With the legislation now through both houses of parliament, The National Disability Insurance Scheme, or DisabilityCare, is law, and will quickly become a defining feature of Australia’s social policy landscape. Gillard’s Medicare-style tax levy, now locked in through the federal budget, will ensure a reliable flow of funds to the Scheme, and with the prospect of sustainable federal funding on the table, most states and territories have signed up for the national roll-out, and agreed to foot a share of the bill.

But with only weeks left before its launch, closer consideration of the detail of DisabilityCare, including how the organisations providing disability services, and their paid employees will cope, is well overdue.

For many years, demand for formal support services has been growing, and providers have struggled to properly resource their responses. De-institutionalisation since the 1980s has seen more people with severe or profound limitations living in the community, and in coming decades, the number of people aged under 65 with core activity limitations will continue to grow. In 2011, services funded under the National Disability Agreement were assisting one in 71 people, compared with one in 94 people in 2006.

In response, the number of workers who provide care and support for people with disabilities is also growing. Between 2012 and 2017, growth in the number of aged and disability carers is expected to be about 24%, even before the NDIS rolls out nationally, while the full rollout is expected to require the disability workforce to double. At the same time, the age structure of the paid care workforce means many workers will retire in the next decade.

In this context, it is no surprise that a large employer is pleading to meet the industry’s growth needs with temporary overseas workers. This avenue is already available for skilled positions such as nursing, special education, and social work, as well as some mid-skill welfare occupations. The use of temporary visas to ensure sufficient supply of lower skill personal carers seems a short-sighted and ill-suited response to real problems of long-term under-investment in the sectors greatest asset: its frontline workforce.

First, the “457 solution” is poorly aligned with the NDIS' vision of promoting the capacity of consumers to choose their own support staff, and in some cases to employ them directly, because 457 visaholders can only be employed by organisations, not by individuals.

Second, a temporary workforce is less than ideal for people with disabilities and their families. Support is labour intensive, and the personal element of the work means the security and consistency of sustained relationships is the key to quality, as these give the foundation for fostering capabilities, wellbeing and participation of people with disability, and promoting NDIS goals of choice and empowerment.

Third, the nature of disability support work means temporary migrants may be exposed to levels of exploitation over and above that already experienced by the domestic workforce. While staff working in the homes of people with disabilities are vulnerable to isolation, a lack of collegial support and poor union representation, those on 457 visas will face additional barriers in raising concerns over pay, conditions and health and safety, because their visa and residency (as well as employment) depends on employers. The limited capacity of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to monitor employers’ compliance is well known.

Addressing workforce shortages with a temporary overseas workforce would leave intact the underlying structural workforce problems, and risk exacerbating the vulnerability to low pay, insecurity, and under-skilling of this female dominated workforce.

In 2010, more than a third of non-professional disability workers in the non-government sector were casual, and more than half of employers reported their non-professional employees were under-skilled.

Upskilling is far from straightforward, as under the NDIS, it is unlikely that qualifications will be mandatory. FAHCSIA’s portfolio budget statements indicate a commitment to exploring the Scheme’s workforce implications, with DisabilityCare Australia charged with developing a Workforce Plan. However, it remains unclear whether and how the training required will be paid for or delivered, and whether the cash payments allocated to consumers to direct to their preferred mix of supports will be sufficient to pay decent wages and to backfill while support workers up-skill. Our co-authored research underlines how individual funding models can result in financial uncertainty for organisations, and can raise challenges for planning a co-ordinated industry agenda to address recruitment and training needs.

Structural problems of low pay, low status, poor working conditions, and poor access to opportunities for skill development act as disincentives for workers to remain in the disability industry. A strategic, national and collaborative approach to addressing these will be necessary if the high expectations of the NDIS are to be met.

As demonstrated in recent postings on the federal government’s “Your Say” forum for the NDIS, service users and their families take these problems seriously, frequently pointing to problems of unreliable, inconsistent support, and high turnover.

From July 1, experiences in the NDIS launch sites will be closely scrutinised. As others have pointed out, there will inevitably be glitches with an initiative of this scale, and with this level of ambition.

If the NDIS is to deliver on its promise of sector expansion and choice for consumers, problems of workforce shortages, and associated issues of low pay, insecurity, low status, and under-investment in skill development, must be properly addressed. We need look only as far as the recent deals between the federal government, employers and unions in early childhood and aged care to see the value of a more co-ordinated, long-term approach.

Natasha Cortis has conducted commissioned research on issues in community services, and the community services workforce, for State and Federal Governments, and non-government organisations. However, this piece has not been funded by any agency.

Sharni has conducted commissioned research on issues in community services, and the community services workforce, for State and Federal Governments, and non-government organisations. However, this piece has not been funded by any agency.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

University of New South Wales (UNSW) seminar – Friday 4 October 2013

“40 años no es nada: Historia y memoria de los golpes de Estado de Uruguay y Chile en 1973”

“40 years is nothing: History and memory of the 1973 military coups in Uruguay and Chile”

The 27 June and 11 September 1973 military coups in Uruguay and Chile changed the balance of power in the Inter-American theatre of the Cold War, putting an end to the experiments of armed as well as democratic transitions to socialist regimes in Latin America. These coups started a new experiment in neoliberal governance backed up by authoritarian regimes that have since been adopted by many countries in other parts of the world, including the negotiated transitions back to democratic government in Latin America.

Academics, early career researchers and students are invited to send abstracts to participate in a one full day seminar dedicated to discuss the historical legacy left by these regimes with respect to issues of transitional justice, social and economic equality, quality of democracy, neoliberal governmentality, resistance, historiography, and culture studies.

We welcome papers in English or Spanish from all areas of the humanities, social sciences and the arts. Those interested in presenting at this seminar must submit an abstract (200-300 words) of the paper to seminar40years@gmail.com, which gives a short and clear statement of the thesis or argument of the paper by Monday 22 July 2013. Selection of papers will be communicated on Monday 19 August 2013. Selected presentations must not exceed 20minutes. Papers must be sent by Friday 20 September 2013 so as to give all participants the opportunity to read in advance and discuss the arguments.

As we are interested in creating links with international participants, we also welcome virtual presentations where the paper can be read by a third person or presented through a PowerPoint with voice-over or a pre-recorded video. For this virtual alternative the only requisite is for the presenter to be available through video conference for questions and answers at the time set in the programme of the seminar.

Submissions should address any of the following themes

• Latin American armed forces (in the last 40 years)

• State terrorism

• Chilean and Uruguayan non-state actors in the Inter-American Cold War

• Human Rights and transnational networks of solidarity

• Memoria Reciente (Recent Memory)

• State and institutional conflicts

• Neoliberal economic policies in Uruguay and Chile

• Negotiated transitions to democracy

• Armed and peaceful resistance

• Inxile/exile during the dictatorships

• Human Rights violations, crimes against humanity, and transitional justice

• Culture, media and arts as resistance or support under dictatorial rule

Attending this seminar is FREE to all participants. Public and students are invited to attend and participate in the discussion.

Click here for flyer

We were delighted to welcome the Chancellor of UNSW, Mr David Gonski AC, who delivered his personal thanks to the guests and dignitaries, including Mrs Mary Lee, Chairperson of the Endowment Committee for the Chair in Modern Irish Studies, The Honourable Judge John O'Meally AM RFD, President of the John Hubert Plunkett Society, and Dr Richard O'Brien, former Ambassador of Ireland to Australia. In his message of thanks to attendees, Australian Ireland Fund Chair Professor Rónán McDonald outlined the achievements of past years and outlined a vision for the future that reflects a vibrant, open and comparative approach to Irish Studies at UNSW. The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Professor James Donald reaffirmed the centrality of local community support to the continued success of Irish Studies at UNSW.

We thank the organisers, serving staff, musicians and all other assistance for contributing to a most enjoyable evening. Attendees repaired to the Patrick O'Farrell Memorial Lecture delivered by Professor Cormac Ó Gráda, which followed the reception.

Since our last e-newsletter Centre Director Professor Rónán McDonald has, as invited speaker, delivered keynote lectures at two prestigious conferences:

English Language and Literature Association of Korea Global Conference 2012

At the English Language and Literature Association of Korea Global Conference 2012 he spoke on "Home and Away: Form and Affect in Irish Emigrant Letters from Australia'.

Nineteenth Australasian Conference for Irish Studies, hosted by ISAANZ and the University of Otago in New Zealand.

Rónán gave a keynote entitled 'Rigour or Vigour? Disciplinarity in Irish Studies', which mapped some of the challenges of Irish Studies internationally.

The centre was well represented at this key international conference. Adjunct Fellow Dr Pamela O'Neill, Adjunct Lecturers Dr Jeff Kildea and Dr Perry McIntyre, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Gemma Clark, and PhD candidate Ms Miri Jassy all gave papers in New Zealand. Read abstracts of their talks here.

John Boyle O'Reilly Commemorations

In a trip to Western Australia, Professor Rónán McDonald was honoured by the city on Bunbury as an invited speaker at the commemoration for John Boyle O'Reilly, the Fenian escapee, poet, journalist and humnitarian with strong links to Western Australia.

In speeches at the dinner and civic recption in Bunbury and the official commemoration at the O'Reilly Memorial in Australind, Rónán recalled the inspirational life and writings of O'Reilly, a great 'global' Irishman who following his hair-raising escape from captivity in Western Australia became an inspirational community leader in Boston.

Other highlights:

Religion and Greater Ireland Symposium

Adjunct Lecturer Dr Jeff Kildea spoke on "'A veritable hurricane of sectarianism": the year 1920 and ethno-religious conflict in Australia' at the 'Religion and Greater Ireland' symposium at the University of Newcastle, NSW 3-4 December 2012. Dr Kildea has also contributed articles to the Dictionary of Sydney and launched a website for his publications and Irish-Australia blog.

ISAANZ annual conference for 2013

The Conference will be hosted by the Centre here at UNSW Sydney. See 'The Ends of Ireland' conference website for details. In further ISAANZ news, Professor McDonald has been appointed to the Presidency of ISAANZ from 2013. As the 2013 conference co-convenor Dr Gemma Clark has also been appointed to the ISAANZ Committee.

Commemoration of the Irish Famine in Sydney 2013

Adjunct Lecturer, Dr Perry McIntyre is working hard with the Great Irish Famine Commemoration Committee to organize events surrounding the International Commemoration of the Irish Famine in Sydney 23-25 August 2013.

Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms have become essential communications tools for police, and the events surrounding last month’s Boston Marathon bombing indicate just how far police have come in engaging proactively with social media to achieve operational (and non-operational) outcomes.

With pressure on police to increase public confidence and reduce community concerns over crime, social media has emerged as a valuable tool for improving communication between organisations and their “customers” – the public.

And as we witnessed in Boston, social media is now the site for breaking news.

But increasingly it is the police, not the media, who are providing real-time crime news to an ever-interested audience.

In the aftermath of the bombings, and the ensuing pursuit of the alleged attackers, social media played a critical role.

For example, social media served as a channel for disseminating police information about the bombings, and facilitated “citizen policing” during the hunt for the prime suspects in the attack – with sometimes negative results, such as the wrongful identification of one missing student as a suspect.

But while the Boston case has brought attention to the nexus between police and social media, the intersection of social media and police work is not an entirely new phenomenon.

Over the last five years, police organisations around the world have been developing skills in using social media as investigative and public relations tools.

What my own research into this phenomenon has shown is that police are more than happy to take a lead role in defining crime events for the public, bypassing the traditional media platforms that have filtered much of the public communications work of law enforcement.

Dr Alyce McGovern is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at UNSW.

Read the full opinion piece on The Crime Report.

The Young People and Sexting in Australia study sought young people's opinions of the legal and educational responses to sexting. The first thing we learnt was that many young people considered the word sexting to be an adult term, and they didn't see all naked or semi-naked images as sexual.

Young people said they took and shared pictures for different reasons. Some pictures were intended as private self-portraits. Some were jokes. Some were part of friendships or flirtations. They felt adults tended to overreact to many images. One young man said: "Teenagers joke around a lot; but the moment you mention anything sexual [adults will] probably jump on it straight away and say sexting."

Very few had discussed sexting in class. Most agreed education should emphasise harm reduction, rather than prohibition. One young woman said: "You're never going to be able to completely police it and I think people need to accept that, and they just need to work more on prevention and protection."

One group of young women felt existing educational material represented sexting as primarily a problem for girls. Young men and women agreed that this material overplayed the shameful or embarrassing aspects of sexting, but underplayed young men's ethical and legal responsibilities.

All wanted more access to factual information about their rights in cases where images were taken or shared without consent, and their legal and ethical responsibilities as they applied to naked or semi-naked pictures.

They questioned why laws designed to prevent child abuse could be applied to consenting activity between young people.

Dr Kath Albury is a Senior Lecturer in UNSW's Journalism and Media Research Centre, and the co-author of Young People and Sexting in Australia: Ethics, representation and the law.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald.

The awards will serve to recognise and reward excellent research performance by academics in the faculty.

The Arts & Social Sciences Research Committee have received, assessed and shortlisted nominations across six categories on behalf of the Dean, who will make a final determination on the award winners.

The successful recipients will be announced at a special event at Walsh Bay on Thursday 23 May, a date chosen to coincide with the Sydney Writers’ Festival.

The categories for the Dean’s Research Awards are wide ranging, recognising achievements such as social impact, scholarly impact and research leadership.

Congratulations to everyone shortlisted for this year’s awards. We look forward to announcing our winners shortly.

Miller graduated from UNSW with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws in 1998. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University.

Announcing the posting, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Miller -- a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) -- would also serve as non-resident Ambassador to Norway and Iceland.

He was recently Deputy Ambassador to Germany and has previously served in the Australian High Commission in Malaysia.

Miller told SBS radio that being the first Indigenous head of mission was a significant personal achievement.

“It is a real privilege and honour to be the first Indigenous ambassador,” he said. “There have been Indigenous people working in the Department (of Foreign Affairs and Trade) for many years … there are 49 and 12 working overseas. To be the first (Ambassador) is a great honour not only for me, but for my family and for Indigenous Australians."

Born in Brisbane, Miller’s family is from the Gangalu people from the Rockhampton region in central Queensland. In 1993 he was selected Aboriginal Scholar of the Year by the National NAIDOC Committee and while at UNSW received the Michael Harmer and Associates prize for first place in industrial law.

He entered DFAT in 1999 as a graduate straight from UNSW.

The number of Indigenous people progressing through DFAT marked a wider trend in society, Miller said.

“It’s a long process over many years where you see more Indigenous people turning up in all different areas whether it be government, the first Indigenous ballerina in the national ballet, or Indigenous sports people excelling in all manner of sports internationally.

“It is a mark of the progress being made.”

Listen to the full SBS Podcast.

Watch Mr Miller’s interview on ABC TV here.

Read Bob Carr’s media statement here.

Media contact: Steve Offner, UNSW Media Office, (02) 9385 1583

Professor Stephen Muecke from the School of Arts and Media (SAM) will host the panel, Love and Extinction, a discussion on how writers explore environmental issues. The panel features UNSW visiting professorial fellow, Deborah Bird Rose.

SAM lecturer and author Dr Stephanie Bishop will host the panel, Water: New Writing a session of readings by authors Anita Desai, Dermot Healy and Amanda Lohrey.

UNSWriting will also host a Festival event at the Io Myers studio showcasing international poetry slam champion and performer, Anis Mojgani.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) has been a major partner of the Sydney Writers’ Festival for the past two years. UNSW was the first university to partner with the literary event in 2010.

FASS Dean, Professor James Donald, said the partnership with the literary festival is continuing to be “very fruitful.”

“The two events hosted by FASS academics reflect our developing engagement with the fast-growing discipline of Environmental Humanities,” he said. “The Festival also offers the perfect location for the announcement of the FASS Dean’s Research Awards.”

The Sydney Film Festival will also showcase UNSW talent, with world renowned photographer and UNSW Visiting Fellow, William Yang, premiering his first film William Yang: My Generation at the Festival in partnership with ABC TV Arts.

My Generation, directed by Martin Fox, is one of seven existing performances that Yang has re-performed and digitised during his fellowship at UNSW. It captures Sydney's emerging artistic, literary, and queer scene through Yang's candid photography from the 70s and 80s coupled with his honest and humorous narration.

William Yang: In Conversation at the Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by Vivid LIVE, will also screen at 10:30pm on Sunday 16 June on ABC1's Sunday Arts Up Late.

After over a decade of lobbying and at least three years of protracted negotiations, an overwhelming majority of the United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in late March.

The treaty prohibits the transfer of conventional arms where the state knows that the weapons will be used to commit international crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity and attacks on civilians.

During the negotiations over the final text of the ATT, Australian foreign minister Bob Carr reiterated Australia’s humanitarian concerns and its intention to advance the agenda of civilian protection. In that same statement, Carr indicated the trade and use of light weapons, stating that it undermines the “security, stability and welfare of communities around the globe”.

Australia showed effective global leadership in advancing the protection of civilians through its extended diplomatic efforts to secure a robust treaty. If it is truly committed to this agenda, the government should make every effort to lead international efforts to limit the use of drone strikes when Australia takes the presidency of the United Nations Security Council in September.

Small arms and light weapons have acted as force multipliers in intra-state and inter-state conflict, amplifying violence and the threat to civilians. The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) notes that:

Small arms facilitate a vast spectrum of human rights violations, including killing, maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, enforced disappearance, torture, and forced recruitment of children by armed groups.

The devastating effects of small arms on civilian populations are self-evident, and the ATT is a significant step towards diminishing their availability.

UNODA describes small arms and light weapons as facilitators of terrorism and notes that their use contributes to the creation of fear and insecurity. This is one of the reasons their trade should be closely regulated and that we should seek to eliminate their circulation. But small arms and light weapons are not the only forms of military hardware that induce terror and create fear.

The use of drones severely compromises human security and has a detrimental impact upon the psychological and physical wellbeing of civilian populations. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has collated data on the casualties and fatalities incurred as a result of United States drone strikes. They estimate that over 1,000 civilians have died in the past decade in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia as a result of drone strikes, including over 200 children.

On April 23, Farea Al-Muslimi, a young man from Wessab in Yemen, made a statement to the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights. In this statement he explained the impact that drone warfare has had upon his life and the lives of his family, friends and neighbours.

Six days prior to his presentation, a missile released by a US drone hit Wessab, aimed at Hameed Al-Radmi, a man who was reportedly affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The inhabitants of Wessab, in Al-Muslimi’s words, wanted: to question him and find out what he was doing wrong so they could put an end to it. They still don’t have an answer to that question. Instead, all they have is the psychological fear and terror that now occupies their souls.

Others have described how drones have hit rescuers, meaning that people are increasingly less likely to assist those wounded by the weapons for fear of multiple strikes, and those attending funerals.

The US government has never publicly outlined its doctrine on the use of drones, but a cache of leaked documents suggests that threat identification happens on an ad-hoc basis and often using sketchy intelligence at best. Over half of the targets in Pakistan during the periods covered by the leaked documents (2006-8 and 2010-11) were local militants unaffiliated with transnational organisations, who therefore posed little or no threat to the US.

The effects of these strikes on civilian populations are devastating. In his testimony, Al-Muslimi repeatedly referenced the terror experienced by his friends and neighbours. The widespread fear and insecurity is caused by the scale of the devastation left behind: after one strike, Al-Muslimi recounts that “the bodies were so decimated that it was impossible to differentiate between those of children, women and their animals”.

On the Security Council, Australia has a platform from which to challenge the use of drones and to demand accountability for the destruction they cause. In the light of the government’s commitment to civilian protection – recently put to such good use in the ATT negotiations – it is imperative that the government use its position to speak out about drone usage in the same way that it spoke out against small arms. Both forms of weaponry have the same effects: they both cause human insecurity; they both spread fear; they both destroy the livelihoods of communities and take the lives of individuals.

Effective protection of civilians cannot be achieved solely by taking small arms out of the equation in localised conflicts. Civilian protection requires a firm commitment to human rights, including the right to live free from fear of arbitrary violence.

As long as drone strikes continue unchallenged, and as long as the destruction that they rain upon civilian populations is not held up to international scrutiny, a commitment to the protection of civilians will be a hollow commitment indeed.

The authors do not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article. They also have no relevant affiliations.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

Full integration into Indonesia was completed in 1969 through the controversial "Act of Free Choice". But despite its rich natural resources, Papua remains the poorest and least developed of Indonesia's provinces. Now Jakarta is undertaking several measures to address this and the ongoing attempts at separatistism in Papua.

Dr Eben Kirksey, from the UNSW School of Humanities speaks to ABC Radio Australia correspondent Kanaha Sabapathy:

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE

 Speakers: Yoab Syatsle, defacto foreign minister of the self proclaimed Federal Republic of West Papua; Jacob Rumbiak, Papuan Representative; Dr Eben Kirksey, University of New South Wales

 LISTEN NOW at ABC Big Ideas Program

The military capacity of the government appears to be in decline and there are growing divisions among rebel ranks where the power of hard-line Islamist groups is apparent. This situation is partly the result of manoeuvring of various countries in Syria’s neighbourhood and beyond.

Despite declarations of support for a political solution to the civil war, interested states are pursuing their rivalries and strategic objectives in Syria – at the expense of the people of Syria and their neighbours, especially Lebanon and Iraq. As Bishop Desmond Tutu recently observed:

For two years, our so-called international community has allowed complex power plays to take priority over the terrible suffering of Syrians.

If Syria is to be rescued from catastrophe, Bishop Tutu’s words must be heeded.

Arab involvement

The major external contributors to the conflict include Russia, Iran and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah are on the government’s side. Backing the rebel cause are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, the United States, Britain and France, along with hundreds of foreign jihadis.

Each figure is content to pursue their own ends.

Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront of moves to overthrow the Assad-led Alawite regime. In part, this is a result of its long-standing hatred of the regime.

However, the Saudis are also using the conflict to promote their presumption of regional leadership and to pursue their rivalry with Iran. They were behind moves to replace the government with the rebels as the representative of Syria in the Arab League and the decision in March that League members could provide arms to opposition forces – a decision that is probably in violation of customary international law and the United Nations Charter.

The Saudi government has been arming Salafist groups in Syria (extremist Sunni Muslims who promote the application of an antiquated and strict form of sharia law), some of which are inspired by the al-Qaeda model. It is also allowing hundreds of fanatical Saudis to join other foreign jihadis in the fighting.

Qatar has been using the Syrian conflict to promote its standing in the Arab world. It sees itself as a rival of Saudi Arabia and a champion of the Muslim Brotherhood throughout the region.

Its role in the Libyan conflict is illustrative of what to expect in Syria. In Libya, Qatar provided diplomatic, financial and materiel support mainly to Islamist groups opposing the Gaddafi regime. In Syria, Qatari support has been directed at forces operating under the banner of the Muslim Brotherhood, which acquired a reputation for extreme violence in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is not clear that the group is now committed to pursue its goals by more peaceful means.

American and European intervention?

Turkey and the United States are complicit in the growing power of Islamist groups. Despite their denials, both countries are involved with the provision of material support to the rebels, including – indirectly perhaps – extremists.

The Obama administration is obsessed with weakening Iran and Hezbollah, and sees the removal of the Alawite regime as an important part of this process. In pursuing this policy, however, the US is effectively aligning itself with a greater enemy in the Middle East – Sunni fanaticism.

Failure to intervene: the consequences

The consequences of foreign interference are likely to be dire. The Syrian opposition movement has been led by Moaz al-Khatib, a respected Damascene who represents a voice of moderation in the civil war. Al-Khatib even offered to negotiate with the Alawite regime if it would produce a negotiated settlement.

A month ago, however, he announced his resignation from the leadership of the Syrian National Coalition, the umbrella organisation of various opposition movements. Al-Khatib complained about the interference of certain neighbours and the failure of the West to support a negotiated solution.

Al-Khatib confirmed his resignation on Sunday after a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry. Al-Khatib and his group have been demanding some sort of no-fly zone in the north and south of the country that would protect the area from attacks by government aircraft and missiles.

The Syrian opposition is being increasingly dominated by Islamist groups by virtue of their greater unity and experience. The election by the Syrian National Coalition of Ghassan Hitto as Prime Minister of an interim government has been taken as further evidence of the power of these groups in opposition ranks. This will have dramatic ramifications for Syria.

The silencing of moderate voices in the opposition will lead to a situation where democracy, diversity, the rule of law and human rights have no place. We risk seeing Syria fragment into Afghanistan-like sub-states or a government that is little better than the Alawite regime it replaces. The choice may be between the miserable Wahhabism of Saudi Arabia, the authoritarian intolerance of the Muslim Brotherhood or a radical jihadi regime. Any such outcome would further destabilise a region that is going through one of its most dangerous phases in years.

Those pursuing the total removal of the Alawite regime ignore the fact that a significant proportion of the population still supports the regime. This includes moderate Sunnis as well as Christians and Alawites. They also ignore how stability in neighbouring states – Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia – will be undermined by the establishment of a radical Sunni regime in Damascus or the fragmentation of the state – to say nothing about the deterioration of Israel’s strategic situation.

The government’s major supporter, Russia, is aware of this danger. It is mindful of the lessons of the Chechnya crisis when Moscow was confronted by numerous disorganised opposition groups, which over time became dominated by extremist Sunni Islamists. Moscow sees in the Syrian civil war the same sorts of dangers and is determined to prevent Syria’s collapse into further anarchy.

It is to the advantage of everyone interested in a stable and peaceful Middle East that a solution be found that allows for maximum diversity in a unified Syrian political system. A serious attempt to end the suffering and limit the influence of extremists in Syria would involve negotiations involving all interested parties, including Iran. It may also have to include elements of the Alawite regime.

Current policies being pursued by the various intervening states do not encourage such an outcome.

Anthony Billingsley is affiliated with the University of New South Wales.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

The knowledge and skills imparted in this course have application for the management of archives and manuscripts in a wide variety of institutions and organizations, such as schools and colleges, churches and religious congregations, professional associations and learned societies, industrial organizations, pastoral and agricultural societies, business corporations, and local government authorities.

Course Brochure and Application

Course Program

Stage 1: Principles and Techniques Monday 17 June to Friday 21 June, 2013 School of Humanities, UNSW

Stage 2: Field Practicum Monday 24 June to Friday 28 June, 2013 Sancta Sophia College, University of Sydney

 Dr Leila Morsy, a lecturer from the UNSW School of Education joined other national education experts on Channel 7's Weekend Sunrise program to discuss what the education reforms will entail.

OPINION: We can't expect teachers to solve disadvantaged children's health problems or housing issues.

 The NSW government has taken the lead and signed up to the Gonski school funding reforms. The premise of the sensible, research-based reforms is that it takes more money to provide a quality education to a disadvantaged child. The more disadvantaged that child is, the more money it takes. Because of this, funding should be allocated equitably, accounting for the real cost of educating a child.

 Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the reforms are meant to “give our kids the best start in life”. This implies that school is where children start out. But by the time these students reach school age, the die has already been cast.

The reforms are not a silver bullet for completely closing the education achievement gap between our lowest and highest-achieving students. They should not be a clarion call for policymakers and politicians to demand that schools with the lowest achieving (and by association, most socio-economically disadvantaged) students simply work harder to close the gap between students from middle class families and those from poor families. read more...

There's a fine, but critical, line between keeping the peace and waging a war.

For the blue-helmeted United Nations peacekeepers deployed in some of the world's worst conflict zones, it's a line that is constantly, violently tested - by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the early 1990s; by rebels who this month killed five peacekeepers in South Sudan. Yet the greatest challenge may have come from the United Nations itself.

Last month, the United Nations Security Council established an "intervention brigade" to take offensive military action against rebel groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

It's a decision that takes UN peacekeeping into uncharted waters. Peacekeeping is the UN's policy instrument of choice for responding to violent conflict around the world. It entails diverse tasks, from monitoring buffer zones to holding elections to demobilising militia forces. But never has UN peacekeeping involved combat operations to defeat an armed group through military force.

The Congo's new peacekeepers are charged with precisely that: with "neutralising" militia in the country's east. The move follows an earlier decision in which the Security Council dropped its historic reluctance to give peacekeepers intelligence-gathering capacity, authorising their use of surveillance drones to monitor conflict activity. Despite assurances that the DRC is an exceptional case, these are precedents that demand careful scrutiny.

The earliest peacekeepers were prohibited from using military force except under strictly defined conditions of self-defence. When former UN secretary-general Dag Hammarskjöld penned the first peacekeeping doctrine in 1958, he wrote:

Men engaged in the operation may never take the initiative in the use of armed force, but are entitled to respond with force to an attack with arms ... The basic element involved is clearly the prohibition against any initiative in the use of armed force.

This prohibition was relaxed over time. Indeed, peacekeeping is defined foremost by its ad hoc, flexible character, which has continuously evolved in concert with emerging crises and shifting international norms. Each of the touchstone principles of peacekeeping has adapted to new conditions: "state consent" was (selectively) expanded to become the consent of conflict parties; "impartiality" was reconceived after the Rwandan genocide to exclude inaction in the face of evil; and the non-use of force is now recognised to mean "except in self-defence and defence of the mandate". Since 1999, 12 peacekeeping operations have been authorised to use force to "protect civilians under imminent threat of violence".

But concern about slippery slopes notwithstanding, peacekeeping has to date been distinguishable from warfare. Hammarskjöld's notion that peacekeepers should not initiate military action has prevailed.

Until now. The offensive posture of the Congo's new intervention brigade stretches the institution of peacekeeping to breaking point. Its mandate declares that the new combat force is created on an "exceptional basis" and does not constitute "a precedent or any prejudice to the agreed principles of peacekeeping". But practice surely outweighs these words. This is a fundamental shift for peacekeeping.

The current situation in the eastern DRC is untenable. After thirteen years of peacekeeping, and despite the current deployment of nearly 20,000 peacekeepers, the country remains defined by its insecurity. DRC occupies the bottom ranking in the UNDP's Human Development Index: 186th of 186 countries. Armed groups continue to operate with impunity in the country's east; rape and sexual violence occurs with horrific frequency; and the complex dynamics of a war economy are a destabilising influence throughout the region.

But there is an air of desperation about the Security Council's authorisation of combat operations in the Congo's east. The new intervention brigade will operate within the existing MONUSCO operation, which - despite being one of the UN's largest and most expensive peacekeeping forces - has thus far failed to stem the violence or address the conflict's root causes.

As respected New York think-tank Security Council Report put it recently:

Many Council members have expressed their scepticism about the capability of the new intervention brigade to neutralise armed groups and restore stability in the eastern DRC.

Nevertheless, it seems that lacking any alternative ideas or political resolve to invest in addressing the root causes of conflict in the region, Council members are willing to endorse a course of action put forward by the regional actors.

If true, a lack of ideas and political resolve seems a dangerous basis indeed on which to redefine peacekeeping, with potential repercussions for people and nations far beyond the DRC.

Dr Jeni Whalan is a lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at the University of NSW specialising in peace operations, the UN and Australian foreign policy.

This piece was first published in The Drum.

The Australian War Memorial has received a grant of $17,650 from the Australia Council for the Arts to host Australian new media artist Baden Pailthorpe.

The Early Career Residency program will see Pailthorpe join the Memorial in July 2013 as its inaugural artist-in-residence. During his three-month residency, he will undertake extensive research into the Memorial’s important collection to develop a major new body of work pertaining to contemporary and historical conflict, and explore the impact of war on Australian society.

The Early Career Residencies program provides an opportunity for artists, curators, editors and producers, in all art forms supported by the Australia Council, to develop and implement creative projects and developments, while being supported in a host organisation or venue.

“The Australian War Memorial has been working closely with contemporary artists for almost 100 years, so introducing an early career artist residency is a logical extension of this tradition,” said Dr Brendan Nelson, Director of the Australian War Memorial.

“The grant will allow us to foster understanding of the Australian experience of war and its legacies among a new generation of artists and visitors, and to ensure that contemporary military experience is interpreted in contemporary media for today’s audiences,” said Dr Nelson.

Pailthorpe’s cutting-edge digital works engage with the political, conceptual and cultural potential of military technologies, and employ state-of-the-art digital production techniques. Pailthorpe’s work is held in numerous private and public collections (including the Memorial’s), and he has exhibited widely in Australia and internationally.

Baden, from the School of the Arts and Media works as a cross-disciplinary artist with an interest in technology, both new and old.

Watch footage of Baden explaining his research.

Henrich’s thesis, entitled ‘Whose stories are we telling? Exhibitions of migration history in Australian Museums 1984 – 2001’ is an in-depth examination of the representation of migration history in Australian museums in the late twentieth century.

Now in its eleventh year, the Faculty Best Doctoral Thesis Prize aims to encourage and reward the postgraduate researcher’s exceptional achievement in producing a PhD thesis, based on the examiners’ reports.

Director of Postgraduate Research, Associate Professor Stephen Fortescue, says; ‘The quality was as high as ever, and the task of the judges as tough as ever. We've enjoyed having Eureka around the faculty the last few years, and I'm glad we can send her off with this award.’

On winning her prize Eureka said; ‘I am thrilled to have won the faculty thesis prize. I know how many other fabulous theses there were this year, which makes it an even bigger honour to be recognised. I feel very privileged to have my research acknowledged by the Faculty.”

Since completing her PhD Eureka has relocated to the UK, and is currently a Visiting Research Associate at the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies at King’s College, London.

Commenting on her next steps she said; “Ultimately, I would love to establish a career across museums and universities, combining teaching, research, and public engagement.”

Date & Time: Wednesday 24th April 2013 @ 6pm

Dr Jeff Kildea, historian, barrister, and Adjunct Senior Lecturer with the Global Irish Studies Centre will be presenting a lecture on Hugh Mahon at the next meeting of the Aisling Society this coming Wednesday 24 April 2013.

'In 1920 Hugh Mahon was expelled from the Commonwealth Parliament for criticising British rule in Ireland, the only person to have suffered that ignominy. This talk will examine the background to this momentus event.'

Location: Consulate-General of Ireland offices | Level 26, 1 Market Street | Sydney | NSW 2000

Date & time: Wednesday 1st May, 2013 @ 6.30pm

Location: The Theatrette | NSW Parliament House | Macquarie Street | Sydney | NSW 2000

The Consulate-General of Ireland, Ms Caitriona Ingoldsby in conjunction with the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Ireland Group extend an invitation to all to commemorate ANZAC Day with a special guest lecture from Dr Jeff Kildea, author of the book ANZACS and Ireland.

Historian Dr Jeff Kildea, Adjunct Senior Lecturer with the Global Irish Studies Centre here at UNSW, will give a talk on the contribution of the Irish to the ANZACs and the forging of the Australian nation during World War 1.

The talk will be followed by a reception.

Note: Please RSVP your attendance to the Consulate-General office

Ms Lorna Markey | Telephone: 02 9273 8502 | Email: lorna.markey@dfa.ie

Go to http://vimeo.com/album/2351013/video/64283749 to view his presentation and those of Dr Kenneth Maher, A/Prof Edwina Wright, Prof Andrew Carr, and Dr Robert Finlayson.

Jane Gleeson-White’s Double Entry: How the merchants of Venice shaped the modern world - and how their invention could make or break the planet, shortlisted in the non-fiction category, looks at how the simple accounting practice of double-entry bookkeeping underpins not just the global economy, but our entire way of thinking.

The author takes readers on a “fascinating journey that begins with a Renaissance mathematician-monk and ends with the high financiers of Wall Street”, weaving historical research through a narrative to explain complex concepts.

Charlotte Wood, whose novel Animal People is on the shortlist for fiction, describes her work as a “reverse urban love story” that explores the conflicted nature of human-animal relationships.

Praised as a “moving and lyrical work”, Animal People was also shortlisted for last year’s Miles Franklin Literary Award.

Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Professor James Donald, said it was a wonderful achievement for the School to have two PhD students nominated for such a prestigious award.

“To have one of our Creative Writing PhD students shortlisted would be a significant achievement. To have two nominated is not only proper recognition for a pair of exceptionally talented authors, it is also a tribute to the strength and depth of our Creative Writing programs.”

The winners of this year’s NSW Premier’s Literary Awards will be announced on May 19 as part of the Sydney Writers' Festival, of which the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is a major sponsor.

The full list of shortlisted authors is available on the website.

The conference organisers are pleased to announce the following keynote speakers for the 20th Australasian Conference for Irish Studies taking place 4-7 December 2013.

In addition to keynote and Patrick O'Farrell Memorial Lecture presenter Prof Joanna Bourke (School of History, Birkbeck College), the conference is delighted to have keynote lectures from:-

• Professor Tom Inglis, School of Sociology, University College Dublin
• Professor Mark Finnane, ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, Griffith University

& a special keynote lecture from former ISAANZ President

• Professor Elizabeth Malcolm, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne.

See conference website for futher information on our confirmed speakers and other conference details. Website

Young People and Sexting in Australia: ethics, representation and the law, aims to inform Australian legal, educational, and policy responses to sexting. The research has been led by Dr Kath Albury from UNSW’s Journalism and Media Research Centre (JMRC) and Dr Kate Crawford from US Microsoft Research New England and JMRC.

“Young people don’t view all naked or semi-naked pictures as inherently shameful and prefer to use general terms like ‘pictures’ to ‘sexting’”, said Dr Albury.

The research is the first to focus on young people aged 16-17 years who are over the age of sexual consent, but could face legal penalties for texting photos or video considered to be pornographic by law.

“Young people and adults are surprised to learn what the legal implications of sexting are. If you are under 18 you can be charged with producing or distributing child pornography if you take, or share, a naked photo of yourself,” said Dr Albury. “Confusion around current laws deters some young people from reporting threatening or unethical behaviour - they are afraid they will be blamed, or even charged, when they confess to taking, or sending a naked picture.”

The report’s findings draw on small focus groups conducted with young people in Sydney, and consultation with academic researchers and representatives from education, health care, law enforcement and youth support services.

Key findings of the Young People and Sexting in Australia report:

Young people are offended by the adult tendency to bundle all naked or partially naked user-generated pictures into the category of sexting. Terms like “taboo” and “dirty” were used to describe adult reactions to sexting.

Young people were uniformly surprised by the legal penalties applied to sexting, describing the application of child pornography laws as “excessive”, “hyped” and “overdone”.

Adults working with young people were also uncertain about the laws that apply to sexting, and expressed a need for clearer legal guidelines, and better educational resources to help them support young people.

Adults want resources to help them understand and respond to young people’s use of digital technologies in the broader context of friendships and relationships.

“We need law and policy reform that clarifies young people’s rights and responsibilities in relation to producing and sharing digital images and adults need better resources to help them support young people to make ethical decisions around online and mobile media,” said Dr Albury.

Young People and Sexting in Australia is a project of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation at the University of New South Wales.

The Australian Junior Taekwondo Champion is taking after her mother, Melanie Webb, a former Olympic windsurfer and one of the first recipients of the Ben Lexcen Scholarship in the late 1980s.

Ashleigh, who is a first-year Arts/Law student, says she was doubly proud to receive the honour due to its significance in her family and the advantages it will provide her with.

“My mum was in the second class of Ben Lexcen scholars, and here I am receiving the same one some 20 years later, so it’s a big milestone,” she said.

The $5,000 scholarship will allow Ashleigh to devote her time to training and completing her degree without the distraction of a part-time job. She will also take part in a mentoring program to assist her in managing her sport and study commitments.

“It will be a huge help to me, particularly because I often train for five days of the week,” she says.

While winning her junior title has been a highlight, Ashleigh has her sights set on competing in and winning the upcoming open division competition.

“It will be a big step up from my previous accomplishments,” she said.

UNSW Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer presented this year’s 19 Ben Lexcen Scholars with their awards and commended them on their dedication to sport.

“The Ben Lexcen ideal is important to recognise – that the harsh lessons in the pursuit of sporting excellence can build civic minded leaders,” Professor Hilmer said.

Five students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences received the scholarship, testament to their sporting success and commitment. The five successful recipients were:

• Tom Rogers, Cricket
• Ashleigh Steed, Swimming
• Olivia White, Basketball, Netball
• Sianne Toemoe, Athletics
• Ashleigh-Blaise Webb, Tae Kwon Do

Congratulations to all of this year’s Ben Lexcen scholars for their great achievement.

The Ben Lexcen Scholarship is awarded to students who show exceptional talent at the national or international level in any sport. This year’s winners are competing in a diverse range of sports including sailing, skiing, water polo and AFL.

UNSW was the first Australian university to establish a program of sports scholarships in 1988 and now provides more than $100,000 in support to talented student athletes, largely made possible through generous donations.

Also featured in the Autumn edition is the work of Dr Carstin Wergin Visiting Fellow at the Social Policy Research Centre. The article is entitled ‘Sacred battlegrounds’ and touches upon his research in the town of Broome. The central research question of the project is how landscape, nature and culture of the town of Broome and its adjacent region are appropriated for tourism experiences

Author, blogger and PhD candidate Charlotte Wood talks about the benefits of self-publishing, e-magazines and the “weird, messy, non-linear” process of writing in the article, ‘The writer’s craft’.

This edition also features the work of Professor Andrew Schultz, head of the School of Arts and Media. Professor Schultz composed Symphony No. 3 – Century marking the centenary of Canberra. One of Australia’s foremost contemporary classical composers, Schultz spent 12 months visiting Canberra and researching its history before he started work. The symphony includes three large orchestral movements preceded by short choral movements performed by the Centenary Choir.

Our So What? Lecture series is also mentioned, with an overview of the lecture given by Gandhi’s granddaughter, Ela Gandhi.

For all the stories, go to the Uniken website.

Uniken is UNSW’s flagship magazine. Now published quarterly, it reports on the latest developments in research and teaching, as well as featuring comment from leading academics on issues of public concern.

This remarkable turnaround has been a decade in the making and fortunately rests on more substantial foundations than the last peak in relations during the heady days of the Suharto-Keating ascendancy. The most revealing indicator of the depth and intimacy of today's strategic relationship is the unprecedented level and frequency of senior-level contact between the foreign policy and defence elites of both countries.

There has also been a spike in defence exercises, military training and student exchanges, including innovations such as the establishment of an Indonesia-Australia Defence Alumni Association, which includes among its members more than 1000 serving members of the Indonesian armed forces.

During the 1990s, defence and security co-operation was largely driven by Australia, with Indonesia a willing but largely passive partner. There are encouraging signs, however, that Jakarta is becoming more proactive. A notable example is last week's first meeting of the Australia-Indonesia High Level Committee, an Indonesian initiative.

Co-chaired by the Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, and Indonesia's Armed Forces Commander, Admiral Agus Suhartono, its agenda is impressively broad, encompassing operations, intelligence, logistics, education and defence exercises.

Our push for deeper strategic engagement with Indonesia is being driven by the realisation that Indonesia's geopolitical weight and influence in the Asian Century can only increase in consonance with the archipelagic nation's robust economic and population growth.

The US pivot to Asia has served to underline Indonesia's critical location at the maritime crossroads of the Indo-Pacific region. And the growing number and interconnectedness of bilateral issues is a persistent reminder that Australia's security and prosperity is inextricably linked with that of our northern neighbour.

Jakarta's motivations are more complex and ambiguous. Since Indonesia's independence we have been variously a friend, an irritant, an adversary and a partner. While Australia has historically looked north, often with trepidation as well as in hope, Indonesia has seldom looked south because of a preoccupation with nation building and its ASEAN neighbourhood.

But East Timor forced Indonesia to recognise that Australia has clout. For better or for worse, we matter. This has resulted in a more grounded and realistic understanding of the limits of the relationship and a mutual recognition that defence and security co-operation is the bedrock of a more sustainable and broadly based partnership.

None of this guarantees that Australia-Indonesia relations will not regress again. A failure to deal sensibly and co-operatively with Indonesia on people smuggling is the greatest immediate risk, especially if a Coalition government cannot persuade Jakarta to actively collaborate in turning back the boats.

Other dangers are that a major incident in Papua could strengthen activist demands in Australia to support Papuan independence, or that the election of a new president will usher in a more nationalistic period in Indonesian domestic politics, presenting formidable diplomatic challenges for Australia. This is more likely than not, since the three declared presidential candidates are less well disposed to Australia than the incumbent.

The latest opinion polls show former general and Suharto son-in-law, Prabowo Subiyanto, running neck and neck with ex-president Megawati Sukarnoputri and business tycoon Aburizal Bakrie. A Prabowo presidency would not be good news for Australia because of the resentment he feels over our intervention in East Timor, where he was implicated in human rights abuses.

Ironically, the most important outcome of improved defence ties may well be political rather than strategic, strengthening Australia's ability to risk-manage the relationship in more volatile times.

Alan Dupont is Professor of International Security at UNSW.

This opinion piece was first published in The Australian.

Federal Education Minister Peter Garrett, perhaps mistakenly, recently overemphasised our students' low literacy levels, perhaps so he could promote score gains on NAPLAN. We are only just beginning to understand NAPLAN's huge impact on the way our teachers teach, how our school administrators lead, and how our policymakers shape the public conversation about educational achievement.

First, when students are tested with a high-stakes examination, some teachers will engage in ''test prep'', or teaching to the test. Some of this test prep, like teaching longer and working more effectively, may create legitimate gains in student learning. But other forms of test prep inflate standardised test scores and make student gains appear larger than they are. Teachers reallocate their content material: they will emphasise what is tested and de-emphasise what is not. This wouldn't be a problem if what teachers were teaching less of was not important, but it often is important, just not related to the test. Teachers also engage in coaching, where they use tests similar to those their students take to improve test-taking skills. This type of prep focuses on trivial aspects of the test, such as which multiple-choice answer students should select if they are unsure of the correct one.

Some school administrators will promote the same type of behaviour, but at managerial level. For example, school leaders will encourage, even mandate, the reallocation of teaching time from one non-tested subject to a tested subject. In the US, high-stakes tests have been around for many years and researchers have had time to study their effects. Tested subjects - such as mathematics and reading - get substantially more teaching time, and other subjects - such as art and music - were entirely cut from some school curriculums. Of course, some will argue that we shouldn't be concerned if our students are learning to the test: NAPLAN is what we want them to learn. This is false: on an alternative, reliable and valid test that measures similar content but in a completely different format, our students are likely to perform much worse than on NAPLAN.

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But our education leaders will probably be tempted to spin wild stories about our score gains: everyone is dramatically improving, the gap between our rich and poor students is significantly narrowing, and everyone is above average! While some of these gains may be real, they may be grossly exaggerated for political purposes.

It's important to remember, though, that to blame individuals, including teachers or principals, is meaningless. The examples I list have nothing to do with personal character and all to do with context: any rational person, under pressure to demonstrate results, will have a strong motivation to engage in these types of behaviours.

What we are likely to see in the years to come is strong student improvement on NAPLAN. This will reflect the score inflation from test prep of the first few years. Then, our NAPLAN scores are likely to rest at an inflated plateau.

NAPLAN is a useful tool that can shed light on the most disadvantaged schools that need attention from social and educational policy. But, in the end, it gives us a very coarse average that many interpret as a reflection of the successes or failures of our schools. The underlying assumption, of course, is that if we make the schools better, student achievement will improve.

I am not arguing for ridding Australia of standardised testing: this would be fanciful and counter-productive. But we need an evaluation of the validity of NAPLAN score gains. Also, if instead of testing our entire population of students and schools, NAPLAN was administered yearly to a select, representative sample of students, we would still get relevant data, but the test would not be high-stakes, and so the problems I describe would be unlikely to occur.

Dr Leila Morsy is a lecturer in the school of education at UNSW. She has a doctorate in education from Harvard.

This piece was first published in the Sun Herald.

The Australian Social Policy Conference (ASPC) is the country's leading event for the discussion and dissemination of social policy. The biennial conference aims to bring together researchers, practitioners and policy makers from across disciplines and provide an opportunity to explore research and practice.

Congratulations to Eureka, and to her supervisors Grace Karskens and Anne O'Brien.



 Time: 5.00pm - 6.30pm

Contact: Director Julian Murphet for details

Please refer to the Submission Document and details in the Submission Cover Sheet.

For further information please email Lucy at info@refugeecouncil.org.au or email crr@unsw.edu

The research undertaken by the Chair will help build the capacity of the sector to work with people with an intellectual disability and challenging behaviours. An appointment to the Chair will be made later this year.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer has welcomed the collaborative partnership with the NSW Government, who will provide funding of $1.75 million over the next three years.

“UNSW offers a cross-disciplinary team of researchers from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, with minor partners being Psychology and Law. Together they demonstrate a rich engagement with intellectual disability teaching, research, policy and practice, and clinical work,” said Professor Hilmer.

Practice in a broad range of disciplines such as special education, psychology, medicine, social work, health and law will benefit from the work of the University Chair.

The Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care has identified the need to improve the capacity of the disability services sector including specialist practitioners that can deliver more effective services and support to people with an intellectual disability and complex and challenging behaviour.

The Chair will work closely with the existing University Chair in Intellectual Disability/Mental Health, Associate Professor Julian Trollor.

“I look forward to working with the Chair in Intellectual Disability and Behaviour Support to build capacity in this much needed area,” said Associate Professor Trollor.

“UNSW’s team has a collaborative and enduring commitment to improving the mental health and wellbeing of people with intellectual disability”.

The two University Chairs are one of the key initiatives under Stronger Together 2, the NSW Government’s $2 billion growth funding program for disability services.

Premier Barry O’Farrell released the Brennan Report today with Education Minister Adrian Piccoli who stated “the NSW Government will be supporting all of Professor Brennan’s major recommendations.”

The report found that approximately one in seven of the state’s children are missing out on early childhood education.

"Thousands of NSW children currently missing out on early education will now have the chance to attend preschool," said Professor Brennan who is based at UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre.

NSW lags behind the rest of Australia in both participation rates and affordability with only 81% of children accessing early childhood education compared with more than 95% in some other states and territories.

The report also found that 30% of NSW Government preschool funding does not focus on the target group of four to five-year-old children. Many four and five-year-old children are not receiving an early childhood education program with a qualified teacher.

"The recommended reforms will increase affordability for families of 4 – 5 year-olds and help ensure that every child in NSW has access to a high quality preschool program."

A $5 million capital works fund will also be established to ease preschool supply and access issues in targeted areas around the state.

Children in low-income families, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, those with limited English and children in rural and remote communities will also have increased access to preschool.

“The situation in NSW has come about because successive state governments have failed to invest adequately in young children. WA and SA offer preschools as part of their public school systems," said Professor Brennan.

“Additional funds from both the Commonwealth and NSW state governments will be required to secure these reforms beyond 2013.”

New research shows that early intervention and support for families is critical if foster children are to be reunited quickly and safely with their birth parents.

The UNSW study, Accomplishing Permanency: Reunification Pathways and Outcomes for Foster Children, launched this week, followed 168 children from 96 NSW families over a four-year period. The study explored the perspectives of caseworkers, carers and parents in the NSW Barnardos temporary care program.

“Provision of intervention and support is currently sparse and infrequent,” said the study's chief investigator, Associate Professor Elizabeth Fernandez. “Policies of family preservation emphasise reunification of children with their birth families wherever possible but this can only happen if the proper support is provided to parents.”

Current national data shows the number of children in out of home care in Australia has increased by 33% since 2007, with NSW recording one of the highest rates, equal to the Northern Territory.

“Reunification needs to be planned and purposeful to avert children experiencing multiple placement changes and disrupted attachments,” said Associate Professor Fernandez.

Children with parental substance abuse issues had an 86% lower rate of reunification; children in care for abuse/neglect had an 83% lower rate; and those in care for reasons relating to domestic violence had a 73% lower rate of reunification.

From the cohort of 168 children, 53% were reunified during the study, however almost a quarter of the cohort took 12 months to be reunified with their families and 13% of children had already experienced five foster care placements prior to their current placement.

Associate Professor Fernandez launched her research at a UNSW symposium, A Systemic Approach to Admission to Care, a review of 20 years of temporary family care.

International guest speaker Professor Harriet Ward, Director of the Centre for Child and Family Research at Loughborough University, discussed the impact of abuse and neglect on babies and young children in the UK.

“The solution to children peddling in and out of care is to understand the factors contributing to adverse parental behaviour,” said Professor Ward. “We need to realistically assess parents, their difficulties and whether they can be overcome.”

OPINION: It is clear that the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea have become the most dangerous, high-stakes maritime dispute in East Asia as a lightning rod for long-standing historical animosities and rising Sino-Japanese tensions over their respective places in the region's new order.

It is not simply a territorial dispute amenable to resolution by legal adjudication or reasonable political accommodation. This much is clear from the recent Falklands Islands analogy by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has put Beijing on notice that he is determined to defend the Senkakus against perceived Chinese encroachments, whatever the cost.

Many observers are sceptical that Abe will match his words with deeds, given the disappointments of his first term, his reputation for pragmatism and deeply entrenched pacifist sentiment in Japan. But public attitudes towards China are hardening, providing more political space for Abe to play the role of defender of the national interest. Moreover, a consensus is emerging among Japan's previously quiescent foreign policy and strategic community, that the Senkakus are critical strategic links in the island chain running from Japan to Indonesia that geographically constrains China's maritime ambitions, and they must not be allowed to fall into Chinese hands.

Should China take control of the Senkakus, they could quickly garrison the islands as they have in the South China Sea, building heliports and radar installations which would allow them to gather unique intelligence on the activities of Japanese and American forces on nearby Okinawa and the Sakashima Islands. This would significantly weaken US and Japanese control of the western Pacific, complicate the defence of Taiwan and breach what China has long regarded as an enclosing maritime "great wall".

