preservation that survived the end of French rule in 1814