These strategic anxieties are increasingly driving Japanese and US policy on the Senkakus, and the jockeying for naval pre-eminence in the East and South China Seas explains much about China's preparedness to assert its territorial claims extending as far south as Indonesia's Natuna Islands, thousands of kilometres from the Chinese mainland.

Japan's options are few. They include appeasement and confrontation. But each, for diametrically opposed reasons, would be high-risk choices. Appeasement would only encourage China to ratchet up its pressure on Japan to make further territorial concessions. Confrontation risks serious military conflict, which is in no one's interests, least of all Japan's.

Abe knows this and is likely to pursue a more calibrated, carrot and stick approach, combining elements of co-operation and deterrence. Militarily, the key elements of his strategy are already apparent, notably a willingness to boost defence spending, redeploy significant numbers of troops to the southern region of Japan, increase intelligence collection against China, and the Peoples Liberation Army in particular, and loosen the self-imposed restraints on the export of sensitive defence technologies.

Politically, Abe has toughened his language on China, sought and received reassurances from the Obama administration that the Senkakus fall within the terms of the US-Japan Security Agreement and, unusually in post-war Japan, appealed to Japanese patriotism. He has also reminded China of the enormous investment both countries have in the relationship and that his door remains open to dialogue.

This constitutes a more coherent and workable strategy which ought to give the equally new Chinese leadership pause for reflection, provided Abe sticks to his guns. The worry is that already inflamed Chinese nationalism, never far from the surface on matters Japan, could be deliberately fanned by a PLA intent on dominating China's eponymously named contiguous seas, making it difficult for China's leader, Xi Jinping, to take a more conciliatory approach.

The unwillingness of the Chinese government to curb provocative public interventions by Chinese military representatives is not reassuring. Along with credible reports that the PLA is engaged in aggressive, widespread cyber hacking, this indicates that hawks in the Chinese military have aspirations to play a far more influential role in Chinese domestic and foreign policy than has been the case since the early years of the Chinese Peoples Republic. This is not good news for Sino-Japanese relations.

Abe has to be careful that in taking a firmer stance on the islands, he does not provide China's hawks with gratuitous opportunities for exploiting existing tensions. But he should also resist any demands by Japan's own hawks for the military to pre-emptively occupy the Senkakus and establish a garrison force there. This would almost certainly trigger a countervailing Chinese response and further complicate attempts to take the heat out of what threatens to rival North Korea's nuclear weapons program as East Asia's number one security concern.

Alan Dupont is Professor of International Security at the University of New South Wales.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Australian.

Symphony No. 3 – Century is an original composition that took Professor Schultz two years to compose. It will be performed by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra in front of Old Parliament House during the One Very Big Day celebrations next week.

One of Australia's foremost contemporary classical composers, Schultz spent 12 months visiting Canberra and researching its history before he started work.

The symphony includes three large orchestral movements preceded by short choral movements performed by the Centenary Choir. The choir will sing words from Daniel Burnham and Louis Sullivan, pioneering Chicago architects who served as inspiration for Walter Burley Griffin. The third choral movement includes excerpts from the text of Griffin's winning plan for Canberra.

Professor Schultz, head of UNSW’s School of Arts and Media, said he knew when he was commissioned to compose the symphony that it had to be “big and bold”.

“I wanted it to be a reflection of Canberra’s landscape and its broad and dramatic vistas,” the composer said.

He was inspired by Walter Burley Griffin’s radical plans for the city and the region’s dramatic natural environment.

"Griffin's original plans show a preoccupation with powerful artistic and social ideas that are still compelling and inspiring 100 years on," Schultz said.

ABC Classic FM will broadcast the symphony nationally.

Peace activist Ela Gandhi told a capacity audience at UNSW’s Leighton Hall that the first seven years of a child's life is the most critical time to learn the core values of respect, compassion, love and community.

“The education system is producing highly skilled people but it is not producing good human beings,” she said. “There needs to be changes to the school curriculum so that young people are learning about non-violent communication in their early years and through to their tertiary education.”

Gandhi was visiting Australia for the first time to set up the Sydney branch of the South-Africa based International Centre for Non-Violence. Her lecture was part of UNSW’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences So, What? Public Lecture series.

She said the centre aims to examine education "as a way of transforming the community".

“Something needs to be corrected in our system which is giving rise to the growing culture of crime, corruption, consumerism, selfishness of people and exploitation of nature,” said Gandhi, who spent nine years under house arrest during South Africa's struggle against apartheid.

She believes Mahatama Gandhi, who was assassinated sixty-five years ago, would be “saddened” by the violence in today’s society. “I think he would be sad but his nature was such that he would have tackled the problem. He was a realist and a strategist and he would have considered the causes and changed things around.”

She said the most important value her grandfather taught her was to seek the truth. “To him, learning to be critical and questioning was the best way to pursue truth.”

Ela Gandhi is an author and recipient of numerous prestigious awards for her work in promoting nonviolent political change. She is a former Chancellor of the Durban University of Technology, and member of the South African parliament where she was aligned with the ANC. Ela Gandhi is currently Honourable International President of the World Conference on Religions for Peace, and Vice chairperson of the International Centre of Nonviolence, South Africa.

The So, What? Public Lecture series aims to challenge and inform public debate and understanding by pushing the boundaries of academic discourse.

Ela Gandhi was introduced by His Excellency Mr Biren Nanda, High Commissioner for India.

Emeritus Professor Covell, based in UNSW’s Music Performance Unit in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science's School of Arts and Media, is an eminent Australian musicologist, critic and author and was the Sydney Morning Herald's principal music critic from 1960 until early 2001.

His activities at UNSW include operatic and choral-orchestral conducting, composing and arranging, musical direction of UNSW Opera, co-founding the Australia Ensemble@UNSW and the publication of ongoing research in opera, baroque and Australian music.

Professor Covell was recently presented with the award in front of 10,000 people during a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

The annual award is jointly administered by the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and the Friends of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Director of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music Professor Gary McPherson said Covell’s commitment to Australian music has been "second to none".

"His dedication to chronicling Australia’s orchestral, operatic, chamber, choral, folk and contemporary music ensemble performances constitute a modern history in the growth and development of classical music culture in Australia."

Professor Covell said he was delighted that the award acknowledged the UNSW Opera performances of Australian works as well as major operas by Rossini, Verdi and Britten.

“The support given to UNSW Opera and to the still-flourishing Australia Ensemble@UNSW is in keeping with the University’s support of the performing arts and the arts in general from its earliest years.”

Professor Covell's contribution to the advancement of Australian music was also recognised at the Classical Music Awards in 2006. He is former national president of both the Musicological Society of Australia and the Australian Society for Music Education. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Sir Bernard Heinze was one of the major pioneers of orchestral musical life in Australia and Ormond Professor of Music at the University of Melbourne for 31 years.

Past award recipients include Maestro Richard Bonynge, composer Carl Vine, pianist Stephen McIntyre, singer Yvonne Kenny, composer Peter Sculthorpe, conductor John Hopkins, horn player Barry Tuckwell, violinist Richard Tognetti, conductor and composer Brett Dean, conductor Simone Young and music educator Sir Frank Callaway.

The Global Irish Studies Centre, together with the Irish Studies Association of Australia and New Zealand, are pleased to announce a major international conference for Irish Studies.

The four-day event will take place on UNSW's Kensington campus, 4–7 December 2013, and we're delighted to confirm world-renowned academic, Prof. Joanna Bourke (Birkbeck, University of London) as our first keynote speaker.

We welcome proposals for papers, panels and seminars on all aspects of Irish Studies, but especially those that address the broad conference theme, 'The Ends of Ireland'. Please see the conference website for more details and full submissions guidelines.

Her lecture, Building a culture of nonviolence: the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, will consider the importance of strategic interventions in education to promote positive action on nonviolence.

Ela Gandhi is a renowned peace activist and author and is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for her work in promoting nonviolent political change. She is a former Chancellor of the Durban University of Technology, and member of the South African parliament where she was aligned with the ANC. Ela Gandhi is currently Honourable International President of the World Conference on Religions for Peace, and Vice chairperson of the International Centre of Nonviolence, South Africa.

The lecture is presented by UNSW’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences as part of the So, What? Public Lecture series. The series aims to challenge and inform public debate and understanding by pushing the boundaries of academic discourse.

Ela Gandhi will be introduced by His Excellency Mr Biren Nanda, High Commissioner for India.

What: So, what? Public Lecture - Building a culture of nonviolence: the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

When: 5:45pm - 7:45pm, Tuesday, 26th February

Where: Leighton Hall, John Niland Scientia Building, UNSW Kensington

Please note that seats are strictly limited and RSVP is essential

RSVP Here
 

Ela Gandhi is visiting Australia courtesy of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Australia.

This week the Federal Government proposed including the right for victims of domestic violence to be able to request flexible work arrangements in the Fair Work Act.

For those experiencing domestic violence, flexible work can be a vital part of safety planning. It allows, for example, the regularity of work patterns or the employee’s location to be changed, thereby reducing the risk the employee will be stalked, harassed, threatened or injured by an abusive partner or ex-partner in the workplace or nearby.

The inclusion of domestic violence in the National Employment Standards will also require employers, managers and human resources staff to be informed of how domestic violence can affect work and how to respond appropriately. Not by becoming social workers, but by addressing the industrial issues of safety and performance. Not by trying to solve the problem outside the workplace, but referring employees to an expert domestic violence system. Not by finding this all too hard and sacking the employee, but supporting them through a crisis that can affect a third of the workforce at anytime in their life.

When violence comes to work

Studies have documented the critical function of paid work in providing a financial base to allow victims to recover and move on with their lives. Yet people with a history of domestic violence tend to have more disrupted work lives, find themselves on lower personal incomes and are more likely to be employed in insecure casual or part time jobs.

Domestic violence is also extremely expensive for workplaces. In 2004, Access Economics estimated the total costs of lost productivity in Australia associated with family violence at nearly half a billion dollars in 2002/2003, set to rise to $609 million in 2021/2022.

Many people experiencing violence at home find it also follows them into their workplace, putting their jobs and safety at risk and endangering others.

A 2011 survey of Australian workers found 30% of respondents had experienced domestic violence. Of these people:

• One in five reported the violence had affected them in the workplace, most commonly via abusive calls and emails, or the abusive person showing up at work.

• Nearly half reported it affected their capacity to get to work due to physical restraint in the form of hiding or stealing keys and transport fares and the refusal or failure to show up to care for children.

• Victims reported feeling distracted, tired or unwell, having to take time off and being late to work

What can employers do?

There are many ways employers can help those affected by domestic violence to be safe and feel supported at work: having security walk the person to their car, offering flexible hours to break up regular patterns, or a transfer to another branch, ensuring that legal protection orders cover the site of the workplace, providing referral numbers to domestic violence services where employees can get help.

One of the most obvious and practical supports employers can provide is paid leave to allow the person time to sort out related issues, including getting legal protections in place for self, family, home and workplace.

Why should employers foot the bill for this leave? Research shows it to be significantly cheaper than the costs associated with needing to rehire and retrain new staff. To date workers have only been applying for short periods of leave for very practical purposes such as attending court.

Indications are that many workers feel relieved to be able to discuss their experiences frankly with their managers, explain why their work is being impacted. Support from the workplace is allowing workers to take the necessary legal steps to protect themselves and their place of work.

Employers are already paying the hidden costs of lost productivity resulting from domestic violence, because one in three Australian workers is affected, and this can have very negative impacts on work performance. From a financial point of view alone, workplaces can ill afford to ignore this issue.

Australian employers today are very good at safety planning to protect staff from abusive clients and customers. In the case of domestic violence, the threatening party may be known to the staff member, however this does not void the employer’s duty of care to provide a safe work environment.

Workers' rights

Until quite recently, workers affected by domestic violence had no specific protections or rights. There was no category of leave available for those needing to deal with court appearances, medical, counselling or legal appointments relating to domestic violence. So it was left entirely to the discretion of individual employers to decide whether there was leeway to provide other types of leave for this purpose, such as sick or recreation leave.

The government’s move to give domestic violence victims the right to negotiate for flexible hours is an important step forward in this regard. But there is still a way to go.

If violence in the home was once considered a private family matter, it is now recognised as serious human rights abuse. And while we now see it as a social problem, it is also an industrial issue, affecting people getting to work, doing their job and staying safe.

Inara Walden works for Safe at Home, Safe at Work, who receive funding from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Ludo McFerran receives funding from Department of Educations, Employment and Workplace Relations

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

The last man to do so was Gregory XII in 1415, not entirely of his own choosing, when no fewer than three pontiffs all claimed to be the heir of St. Peter. Abdication - voluntary and otherwise - is nothing new for the papacy; we have examples going back almost 1700 years.

But Benedict’s decision is certainly novel in modern times. Predictably, the blogosphere and twittersphere have exploded in conspiracy theories (including the always present, but as of yet unrealised, end of the world), but their concerns and those of more staid commentators boil down to two questions: why did Benedict abdicate and what will happen now?

As to why, I would suggest three reasons.

First, as Benedict himself says, he is 85, and serving as the head of the Church and over 1.1 billion Catholics is becoming increasingly difficult. He probably wishes to avoid the experience of John-Paul II’s final years, where infirmities left the Pope physically and mentally inert. This is part vanity, but also part practical. His ability to do the job has been compromised by age.

Second, both Benedict’s life and career have been decidedly mixed. His years before the priesthood are uncomfortably intermingled with the legacy of Nazi Germany. As a cardinal, he was one of John-Paul II’s strongest supporters in the movement towards a more socially and institutionally conservative Church.

While head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (until the twentieth century, the Roman Inquisition), he clamped down hard on liberation theology and calls for the ordination of women. And as Pope, he has been AWOL on the paedophilia scandals rocking Australia, North America and Europe—leaving it to rudderless archbishops to sort the matter out (witness the excruciating verbal contortions of Cardinal Pell). His past life and present controversies have not gone away.

Finally, there are a number of issues facing the Church that transcend Benedict’s pontificate, ones he is unable to take on. The move towards conservatism has come at a price: many of the clergy and laity in the developed world are disaffected, Church doctrine on social issues (including birth control, AIDS and homosexuality) has created regional and class rifts, and every year there are fewer and fewer recruits to the clergy.

His comments about the “dictatorship” of cultural relativism have made resolution of these tensions even stickier. And in many ways, Benedict’s election was an avoidance of these issues. Not only does he lack the wherewithal to tackle these problems; he arguably doesn’t have the mandate to do so.

So what next? The College of Cardinals is responsible for electing a new bishop of Rome. There are several strong candidates for the job, including a Canadian and two Africans. There has never been an Asian or New World Pope; the last African reigned in the 490s. Whatever his background, the College cannot continue to elect do-nothing pontiffs. Benedict’s successor will have to be as vigorous and principled as John-Paul II when he was elected in 1981.

It’s unclear which way the white smoke will blow, but I predict that the next Pope will be a staunch, youngish conservative (the wrong choice, in my opinion). Whoever is chosen, he may have to dust off some old papal names. Martin V succeeded the last Pope who retired and was notable for ending the Great Schism in the Church. Maybe a Martin VI can do the same.

This opinion piece was first published in The Punch.

Dr Geoff Nathan is a lecturer in Roman History at UNSW, specialising in late antique and early medieval social history. He has previously lectured in ancient and medieval history at San Diego State University, Western Oregon University and UCLA. He is author of The Family in Late Antiquity: The Rise of Christianity and the Endurance of Tradition.

Mini-COGE on Campus 2013

3rd May and 17th June 2013

Cost:$550 per attendee, includes parking, materials and lunch

More info or enrol online now

 Or

29th July and 30th August 2013

Enrolment opens April 2013

Participants represent countries, organisations or leaders to debate pressing international issues in a simulated UN environment. The annual conference has been running for two decades and attracts more than 2000 students from around the world each year.

UNSW students from the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Law, Medicine, COFA and the Australian School of Business will attend the conference.

Natasha, a third-year Bachelor of International Studies student and member of UNSW’s UN Society, will represent Australia at the inaugural Higher Level Youth Summit on the Millennium Development Goals. She is one of only 20 international delegates to take part in the select committee.

The eight UN Millennium development goals, agreed to in 2000, range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education by 2015.

“There has been some criticism around the lack of progress towards achieving the Millennium Goals but I think they’ve given the world a positive direction towards helping the world’s most marginalised,” said Natasha, who will conduct research on NGOs and government organisations prior to the March conference to help re-evaluate some of the goals.

“I think we need to be mindful that we don’t just focus on India and China as emerging economic powers but consider the internal issues of those countries - poverty, human rights and poor working conditions.”

Natasha will spend part of this year on student exchange at the Paris Institute of Political Science and hopes to work in some of the marginalised areas of Africa when she graduates.

The resolutions from the Youth Summit will be presented to world leaders at the Millennium Development Goals conference in New York in 2015.

NuCoal will provide training for maths teachers and will help adjust the curriculum to include material that will support school leavers to better engage in the mining workforce.

At times, corporate involvement in schooling has taken the shape of a well-developed partnership, balancing the goals of public schooling with corporate interests (in the US, IBM and JPMorgan Chase have developed rich, thoughtful initiatives with schools). Sometimes the goals of corporations can be aligned with the goals of schools and partnerships can be effective.

Suspicion around corporate involvement is more pronounced when a company's motives are not transparent or their goals are not clearly stated or seem exclusively self-interested.

NuCoal's motives are clearly stated but seem insincere and misaligned with what NuCoal is doing: NuCoal explains their aim is to improve maths skills of school leavers, but their initiative does not just address maths. The curriculum is being modified to include more mining-related material. The benefits for Narara Valley High School and its students are short-term: students will be better trained to work for NuCoal, but the breadth and depth of their education will be narrowed. The benefits seem disproportionately in NuCoal's favour.

Corporate involvement in schools raises two issues. First, it can threaten the long-term goals of public schooling. Corporate interests often operate on a shorter timeline than those covered by the aims of schools. Corporations must meet quarterly targets measured in profit margins. But, the aggregate value of education is more difficult to measure. The yields of schooling can take years to bear fruit, sometimes in indirect ways that are more valuable than being well-prepared for the first day of the first job of a lifetime.

Corporate goals for schools are private ones and corporate interests do not include many of the essential ancillary aims of public schooling, such as citizenship, social skills, physical and emotional health and critical thinking. In the case of the NuCoal partnership, the curriculum will emphasise basic academic skills, a small sliver of what we want our students to learn. Some might argue that a focus on these basics cannot be damaging to the goals of public education, but school time is a zero-sum game: tilting the curriculum too heavily towards maths, reading and writing shifts attention away from other elements of a rounded education.

The second issue falls at the heart of a broader education debate: evaluating an education based on what can be measured. NuCoal wants to hire graduates with better maths skills because these are necessary to be a better worker (in their eyes at least). This is not a bad aim: basic maths skills are important. But better maths skills at the expense of less easily measured skills is a loss for students. In fact, a better education is not necessarily one that is better measured. The way corporations tend to measure the value of education is to gauge how prepared school leavers are to work for them in entry-level jobs (as in the case of NuCoal). So, what can be quantified (numeracy skills) is of higher interest to some companies than soft skills that cannot be quantified (love of learning, curiosity, compassion, tolerance, educated scepticism, informed questioning, intellectual autonomy).

But for schools, the promise of money in corporate partnerships is often too appealing to refuse, even if it is in exchange for fulfilling short-term corporate aims.

Schools are not a pipeline for the factory and should not be beholden to turning students into workers. And school leavers' lives do not begin and end at the factory door - our schoolteachers are one of the first shepherds of students' intellectual and civic lives.

One suggestion is to have school-based committees that include parents, teachers and students to oversee proposed initiatives and programs with external funders. If these initiatives are truly partnerships, equal oversight and agency for school and private partners over funding, programs, outcome measures and evaluation is necessary. School partners must be involved in the development and implementation of programs. The long-term goals of students, school and the community must be at the forefront.

Not all corporate involvement in government schooling is pernicious for schools but it must be approached with a fair amount of discernment on the part of educators who should select their partners carefully, and prudently look in the gift-horse's mouth.

This opinion piece was first published in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Dr Leila Morsy is a lecturer in the school of education at UNSW. She has a doctorate from Harvard University and her research is on the motivations and strategies of the 500 largest US corporations' grant-making in the education sector.

Corporate involvement in public education is often met with suspicion. As it should be in the case of the Narara Valley High School's formal partnership with NuCoal Resources announced this week. This formal partnership between the central coast school and a mining company is the first in NSW.

NuCoal will provide training for maths teachers and will help adjust the curriculum to include material that will support school leavers to better engage in the mining workforce.

At times, corporate involvement in schooling has taken the shape of a well-developed partnership, balancing the goals of public schooling with corporate interests (in the US, IBM and JP Morgan Chase have developed rich, thoughtful initiatives with schools). Sometimes the goals of corporations can be aligned with the goals of schools and partnerships can be effective.

Suspicion around corporate involvement is more pronounced when a company's motives are not transparent or their goals are not clearly stated or seem exclusively self-interested.

Advertisement NuCoal's motives are clearly stated but seem insincere and misaligned with what NuCoal is doing: NuCoal explains their aim is to improve maths skills of school leavers, but their initiative does not just address maths. The curriculum is being modified to include more mining-related material. The benefits for Narara Valley High School and its students are short-term: students will be better trained to work for NuCoal, but the breadth and depth of their education will be narrowed. The benefits seem disproportionately in NuCoal's favour.

Corporate involvement in schools raises two issues. First, it can threaten the long-term goals of public schooling. Corporate interests often operate on a shorter timeline than those covered by the aims of schools. Corporations must meet quarterly targets measured in profit margins. But, the aggregate value of education is more difficult to measure. The yields of schooling can take years to bear fruit, sometimes in indirect ways that are more valuable than being well-prepared for the first day of the first job of a lifetime.

Corporate goals for schools are private ones and corporate interests do not include many of the essential ancillary aims of public schooling, such as citizenship, social skills, physical and emotional health and critical thinking. In the case of the NuCoal partnership, the curriculum will emphasise basic academic skills, a small sliver of what we want our students to learn. Some might argue that a focus on these basics cannot be damaging to the goals of public education, but school time is a zero-sum game: tilting the curriculum too heavily towards maths, reading and writing shifts attention away from other elements of a rounded education.

The second issue falls at the heart of a broader education debate: evaluating an education based on what can be measured. NuCoal wants to hire graduates with better maths skills because these are necessary to be a better worker (in their eyes at least). This is not a bad aim: basic maths skills are important. But better maths skills at the expense of less easily measured skills is a loss for students. In fact, a better education is not necessarily one that is better measured. The way corporations tend to measure the value of education is to gauge how prepared school leavers are to work for them in entry-level jobs (as in the case of NuCoal). So, what can be quantified (numeracy skills) is of higher interest to some companies than soft skills that cannot be quantified (love of learning, curiosity, compassion, tolerance, educated scepticism, informed questioning, intellectual autonomy).

But for schools, the promise of money in corporate partnerships is often too appealing to refuse, even if it is in exchange for fulfilling short-term corporate aims.

Schools are not a pipeline for the factory and should not be beholden to turning students into workers. And school leavers' lives do not begin and end at the factory door - our schoolteachers are one of the first shepherds of students' intellectual and civic lives.

One suggestion is to have school-based committees that include parents, teachers and students to oversee proposed initiatives and programs with external funders. If these initiatives are truly partnerships, equal oversight and agency for school and private partners over funding, programs, outcome measures and evaluation is necessary. School partners must be involved in the development and implementation of programs. The long-term goals of students, school and the community must be at the forefront.

Not all corporate involvement in government schooling is pernicious for schools but it must be approached with a fair amount of discernment on the part of educators who should select their partners carefully, and prudently look in the gift-horse's mouth.

Leila Morsy is a lecturer in the school of education at the University of NSW. She has a doctorate from Harvard University and her research is on the motivations and strategies of the 500 largest US corporations' grant-making in the education sector.

“A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students” argues for academic acceleration of gifted and talented students. This includes starting school early, subject acceleration or skipping a class.

Since it was published nine years ago, the book has transformed the lives of many students in the US and other countries such as Australia, argue its authors.

Two of them were part of a panel discussion hosted by UNSW’s GERRIC (Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre). Emeritus Professor Miraca Gross from GERRIC and Professor Susan Assouline, Director at the Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa, spoke about how the book had influenced policy and teacher training.

“Things have really improved in Australia in the last three to five years,” said Professor Gross. “We’ve got such a lot of interest in gifted education from teachers. This means they are more able to act on what they know.”

Professor Assouline, from the School of Psychology at the University of Iowa, says until the work came out, there was effectively an ‘anti-acceleration’ strategy.

“Some people think that doing nothing is ‘safe’, but actually if you don’t do anything, the children become disengaged and the whole of society loses,” says. “In some cases, kids would have dropped out of school.”

She says that although acceleration is still under-used, there are positive changes at the school, district and state level.

Also speaking on the panel was 21-year-old Jessica Bloom, who took part in GERRIC workshops and was accelerated in primary and high school. She is about to start her PhD in Astrophysics.

She says while it wasn’t without problems, saying "yes" to acceleration opened up many new learning opportunities.

Media contact: Susi Hamilton, UNSW media, 0422 934 024

OPINION: At the end of the month, 15 young leaders (aged 18-35) from India will descend on Melbourne and Sydney to meet 15 of the best and brightest young leaders of Australia, at the Second Australia India Youth Dialogue conference.

 They'll talk about critical issues in the Australia-India relationship and our challenges and opportunities. Most importantly, they will have the opportunity to interact and sow the seeds for strong relationships - as friends, collaborators and creative partners.

 This engagement between young people in Australia and India promises to flesh out the bilateral relationship with personal interaction and understanding. For too long Australia-India ties have been confined to the narrow, public focus on uranium and students.

 These issues are no longer the most pressing concerns for either country: Australia is now open to selling uranium to India, and has taken steps to address the safety concerns of international students. Bilateral trade is on the upswing, and India has become the fourth-largest export market for Australia. High-level officials have exchanged visits, and the first round of negotiations on the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement is scheduled for March in New Delhi.

 Our strategic value to each other in the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific region has also become more obvious. As vibrant democracies, Australia and India are committed to the rule of law at home, and to peace and stability in the region.

 The Australia India Roundtable, initiated by the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney, has become an important mechanism for dialogue and a forum for discussing strategic and economic issues of mutual concern. The Australia India Institute, based at Melbourne University, has been working to strengthen Australian understanding of India through research and its outstanding annual conferences.

This newfound momentum, however, requires a new level of creativity and enterprise from both countries if it is to be sustained over the long term. It is here that the youth can play a key role in helping to shift old attitudes and find new avenues for collaboration and partnership.

India is a youthful country. Almost two-thirds of the population is under 30. In 2011-12, India was Australia's largest source of permanent migrants. Greater engagement with India's youth gives Australia an excellent opportunity to shape the attitudes of its emerging leaders and allow them to develop a deeper appreciation of Australia's political, economic, strategic and social concerns.

In Australia, already a growing number of young people seem to be taking interest in India - in its tremendous social, political, cultural and economic problems and potential. These include Hayley Bolding, Victoria Young Australian of the Year 2013 who at the age of 23 set up Atma, an NGO in India to support local groups in their efforts to give children a better chance at life through education. Hayley took part in the inaugural AIYD conference in India, and will be speaking to AIYD delegates at the conference this year, on a panel on social innovation. Jennifer Star, NSW Young Australian of the Year 2012 and another AIYD 2012 alumni, runs Tara.Ed, an NGO training teachers to promote sustainable quality education in rural India - an organisation she launched when she was only 21.

 The AIYD, established in 2011, is the only initiative of its kind in the Australia-India space that seeks to bolster bilateral ties through the potential offered by young people like Bolding and Star and their counterparts in India.

 The AIYD has already begun to elevate the bilateral relationship higher up the political agenda. Julia Gillard was the first to address AIYD delegates at the inaugural AIYD conference early last year, held in New Delhi and Mumbai, via a recorded video message of encouragement and support. She will be renewing her message to AIYD delegates this year. The future of Australia-India relations rests in the hands of the youth of these two countries. Their creativity, dynamism and openness of spirit gives much hope that through sustained dialogue, they are able to lay the foundations for a stronger, more positive and fruitful relationship between Australia and India.

 Monika Barthwal-Datta lectures in International Security in the School of Social Sciences at the University of New South Wales. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the AIYD.

Guo, who holds a prestigious Licentiate Diploma in Music and topped the state in Music 2 and Extension, is one of only four students to be offered a place in the Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Advanced Science program.

He said his reason for choosing the program was simple: it allows him to study his two favourite subjects.

“I’ve loved the mathematical side of science combined with the creativity of playing piano for 12 years. I like immersing myself in a maths problem and then walking over to the piano and playing some Chopin – the mix of academic and creative subjects suits me,” he said.

The Sydney Technical High School graduate has been playing piano since he was five and has been performing solo and with ensembles since primary school. He performed a four minute piece by Spanish composer Manuel De Falla for his degree audition.

“I’m not sure if I’ll find a career that involves both disciplines but research has shown there is a definite relationship between music and science. I guess I’ll decide as I go along which one I want to pursue.”

Guo recieved an ATAR of 99.95 and has been awarded a UNSW Scientia Scholarship worth $10,000 per year for the duration of his degree. The scholarship is offered to all students who achieve an ATAR of 99.90 or above.

Professor Andrew Schultz -- composer and head of the School of Arts and the Media at UNSW, and music psychologist Associate Professor Emery Schubert, from the same school provide insights into composition and our emotional response to music.            

The program features two compositions by Andrew Schultz - "After Nina" and "One Sound", performed by the musicians of the Australia Ensemble at UNSW.

Emma Ayres from ABC's Classic FM hosts this discussion recorded for ABC's Big Ideas program.

The main publicly stated purpose of the attack on the Taliban and Afghanistan (and indirectly Pakistan) was to destroy the al-Qaeda network responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US. Eleven years later it is still not clear how successful this war has been.

Several al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, have been killed, but al-Qaeda affiliated fighters have moved their militant operations to other countries such as Yemen, Mali and Niger, pursued by US Special Operations forces and drones.

Australia went into Afghanistan strong in the belief that it was a nation, like Iraq, that would welcome the future possibilities Western intervention offered. Afghanistan, however, is not Iraq; its population is divided ethnically, religiously, and geographically. The various tribal groups, although they possess a strong — virtually unbreakable — sense of national identity, do not want to be ruled by an externally imposed centralised government, especially one that is widely regarded as corrupt and inefficient. So when the ISAF forces leave, there will be a vacuum that the allied-trained Afghan National Army, made up primarily of non-Pashtuns, will not be able to fill.

The question is, who will be left behind if the 66,000 US forces and NATO troops leave Afghanistan in 2014 as planned? Will it be a very small force of counter-terrorist specialists, or will it be a larger counterinsurgency force of up to 20,000 members?

The latter seems the more likely. Under this scheme, the US would leave behind a force of at least 10,000 military personnel known as Special Forces, together with an unspecified number of non-American NATO (including Australian) troops located at joint US-Afghan forces bases. They would probably be the six US bases presently in operation, including Camp Leatherneck — which currently houses 20,000 marines — and Bagram Air Base in the North. These figures do not include the untold numbers of militarized US contractors who will remain as a integral component of the American presence.

They would be essentially nation building — something that former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said the United States does not do. This involves securing the civilian population, engaging in counter-terrorism activities, building schools, digging village wells, and working with various tribal leaders and warlords against the unpopular ethnic-Pashtun Taliban.

 What this means, among other things, is that US forces will be “partnering” local forces for some years to come, but, if Iraq is anything to go by, it is unlikely they will leave the safety of their jointly run bases.

President Obama is reluctant to leave large numbers of US troops in Afghanistan, whose function would not only be to keep the peace but also to protect the country from external interference from potential commercial and financial rivals such as Pakistan, China or even Russia. The ongoing presence of troops is expensive, and risks more American casualties.

On the other hand, the president does not want to abruptly bring home the troops and witness the chaos that ensued when US troops hastily evacuated Iraq. Obama, and his military advisers, much prefer the technological solution; surveillance and killer drones operating from bases in Afghanistan and neighbouring, friendly nations. The trouble is they, too, are expensive and do not always strike the desired targets.

The record of the intelligence services in this respect does not inspire confidence. Anti-terrorist tactics, with their tendency to target the wrong people, may well create as many terrorists as they eliminate.

The US is increasing its military presence and capability in surrounding countries; tanks and aircraft to Saudi Arabia, missiles to Qatar, Kuwait and Oman, and helicopters to Lebanon. This build-up and expenditure reflects not only the expected changed nature of the war in Afghanistan after the main ground forces depart, it also indicates Washington’s growing determination to deter Iran from expanding its nuclear program.

However, the world, and that includes Australia, should be concerned that we do not know what safeguards are in place to prevent, diminish or expand the policy of targeted killings by armed drones that the US has in place around the world. Not only have these strikes taken place in several countries, including, of course, Afghanistan and Pakistan, they are taking place without public authority, public debate, or public accountability. They are taking place in secret. This should be particularly troubling for Australians, as well as Americans, as it is contrary to the principles espoused by nations which are democratic and act under law.

After 11 years which have seen the death of thousands of Afghans, the spending of untold billions of dollars, carpet bombing, mentoring of the Afghan National Army, even courses in gender awareness, we are a long way from seeing a regime that is democratic or remotely free of corruption.

Afghanistan remains a country of war lords, drug lords and suicide bombers. A significant number of provincial districts are under the control of Taliban affiliated groups.

American troops will not be withdrawn in 2014, and victory will not be declared. Western leaders, including our own, allowed themselves to be seduced yet again by the lure of military power, believing they could transform one of the poorest, politically fragile, countries in the world into a functioning democracy.

It is time that we came to the realisation, as Pentagon lawyer Jeb Johnson is reported to have told a British audience, that “war must be regarded as a finite, extraordinary and unnatural state of affairs", not something that is a entered into as a panacea capable of solving all problems.

Ian Bickerton is an Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Humanities, UNSW.

This opinion piece was first published in The Conversation.

However, even a flawed white paper could serve a useful purpose if its authors shed light on the strategic changes likeliest to destabilise or shape our once benign region.

A good starting point would be to recognise the defining structural shift in the regional balance of power is not just China's rise, and the relative decline of the US, but the reorientation of China's strategic focus from the land to the sea. Literally and figuratively, this is a sea change of enormous consequences for Australia because China's new strategy challenges the monopoly of maritime power traditionally enjoyed by the US and its allies in the Pacific.

If China's relations with the US and Japan deteriorate, it will become much more difficult for Australia to avoid taking sides or to be seen in Beijing as an impartial player, particularly if US President Barack Obama decides to put military flesh on the bare bones of his Asia pivot by intensifying military co-operation with Australia.

China's own pivot to the western Pacific has greatly increased the risk of conflict with other Asian states, as well as the US, because the vexatious, unresolved territorial disputes in the East and South China seas have become dangerously linked as claimants anticipate or respond to each others' actions.

While each off-shore dispute has its own set of dynamics and accompanying historical narratives, the commonalities are more striking. All involve at least one large Asian power, none of them is likely to be resolved legally and the US is not a party to any of the disputes, although it has an obvious and declared stake in their outcomes.

Collectively, these geographically unprepossessing islands have become a new geopolitical fault line in Asia, threatening to divide the region as no other security issue has done since the Vietnam War.

A second and related area of concern for Australia is the steady militarisation of the western Pacific as Asian states beef up their defence capabilities in response to the rise in maritime tensions. Much of the effort is going to acquiring submarines, fishery patrol boats and larger naval vessels capable of projecting power beyond coastal waters.

While not yet an arms race, the region may be heading in this direction unless the momentum towards increased military spending and confrontations at sea is arrested and reversed. Yet with exquisitely bad timing we have chosen this precise moment to drastically reduce our defence spending when we should be doing exactly the opposite.

A third, destabilising, strategic change is North Korea's demonstrable progress in developing a ballistic missile capable of true intercontinental range, which could put all of Asia, Australia and parts of the west coast of the US within range of North Korean nuclear weapons by the end of this decade, if not before.

One obvious response is for Australia to step up co-operation with the US and Japan to help develop an effective land and ship-based missile defence system. If North Korea were to trigger a wider regional conflict by attacking South Korea or Japan, Australia must be prepared and equipped to support both countries militarily, in fulfilment of our residual UN obligations dating back to the Korean War.

A fourth change of strategic significance is the likely acceleration of Japan's steady drift away from its pacifist past towards an outward-looking security posture as anxieties grow about North Korea's missile program and Chinese naval ambitions.

Shinzo Abe's second coming as Japan's prime minister is likely to result in a much tougher line towards North Korea and China and a bolstering of the capabilities of Japan's Self-Defence Force.

These are understandable responses to the volatile security environment Tokyo faces. Pressing the pause button on defence co-operation with Japan would be counterproductive and a repudiation of 20 years of bipartisan Australian policy. As a fellow democracy, maritime-trading nation and defence partner, it is clearly in Australia's interests for Japan to become a more influential and constructive actor in the security affairs of the region.

If the white paper fails to adequately address these strategic changes, it will only confirm the view of critics that the government has abrogated its responsibility to deliver a defence policy optimised to meet the real security challenges ahead.

Alan Dupont is professor of international security at UNSW. This opinion piece was first published in The Australian.

Inner-city living Australians enjoy a higher standard of living, higher incomes and are more socially engaged than their suburban and rural counterparts, according to new research from UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC). Promoting Inclusion and Combating Deprivation: recent changes in social disadvantage in Australia compares locational inequality across the suburbs, inner city, large towns, country towns and rural areas. The report describes deprivation as the inability to afford the ‘essentials of life’– the items that at least 50 per cent of the community believe that no Australian should have to go without. The items are grouped into six broad categories of need: material; health-related; accommodation; children; social functioning; and risk protection. Data was collected in a survey of more than 2,600 adults drawn at random from the 2010 electoral roll. Report author, Professor Peter Saunders, said the SPRC study is unique because it considers a range of well-being measures. “Unlike other studies that examine differences between postcode or census districts, our study asked people how they ranked different aspects of their lives and their satisfaction levels.” Key findings: City residents have the highest incomes, considerable assets, lowest poverty rates and are least likely to be reliant on a government benefit for their main source of income. Almost 43% of inner city residents report their standard of living is ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ high compared with only 33% of those living in the suburbs, less than 30% of those living in large towns and some 25% of those living in country towns or rural areas. Inner city dwellers are more engaged with their community than people living in other areas but they lack access to basic services, whereas large country towns are better serviced. Rural residents face the highest levels of service exclusion – almost 25% above the national average. 63% of participants in rural and large towns and 70% of participants in small country towns and cities reported being satisfied with their standard of living. Deprivation was highest among residents of large towns and rural areas particularly in relation to dental care, access to an annual holiday and having $500 in emergency savings. People who live in small country towns are less deprived than those living in either large country towns or rural areas, but have the highest rates of deprivation in terms of regular social contact with others and owning a telephone. Professor Saunders said the study results highlight the need to acknowledge that location matters. “Where Australians are living can exert an important influence on their opportunities and living standards,” he said. The report is co-authored by Dr Melissa Wong.">Promoting Inclusion and Combating Deprivation: recent changes in social disadvantage in Australia compares locational inequality across the suburbs, inner city, large towns, country towns and rural areas.

The report describes deprivation as the inability to afford the ‘essentials of life’– the items that at least 50 per cent of the community believe that no Australian should have to go without. The items are grouped into six broad categories of need: material; health-related; accommodation; children; social functioning; and risk protection.

Data was collected in a survey of more than 2,600 adults drawn at random from the 2010 electoral roll.

Report author, Professor Peter Saunders, said the SPRC study is unique because it considers a range of well-being measures.

“Unlike other studies that examine differences between postcode or census districts, our study asked people how they ranked different aspects of their lives and their satisfaction levels.”

Key findings:

City residents have the highest incomes, considerable assets, lowest poverty rates and are least likely to be reliant on a government benefit for their main source of income.

Almost 43% of inner city residents report their standard of living is ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ high compared with only 33% of those living in the suburbs, less than 30% of those living in large towns and some 25% of those living in country towns or rural areas.

Inner city dwellers are more engaged with their community than people living in other areas but they lack access to basic services, whereas large country towns are better serviced. Rural residents face the highest levels of service exclusion – almost 25% above the national average.

63% of participants in rural and large towns and 70% of participants in small country towns and cities reported being satisfied with their standard of living.

Deprivation was highest among residents of large towns and rural areas particularly in relation to dental care, access to an annual holiday and having $500 in emergency savings.

People who live in small country towns are less deprived than those living in either large country towns or rural areas, but have the highest rates of deprivation in terms of regular social contact with others and owning a telephone.

Professor Saunders said the study results highlight the need to acknowledge that location matters.

“Where Australians are living can exert an important influence on their opportunities and living standards,” he said.

The report is co-authored by Dr Melissa Wong.

Scientia Professorship at UNSW recognises outstanding research performance, of not only past research eminence but also ongoing research and research stature.

Professor Paul Patton

Patton received a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from the University of Sydney, and, in 1979, received a Doctorat D'Université from Paris VIII, (Vincennes). Before he took up his professorship at University of New South Wales, Patton lectured at the Australian National University and the University of Sydney.

Patton is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and former member of the Council of the Australasian Association of Philosophy.

Patton has published widely on aspects of 20th Century French philosophy, including a focus on the works of Deleuze, Derrida and Foucault. In 2010 he published Deleuzian Concepts: Philosophy, Colonization, Politics, (Stanford University Press).

In 2011 Patton won the Vice-Chancellors Award for Teaching Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision and in 2010 the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences Dean’s Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision.

In 2013 Patton will join Queen Mary University of London as a Faculty Visiting Fellow. In 2008 Patton was a Visiting Professor at University of Paris X-Nanterre and in 2005 he was a Visiting Fellow of the Scots Philosophical Society, at the University of Dundee in Scotland.

See Professor Patton's full bio here

The report, Service and Support Requirements of People with Younger Onset Dementia and their Families, commissioned by the NSW government, looks at the needs of dementia sufferers under 65 and Aboriginals with dementia under 50 years.

There is an estimated 8,000 people under 65 in NSW with the condition. The younger onset means sufferers are often still in paid employment, raising a family and physically strong and healthy.

UNSW Associate Professor Karen Fisher said the report aims to help service providers develop targeted and relevant services for these people.

“Imagine if tomorrow you found out you had this degenerative condition, and couldn’t work, or provide care for your family as previously planned. Few of us would know where to turn for advice about how to make that adjustment,” she said.

Report participants said misdiagnosis was a major barrier to accessing appropriate support services. Most people experienced a lengthy diagnosis process that often involved convincing their GP that something was wrong. The most common source of diagnosis was from a neurologist (49 per cent), followed by a geriatrician (29 per cent).

Many participants expressed the need for an individual case manager to coordinate their care and offer support to their family members.

More than 81 per cent of family members and carers felt they would benefit from respite care or domestic help, often so they could continue working when their partner couldn’t.

Centre-based programs, excursions and exercise were cited by participants as helpful to managing their condition.

UNSW’s SPRC partnered with Alzheimer's Australia NSW and Uniting Care Ageing to conduct the research.

The grant will fund the creation of a joint multi-disciplinary research hub to support the development, conduct, compliance and accessibility of qualitative and quantitative social science research and dissemination activities.

NCHSR Director John de Wit welcomed the new opportunities that this grant represents. “Together the two centres will be able to look at improving the way we go about managing and promoting our research projects”, he said. “We are looking forward to putting together this collaborative effort which we hope will allow greater scope for both synergies and new initiatives in our research”.

One million Australian employees now have access to paid domestic violence leave, the result of research led by UNSW’s Centre for Gender Related Violence Studies (GRVS).

The Safe at Home, Safe at Work? National Domestic Violence and the Workplace survey, conducted in 2011 by the Centre, resulted in the provision of an extra 20 days of paid leave annually for workers affected by domestic violence, the world's most progressive workplace deal on family violence.

The survey, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, showed that one in five domestic violence victims experienced continued harassment from their partners at work, resulting in absences, staff turnover and low productivity.

Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary Dave Oliver announced yesterday that the one million mark had been reached, and he commended the work of the GRVS.

Safe at Home, Safe At Work Manager Ludo McFerran said she has been working towards this result for two decades.

“Provision of support to all workers, wherever they work, and whoever they work for is long overdue.”

UNSW was one of the first supporters of the scheme along with other major employers including the NSW public service, more than 20 Victorian councils and the Tasmanian government.

McFerran has been meeting unions and activists from Europe and Canada and said there had been strong international interest in pursuing the scheme.

''Australia is being applauded internationally,'' she said. “We are now seen as the model for assuring standard, enforceable and non-discretionary protection.”

Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten will launch an information booklet developed by the GRVS for employees who are not yet covered by the scheme in Melbourne this month.

The inaugural postgraduate student conference for the UNSW Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences was held 15 -16 November 2012. More than 80 students from across all of the Faculty's schools and centres came along to the two day interdisciplinary conference to listen and respond to the research of their peers. 55 FASS students presented academic papers over the course of the conference. Staff and members of the broader community joined the students for the keynote events.

Making connections

Ashley Barnwell, a member of the conference organising collective, explained the conference theme - "Dis/Connections". "Dis/connections provided a cross-disciplinary forum for the students of FASS to present their research in a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment."

The organising collective chose the theme Dis/Connections after observing that there is often a challenge in communicating and connecting ones ideas across disciplinary specialties and allegiances. The conference sought experiential answers to the question of how to connect with other researchers during the postgraduate experience.

The panels were strongly interdisciplinary. Conference participant Jane Gleeson-White appreciated this form of engagement. "It was so exciting – and intellectually provocative – to hear papers on economics, music, drama, philosophy, literature all together." said Gleeson-White

Going Public

The conference also featured two exciting seminars. On Thursday night, Michael Leunig, Professor Raewyn Connell, and Dr James Arvanitakis spoke at a panel discussion hosted by A/Prof Sarah Maddison. The questions posed for the panel were about how academics can contribute to social, cultural and political life? What transformations intellectuals are contributing to, and what responsibilities come with this participation?

The discussion ranged from the personal motivations for 'going public' with one's ideas, to the broader shifts in contemporary society.

Fielding Interdisciplinary

A second roundtable event was held at the close of the conference. FASS luminaries provided students with a provocative ideas about the nature of inter- and transdisciplinarity. The discussion was lively and participatory.

Success, now back to the books

Ashley Barnwell's final reflections on the conference were that it was a resounding success. "The conference was successful because it was an event we needed. Everyone gave so generously of their time and ideas. Hopefully the connections we forged over the two days of conversation will continue to strengthen the research culture in the faculty."

Dis/Connections was an welcome timeout from the challenge of doctoral research. Now FASS students are back at their desks.

Twelve teachers (please see list below), nominated by their student teachers were awarded an Outstanding Supervising Teacher Award, presented by Director General of Education NSW, Prof Michele Bruniges. Schools who participated in school-based research projects were presented with Outstanding Contribution to Research Awards, as acknowledgement of their valuable contributions.

The night was a huge success and we would like to thank all the Principals, Practicum Coordinators and Teachers who attended the event. If you are interested in hosting UNSW pre-service teachers in 2013, please contact the Professional Experience Coordinator, Nisha Vohra at professionalexperience@unsw.edu.au or  (02) 9385 1950 .

2013 Outstanding Supervising Teachers:
Maria Abram – Epping Boys High School
Melissa Bright – Mount Annan High School
Tanya Davies – Ku-ring-gai Creative Arts High School
Ben Flewellen – South Sydney High School
Angeleah Heap – Liverpool Girls High School
Vanessa Lo – Chatswood High School
Lesley Manieri – Knox Grammar Senior School
Linda McBurney – Epping Boys High School
Jessica Normand – Liverpool Girls High School
Frank Romeo – Redfield College
Briony Sheridan – Macarthur Girls High School
Ben Surwald – Lisarow High School

2013 Outstanding Contribution to Resarch Awards:
Amy Murphy – James Ruse Agricultural High School
David Chapple – Caringbah High School
Jihad Dib – Punchbowl Boys High School

Associate Professor Lyn Craig and Dr Abigail Powell from UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre compared the domestic work of 5512 young people and adults aged 15-34 living at home with that of their parents, using household data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Time Use Surveys (1992, 1997 and 2006).

The study, which builds on Associate Professor Craig’s previous research, also found an uneven distribution of domestic tasks between young men and women living with their parents.

“We know that housework is unevenly distributed between parents but these results show that the gender division of labour is trickling down to the next generation,” she said.

“The age that young people move out of the family home is rising in Australia but our findings show that young people do not become less of a burden to their parents domestically as they get older.”

The findings will be presented at the Australian Women’s and Gender Studies Biennial Conference at UNSW.

Key findings:

• 97% of mothers participated in domestic work per day, compared to 81% of fathers, 73% of young women and 54% of young men
• The young men that did participate in domestic work spent the same amount of time as young women – both averaging 70 minutes per day
• Young men aged 25-34 years contribute to household tasks more than 15-24 year-old men
• Employment status plays the greatest role in determining participation and time spent in domestic activities for young people, with those working contributing less
• Young people who participate in domestic labour do so alongside their parents, rather than taking individual responsibility for it

 Overall the research found that young people’s participation in domestic work is low and does not displace the time spent by parents on these activities.

''You might think as the children get older they would make a more equal contribution to housework, cleaning, cooking and washing, but it's really not the case,'' she told Fairfax media.

''It does seem to be a sticky problem. You would hope for more signs of change which are sadly not really there.''

Read more in the Sydney Morning Herald.

The new open-access journal, Environmental Humanities, publishes contemporary interdisciplinary scholarship that brings humanities disciplines into conversation with each other and the natural and social sciences. The first issue includes original contributions from internationally recognised leaders in the field, including Professor Timothy Morton (Rice University), Professor Libby Robin (ANU) and Professor Anna Tsing (University of California). The journal is based in the School of Humanities and is driven by the Environmental Humanities discipline group.

Dr Thom Van Dooren, Environmental Humanities lecturer, said the new journal has been met by overwhelming support and enthusiasm. In the week since its launch, the eight articles included in the journal have been downloaded over 1,000 times by people in over 25 countries. 

"This is an inspiring example of the potential for open access scholarship, publicised solely through social media, to reach a wide and diverse audience. The journal website is also a platform for exchange and discussion and includes interviews, videos and animations." He said.

The emergence of the environmental humanities is part of a growing engagement with the environment from within the humanities and social sciences.

"The launch of the Environmental Humanities journal is very timely" said Dr van Dooren. "The value of interdisciplinary research on the environment, particularly in an era of rapid social and environmental change, is being increasingly recognised." He said.

The journal's international editorial board includes many of the scholars who have been central to the development of environmental thought in the humanities and social sciences over the past few decades.

For more information on the journal and to view the first issue visit: www.environmentalhumanities.org, follow the journal on Twitter @EnvHumanities or connect with the journal on Facebook.

At NCHSR, we support the efforts of the myriad organisations and individuals who contribute so significantly to the success of World AIDS Day.

For more information on World AIDS Day, visit the website.

Arts and Social Sciences researchers have been awarded over $1.6 million for seven projects across a broad range of disciplines.

Funding was announced for four Discovery Projects and three Discovery Early Career Research Awards (DECRAs), which will commence in 2013.

"The awarding of these grants exemplify the strength of the research we do across the social sciences, performing and creative arts and the humanities." said the Associate Dean of Research, Associate Professor Kristy Muir.

 Discovery Projects

•  Bruce Bradbury, Social Policy Research Centre, (with Corak, Waldfogeland Washbrook), Growing unequal: diverging childhood outcomes in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, $225,911
  POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION - How and why do the outcomes of children from rich and poor families differ in the early and middle school years? This study will compare Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States and help to explain why mobility between generations is greater in some countries than others.
• Melissa Merritt, School of Humanities, Enlightened judgment: reflection and cognitive virtue in Kant’s critical philosophy, $135,000
  HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIFIC FIELDS - This project aims to explain our cognitive practices: what is sound judgment and how does it depend on the ability to be critical about our concepts? What is intellectual creativity, and what makes it possible? The answers are provided through a new interpretation of the philosophical ideal of enlightenment, with special attention to the work of Kant.
• Stephen Muecke, Erin Brannigan and Edward Scheer, School of the Arts and Media, Towards the experimental humanities, $210,000
  PERFORMING ARTS AND CREATIVE WRITING - Growth in the creative arts in universities is demanding the discovery of new methods of research and teaching. This project will develop experimental methods to broaden the humanities so that they can engage with the disciplines that effectively harness human creativity to solve problems.
• Laura Shepherd, School of Social Sciences, Gender, peacebuilding and the politics of space: a critical examination of United Nations peacebuilding practices, $133,150
  POLITICAL SCIENCE - More than half of all peace agreements fail within five years. In response to this dismal statistic, the United Nations (UN) recently began to prioritise gender matters in peacebuilding operations, recognising that gender equality is key to building sustainable peace. This project examines how gender justice is addressed in United Nations peacebuilding policy and practice.
• Eileen Baldry, School of Social Sciences, is part of a team lead by Chris Cuneen at James Cook University (with Schwartz, Goldson and Brown), A comparative analysis of youth punishment in Australia and the United Kingdom
  This project is a comparative Australian and United Kingdom investigation of penal policy and the punishment of juvenile offenders. The research analyses the changing approaches to juvenile incarceration, particularly in the context of perceived effects on crime and the substantial public and social costs of incarceration.

Discovery Early Career Research Awards (DECRAs)

• Tanya Jakimow, School of Social Sciences, Decentralisation in India and Indonesia: how non-government organisations affect citizens' encounters and experiences oflocal level governance, $365,144
  ANTHROPOLOGY - This project critically examines how local non-government organisations affect decentralisation in India and Indonesia. It offers new understandings of the potential for development agencies to transform the meanings, practices andidentities that shape how citizens experience local governance.
• Jae Yup Jung, School of Education, It’s our future at stake: the career decision-making processes of high ability youth from low socio-economic status backgrounds, $333,623.00
  SPECIALIST STUDIES IN EDUCATION - This project will investigate the processes associated with how our bright but underprivileged youth go about choosing their future careers. The findings will help to inform how various stakeholders may support this group, so that they make career decisions that fully utilise their potential.
• Abigail Powell, Social Policy Research Centre, Promoting work-life balance: do flexible work arrangements really work for employees in Australia?, $369,720
  POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION - The research investigates the impact of flexible work arrangements available in the workplace on the time use and work-life balance of employees. It establishes which arrangements most effectively support employees to balance work and non-work time, with significant implications for social and organisational policy.

A full list of funded projects is available on the ARC website.

Finding the needle in the haystack: An overview of new social research

The amount of research produced each year grows exponentially. It is impossible for people who work as full-time researchers to keep up to date. Finding research that is useful for NSP workers must be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

The aim of this presentation is to provide a brief overview of key social research that has emerged in the last year and provide this in a way that is useful for NSP workers. This presentation will skate across a range of research in the NSP, injecting drug use and hepatitis C social research fields—looking at health promotion resources, primary health care in NSP, trust, expert opinion in harm reduction, public opinion of harm reduction services, and musings on the biopolitics of NSP.

Click here for the audio and PowerPoint presentations.

Martin and John, the lead CIs, are collaborating with the Burnet Institute in Melbourne and another UNSW research centre, The Kirby Institute, on this project.

Apparently, teachers and principals have no need to hear about research on international education policy and are too sensitive to deal with “controversial” ideas.

Last week, the University of Melbourne’s Graduate School of Education on behalf of the Victorian Department of Education, sent an email to education expert Professor Michael Apple informing him that he would no longer be required to give a professional workshop for principals and teachers.

There were two reasons reported for the cancellation. Publically, a department spokesperson said the professor’s expertise on international educational policy meant he “was not the most relevant speaker to address the workshop.”

But the internal email from the university to the professor revealed the department was more concerned the professor’s ideas on performance pay would be too controversial at a time of politically charged negotiations with the teachers union. The professor responded that he had more academic freedom in Serbia than in Melbourne.

But regardless of whether censorship or irrelevance is the real reason for cancellation, it should go without saying that education academics should have the freedom to share their current thinking. And educators should be exposed to the international policy ideas that could be implemented in Australia. 

International thinking on policy

The Victorian department of education in their public statement seems to be suggesting that Australian educators do not need to know about international education policy.

This is despite the fact that governments all over the world are either influenced by or directly borrow education policies from each other. The Victorian and Federal governments, for example, concerned with increasing teacher quality, have proposed introducing performance pay.

Performance polices have been introduced in the United States, yet these initiatives have been generally unsuccessful at best and damaging to teachers and students at worse.

It seems clear, then, that educators need to be aware of international education policy in order to be informed of their professional context and assess the possible impacts of proposed reforms 

Australian educators should be part of an informed debate looking at why we are borrowing faulty policy models from the United States, instead of more robust policy ideas from other countries like Finland. International education policy then, despite what the department says, is clearly relevant to Australian teachers and principals.

The politics of policy and research

If the talk was in fact cancelled because Professor’s Apple’s ideas were too controversial, it is a very dangerous sign. As Apple himself noted, in an email sent to colleagues around the world, following the cancellation of his talk:

“That a set of government officials, especially in education, would seek to limit the kinds of discussions around some of the most important policies in education not only in Victoria but in the world, is a very worrisome position to take.”

Educational research is often co-opted by educational politics and policy – it can move between ‘evidence-based policy making’ and ‘policy-led evidence making’. At times, research is transmitted through policy networks created between education administrators and governments of all levels. Former head of the New York School Board Joel Klein was very influential, for example, for the current PM, then education minister, Julia Gillard.

Educators do not often have access to these policy networks, but they do need to be aware when borrowed policies are either recanted or as was the case with Mr Klein, the expertise of the policy architects is called into question.

These global policy links are tangible and to decide that they are irrelevant to Australian teachers is at best, treating them with disdain, and at worst as those who are incapable of critical judgement.

Teachers need to be ‘policy-literate’

Increasingly, and globally, education policy is playing a role in steering teachers’ work at a distance. Policies on teacher standards, behaviour, homework, and testing are diminishing the capacity of teachers to exercise professional judgement.

If there is anything constructive to be taken out of the apparent censorship of Professor Apple, it could be that departments of education, and universities who provide teacher education, respect and build educators’ capacity to become more policy-literate.

Teachers do not just implement policy, but can be given the information to interpret, mediate, and at times, reject policies. And, it should be clear, that part of becoming policy-literate involves exposing teachers to controversial international scholars and ideas. 

After all, education policy is not about concern for a current government’s latest polling, but about the consequences for the educational futures of our students. 

This piece was co-authored by Andrew Gibson and Kalervo Gulson.

Andrew is a Victorian secondary school teacher and Kalervo is a senior lecturer in education policy and politics, at the University of New South Wales.

As well as being high achieving students, both Julian and Kalia received outstanding Professional Experience reports demonstrating their enthusiasm for teaching and genuine concern for all students in their classrooms.

Congratulations to both Kalia and Julian for this outstanding achievement!

Two staff were also honoured in the same award ceremony - Prof Miraca Gross was awarded a life membership of ACE in recognition of 30 years of service to ACE, and Chris Davison was awarded a certificate of recognition for her outstanding contributions to teacher education.

Conference Profile

Professor Rónán McDonald spoke at the American Conference for Irish Studies in New Orleans, and the 2012 Conference of the International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures (Canada). Rónán has been invited to give keynote lectures at two prestigious conferences. At the English Language and Literature Association of Korea Global Conference 2012 he will present a lecture entitled ‘Home and Away: Form and Affect in Irish Emigrant Letters from Australia’, and he will be joined by a strong contingent from the Centre for the Nineteenth Australasian Irish Studies Conference of the Irish Studies Association of Australia and New Zealand (ISAANZ) in November. Significant as the pre-eminent annual academic event in Irish Studies in the southern hemisphere. Rónán will deliver a keynote address entitled ‘Rigour or Vigour? Disciplinarity in Irish Studies’ at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Adjunct Fellows Dr Jeff Kildea and Dr Pamela O’Neill, and Adjunct Lecturer Dr Perry McIntyre, will be giving papers, as will newly appointed Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Gemma Clark, and PhD student Miri Jassy.

Our growing global profile in this area is marked by the ISAANZ 2013 conference coming to UNSW, providing a forum for international Irish Studies scholars to gather, and further positioning GISC as a leading research hub in the region. More details to follow in the new year.

New arrivals and achievements

GISC continues to attract high calibre researchers with the addition of Dr Gemma Clark (PhD Oxford University), taking up the Sarah Sharkey Postdoctoral Research Fellowship*, and PhD candidate Lachlan Montgomery, recipient of a prestigious APA scholarship. Lachlan’s research is on the influence of modernist abstract painting in the writings of Samuel Beckett. PhD student Miri Jassy, who was awarded the Sarah Sharkey Top-Up Scholarship*, recently presented her research on Joyce at the International James Joyce Symposium in Dublin.

GISC Affiliate, and Senior Lecturer in Humanities, Dr Lisa Ford, has been honoured with the Max Crawford Medal, for enriching the cultural life of Australia through her latest publication, on 'settler sovereignty' in Australia and North America. We congratulate Lisa on this highly prestigious award.

Events

2012 academic events at a glance::

• The Global Irish Studies Talks (GISTs) have become a popular fixture in the GISC and School of the Arts and Media calendars, drawing crowds on diverse topics including Famine commemoration and bilingualism in modern Ireland. Stay tuned for 2013 speakers.
• In our most recent GIST (October 2012) Tony Earls chaired a lively panel discussion, ‘Irish Lawyers in Colonial Australia’. Our distinguished speakers took on a key debate in Irish Studies and Australian Legal History, making great progress towards defining the hitherto “significant yet indefinable” contribution of the Irish to Australian law and legal culture.
• To mark the long tradition of Irish Studies at UNSW GISC launched the annual Patrick O’Farrell Memorial Lecture in 2011. Eminent historian Professor David Fitzpatrick, of Trinity College Dublin, delivered the inaugural lecture, speaking on ‘Australia’s Irish Question’. View online
• Monday 5 November marks the 2012 Patrick O'Farrell Memorial Lecture, to be delivered by noted scholar Professor Cormac Ó Gráda, School of Economics, University College Dublin. Professor Ó Gráda’s lecture is entitled “Because she never let them in”: Irish immigration a century ago and today.  

*Sarah Sharkey was the mother of the late Sarah Ellen Lomansey, whose substantial bequest, together with a generous donation from the Australian Ireland Fund, funded the Chair in Modern Irish Studies at UNSW.

Each year, a small group of students from NSW Universities are chosen to be Ambassadors in India and are provided with the opportunity to be involved in one of the Tara.Ed partner schools. 

One of our second year BSc/BEd students, Megan Ayres was awarded an ambassadorship and has only recently returned from her tour. Ayres is an inspiring young student, driven to change the world through the provision of education.

Upon return Ayres spoke of her experience, “I wanted to show them that education is something to be valued and pursued. I wanted to give them a hope that they can become successful despite their placement in this world.”

We are very proud to call Megan one of our own and to read more of her story please download the attached document and turn to page 37.

Congratulations to all who helped make this happen, including the employers of our graduates who have evaluated us so highly!

The Medal, awarded every two years by the Australian Academy of the Humanities to an Australian-based, early-career humanities scholar, is named after the late historian Professor Raymond Maxwell Crawford. It recognises high quality publications that contribute to the understanding of humanities disciplines by the general public.

This year, due to “an exceptional field of candidates,” the Medal was awarded jointly with Dr Michael Ondaatje from the University of Newcastle.

Key to Dr Ford’s award was her book, Settler Sovereignty: Jurisdiction and Indigenous People in America and Australia, 1788-1836 (2010), which argues that a new understanding of sovereignty emerged in North America and Australia when indigenous theft and violence were redefined as crime.

The book, which won a NSW Premier's History Award and the American Historical Association's Littleton-Griswold Prize examines the relationship between law, settlers and indigenous people in North America and Australia in the early nineteenth century.

Dr Ford, from the School of Humanities, is currently working on two ARC Discovery Projects on the legal history of the British Empire and an investigation of challenges to the imperial constitution by protectors of slaves and Aborigines after 1824.

She is also working with the Francis Forbes Society and AUSTLII on two major projects aimed at recovering and publishing Australasian legal history sources.

Dr Ford will be awarded the Medal at the annual Symposium of Fellows next month.

The Lifecourse Institutional Costs of Homelessness for Vulnerable Groups study led by UNSW’s Professor of Criminology, Eileen Baldry, followed the lives of 11 people now aged between 23 and 55 and found that between them, they had cost State and Commonwealth Governments almost $22 million.

One young woman who first came into contact with criminal justice and human services agencies at the age of 12 had cost more than $5.5 million in police, juvenile justice, welfare, housing, health and legal aid services by the time she turned 21.

The lowest cost for any of the individuals in the study was $960,000.

Of the $22 million, $14 million was associated with 'control' agencies such as police, corrective services, juvenile justice, and courts and $8 million was for support costs including housing, welfare payments, health and disability services.

Professor Baldry said maintaining secure and supported housing is key to people staying out of the criminal justice system.

“Early and well-timed interventions to establish and maintain secure housing and associated support services will reduce, if not obviate, the need for the future years of criminal justice interventions.”

“A significant change in the way government human service agencies approach this small but extremely costly group of people is required,” she said.

Releasing the research to mark Universal Children’s Day, Minister for Housing and Homelessness Brendan O’Connor said the figures were “truly staggering.”

“These costs are still ongoing - to tackle homelessness, we have to understand what makes some people vulnerable and what delivers long term results,” he said.

Mr O’Connor said the research further underscores the importance of the Government’s goal to halve the rate of homelessness by 2020.

The study builds on an ARC Linkage project led by Professor Baldry, People with mental health disorders and cognitive disability (MHDCD) in the criminal justice system in NSW. The MHDCD project created a dataset containing lifelong administrative information on 2,731 people who have been in the NSW criminal justice system.

Read The Australian [paywall] article here.

Emily teaches into the Master of Journalism and Communication, the Master of Public Relations and Advertising and the Master of Law, Media and Journalism. She convenes two courses: Broadcast Journalism and Media and Public Relations.

The award has recognized her teaching activities and achievements, with particular reference to her excellent approaches to teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn and her skill in developing respect and support for the development of students as individuals. Her application for the award was supported by testimony from both students and peers.

Emily worked for 14 years as a television reporter and documentary producer, and then for 15 years in communications for the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF. She has drawn extensively on this experience in her teaching combining her practical experience of the industry together with academic theories in the field.

All three UNSW contestants representing the state of NSW won first prizes (Return Air tickets to Japan) in their divisions as seen below.

Open Beginners Division

1st Prize Anthony Le My girlfriend's mother is a Japanese teacher. (NSW)

Open Division

1st Prize Damian Spinks What I learned from my independence. (NSW)

Background speaker Division

1st Prize Yuna Kubota I am a Kansai-jin. (NSW)

Congratulations to Anthony, Damian and Yuna and their lecturers who coached them.

Australia ran a good campaign. From a standing start, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's strategists achieved a remarkable feat by comfortably beating both Finland and Luxembourg in the first round of voting. That the secret machinations of the vote leant Australia's way is surely to the credit of our tireless diplomats and planners.

Backed by a growing aid budget, they built a narrative of Australia's global role designed to appeal to the key voting blocs of developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. It told the story of good, honest, pragmatic Australian foreign policy - of a ''practical'' contributor that recognises the value of ideals, but is also prepared to roll up the national shirtsleeves when needed.

The campaign's tagline ''Australia, we do what we say'' provided an opening to speak with humility about the nation's proud contributions over the past six decades to peacekeeping, peacebuilding, development and humanitarian relief. DFAT's story highlighted Australia's proximity to developing countries and its commitment to working with the UN's smallest and most vulnerable members. Australia will make a difference, the campaign promised, for the small and medium countries of the world.

Of course, like all good narratives, we find in this a degree of requisite mythologising. More worrying is whether constructing the story became a higher priority at DFAT than getting policy right.

If Australia is truly to ''do what it said'', it needs better, more informed, more innovative and bolder policy positions to take to New York. When Julia Gillard addressed the UN last month, her speech - entitled ''Practical progress towards realising those ideas in the world'' - delivered the final refrain of DFAT's carefully composed campaign tune. But if the Prime Minister's speech is to be more than mere campaign rhetoric, Australia must get back to formulating serious policy contributions in New York.

The council's agenda is broad. During Australia's tenure, it will certainly include the worsening crisis in Syria, ongoing tensions between Sudan and South Sudan, the UN's role in Afghanistan during and after the transition of NATO-led operations, and oversight of the 16 peacekeeping operations deployed under Security Council mandate. In Mali, the growing power of militant groups linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb prompted the Security Council last week to adopt a French resolution paving the way for an African-led intervention.

These are big challenges. Undoubtedly, it is the permanent five members - China, France, Russia, Britain and the US - that ultimately determine the council's outcomes by virtue of their veto power. But Australia will have opportunities to lead: on issues of rule of law and disarmament, for example, and on the council's multiple sanctions committees. Australia's Pacific Islands neighbours will be hoping that Australia will lead on issues of climate security.

For inspiration, Australia might look back to 1990, when our diplomats didn't need a Security Council seat to produce a draft Cambodian peace proposal that broke the impasse in negotiations. The 155-page ''Red Book'' provided a substantive account of the roles, costs, people and processes required for a comprehensive Cambodian settlement. Far from the generic principles and motherhood statements that too often pass for UN contributions, this plan was remarkable in its specificity, a carefully researched resource document presenting realistic paths to peace in Cambodia - and without a photo in sight.

That Australia will take its place alongside 14 other Security Council members in January is a broadly good thing for our foreign policy. But Australia now needs to harness the energy and strategic prowess with which our diplomats waged the Security Council campaign for higher ends, to tackle the urgent threats to international peace and security for which the council has unique responsibility.

It needs in particular the serious investment of strategic planning resources within DFAT. It needs to promote open, rigorous debate about policy ideas and practice - not just those that cohere with Australia's campaign strategy. And it needs to let its public officials off the leash so they might engage in honest discussion, in and out of their departments, about what works, what doesn't and why.

Having a seat at the table might be important, but having something worthwhile to say is indispensable.

Dr Jeni Whalan is a lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at UNSW, specialising in peace operations, the UN and Australian foreign policy.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Canberra Times.

The state divisions, ran by the Japan Foundation, required students to create a three minute video demonstrating their fluency in the Japanese language in a style which showcased their confident abilities and creativity. Students who made it to the next round of National divisions included:

Anthony Le - First prize in Open Beginner Division

Damian Spinks - First prize in Open Division

Yuna Kunota - Special prize in Background Division

The three contestants who came first  continued their winning streak when they took part in the National Division. Again, they won first prize in their divisions and these fantastic results have were not an easy feat. Professor Chihiro Kinoshita Thomson, from the UNSW School of International Studies, was thrilled with these outcomes. “We have a team of dedicated academics who selflessly support them, a large number of students who listen to their rehearsals and support them, and the biggest cheering squad at the contest.” said Chihiro.

A big congratulations goes out to the three prize winning students, as well as the support from tutors and classmates who helped these students to achieve their wonderful outcome.

 A further acknowledgement must also be given to Geoffrey Wong who took the second prize in the Open Beginner Division at the state level.

 “We had a lot of lectures from leaders from NGOs, such as the World Wildlife Fund, and were able to have a chat with United Nations leaders on the concept of a green economy...We also attended workshops where we discussed different concepts and ideas for our own situation,” said Charlotte, who believes UNSW has great potential to expand it’s environmental outlook and would like to assist in that progression.

Together with the summit, Charlotte says her current dual degree program at UNSW has greatly assisted her outlook on ways to have a broader positive impact on environmental change. “In my Arts degree, I’ve been focusing on environmental studies and languages and cultures, so it’s given me a broader scope to understand those cultures...and understanding what is really important for global environmental change.”

Charlotte gained new insights at the conference in Switzerland and has already begun initiating change. Her current project involves talking to major student players in environment on campus, with hopes of bringing all the different groups together. “There are a lot of groups on campus who have started up excellent initiatives but they don’t talk to each other and I’d just like to facilitate a broader discussion. I think that would be a really big drive for change.”

We congratulate Charlotte on taking part in the World Student Environment Summit and using her skills, knowledge and dedication to implement change within UNSW.

At the event hosted by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Dr Summers outlined the sexist and discriminatory treatment of Australia’s first female prime minister.

“What I want to establish is the extent to which the prime minister is being treated unfairly as a woman and because she’s a woman,” Dr Summers said.

Dr Summer's self-described “R-rated” lecture was accompanied by graphic images and sexualised caricatures of Gillard that have been circulated online and through parliamentary emails.

“There can be little doubt that these sexually explicit images of Julia Gillard by her abusive detractors are an act of bullying in the sense that they are solely designed to demean and diminish her, humiliate and intimidate her.”

Dr Summers highlighted the fact that the Prime Minister has been subjected to conduct that, were she working in the private sector, is outlawed under both the Sex Discrimination Act and Fair Work Australia.

“It is difficult not to conclude that we Australians are – so far at least – simply incapable of accepting a woman in charge of our country.

“If enough of us push back, perhaps we can stop it. And if we can, perhaps that will help restore some dignity and respect to the holder of our highest office,” she said.

Dr Summers’ speech was a version of her 2012 Human Rights and Social Justice Lecture. More than 72,000 people have viewed the speech since it was published on her website.

A former adviser to Labor prime minister Paul Keating, Dr Summers has worked as a senior journalist in Australia and the US.

This is no longer the case as cyber space becomes a battleground between competing states intent on exploiting the vulnerabilities of the internet for economic and strategic gain.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta's dramatic warning that the US faces a growing threat of a "cyber Pearl Harbor" was triggered by a cascading series of electronic attacks on the US banking system in recent weeks, which underlines the vulnerability of modern economies to cyber espionage and sabotage.

Economic and military vitality are heavily dependent on IP; and its loss to rivals, if sustained and substantial, eventually will translate into a fall in living standards and competitive advantage.

This could be the future for Australia if the unprecedented increase in successful cyber attacks in this country is not reversed. So far this year, more than 5000 cyber "incidents" have been reported to the government's computer emergency response team. But these figures are only the tip of the iceberg as most cyber attacks against the private sector go unreported.

In 2009, the then US deputy secretary of defence, Bill Lynn, wrote: "Every year an amount of intellectual property many times larger than all the intellectual property contained in the Library of Congress is stolen from networks maintained by US businesses, universities and government agencies."

Proportionally, this is happening in Australia, though neither the government nor business seems ready to admit the seriousness of the problem.

Government is worried about compromising sensitive intelligence methods and sources, offending countries that are complicit in cyber attacks and the admitted difficulty in identifying their precise source -- the so-called attribution problem.

Business is worried about shareholder and stockmarket reaction should the loss of IP and the penetration of company security be made public.

While these are legitimate concerns, we need to get over our coyness before the IP deficit reaches catastrophic proportions.

Sceptics who regard such warnings as exaggerated or ill-informed may like to read last year's report for the US congress on economic and industrial espionage written by the authoritative US government-owned Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive.

It makes for sobering reading. Among its key findings are that cyber space amplifies the significant and growing threat to the US from economic collection and industrial espionage; that Chinese actors are the world's most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage; and that the trend towards pooling of information processing and storage will present even greater future problems for the protection and integrity of sensitive information.

While there are no reliable figures for how much electronic pilfering and espionage is costing the US or Australian economies, the figure is almost certainly large and growing rapidly.

More than $1 trillion is spent on cyber defence globally, and leading anti-virus software company Symantec estimates cyber crime costs the world economy $US338 billion ($330bn) annually. This doesn't capture the longer-term erosion of national competitiveness.

The industries most heavily targeted are those focused on information and computer technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, agricultural and clean technologies, energy, natural resources, military technologies and advanced materials and manufacturing techniques -- in short, the enabling technologies of the future economy.

Our government is sufficiently concerned to have explicitly warned that a cyber attack on the US or Australia could be a trigger for invoking the ANZUS treaty. But that won't help when business IP is siphoned off by an unknown or opportunist hacker, who may well be an Australian and company insider.

A better approach would be to build community and business awareness through a public information campaign, combined with a commitment to build a public-private partnership around cyber defence.

Good computer housekeeping practices, based on up-to-date firewalls and computer anti-virus programs, could reduce the risk to business and individuals by 80 per cent. It may be necessary for owners of critical infrastructure such as water and power companies to invest in certifiably higher levels of cyber protection to retain their operating licences.

Specialised government agencies would provide a deeper layer of active defence against sophisticated, state-based attacks.

A longer-term solution would involve an alternative to the internet or significant changes in the internet's operating protocols to provide better system security around user identification and authentication.

The government should position Australia as a repository of cyber security expertise and exploit the commercial opportunities for the cyber defence sector. There is no unplug option so we need to learn to better manage the risk.

Alan Dupont is director of the Institute for International Security and Development at UNSW.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Australian.

As Korean pop star PSY warms up for his Sunrise and X Factor appearances, Australian-born K-pop rapper Miki Lim is recuperating from her 10-hour flight back home from Seoul.

Twenty-two-year-old Miki has spent two weeks in Korea’s capital after making it through the Australian auditions for Korean TV channel MBC’s idol-like show The Great Birth.

In order to gauge an international response to Korean pop music, auditions were held for the second season of the popular reality talent show earlier this year in the US, Canada and Australia.

In order to be eligible contestants were required to sing five songs, in both Korean and English, as well as show off their dance moves.

 Despite having no Korean heritage, the University of New South Wales student still dreams of becoming a successful K-pop singer, rapper and dancer.

Australian rapper Miki Lim preparing for her second K-pop contest in Korea.

 Australian rapper Miki Lim preparing for her second K-pop contest in Korea.

“If I just study languages [including Korean] at university my mum’s happy because I’m doing something academic, I’m using my brain rather than dance which is just your body,” she told The Canberra Times.

“But when I was like ‘I want to be a singer, I’m going to Korea’, she was like ‘oh my god what are you doing?’”

Over the past two weeks Miki has sung two songs in Korean in front of a panel of judges.

A few days ago, she arrived home in Sydney after being eliminated from the second round of western auditions.

Twelve Australians, of an original 500 local hopefuls, made it through to the second round after they auditioned for the show in Sydney in August.

Miki said she hoped PSY’s promotional tour would inspire more Australians to get into Korean music, whether through singing or otherwise.

“You know, you’re feeling the music, you don’t have to understand the language, but you’re having a feeling, I think that’s what’s important.”

However Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, a branch of the South Korean ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, spokesperson Ji Jungeun said it could be difficult for Australians to break into the industry.

“Most K-pop singers have been trained for many, many years for music and instruments before they make their debut as K-pop singers,” Ms Ji said.

“But I do think Korean music can possibly appeal to audiences with different cultural backgrounds.

“Although the music is written in other language, the pleasure of K-pop is not only listening to the songs, but also watching the K-pop singers’ dynamic [music video] performances.”

Before leaving Korea, Miki entered a local Gwangju singing competition and came back with 200,000 Won ($180) in prize money.

“I don’t regret this trip. I would have regretted it more if I never tried.”

 This article first appeared in the Brisbane Times

Professor Kalichman is a leading behavioural scientist working in HIV/AIDS and in 2005 received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society for Behavioral Medicine. In his special presentation, he spoke about the importance of effective behavioural interventions in the delivery of biomedical prevention technologies and how failure to deliver ART treatment within a behavioural framework will likely result in another biomedical technology falling short of its potential.

Get Connected is a research project being undertaken by researchers and community workers from the School of Social Sciences at UNSW and Sydney University, along with partnering organisations. “It is a participatory approach to regeneration in public housing neighbourhoods.” says Alison Wannan, project leader and PhD Candidate from the UNSW School of Social Sciences.

The film is one part of this project and aims to change the voicelessness of people with mental illness living in social housing by enabling them to participate in decision-making about their everyday lives. Over the last six months, group activities, self advocacy sessions and discussions have been held, giving them the opportunity to share their voices and the community the opportunity to listen and grow from seeing the film.

The research conducted as part of the project highlighted the vital need for this change. From the surveys and interviews that took place, a range of opinions about mental health issues in public housing were raised. This included “I dislike living near mentally ill people who don’t have proper treatment” and “way too many people with mental illness.”

 The lack of understanding of mental health issues from the community led the Get Connected group to want to discover what might “promote greater social inclusion and increased opportunities for people living with mental health issues in social housing.” says Alison.

 The first screening of the film was a great success. Over 125 people attended the screening, allowing for voices to speak from social housing communities of the Eastern suburbs.

Please visit the website for more info:

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2012-13/subject-ranking/subject/social-sciences

Together with School Education Minister Peter Garrett, Ms Gillard met several groups of undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

She told them the campaign would run for six weeks and current and former school students are invited to nominate their favourite teacher on the Prime Minister’s Facebook page.

Ms Gillard told the UNSW students she had benefited enormously from having great teachers at school and thanked the students for pursuing a career that wasn’t only important for the lives of the children they will be teaching, but also for the future of Australia.

“Remember, any one of the children you teach has the potential to grow up to become Prime Minister,” she laughed.

The aim of the campaign is to generate a conversation about the inspirational role that high-quality teachers play in students’ lives.

At a round table discussion with around 20 students from the School of Education, Ms Gillard and Mr Garrett heard from students who had just returned from six weeks of practical teaching in high schools across the State.

In a lively exchange the students told the Prime Minister they’d had both good and bad experiences working alongside teachers. Some of the toughest were learning how to communicate with the schoolkids.

“You feel like you are sinking as you are not getting through to them at all, and then just one kid gets it and you feel you must be doing something right,” said student Melissa Ronchetti.

Peter Garrett said when he was at school he was closest to his music teacher, and even though he wne on to become the lead singer of Midnight Oil, the music teacher encouraged him to keep up his studies and he went on to complete a law degree at UNSW.

“It’s an exciting time to be a teacher. You can make a real difference in the lives of students and I congratulate you all on choosing teaching as a career,” he said.

Mr Garrett said the government was working to get Australian schools back in the top five schooling systems the world by 2025. “We know that great teachers are the key to getting there.”

Confirmed keynote speakers:

Professor Derek Attridge (University of York, UK)

Professor Anthony Uhlmann (University of Western Sydney)

Call for Papers:

Submission deadline has been extended to 31st October 2012, at 5pm.

Download revised CFP notice

See conference page for more information

Conference website hosted by Macquarie University - All enquiries to email resituating.beckett@gmail.com

Online registrations available through the University of NSW event page - UNSW event page

Dr Clark who has started her appointment with UNSW this week is a recent PhD graduate in history from Oxford University, with a monologue Everyday Violence in the Irish Civil War forthcoming in 2014.

Dr Clark will play an integral role in the growing Global Irish Studies Centre, particularly in relation to fostering collaborative relationships with other disciplines within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sicences.

Location: Global Irish Studies Centre - Room 231N, Robert Webster Building

Email: gemma.clark@unsw.edu.au

Phone: 9385 7399

A powerful social norm in Australia is that migrants do not bring their homeland conflicts with them or replay their religious and national aggression here. That norm, along with simple law and order, was violated in Sydney. Such episodes invariably provoke debate about Australian multiculturalism. Yet both its critics and supporters invest the philosophy and policy of Australian multiculturalism with far too much significance and capacity on these and other occasions.

Critics tend to see multiculturalism as causing or helping to promote episodes like the Sydney protest. "I told you so!" is how Senator Cory Bernardi put it. Supporters, on the other hand, tend to see multiculturalism as promising the recipe to prevent such outbursts. Both views are hopelessly unrealistic.

Do a simple thought experiment. Imagine Australian multicultural policy was abolished in 2001 after the World Trade Center attacks. For the past decade, there were no grants-in-aid to community groups; no more talk of a right to cultural identity or cultural respect; no more protections against direct and indirect discrimination in the competition for opportunities and offices; and no sweet talk about how cultural diversity is a public good that serves the interests of all Australians. Instead suppose we had just good, old-fashioned Anglo-Australian institutions, culture and privilege.

Would there still be self-identifying and practicing Muslims, Hindus, Jews and other minorities around today? Of course. Would some Australian Muslims still be extremely agitated by provocative depictions of their prophet? You bet. Why? Because such provocations are typically internationalised. Because Muslim and doubtless other minorities will likely feel more marginalised from Australian life than they otherwise would have been. And because the clash involved here is ultimately between certain Islamic sensibilities - already defensive, it must be said, in a climate of generalised Islamophobia - and liberal democratic norms, such as freedom of expression, non-violent protest and the secular state.

Australian multiculturalism is neither the cause of such outbursts, nor can it alone prevent them. It was designed for more modest and mainstream purposes.

Australian multiculturalism is and always has been essentially defensive. It seeks to protect liberal democratic values by checking the tendency of the majority culture to define individual liberty and equality solely in terms of how it chooses to live, work and play. You may choose to wear a beach hat and sunglasses; I may choose to wear a hijab. It is the same entitlement to freedom of cultural expression.

Australian multiculturalism, in other words, aims to extend liberty and equality to all Australians within the same liberal democratic limits and so allow all Australians the same opportunities and a sense of belonging.

It has become fashionable in recent years to assert that Australian multiculturalism has erred in emphasising the right to cultural difference at the expense of shared values and what unites us. As the Weekend Australian editorialised, "for too long multiculturalism has emphasised the need to respect the differences between diverse cultures, with too little attention paid to integration and patriotism."

In fact, it is imperative that both respect for cultural difference and integration be emphasised and for the same reason. Each follows from liberal democratic principles. Indeed, Australian multiculturalism might well be described as the attempt to specify the terms of liberal democratic integration.

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen captured this point pithily in his The Genius of Australian Multiculturalism speech last year: "If Australia is to be free and equal, then it will be multicultural. But, if it is to be multicultural, Australia must remain free and equal." Multiculturalism, he said, is "a matter of liberalism."

Talk of patriotism, however, requires caution.

In her speech to the Australian Multicultural Council at Parliament House last week, Prime Minister Gillard also suggested that multiculturalism was an "expression of progressive patriotism in which all Australians, old and new, can find meaning."

These recent calls to patriotism have their origin, I think, in Tim Soutphommasane's tract, Reclaiming Patriotism: Nation-Building for Australian Progressives. Tim is a very talented young Australian with much to contribute; he sits on the Australian Multicultural Council. I do wish, however, he would leave patriotism out of the equation.

While there is nothing wrong with patriotism or love of country per se, as Isaiah Berlin might have said, multiculturalism is multiculturalism and not patriotism. There are risks to equating them. One can love one's country without necessarily respecting its laws or institutions - just ask any Aboriginal Australian from about 1788 onwards and especially those in the aftermath of the Northern Territory intervention. And one can abide and respect the laws and institutions without necessarily welling up with patriotic sentiment.

If Australian multiculturalism is to be liberal and democratic, then it is enough that we ask citizens to respect the laws and institutions of the country. Liberal democracies cannot be in the business of prescribing love or feelings, whether to countries or anything else. We should leave patriotic sentiment to emerge from citizens' positive experience of living here. It will in most cases.

What, then, can be done? The remarkable Frank Lowy knows a thing or two. In his lecture to the same Australian Multicultural Council last week, Lowy (who was born Czechoslovakia and arrived in Australia in 1952) rightly insisted that Australian multiculturalism is "bigger and stronger" than the demonstration in Sydney. He caught exactly the reciprocity at the heart of Australia's liberal multiculturalism:

You are welcome; you are free to worship; you are free to honour your heritage; and, we will respect the differences between us. And in return, you should agree to live by the standards and values of this society, the one you have chosen to be a part of.

Pointing to the example of the United States, Lowy suggested that greater attention be placed on civics education and the concept of citizenship. "They seem to have a way of projecting their national values through institutions like [their Constitution, their Bill of Rights and their flag] rather than just their lifestyle." Policymakers in Australia would do well to heed his advice.

However, Lowy is also wise enough to know, as he put it, that "Australia is not America." In thinking about civics education, we would do well to bear in mind some key differences between the two countries. The United States is a "creedal nation" in that its national identity is defined mainly in terms of its founding political principles. The emphasis on "civics" in the United States thus comes easily and "naturally."

In contrast, Australian national identity and culture traditionally have been construed as extending beyond liberal democratic values, even beyond a famed actual or imagined egalitarianism, to include also cultural mores, attitudes and habits - an "Australian way of life." Attempts at civics education in Australia thus have usually had to deal with deeply felt cultural-nationalist impulses.

For example, when he was Chairman of the Commonwealth Government's civics and citizenship program in schools in 1990s, John Hirst equated a civics education with a "civic identity," arguing that the latter would only be appropriate if "we were truly a very diverse society, with a number of distinct ethnic groups each maintaining its own culture." Because he contended modern Australia is not such a place, but rather substantially a "melting pot," with high intercultural marriage rates and so on, he held there is much more Australians might agree on. And so his school curriculum included such material as Aboriginal Dreamtime stories, Henry Lawson's tales, Fred McCubbin and Sidney Nolan paintings, Weary Dunlop's wartime courage and Paul Keating's speech on the burial of the Unknown Soldier.

It is this focus on cultural nationalist motifs that Lowy says needs to be complemented - not necessarily replaced - by a more direct instruction in the ways and means of democratic life.

Though many people are surprised by the fact, the United States does not have a policy of state multiculturalism. Rather, it has a long and vibrant tradition of pluralism in society. And as its society is among the most religious in the world, American political and defensive energies have been directed to erecting and maintaining a "high wall of separation" between church and state.

Thus although an institution like SBS is unthinkable there, the United States is, by Australian standards, extraordinarily concerned with religious and cultural equality. Just witness the standard American greeting of "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," despite being an overwhelmingly Christian and highly religious society.

Australia, of course, does have an official state policy of multiculturalism. But in Australia there was no long or vibrant tradition of social pluralism. In the wake of post-war immigration, the policy of multiculturalism was and still is Australia's attempt to carve out a place for such pluralism in the name of liberty and equality. But it has had to do this against a longstanding and abiding impulse for national-cultural homogeneity. Australians remain engaged in that project and tussle on a daily basis.

It would be easy here to quote examples from John Howard's prime ministership, inveterate cultural nationalist that he was. But to see just how deep-seated cultural nationalism is in Australia, consider instead the national 2020 Summit in 2008.

The Summit, it will be recalled, was the brainchild of former prime minister Rudd on winning office in 2007, and sought to bring to Canberra 1,000 of Australia's best and brightest to share their ideas for the nation's future.

Yet despite decades of official multiculturalism, and despite every government department having available a list of ethnic, religious and national holidays of Australia's minorities, and despite political leaders even conventionally referring to Australia's Judeo-Christian heritage, the government scheduled the Summit on dates that clashed with the beginning of the Jewish festival of Passover, thus making attendance impossible for many of the Jewish Australians invited. A national event meant to summon the ideas of a select group of Australians based on individual merit inadvertently excluded a minority courtesy of entrenched cultural blinkers or indifference.

Events like what happened at the Muslim demonstration in Sydney are rightly concerning. Some new or newer Australians clearly need better instruction in the norms of Australian liberal democracy, their responsibilities as citizens and how to go about airing their grievances. But to attribute such events to the policy of Australian multiculturalism or to expect it to prevent such outbursts in future is unfair, both to the modesty of its policy settings and to ourselves.

For the alternative is far worse. Abolish Australian multiculturalism and the strong cultural nationalist impulse in this country would go unchecked. Liberty and equality in Australia would be the first casualties.

Dr Geoffrey Brahm Levey is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow in Politial Science based at UNSW.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Drum.

Our course offerings include Understanding Nazi Germany and Germany since 1945, so students graduate with an excellent understanding of modern German history and are versed in social, cultural and political issues facing contemporary Germany. Our students are therefore much better equipped to engage with real issues when they travel, study or work in Germany than if they only studied German language and literature.

We also offer a variety of courses that examine German history, culture and society within the context of a range of European themes, such as the European family, European cultural and intellectual history, the politics of remembering the Second World War and the Holocaust, or European integration, and periods, such as nineteenth-century, interwar and postwar Europe.

On the language side of the program, we cater for students with a range of previous knowledge of German, from zero upwards to the equivalent of HSC Extension German. Of course, students have a range of skills no matter which HSC or other courses they’ve done; some have spent time in a German-speaking environment, while others haven’t.

Complete beginners start with our Introductory German courses and progress over three years through intermediate to advanced level. Students with the equivalent of HSC Continuers’ German start with our Intermediate courses. And students who have done HSC Extension German start with our Advanced courses.

From 2013 students who have completed our Advanced German courses can do further dedicated German language study and study German culture and literature cross-institutionally at the University of Sydney. This means that a Major and Minor in German Studies is now available for students starting from beginner to advanced level.

By the time students get to second and third year, we hope they will be studying for a semester or two at one of our many German-speaking exchange partners, which include some of Germany’s top universities.

German Studies is also available within the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of International Studies and a number of other degree programs.

The prestigious Citation Awards recognise academic and professional staff who enrich student learning.

Minister for Tertiary Education, Senator Chris Evans, announced the 152 award recipients this week.

The UNSW Japanese Studies team in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences was honoured for “creating and sustaining a community of learners and speakers of Japanese”.

The team consists of six lecturers who have spent the past 20 years delivering quality learning experiences to Japanese students across various faculties.

UNSW hosts one of the largest Japanese programs in Australia, with more than 1500 students enrolled each year.

Professor of Japanese Studies, Chihiro Thomson, said the team’s teaching expertise is evident in the consistently high results of students competing in the national Japanese speech contests. In 2011, UNSW students won two national titles and this year three students will compete in the national final.

“Our team has developed techniques to attain high levels of ‘learner agency’ to promote motivation and help students feel responsible for their own progress,” said Professor Thomson.

Senator Evans said the Citation Awards re-affirm the crucial role teachers and staff play in delivering quality education and improving the student learning experience in Australian universities.

The awards will be presented at five ceremonies around the country over the coming months.

Want to win free tickets and have your work featured on the official festival blog...

All you need to do is choose a topic from the list below and write a blog post of up to 500 words expressing your opinion and a brief bio. The top three writers will be featured on FODI’s Festival Blog (http://ideas.sydneyoperahouse.com/) and win a double pass to their selected talk.

Israel is an Apartheid State (Sun 23 Sept, 2-3.15pm)

Abolish Private Schools (Sat 29 Sept, 3.45-5pm)

Make More Mistakes (Sat 29 Sept, 2-3pm)

Submissions close Friday 21 September at 4pm for ‘Israel is an Apartheid State’, and Thursday 27 September at 4pm for ‘Abolish Private Schools’ and ‘Make More Mistakes’. For more information and events check out sydneyoperahouse.com/fodi please submit blogs to ahill@sydneyoperahouse.com

Link: http://www.arts.unsw.edu.au/news-and-events/competition-the-festival-of-dangerous-ideas-1810.html

In fairytales, the worst thing an aspiring princess has to endure is an ugly stepsister or a pair of orthotically unsound glass shoes. Once the dashing prince rocks up, everyone lives happily ever after.

Here are three things you probably won't read about in the classic fairytale canon:

1. The princess who has to undergo a virginity test because the prince's sexist old uncle subscribes to the "bedded-can't-be-wedded" rule (Diana, Princess of Wales);

2. The princess who is hammered in the media for being a commoner single mother who - pass me the smelling salts - may have ''once moved in circles where drugs were available'' (Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway); and

3. The princess who is called a hairy-legged, didgeridoo-playing bimbo after private investigators extract tomato sauce-stained letters from her rubbish (our own Princess Mary of Denmark).

As Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, is discovering the hard and heavily publicised way, the road to Tiaraville is much tougher - and sometimes quite a bit nuder - than the standard Disney depiction.

Certainly there's no record of Snow White having to struggle to keep her royal bosom away from the paparazzi's cameras during clothing-optional castle cavorting.

Yet the shock and horror that have poured from the British royal family's PR machine since the publication of those photographs seem a tad over the top. In addition to legal action, the palace has described the photos as a ''grotesque and unjustifiable invasion of privacy''.

''The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales,'' a royal spokeschap has said. ''Their royal highnesses had every expectation of privacy in the remote house. It is unthinkable that anyone should take such photographs, let alone publish them.''

Let's get one thing straight: pointing a whopping great zoom lens at a woman's secondary sexual characteristics while she's engaging in private rest and relaxation is not OK. In fact, it is about as ethically advanced as upskirting.

But surely the excesses of the media during the life of the Princess of Wales (and, indeed, during the lives of every princess since) should have alerted the young royal highnesses to the possibility.

Keeping your kit on near windows is Royal-ing Up 101, especially when you're travelling the world as part of an official tour in which media coverage is the point.

The royal family's attempts at rigid image control - in which the royal bodies are presented in only the most stiffly clad and sexless manner - may also explain the novelty value of these intimate images.

If these risque photos were of Paris Hilton or Russell Brand, it would all be a storm in a D-cup/jock strap.

Kate's sudden and unsanctioned centrefold status is unfortunate and ethically appalling. But if the royal minders really think it unexpected or unthinkable, perhaps they're the ones inhabiting a fairytale fiction.

Dr Emma Jane is a Senior Lecturer in the School of the Arts and Media at UNSW and author of Something About Mary: From Girl about Town to Crown Princess (Pluto Press).

This opinion piece first appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Want to win free tickets and have your work featured on the official festival blog...

All you need to do is choose a topic from the list below and write a blog post of up to 500 words expressing your opinion and a brief bio. The top three writers will be featured on FODI’s Festival Blog (http://ideas.sydneyoperahouse.com/) and win a double pass to their selected talk. 

Israel is an Apartheid State (Sun 23 Sept, 2-3.15pm)
Abolish Private Schools (Sat 29 Sept, 3.45-5pm)
Make More Mistakes (Sat 29 Sept, 2-3pm)

Submissions close Friday 21 September at 4pm for ‘Israel is an Apartheid State’, and Thursday 27 September at 4pm for ‘Abolish Private Schools’ and ‘Make More Mistakes’. For more information and events check out sydneyoperahouse.com/fodi please submit blogs to ahill@sydneyoperahouse.com

Or film your opinion and win a double pass to China ♥ America – A CNN Live Event at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas at Sydney Opera House!

All you have to do is film your opinion and upload it to your youtube channel, add UNSWTV as a tag and go in the draw to win 1 of 4 double passes! Submissions close Thursday 27 Sept 4pm. For more information visit sydneyoperahouse.com/fodi

Those participants in the Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) who were hospitalised spent 81 per cent less time in hospital and emergency departments, the Final Report of the Evaluation of the Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative, conducted by UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre found.

The HASI initiative, which helps people with mental illness maintain stable public housing, saved the NSW economy $30 million in hospital costs.

Community participation also improved, with 94 per cent of participants forming friendships, 73 per cent participating in social and community activities and 43 per cent working and/or studying. 90 per cent of HASI clients successfully maintained their tenancy.

HASI was initially funded to support 100 people in 2002-2003. The program has since expanded to support over 1000 mental health consumers across NSW.

The most common diagnosis of HASI consumers’ was schizophrenia (65 per cent). One quarter of consumers had a secondary diagnosis and more than half had a co-existing condition, such as alcohol or drug dependency, physical health problems and intellectual disability. Nearly half the consumers were in hospital or had unstable housing and many needed support to sustain their tenancies.

Chief Investigator of the report, Associate Professor Karen Fisher, said the report has demonstrated that the program is cost effective for a range of people with chronic mental illness who are unable to live in their own home without support.

“The HASI approach has the potential to enable more people to have a good quality of life in their community and prevent acute mental health episodes. Extending this personalised approach of housing and support to other people with mental illness will be good for them, their families and our communities,” she said

NSW Minister for Mental Health, Kevin Humphries, said the report affirms the NSW Government’s decision to extend the established HASI model to reach more people throughout the State.

“HASI needs to expand and evolve, and we have already made significant progress in ensuring the program reaches out to more people in need, particularly those with a mental illness who are cycling in and out of hospitals and at risk of homelessness, new mothers, and boarding house residents.”

Media contact: Fran Strachan | 9385 8732 | 0429 416 070

A report on a qualitative evaluation of the ETHOS project will be launched there and copies will be available at our booth and on our website. Please stop by our stand, chat with our researchers and find out how NCHSR is contributing to the viral hepatitis response. We look forward to seeing you there. For more information on the conference and the Auckland Statement, visit http://www.hepatitis.org.au/

Look out for our current e-newsletter, focussing on viral hepatitis and related issues. If you are not already a subscriber, click here.

Laura won the award for a co-authored book chapter titled ‘Contemporary Politics: Using the 'F' Word and Teaching Gender in International Relations’ in a collection of evidence-based essays on pedagogy. The book, edited by Cathy Gormley-Heenan (University of Ulster, UK) and Simon Lightfoot (University of Leeds, UK), is called Teaching Politics and International Relations and was published by Palgrave MacMillan in 2012.

The winning chapter, researched and written in collaboration with a colleague at the University of Bristol (UK), contributes to a small but significant literature on the politics of ‘teaching whilst feminist’ in the discipline of International Relations (IR). Many researchers have written extensively on the marginalisation of feminist scholarship in IR but few have extended this analysis to pedagogical practices.

In the chapter, the discussion is based on an analysis of the specific issue that needs to be overcome, which are identified as a lack of engagement with feminism as a political movement felt by early-level undergraduate students in particular. The chapter investigates how disciplinary textbooks represent feminist research and then discuss how we might instil positive teaching practices across undergraduate and postgraduate IR courses. It proposes a number of teaching strategies, including the integration of visual media and popular cultural artefacts, which the authors have found successful in their own experience, and concludes with a broader consideration of course design and pedagogy in International Relations as a discipline.

The edited collection was described by the Chair of the British International Studies Association, who endorsed the book for publication, as an ‘excellent, timely and comprehensive series of reflections on key issues in teaching politics and international relations’.

The NSW government's approach was also evident in a job advertisement, published in April, for the newly created position of customer service commissioner. As the ad outlined: "The purpose of the commissioner's role is to bring the interests of public service customers and the defence of public value and public interest to the heart of decision-making. This will be accomplished by developing practical and sustainable ways to give government customers the value and results they deserve and ensuring customer-centred services are a strategic priority for government, with ministers to be the champions of the ‘customer' within their portfolios … You will have led customer service transformation in retail, financial services, airlines, transport, professional services or other customer-centric organisations and will be inspired by the opportunity to reshape the service culture within the NSW Public Service."

At the time, seasoned commentators noted that consultants may be framing old conflicts in refreshing ways, but they pointed out that the new approach would not make problems disappear. For example, in a stoush between wheat growers and NSW Transport over rail freight rates, how would government ministers become "champions of their customers"? Might the transport minister have to choose whether his or her customers were the commodity shippers or the transport providers? Similarly, how does giving "government customers the value and results they deserve" work for indigenous Australians, who experience disproportionate levels of educational, employment and social disadvantage, as well as poorer health than other Australians? With such extensive needs, there may be a disparity between what an indigenous community wants, and what the government can give. So, what do such phrases mean when the rubber hits the road?

The job description in the advertisement fits with the thinking of Gary Sturgess, the inaugural Premier's ANZSOG (Australian and New Zealand School of Government) Chair in Public Service Delivery at the Australian School of Business, who was appointed in 2011 to lead research focusing on the role that frontline managers play in service delivery and the science of service design.

Formerly a driving force for public sector reform in the NSW government of premier Nick Greiner (1988-1992), Sturgess might be seen to be picking up where he left off 20 years ago. Some of his gap years were spent as executive director of London's Serco Institute, a think tank focused on the development of sustainable public service markets. The institute is the research arm of Serco, the UK-based public services group, which provides health, education, prisons, transport and other contract services in 36 countries.

During Sturgess's tenure at the institute, a research survey was conducted of former public servants who were delivering public services in the private sector. They were asked for their observations on the differences between the two sectors. In the majority, the participants agreed with former US vice-president Al Gore, who in 1993 announced that the problem with modern government is "good people trapped in bad systems". The big difference was a relative lack of bureaucracy in the private sector, giving managers more autonomy or more freedom to change things, they insisted. Private sector managers could recruit their own staff and tailor their decisions to the challenges at hand. Service managers felt much more personally accountable for the outcomes of a contract, not just the process.

The Good People, Good Systems study suggested a number of ways in which governments might design better contracts: by using the shield of the contract to protect managers from inappropriate interventions, placing a greater emphasis on improving service quality, and ensuring that service managers have a greater say in service design.

How the Frontline Refashions Policy

A strand to Sturgess's thinking has been the influence – or the lack of it in government reform – of a 1980 study, Street-level Bureaucracy; Dilemmas of the Individual in Public Services, by former Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Michael Lipsky. This traced how policy was made at the top, but in reality was refashioned by public sector workers on the frontline of teaching, healthcare and policing, who represent government to the people. It showed how "great expectations in Washington are dashed in Oakland". Mass processing of clients affects the outcomes of public policy. For instance, police disproportionately single out black people for attention, not from official policy but in the shorthand way they implement a law and order policy.

Sturgess says his ideal is to wrap the policymakers around the street-level bureaucrats to devise practical, workable policies, first time. He champions the devolution of management that's happening in various Australian governments, but warns that governments are doomed to fail unless serious attention is given to the underlying gulf between the two worlds of policymakers and frontline bureaucrats. Mediating between the ideal and reality would save a lot of time and money, as making ill-fitting policies work eats up a significant amount of public service resources, according to Sturgess, who notes that the public sector comprises up to 20% of GDP and the productivity gains of a reform agenda could be as high as 20%.

As Sturgess wrote recently in The Australian Financial Review: "This relative inefficiency has almost nothing to do with the superiority of the private sector. In my view, it is overwhelmingly caused by a policy class in Canberra and at the heart of most state governments who attempt to micro-manage public services from the top. Attempts at rationalising the back office and shifting resources to the frontline have left the layers of middle management largely untouched."

Sturgess favours radical change by policymakers at the top of government to allow managers at the frontline to innovate. Policymakers have traditionally intervened through command and control, so he's not surprised that public services are plagued by poor productivity, given how easy it is to email a new policy directive to frontline managers.

"Frontline service managers are baffled by the great importance that the policy class places on uniformity and standardisation. To a school principal, it is self-evident that schools have their own needs, and that curriculum and staffing must be adapted to local conditions. This is a large part of their objection to the NAPLAN."

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) was introduced in 2008 after all states and territories agreed they would replace their local literacy and numeracy tests with a national one. Prior to this, each state and territory conducted its own regime of numeracy and literacy testing in primary and secondary schools.

"(NAPLAN) is a statistical measure of school performance designed to help the policymakers in Canberra ‘see' what is happening across the country without leaving their desks," notes Sturgess.

Compared with head office policymakers, those working on the frontline experience more teamwork and less hierarchy – it's more like being in a small business. Notably, policymakers usually deal with the complexity of modern society with strong leadership, improved co-ordination and rationalisation of overlap and duplication, says Sturgess, who observes that "we've evolved to look to the intelligent, wise, brave leader when what's needed is coordinated decentralisation with more diversity and local knowledge, and with less intervention". The pendulum has now swung this way with the states in the area of education, Sturgess points out. Despite NAPLAN, the federal government is also pushing for greater school autonomy on issues such as governance, staffing mix, budgets, and infrastructure and maintenance: "For the most part, these initiatives have been driven by politicians and not by public servants. That's because, as members of parliament, they spend a great deal of time out at the frontline of service delivery."

The devolution of responsibility is not without its challenges. In NSW, teachers recently walked off the job for a day over the government's decision to allow principals to choose at least 50% of new staff and control 70% of their budgets. The NSW Teachers Federation argues that the 'Local Schools, Local Decisions' reforms will lead to an increasing casualisation of teaching staff, and labelled the policy a wolf in sheep's clothing that would cut education spending and shift the blame from government to communities.

Bringing on Social Innovators

Another strand informing Sturgess's thinking comes from the global New Synthesis Project led by Canadian Jocelyne Bourgon, which is exploring the challenges of 21st century public administration. Her view is that public administration has been operating without the benefit of a guiding theory or up-to-date framework for quite some time, a situation that deprives public servants of a frame of reference to guide their actions. This gap has generated risk aversion in public organisations at a time when innovation and creativity in government are most needed.

Bourgon says governments cannot go it alone, citing the Singapore prison system as an example. It transformed itself from "custodian" of prisoners to "captain of the lives" of the offenders. By working with families, employers and other stakeholders to reintegrate them into society, it changed the focus from agency results to societal results, nearly halving recidivism and cutting costs.

Australia's federal government joined an international trend by launching a public service Innovation Action Plan in 2011 and establishing a unit similar to the Danish government's MindLab. This laboratory for public sector innovation is in the Danish tradition of service design and has "user experience" at its core. MindLab chief Christian Bason has told Australian bureaucrats that there's a shift in the public sector globally, from recognising the need for innovation to working out how to do it.

Such labs are springing up across the world with the intention of designing the future and solving "wicked problems", notes Lisa Torjman, of the Canadian MaRS Solutions Lab. They draw on the fields of group psychology, complex adaptive systems theory, design thinking and computer modelling tools to devise initiatives for social innovation. "These methodologies for changing whole systems aim to include a greater percentage of the population in the decisions that govern their own welfare," she says.

An early example of this type of thinking came from 19th-century British civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel who designed the Great Western Railway, between Bristol and London, for the best possible journey. Instead of leading off with the locomotive, he zeroed in on the passenger experience of travel. In the interconnected world of the internet, participation has increased the pool of ideas, which in turn has increased the probability of finding transformative ideas outside an organisation.

In Australia, Aboriginal disadvantage is the sort of "wicked problem" with which the two-person Australian design lab InWithFor is grappling. Partner Sarah Schulman says: "We start with what people want for their lives (outcomes) rather than what the system wants for people (targets). We try new practice and policy (prototyping) rather than use policy to shape new practice (piloting). We create solutions that enable people to do more good stuff (not just less bad stuff), connect people to other people (not just to professionals) and to new kinds of local resources (not just to information and services)."

Hal Colebatch, a visiting fellow at the UNSW School of Social Sciences, says Sturgess's devolution argument is interesting, but questions whether hospital managers alone can get on with the job without asking what the job is. Is it to deliver services, or is it to improve health? Being a hospital CEO is a demanding job – leaving no time to think about whether this is the best use of resources. "That's left to these dreadful policy people, who point out that 85% of the health budget is spent not on health, but on sickness response, that much of it is ineffective," he says.

Traditionally the NSW government has not been dominated by a policy class but by technocrats whose hierarchies of expertise have been entrenched in the bureaucratic structures, argues Colebatch. "They were very good at what they were doing, but less good at asking whether this was the best thing to do. The move to have policy units came as a response to this. This was one of the themes of the Coombs report (which followed the Royal Commission on Australian Government Administration in 1976), and for Peter Wilenski in his 1977 review of the NSW public service," he says.

Colebatch points out the issue was taken up strongly by the Greiner government (in which Sturgess was the cabinet secretary) at the end of the 1980s, which made a split between a policy-oriented health department and a service-oriented department responsible for hospital management. "This proved quite unworkable and was quietly abandoned. But the demands for central control remained as strong as ever, not because some power-hungry policy class demanded it, but because ministers wanted to make feel-good announcements and avoid blame," Colebatch says.

Chris Walker, a lecturer at UNSW's School of Social Sciences, suggests it may be unfair to blame an elite policy class for policies that implement the political platforms of an elected government. "There exist great needs within bureaucracies for experienced policy practitioners who have the skill to link their conceptual understanding of systems and programs with the operational detail of how things work on the ground," he says. "Finding staff with these skills is rare and finding organisations that manage policy staff in a way that permits them to liaise and engage with service delivery staff is also less frequent."

Walker, who previously worked as a senior executive service officer in the NSW Cabinet Office, recalls with great clarity the deputy director-general "directing me not to go out to meet with other agencies, ‘they come here to meet with us, you do not go to them'".

Link: http://knowledge.asb.unsw.edu.au/article.cfm?articleid=1670.

Special congratulations is to be extended to two of our graduating PhD students Lye Chan Long and Aparna Krishnan who have been admitted to their degrees.

The details of each of their theses are below:

Lye Chan's thesis, An Investigation of Principal and Teacher Influence on Gifted Programs in NSW Government Secondary Schools was passed with high commendations by examiners. The purpose of her study was to investigate the relationships between principals, teachers, and the scope and quality of gifted programs in NSW government secondary schools. The key findings suggested a diverse range of school and classroom level gifted program options have been implemented in secondary schools. Further, positive principal and teachers attitudes towards gifted programs and variations in principal and teacher knowledge of gifted education were evident. In addition, no significant relationships were found between principal and teacher knowledge of gifted education and the scope and quality of gifted programs in schools.

Aparna’s thesis, A Social Cognitive Investigation of New South Wales Independent School Boards investigated governance processes of school Boards using social cognitive theory in New South Wales independent schools. A multiple case study design using qualitative research methods was used and a stratified random sample of eight independent schools was selected. School Heads, Board Chairs and Board members were interviewed from each school. The study showed that self-efficacy, collective efficacy and proxy efficacy beliefs play a vital role in school board performance, and highlighted important aspects of team leadership processes. The study sheds light on an area where there is a lack of research, and may help to identify practices to improve the effectiveness of school boards.

We would like to offer both Lye Chan and Aparna congratulations on the awarding of their PHD and all our other graduates. We are sure we will continue to see great things from all in the future!

The ambitions of both parties seem to be only about retaining or attaining government. There is no vision, no aspiration and, consequently, no connection with the Australian people.

Important issues are getting mired in banality. Think about climate change: an obsession with so-called ''balance'' in the media resulted in climate sceptics given equal air-time with climate scientists, perpetuating the view that the science on climate change is actually in question.

Many of us had hoped it would be otherwise. In 2007, Clive Hamilton and I edited the book Silencing Dissent, describing the Howard government's efforts to undermine dissenting and independent opinion. The book argued that Howard's attacks on dissenting individuals and institutions had resulted in the gradual erosion of robust public debate and a dramatic decline in the health of Australian democracy.

Like many others, I was optimistic that, when Howard eventually lost office in 2007, we would see some progressive change from the new government. And early signs - such as the 2020 Summit and the removal of Howard-era ''gag clauses'' from non-governmental organisation contracts - were promising. Plainly, the creeping authoritarianism of the Howard years would not simply persist under Labor.

But I did not believe then that a change of government would be enough to reverse the declining standard of our public debate. And indeed, the past five years have failed to realise our larger hopes for democratic revitalisation.

 Of course, Australia is not alone in going down this path. Others have pointed out that many Western democracies have recently undergone a process of political ''Americanisation'', in style and strategy.

 But what makes Australia different in this regard is our recent political history. The silencing of dissent for a decade has left us ill-equipped for a new era of political marketing in place of policy debate, for what political scientist John Keane has called a ''mediacracy'' instead of a democracy.

So the health of Australia's democracy continues to decline, and with the likely election of another conservative government next year, I hold grave fears for the longer term.

Anti-democratic reforms taking place in Queensland, including Howard-era style restrictions in NGO contracts that prevent organisations from ''advocating for state or federal legislative change'' should be sounding the alarm.

More than this, I think Australians are hungering for some vision in our politics, for some debate on the big-picture questions about how we see ourselves as a nation. But is it really our politicians who are responsible for that vision? Can we seriously identify any likely incumbent in The Lodge in coming years who we believe can articulate such a vision?

In his influential work on the concept of adaptive leadership, Harvard professor Ronald Heifetz describes the inclination to always look to authority for solutions. The response from authorities, such as governments, will often make the situation worse, or at least perpetuate the problem. Authorities are often under pressure to appear decisive, and as a result they are inclined to ''fake the remedy'' or avoid the more difficult issues.

The public response - our response - when authority fails or when the problem worsens, is to look even more earnestly to authority for a new solution, often switching our support to someone who promises new and better answers.

With this in mind, I suggest the dismal state of public debate is not inevitable, but neither is it fixable from on high. Looking to authority for solutions is what Heifetz would describe as ''work avoidance''.

The responsibility is ours. We must reclaim our political identities as citizens, not consumers of politics. We can use old-fashioned methods of writing to and meeting with our local members. We can use new opportunities presented by organisations such as GetUp! and the plethora of web-based organisations that allow us to build petitions and grow campaigns about issues we care deeply about. We can become ''citizen journalists'', investigating the issues that concern us and partnering with progressive media to tell the stories. There are many ways to engage. We are limited only by our imaginations and our capacity to break with the cynicism and exhaustion that the current mediacracy produces.

The next six to 12 months is a crucial moment in which the tone of our political debate needs to change. Can you imagine the horror - the debasement - of the next election campaign if it does not? Our politicians will not change it, the corporate media will not change it.

Only we can change it. In the spheres of influence in our own lives, in our workplaces, our universities, our schools and our community organisations we need to change the conversation. The question is not, will Julia or Tony be the next prime minister? One of them will and it won't change a damn thing.

Governments do not do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do. They do the right thing when voters demand it. So it is time to become more demanding.

I am tired of being drowned out by Alan Jones. I want to join my voice with others who are talking about a more progressive vision for Australia. This is a conversation that needs to be sustained through some difficult years ahead, but it is a conversation that must be had.

We are citizens, not just consumers. We must be dissenters, not passive bystanders. And now is the time for us to be heard.

Sarah Maddison is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow at the University of NSW. This is an extract from the Greens' annual Juanita Nielsen memorial lecture, delivered this week.

 This opinion piece first appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald.

The winner of the competition, Johannes Luetz from the Institute of Environmental Studies, presented on his thesis topic which explores the options and opportunities for equitable human migration linked to climate change and the role of policy makers, humanitarian NGOS, and displaced individuals and communities.

Johannes said that he has always considered public speaking a tremendous challenge because complex matters can be so hard to communicate. "Communicating a very difficult problem simply is simply very difficult. In my view the 3 Minute Thesis Competition is a great way to face up to that challenge and practice simplicity in a public speaking context - of course it’s nerve wracking!"

Ludmilla Khodai from the School of Social Sciences placed second for her presentation on Forced Gender Disguise in Afghanistan, presenting her captivating research on girls passing as boys in Afghanistan.

The People’s Choice prize went to Rabia Ali, also from the School of Social Sciences who presented on her thesis titled Predicaments of employment: Women’s experiences of change in Northern Pakistan.

Deborah de Graff, Donna Yoo, Brooke Boland, HeeRa Heaser, Cris Castro and Isobelle Barrett Meyering also took part in the competition.

Director of Postgraduate Research A/Prof Stephen Fortescue was one of the judges of the competition and said that the standard of the presentations are very high each year. "This is the third year we have held the competition and it's simply interesting to hear what our students are doing. We placed second in the UNSW final last year, so we're really hopeful of winning the top prize this year."

Judges also included Associate Dean (Research), Dr Kristy Muir and Dr Michelle Langford, from the School of the Arts and Media, who scored students on language and presentation skills as well as the all important ability to watch the clock.

Dr Muir said "The competition this year was of high standard. I'm always motivated by listening to the interesting and significant research our PhD scholars are undertaking. Our winners gave impressive three minute speeches that clearly and cleverly articulated the why, what and how of their research. I wish them well in the next stage of the competition."

The winning students will go on to compete in the 2012 UNSW Interfaculty Final to be held on 25 September. The finalist will represent UNSW at the grand-final of the Australia and New Zealand Competition held at the University of Queensland in October.

Check back shortly to see a video of the Faculty 3MT Final!

Recently described by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Ford as “one of the best writers working in English today”, Hazzard is widely admired for her novels The Evening of the Holiday (1966), The Bay of Noon (1970), The Transit of Venus (1980) and The Great Fire (2003). She has received major literary awards including the 2003 US National Book Award and the 2004 Miles Franklin Award.

The symposium is organised by Dr Brigitta Olubas, School of Arts and the Media academic and author of Shirley Hazzard: Literary Expatriate and Cosmopolitan Humanist (Cambria 2012), the first book-length critical study of Hazzard which argues for the significance of her work in the context of post-World War II writing in English.

Dr Olubas has spent the last five years travelling to New York to interview Hazzard in the Upper East Side apartment she shared with her late husband, biographer and writer Francis Steegmuller. These conversations informed her recent publication and will provide the basis of new research into Hazzard’s literary friendships and associations.

The symposium will feature distinguished scholars from Australia, the US and the UK. Hazzard’s writing will be considered in many different contexts, including its poetics, articulation of place, and its political commentary on the United Nations.

“The scholarly work of the symposium and my critical monograph will help establish Shirley Hazzard’s place in Australia’s international literary canon, and acknowledge her achievement as a writer,” says Dr Olubas.

“As an expatriate author Hazzard has often been overlooked, but there has been a shift in Australian literary studies in the past decade – critics are engaged by the global perspectives of Australian literature and Hazzard is an exemplary figure in this regard.”

The symposium will be held at the Heyman Center for the Humanities at Columbia University on September 8. It is supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant.

On the eve of the symposium, September 7, a writer’s panel will be co-hosted by the New York Society Library. Australian novelist and critic Gail Jones; UK biographer Martin Stannard and American poet and critic Jay Parini will discuss the literary significance of Hazzard’s life and work. It will be chaired by Hazzard’s friend, editor and poet Jonathan Galassi. 

Dr Olubas and UNSW colleagues Dr Elizabeth McMahon and Dr Fiona Morrison will also present a panel on the American contexts of the work of Patrick White for the Australian Consulate General on the evening of September 6. The panel will mark the New York premiere of director Fred Schepisi’s film adaptation of White’s The Eye of the Storm.

For the full list of symposium speakers click here

A New Form of Energy Poverty is the Hallmark of Liberalised Electricity Sectors, published in the latest issue of the Australian Journal of Social Issues, is co-authored by Dr Alan Morris from UNSW’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Dr Lynne Chester from the University of Sydney.

The term ‘energy poverty’ applies to Australian households who spend more than 10 per cent of their disposable income on energy bills.

“Our studies suggest that many disadvantaged households are experiencing misery, discomfort, ill health and sometimes even death, as well as other forms of material and social deprivation, because of the need to choose between essential household items and electricity,” said Dr Morris from the School of Social Sciences.

In the past five years the average increase in NSW household electricity prices was nearly 80 per cent, more than 60 per cent in QLD, South Australia and Tasmania, and 57 per cent in WA. Increases for households in the ACT and NT were around 40 per cent.

“The number of people experiencing energy poverty is growing rapidly in all countries with liberalised electricity sectors,” said Dr Morris.

Some European prices rose by more than 100 per cent between 2000 and 2010. The energy impoverished population is estimated at 150 million in Europe, and growing.

Dr Morris said there has been limited research on the consequences of rising electricity prices for the 3.5 million Australian households in the lowest income bracket.

“Policy makers are informed by measures which severely understate electricity prices and there has been no substantive research about the impact on households.”

The paper recommends a national review of state government assistance to low-income households and provision of long-term improvements to housing energy efficiency.

“Rather than applying limited reactive policies, an approach to electricity pricing is needed that prevents adverse impacts on the standard of living for millions of Australian households,” said Dr Morris.

Abstract
In the popular imagination, educating about HIV and AIDS is often equated with the provision of information, in the belief that knowing about how HIV is transmitted will protect against infection. Yet, thirty years experience suggests that knowledge alone does not protect, and that education has much more to contribute than this. Many teachers, however, remain anxious about teaching about HIV, fearing that to talk openly about sex, sexuality and drug use will lay themselves open to criticism and abuse. This presentation describes some of the different forms of education about HIV that exist including education for prevention, treatment education, and education to reduce the social impact of HIV on individuals and communities. It reviews what has been learned about the effects and effectiveness of different kinds of work, and identifies the unique role of schools and teachers in responding to sexuality, drug use and HIV.

Biography
Peter Aggleton is Professor of Education and Health within the National Centre in HIV Social Research and is conjoint Professor at the School of Education, UNSW. Prior to taking up his present appointment he was Head of the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sussex in the UK. Peter has worked internationally on the educational and social aspects of HIV and sexual health for over 25 years. He has written and edited over 30 books, including Health and Schools – Promoting Health and Wellbeing through Schools (Routledge, 2010, edited with Ian Warwick and Catherine Dennison) and Promoting Young People’s Sexual Health – International Perspectives (Routledge, 2007, edited with Roger Ingham). He chairs the Independent Review Group on HIV which reports to the National AIDS Council in Papua New Guinea.

Event details:
When:  Tuesday, September 4th 2012
Time: 4:00pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Room 119, John Goodsell Building, UNSW
Presenter: Prof Peter Aggleton, National Centre in HIV Social Research/ Conjoint Professor, SoE
Chair: Prof Chris Davison, School of Education

To register for this event please click here.

The Oceanic Conference on International Studies, which was held on 18 - 20 July, was co-hosted by the University of Sydney, the University of Technology Sydney and Macquarie University and held at the University of Sydney.

The Conference was opened with a key note address from Prof Michael Williams from the University of Ottawa who critically evaluated contemporary challenges to the liberal international order.

Dr Penny Griffin and Dr Elizabeth Thurbon from the School of Social Sciences represented UNSW on the 2012 Organising Committee.

Dr Thurbon said that the conference involved two and a half days of intense and stimulating discussions followed across 63 panels and roundtables. "This year's programme was exciting for both its breadth and its depth," she said.

74 participants – from PhD Students to Emeritus Professors - were involved in eight simultaneous streams ranging from international security, gender, international relations theory, ethics and international law, climate change and the environment, health, and international political economy.

The next Oceanic Conferenc on International Studies will be held in 2014.

Annual Postgraduate Essay Prize

Closing Date - Friday 31st August 2012 at 12:00am.

ISAANZ website

ISAANZ Postgraduate Essay Prize in Irish Studies

This is an annual prize awarded for the best essay in Irish Studies by a postgraduate student enrolled at a tertiary institution. The topic can be on any aspect of Irish studies (including the Irish diaspora).

Length: 6-8,000 words with endnotes in the AJIS style using the Contributors' guidelines

Due Date: 31 August 2012

The successful essay will be published in the next issue of the Australasian Journal of Irish Studies and will receive a monetary prize.

A copy of the essay, with the entry form, should be electronically submitted as a Word email attachment to the President of ISAANZ (e.malcolm@unimelb.edu.au), to whom queries should also be addressed.

The Prize will be announced and awarded at the next Australasian Irish Studies Conference to be held at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, on 7-10 November 2012.

To access this article on the Sydney Morning Herald website, please click here.

Susan Ryan, who was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters, served in senior portfolios in the Hawke Government, where she was the first woman to hold a Cabinet post. A committed feminist, she pioneered extensive anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation. In 1990, Ryan was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for her contribution to Parliament.

She has also held a number of senior positions in industry, including President of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees.

Ryan has a long relationship with UNSW. She is a former Pro-Chancellor and a long-serving member of the UNSW Council. In 2010 she was appointed as the inaugural chair of the Advisory Council for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

An Honorary Doctorate of Letters has also been awarded to Professor Patrick Dodson.

Professor Dodson is a Yawuru man from Broome in WA. He has dedicated his life work to advocate for constructive relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and is a recipient of the Sydney International Peace prize.

He is a former Royal Commissioner into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, former Chair of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and is currently Co-Chair of the Expert Panel for Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians.

He was the founding Director of UNSW’s Indigenous Policy and Dialogue Research Unit and accepted an honorary professorship when his appointment ended earlier this year.

The awards were presented as part of the University’s August graduation ceremonies.

By Penny O'Donnell, University of Sydney and David McKnight, University of New South Wales

As major newspapers in Australia prepare to move to digital-first models, the old idea of a journalistic “priesthood” imparting wisdom to many is shifting.

Our recently released survey, Journalism at the Speed of Bytes, in conjunction with the Walkley Foundation and with funding from the Australian Research Council, has found considerable interest in user-generated content but ambivalence about the shift to a “living conversation”.

Greater interactivity with readers raises unexpected practical and professional challenges for newsrooms. It adds to staff and resource needs and requires a new approach to editorial leadership. Yet, overall, the journalists we spoke to see concrete benefits in opening up the news process to outsiders.

The Journalism at the Speed of Bytes report points to a full-blown crisis in newspapers, raising questions about the quality and breadth of the news which Australians will receive in the future.

Three years ago we set out to discover how newspapers were making the transition to digital delivery. Most debate focused on finding a new business model as advertising migrated online. Less attention was given to the equally important issue of what the people who run newspaper newsrooms were doing to maintain news quality across the print and digital delivery systems.

We wanted to find out whether there was evidence to support widespread claims that the internet exercises downward pressure on journalism standards. In particular, we were interested in the digital prospects for “public interest” journalism. That means news content for mass audiences produced collaboratively by large newsrooms of experienced journalists who know how to scrutinise the powerful, keep a watch on government, and maintain the information flow between politicians and voters. In our view, a well-informed public goes hand-in-hand with profitability as the core business of newspapers.

We interviewed 100 newspaper journalists: editors, deputy editors, chiefs of staff and senior journalists whose decisions affect the way their mastheads are dealing with change.

Why newspapers? Newspapers are the key players in media convergence, driving the transformation of “legacy” media into the multimedia production companies of the future. The major Australian mastheads now publish on at least four platforms: print, internet, mobile phone and tablet. Their newsrooms still employ the biggest numbers of journalists, and dedicate the most extensive resources to the task of comprehensively covering the important issues of the day for society-at-large.

But even as we crunched the numbers and prepared the commentary, things were moving fast: Australia’s two largest newspaper companies, Fairfax Media and News Limited, announced plans for major restructures which will see the loss of another 800 or more editorial jobs.

The departure of many redundant Fairfax staff is expected to be known by next Friday; meanwhile The Australian has recently announced it is looking to cut 20 editorial staff.

Fairfax’s share price continues to hover around 50 cents, down 90% from five years ago.

News Corporation’s decision to split its assets into two distinct companies will leave its newspapers isolated from the support they had previously received from subscription TV and films. (News Corporation reported a $2.8 billion write-down in its fourth quarter results, due mainly to the restructuring of its Australian publishing operations.)

Already, even senior journalists are equivocal about the quality of the news product over which they preside. We found that only 38% thought the quality of Australian newspaper journalism was “excellent”, while 34% said it was “average” and 28% rated it “poor”.

Meanwhile their opinion as to the quality of online journalism was, if anything, less complimentary. The main problem they faced, they told us, was lack of resources and the challenge of developing a new “digital news” mindset. In part, editorial executives said they were trying to combat this by recruiting staff with digital know-how and skills – this emerged as the most important quality they seek; writing skills, once essential, now come well down the list.

One of the biggest new challenges in developing digital journalism mindset is coming to terms with the reality of increased reader engagement. The majority (69%) of senior journalists we interviewed were in favour of increased interactivity with readers. Nearly half (45%) of respondents were also in favour of readers contributing to the creation of news content, harnessing the ideas and knowledge of their audience.

“I’m hugely in favour of accepting everything from readers — stories, comment pieces, photographs, vox pops, everything,” said one journalist, “I think the more the readers are involved, the better for the newspaper because they take ownership, they feel ownership, and there’s nothing stronger, it’s the newspaper’s greatest asset.”

One third (33%) were against the idea of user-generated content, mainly because they worried about the types of content readers might want to contribute, and the time/resources needed to get it publication-ready.

On the issue of more conversational forms of journalism, however, we found more disagreement. Some journalists we interviewed seem to be spooked by the idea of journalism as a “living conversation”; more people (32%) were negative about this than were positive (25%), with the largest group of 35% describing the idea as “debatable”.

There is clearly reluctance in some to go the extra yard from news being an interactive process to a completely open two-way street. Further analysis of these answers revealed concern at interference in “work routines” and “news cycles”, although those in favour tended to cite “immediacy” as being a positive.

Interestingly, when we asked whether editorial priorities had changed in response to this greater interactivity with readers, 46% said they hadn’t, compared to 41% who accepted that they had.

Issues that emerged, unsurprisingly, included a greater awareness of readers’ preferences for local news, but some people also worried about reputational issues, such as the risks to one’s brand of carrying readers’ comments.

There were also comparisons to the unmerited and at times disproportionate influence of talkback radio: ““You become very vulnerable to pressure groups and attempts to manipulate the media”, said another editor, “the perfect example is talkback radio, and that is not my idea of good journalism”.

There is an interesting point to be made here about journalists’ continuing role in the new landscape of news.

While, to a large degree there is acceptance of – and in some an appetite for – the blurring of traditional boundaries between journalists and audience, and the increased participation of readers in the news process, there are persistent doubts as to what journalism will look like when journalists put down their old mantle of “gatekeeper” and instead take up a new role as “facilitator” or “curator” of multi-participant news conversations.

“I think it’s democratic,” said one journalist, “I’m happy about it with an important caveat that professional journalists must maintain strict control over the editing and the output.”

What emerged from our interviews with the people who run Australia’s biggest newspaper newsrooms is that editors and their senior staff are struggling to innovate in the face of declining resources and ever-increasing workloads. They are excited about the future prospects for the craft of journalism, but worried about what may be lost in the transition to digital.

Happily for the craft, for the public it serves, and for journalists who practise it, we also discovered that senior journalists still define themselves in terms of informing the public and holding the powerful to account, while “ethics” as a criterion for judging journalism was seen as being of critical importance by the greatest number of people, surpassing even newsworthiness or impact. The journalists we spoke to agreed that public benefit is a strong element of news quality.

Most reassuringly there is a strong belief, supported by 73% of respondents, that quality journalism is important to keeping a newspaper profitable – a finding that suggests the chase for a viable new business model will not be just a race to the bottom as long as journalists have a say in it.

Jonathan Este from the Walkley Foundation for Excellence in Journalism was a co-author on this piece.

This research on the future of newspapers in Australia was funded by the Walkley Foundation and the Australian Research Council's Linkage Projects (LP0990734). The report's authors are Dr Penny O'Donnell (USyd), Dr David McKnight (UNSW) and Mr Jonathan Este (Walkley Foundation).

David McKnight receives funding from the Australian Research Council to research the political commentary of News Corporation. He worked as journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald in the late 1980s.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

The project involved conducting a time on task trial for both students and staff in 15 selected courses across the Faculty.

170 students were asked to record the amount of time spent completing each specific assessment task through an online diary, which was “extremely useful in assisting FASS with its design of the Faculty assessment tool”, said Professor Sean Brawley, the Associate Dean of Education.

Of the 170 students who took part in project, all were given a gift voucher and put into the draw to win a new iPad 2.

The lucky winner of ththe iPad was Peta Withers, a first year Criminology student, who proudly received her prize from the FASS Dean, Professor James Donald.

Making a Difference: Building on Young People’s Experiences of Economic Adversity, to be launched this week, is one of the first Australian studies to consider the real experience of economically disadvantaged young people.

Chief investigator, Professor Peter Saunders from UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre, said the report goes behind poverty statistics, which only focus on the adult experience of economic disadvantage.

“This study has given us a unique and rare view into the lived experience of children, how they cope with disadvantage and what they think can be done about it,” said Professor Saunders.

The qualitative study documents how young people experience exclusion in the family, at school, and in their communities. It involved more than 130 interviews with children and young people (aged between 11 and 17 years) in NSW, Victoria and South Australia and their parents, teachers and service providers.

Many of the interviewees faced economic disadvantage combined with complex domestic lives, caring and other responsibilities, sub-standard schooling, few options for out-of-school activities, and unsafe neighbourhoods.

“We know that around 12 per cent of Australian children live in households that are receiving less than 50 per cent of the median income. Poverty in this country isn’t rare, nor is it short-term,” said report author, Dr Jennifer Skattebol.

“It’s alarming that so many of these young people are unable to take up educational and social opportunities because their families cannot afford the ‘additional costs’ involved.”

Dr Skattebol said policy needs to focus on family and student support during the middle years of schooling.

“Australia focuses well on early education and transitioning to work but in between there is next to nothing. These kids are fading out of the education system because of the lack of support during the crucial middle years and are finding themselves without the skills and credentials to pull themselves out of economic adversity,” she said.

“For Australia to have a genuine ‘education revolution’ young people must be able to access the resources and opportunities they need to succeed,” said Professor Saunders.

The report was launched on Thursday 9 August  at an event co-hosted by the Social Policy Research Centre and The Smith Family.

The study was conducted with support from the following partner organisations: Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies; Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations; Brotherhood of St Laurence; Mission Australia; South Australia's Social Inclusion Initiative and Department for Education and Child Development; The Smith Family; Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Skattebol, J., Saunders, P., Redmond, Bedford, M. and Cass, B. (2012), ‘Making a Difference: Building on Young People's Experiences of Economic Adversity’, Final report prepared from the ARC Linkage Project, 'Making a Difference: Building on Children’s Perspectives on Economic Adversity', Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney.

Nevertheless, media reports have homed in on contentious matters including the reported low ATAR entry scores for a small minority of students. The paper also raises the possibility that practicum places might be limited to equate teacher education intake with predicted workforce needs, which is not without risk.

Workforce planning is particularly complex in education because official figures of graduates employed in the NSW Department of Education and Communities (DEC) cover only graduates offered permanent positions. In contrast, the NSW Institute of Teachers (NSWIT) data indicate a much larger proportion of early career teachers are active in the profession.

We have been working on improving teacher education though consultation with the NSW government and professional bodies but achieving further improvements is a challenge.

In initial teacher education, some of the questions raised for discussion are already well addressed in the recently agreed national standards, which stipulate that entry to the profession be limited to the top 30 per cent of the population in literacy and numeracy, that a range of students be recruited into teacher education and that teacher education institutions have a significant proportion of their teaching staff with recent school experience.

Since 2008, the teacher education curriculum has been tightly controlled in NSW by the ministry through the NSWIT. It has set down more than 40 so-called program ''standards'' and more than 50 requirements that every teacher education program has to meet. Every institution has since met the standards and been accredited.

Ministers of education have never had so much influence over teacher education, recruitment and course standards. We encourage the minister to continue to support the full and consistent implementation of the agreed national standards. We recommend he allow the necessary space and time for these to be embedded in the system.

The discussion paper is critical of the abundance of graduates who want to enter the teaching profession. However, it is difficult to see how this might contribute to a decrease in the quality of teaching. On the contrary, the employers can select the best to ensure a high quality workforce. If there is something wrong with the quality of graduates, it is not borne out by the evidence, which is that:

In their first few years of teaching, graduates must demonstrate that they meet a rigorous set of standards to be licensed to continue teaching. They are assessed in schools by experienced teachers and principals. The vast majority of graduates quickly and readily meet these standards.

Attrition rates of early-career teachers in NSW are very low compared to other countries, at about 11.5 per cent for permanent employees in the first five years of teaching. Some countries report over 25 per cent.

Student and graduate feedback about university teacher education courses is generally very positive. Regrettably, the only data reported in the discussion paper on graduate feedback is negative and limited to a single item from a national survey.

None of this is consistent with an ill-prepared workforce.

The later sections of the paper look at how well employers manage the induction of student teachers and how well teachers are supported. This emphasis on greater support in the early years of the profession is critical.

Teacher education in NSW has made a significant contribution to the quality of teaching. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate to improve teaching quality, professional learning and initial teacher education programs. The discussion paper provides a valuable service in raising important issues. Like the minister, we look forward to finding bold, inventive ways to improve education within the framework of the national standards. 

Associate Professor Peter Aubusson is president of the NSW Council of Deans of Education and the head of teacher education at the University of Technology Sydney. Professor Chris Davison is Vice-President of the Council and Head of the School of Education at UNSW

This opinion piece first appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Journalism at the Speed of Bytes, a report co-authored by Dr David McKnight from UNSW’s Journalism and Media Research Centre and Penny O’Donnell from the University of Sydney, involved interviews with 100 editors and senior journalists from the major Australian metropolitan and national newspapers.

The report shows that 75 per cent of senior journalists nominated journalism with a “strong element of public benefit” as the most important characteristic of quality journalism. Two-thirds of respondents described the quality of online journalism in Australia as “average” or “poor” while only 14 per cent described it as “excellent.”

Associate Professor McKnight said the finding was positive considering the challenges the industry faces after cost-cutting measures recently led to the loss of more than 1500 editorial jobs at Fairfax and News Ltd.

"Australian journalists are idealists at heart. They see themselves performing a public service and they see public benefit as one of the main justifications for their work.

"The economic foundation of newspapers is weakening and there is no obvious substitute for the old advertising-based model to pay for good quality print journalism,” he said.

The report was funded by the Australian Research Council and the Walkley Foundation.

Read the full Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance release.

Reviews

'Drawing on a sophisticated theoretical framework, Shepherd finds in the realm of the everyday the possibility to think critically about the world we live in. She opens up a realm of investigation – television shows – that have so far largely eluded international relations scholars. But Shepherd convincingly shows how links between gender and violence are part of global power relations that come into being through the stores we tell; stories that become real because they are rehearsed, time and again, as part of dominant and largely masculine ways of understanding sexuality, identity and community' (Roland Bleiker, Professor of International Relations, University of Queensland, Aus.)

'Each chapter in this robustly interdisciplinary volume is a stand-alone gem, what one could call a meditation on a particular television series and its deployment and mutual constitution of gender and violence. But ‘meditation’ implies something much less rigorously argued than the analyses offered here. Shepherd’s chapters are short, pithy, tightly argued, sometimes passionate, and always persuasive' (Jutta Weldes, Professor of International Relations, Univesrity of Bristol, UK).

In partnership with Kirketon Road Centre and South East Sydney Local Health District (HIV and Related Programs), the stall provided giveaways, information and prizes. This partnership successfully allowed direct referrals to be made to testing services.

Northeast Migrants in Delhi: Race, Refuge and Retail is an ethno- graphic study of migrants from India’s north-east border region living and working in Delhi, the nation’s capital. Northeast India borders China, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia. Despite burgeoning interest in the region, little attention is given to the thousands of migrants leaving the region for Indian cities for refuge, work, and study. The stories of Northeast migrants reveal an everyday North- east India rarely captured elsewhere and offer an alternative view of contemporary India. Northeast migrants covet the employment opportunities created by India’s embrace of globalization; shop- ping malls, restaurants, and call centres. Yet Northeast migrants also experience high levels of racism, harassment, and violence. Far from simply victims of the city, Northeast migrants have created their own ‘map’ of Delhi, enabling a sense of belonging, albeit an uneasy one. Interdisciplinary in nature, this book will appeal to scholars of anthropology, urban studies, geography, migration, and Asian Studies.

“McDuie-Ra’s illuminating account of the unexpected lives of northeast migrants in a metropolis compels us to rethink conventional ways of thinking about India’s changing frontier lands and peoples. This rigorously researched and superbly written book is anthropology at its best.” — Amita Baviskar, Associate Professor at the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University

For more information see the AUP website: http://www.aup.nl/do.php?a=show_visitor_book&isbn=9789089644220&l=2

Contact

Dr. Duncan McDuie-Ra
School of Social Sciences
University of New South Wales
Ph: +612 9385 2525
d.mcduie@unsw.edu.au

This year the School of the Arts and Media (SAM) and the Creative Practice and Research Unit (CPRU) ran their annual Performing Arts program within the UNSW Indigenous Winter School. Winter School is for Indigenous students in years 10, 11 and 12 who are considering further studies beyond high school. The week long residential program provides students with the opportunity to experience what university life is all about.

During the 3-day Performing Arts program faculty members worked with a group of 13 students who brought a wide array of skills and stories from their diverse locations across Australia.

Students participated in a range of academic lectures and tutorials, presentations, study sessions and team building activities facilitated by SAM faculty including:

• a workshop in Senegalese drumming
• an animation class
• a workshop in creating and filming interviews
• a dance talk and workshop
• an English Studies poetry tutorial
• a Theatre and Performance Studies lecture
• an object-based performance making workshop

Students were also introduced to vocational possibilities in the arts through a career story session by Jennifer Beale and an extensive backstage tour of the Sydney Opera House organised by Tara Smith, Opera House Education Specialist. Students noted that these sessions “opened up my thoughts about different arts opportunities” and “made me want to work harder at achieving my goal to pursue a career in the performing arts.’

For more information please click here. 

The Federated Archaeological Information Management Systems (FAIMS) project has received a federal government grant of $950,000 to develop custom-built applications to be used on android phones and tablets to capture data, as well as tools to edit and analyse it.

Project leader Dr Shawn Ross, from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, said the digitisation and online dissemination of data will change the future of archaeology.

“It’s time to take archaeological records out of drawers and filing cabinets,” said Dr Ross. “This new system will allow information to be stored and shared in an accessible and re-useable format so that research results can be critiqued and comparative research more easily undertaken.”

Dr Ross has been involved in archaeological fieldwork in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions for the past 15 years, most recently working on an ARC-funded archaeological and palaeoenvironmental study in Central and South East Bulgaria.

“I will be able to produce and share high-quality digital datasets from my fieldwork in Bulgaria that will help other researchers in the region identify their finds, as well as providing comparative datasets for researchers studying similar cultures elsewhere in the world.”

He says the ability to produce digital archaeology records will ensure more accuracy.

“Currently, digital data is produced through double-entry. It’s hand-written on site and then manually typed into a database, which leaves room for error,” said Dr Ross.
“The more people who use this ‘digital infrastructure’ the more powerful it will become. It has the potential to become the chosen research tool of archaeologists worldwide.”

The FAIMS project has been funded by the National eResearch Collaboration Tools and Resources (NeCTAR) program. The project involves participants from 41 organisations, including universities, heritage units and archaeological consultancies. It is due to be completed in 2013.

NeCTAR is an Australian Government project conducted as part of the Super Science initiative and financed by the Education Investment Fund.

Watch Dr Ross and his students working on the Tundzha Region Archaelogical Project in Bulgaria on UNSWTV.

The next public debate has been confirmed for August 28th with Associate Professor David Evans from the University of Sydney, and Ms Jill Dean, President of the Special Education Principals' & Leaders' Association (NSW SSP Principals' Network), discussing the topic, 'Curriculum for All: Are we There Yet?'. A lively discussion involving all attendees will follow focusing on the extent to which the national curriculum reflects the needs of students with disabilities. This will be of great interest to those who are concerned with issues of equity and inclusion more broadly.

 To find out more and to register please click here. 

During Winter School, 150 students are introduced to tertiary studies in an area of their choice whilst also participating in university life with fellow Indigenous students from around the country. The Winter School aims to assist students in identifying theirpaths of interest, in turn clarifying the subject areas required for further study in that field. The week long program will combine combines expertise from the faculty, university and industry for an all round comprehensive and unique experience. The program also aims to nurture the leadership, growth and development of all participants with a comprehensive, fun and engaging program of activities.

This year's Indigenous Winter School was a great success and a huge thanks must be extended to all those involved in making the program such a hit with the students. This year’s participants were asked to write poems about their experience which we have attached a sample of here. We also received some incredible feedback from the students with one student bringing with her a heartwarming story about how last year's Winter School changed her life. She told us that just before coming to Winter School she was planning on dropping out of school. Once she finished the program, she was determined to try harder and be better in class. By the end of last year she was doing extremely well and was even topping some of her classes. After coming back for a second year, she thinks she might like to be a teacher. It is stories like this that remind us just how valuable the experience can be for indigenous kids and a special mention of Sue Cass must be made who helps make the program such a success every year, this year she was supported by Dr Susen Smith and Jonathan Jin. We look forward to supporting the program in the years to come.

Further information can be found on the GRS website: http://research.unsw.edu.au/erno-bella-phd-top-scholarship

This Scholarship will be formally awarded at the Faculty Awards Ceremony in 2013.

Despite being a late starter to the race, Australia stands a 50/50 chance of being elected as a non-permanent member to the United Nations Security Council, former New Zealand Ambassador to the UN, Colin Keating, has told a UNSW audience.

 “I believe that Australia stands a good chance of being elected and could make a tremendous impact on the Council,” said Keating, the founding Executive Director of Security Council Report in New York.

 Australia was last elected to the Council in 1984 when the body was paralysed by the politics of the Cold War. Since then the Security Council has been publicly criticised for significant failures – the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia, and in recent months, its inability to manage prolonged conflict in Syria.

 The former Ambassador said it is critical for the Council to move with the times in order to deal with international security in a globalised world – something Australia could help it to do.

 “The Council is still operating under an institutional framework that was agreed to in 1945. There is a reluctance to recognise the root causes of conflict and address them before it’s too late,” said Keating, who was the Security Council President during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

 He urged the Council to engage in prevention and protection, saying Australia has an advantage in this area over its competitors Finland and Luxembourg for Security Council representation.

 “Australia is a practical, common-sense country with a strong professional foreign service and a good analytical capacity – it can exercise strong leadership and really improve Council outcomes,” he said.

 There has been criticism around the cost of Australia’s campaign for candidature, but Keating said the renewal and interest in foreign policy as a result was priceless.

 “Standing for the UN Security Council will require Australia to rethink its relationships with other countries,” he said. “Ministers will be forced to understand the challenges facing other countries and to think outside their own interests.”

 Colin Keating spoke at a public event hosted by the United Nations Association of Australia, the International Buddhist Organisation and UNSW’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

 Media contact: Fran Strachan | 9385 8732 | 0429 416 070

University of New South Wales

21-23 November 2012

Flyer

Keynote Speaker: Feona Attwood, Professor of Sex, Communication and Culture at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.

Feminism has its roots as a political intervention into patriarchy and its institutions. Similarly, Women’s and Gender Studies began as a critical intervention into traditional institutional knowl­edge. These projects have been successful and fruitful, yet they are also ongoing and ripe for updating and critique. AWGSA invites papers and panels that take ‘intervention’ as a critical and political goal, and/ or as an object of inquiry. As a first principle, we encourage you to reflect on the interventionist nature of your own research.

Possible themes include:

• Feminist (and/ or queer) interventions into old, new and emerging disciplines 
• Postcolonial critiques of western feminist interventions 
• Feminist and/ or queer cultural practices 
• Gender, development and crisis Assessments of, and challenges to, ongoing political interventions (e.g. The NT Intervention) 
• Queer and feminist challenges to heteronormative institutions and corporations 
• Showcasing new areas of strength in feminist and gender research, e.g. Trans-disability studies, fat studies, celebrity studies, girl studies. 
• Gender and politics; gender and education; gender and technology 
•  Feminist (and other theoretical and political) interventions into contemporary cultures and societies

Abstracts of no more than 300 words are invited for single papers and / or panels addressing any of the above themes.

Please submit with a short biography to awgsa2012@gmail.com Abstract deadline: Friday 27 July, 2012.

Conference Registrations Open: Monday 30 July, 2012

NCHSR is committed to closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians' health and life expectancy by participating in and supporting activities to promote policy and health-service development in the areas of blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections.

The Faculty was awarded  two Linkage Project grants, a success rate of 66.7% (2 out of 3 proposals), compared to 36.7% across all Linkage Project applications to the ARC. Faculty Researchers were also named Chief Investigators on three successful grant applications.

The aim of the Linkage scheme is to foster collaboration between researchers, industries, and communities to find solutions to some of our most pressing problems.

Our successful projects:

• A New Healthy Living Minimum Income Standard for Low-Paid and Unemployed Australians, led by Prof Peter Saunders from the Social Policy Research Centre, $265,030
• Accountability and user participation in Chinese child welfare nongovernment organisations, led by A/Prof Xiaoyuan Shang and  A/Prof Karen Fisher from the Social Policy Research Centre, $237,213

Congratulations to our researchers who are Chief Investigators on the following projects:

• Prof Sandra Hale - School of International Studies, Participation in the administration of justice: deaf citizens as jurors, led by Macquarie University, $200,000
• Prof Sandra Hale - School of International Studies, Communication skills training for oncology health care professionals working with culturally and linguistically diverse patients,  led by UNSW Faculty of Medicine, $170,793
• Dr Loren Brener - National Centre in HIV Social Research, The role of implicit identity and implicit beliefs in recovery from mental illness, led by University of Queensland, $151,000

The funding is part of Round 2 of the government’s Linkage Projects scheme, and will commence in July 2012.

For a full list of the successful grants and a university breakdown go to the ARC website.

Communication skills training for oncology health care professionals working with culturally and linguistically diverse patients: This project will be administered by UNSW ($170,793.00). Partner organisations in the project are Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Multicultural Health Service , Prince of Wales Hospital, Cancer Institute NSW, and Cancer Australia. Sandra is one of the Chief Investigators in the project. Other Chief Investigators in the project are: A/Prof Bettina Meiser (leader), Prof David Kissane, Prof Afaf Girgis, Prof Phyllis Butow, Prof David Goldstein, Dr Astrid Perry, Prof Sanchia Aranda, and Mr Chris Sargeant.

The project will develop and evaluate two novel training programs designed to equip health professionals to communicate with cancer patients from different cultures. It is expected that the programs will improve trainees’ ability to communicate in a culturally sensitive way.

Participation in the administration of justice: deaf citizens as jurors: This project will be administered by Macquarie University ($200,000.00), and it is in partnership with Deaf Australia, Australian Federation of Deaf Societies, and the Australian Sign Language Interpreters' Association of NSW (ASLIA NSW). Sandra is one of the Chief Investigators in the project. Other Chief Investigators in the project are: A/Prof Jemina Napier (leader), Prof David Spencer, and Prof Debra Russell.

This project will pioneer international research on legal signed language interpreting and jury service; the results are likely to innovate law reform. Further information about this project is available at: http://www.arc.gov.au/pdf/LP12/NSW.pdf

Congratulations on your great achievements, Sandra!

But it is the repeated arrests and a handful of convictions for domestic and sexual assaults in the past two decades that are the most distressing.

Even one of our golden boys of the pool, Grant Hackett, is embroiled in a very public he said/she said marriage breakdown precipitated by a drunken rampage in October. He denies an allegation in a police report that he threw his wife, Candice Alley, across the room.

This is why men like Clint Newton are more important than ever. Newton, a player with the Penrith Panthers and the son of the golf legend Jack, is part of a rugby league culture where high pressure, binge drinking and public adulation combine with a vision of masculinity that hinges on physical dominance, a combination that has proven a perfect storm for sexual violence.

In all likelihood Newton knows players who have assaulted women, whether he is aware of it or not. He has publicly confirmed that he does know women who have been victims.

Not long ago, several of Newton's women friends told him they had been sexually assaulted. His first reaction was to retaliate against their assailants. Asked what he felt when the was told what had happened to his women friends, he said: "Anger, and fear for them. It makes you want to act and do something physical towards the bloke who did it."

Instead, he joined an international campaign to get men and boys involved in the prevention of violence against women. As a White Ribbon Foundation ambassador, he has publicly taken the oath. "I swear never to commit, excuse, or remain silent about violence against women."

One in six Australian women has been the victim of rape, or of a non-penetrative sexual assault, a joint study by researchers at the University of NSW and the University of Melbourne shows.

Do you have women friends? Sisters? A wife, a daughter, a girlfriend, a mother? While indigenous women are far more likely to be raped, the statistics cut across all races and ethnic groups, all socioeconomic classes, and all geographic regions. So it is almost certain that whether you realise it or not, you know a woman who has been sexually violated. One in six, or almost 20,000 women a year, the Australian Institute of Criminology says.

That these numbers are unacceptably high goes without saying. Sadly, what still needs to be said is that the time has come for every Australian man to take this issue seriously, and to stand up against sexual violence in his community.

It took a personal experience for Newton to act. "It's hard to sit there and listen to a story," he told Channel Nine. But he realised, listening to those stories, how alone and helpless his friends felt. He also realised that his position in rugby league gave him a power to change the culture from within.

The same could be said of the News Ltd columnist David Penberthy, a former Daily Telegraph editor, who wrote after Hackett did an interview with Nine's 60 Minutes that you did not have to hit a woman to threaten her, and that ''as an actor, Grant Hackett makes a pretty good swimmer''.

Every man has that power. Anti-violence activists can stand outside the locker rooms and strip clubs and other spaces where men are taught that "no" means "maybe after a few more drinks", but the men inside have a power that we do not.

My question to men is simple. Are you going to use your power, or are you going to wait until a friend, a sister, or a girlfriend comes to you crying and tells you what has happened to her?

You could look the other way the next time you see a guy encouraging a woman to drink until she is incapacitated. You could let the men in your life think you won't call them out. Or, you could step up and change the statistics. It's your call.

Chloe Angyal is a doctoral student in the Journalism and Media Research Centre at UNSW.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald.

The Kaifeng International Deleuze Conference held in May, was the first of its kind to be held in China, in the ancient capital of Kaifeng City.

Prof Paul Patton from the UNSW School of Humanities, chaired the organising committee for the conference and described the event, attended by 90 scholars, as a great success.

“It will undoubtedly lead to more encounters and further engagements amongst Asian and Western scholars in East Asia in the humanities and social sciences.” Prof Patton said.

The two-day conference attracted scholars from a range of disciplines from China, Korea, Australia and Japan across the humanities and social sciences, including Literary and Film studies, Anthropology, Architecture, Art and Philosophy. Plenary speakers included Rosi Braidotti (Utrecht), Anne Sauvagnargues (Paris X), Ronald Bogue (Georgia) and Brian Massumi (Montreal).

Among present and former UNSW staff and students attending and presenting papers at the conference were Teresa Rizzo, Grant Hamilton, Craig Lundy, Sean Bowden, Daniel W. Smith and Paul Patton.

Prof Patton said the conference was further collaboration with Henan University and others from China, South Korea and Japan following the 2010 UNSW International Research Workshop, at which Prof Patton hosted a Deleuze panel.

Prof Gao Jihai, Professor of English at Henan University had also recently visited UNSW and presented in the Centre for Modernism in Australia 2011 Seminar Series.

Prof Patton said that this collaboration has strengthened the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences ties with Henan University, one of the oldest universities in China.

“These exchanges and the collaboration in organizing this conference have established a strong relationship between colleagues in FASS and their counterparts at Henan.” He said.

Run by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Bridge is a language proficiency competition for non-native Mandarin students.

Andrew, who first took up the language as part of his International Studies/Law degree, believes that learning Mandarin is particularly important for Australians.

“It equips you to engage better with our region and with a country that is already so vital to our interests,” he said. “On a personal level, learning about and becoming familiar with a culture so different from your own is immensely rewarding.”

Andrew won the regional finals in Sydney last month to qualify for the international finals, where he will compete against 110 college students from over 60 countries. The winner receives a prestigious scholarship to study in China.

“I’ve been speaking with my Chinese friends regularly about it and asked some past contestants what to expect, so as not to get too overwhelmed,” he said. “My Chinese teacher, Chen Xiaofang, has also been invaluable in helping me prepare at every step of the competition.”

The theme of this year’s competition is ‘My Chinese Dream’ and finalists are required to prepare a speech on the topic along with two cultural performances.

Andrew will perform a traditional Chinese comedy called xiang sheng, as well as a rewritten voiceover of the Chinese epic Journey to the West.

“My Chinese dream is to help Australians become more aware of China and understand it better,” he said.

“I believe everyone should be bilingual as it broadens your career opportunities, encourages you to make friends across cultures and allows you to understand the world better.”

The finals will be held in early July.

Student entries were organised by The Confucius Institute and the Australia China Youth Association at UNSW. The Confucius Institute also provides tuition and assistance to all entrants in the Chinese Bridge Competition.

The research will form the basis of a national education and engagement program which will give Australians access to evidence-based information about the production and consumption of recycled water.

UNSW’s Faculty of Engineering and School of Public Health and Community Medicine, along with 30 national and international organisations, are collaborating on the $10 million research project which is funded by the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence.

Academic leader of the project and Director of the JMRC, Professor Catharine Lumby, said the outcomes of the cross-disciplinary investigation will be significant for the water industry globally.

“Recycled drinking water is already accepted in other countries around the world. In Australia, local policies, stigmas and public perceptions have often prevented recycled water being considered for potable use,” said Professor Lumby.

Professor Judy Motion, a leading expert in science communication based at the JMRC, said the project is designed to engage the public in a dialogue, rather than railroad them into drinking recycled water.

“Our aim is to find the best way of communicating new information to the Australian public, educators and decision makers by exploring the growing role that online and social media play in science communication.”

Associate Professor Greg Leslie of the School of Chemical Science and Engineering acknowledged Australians wanted more information about drinking recycled water and the process of producing it.

“A key part of this project will be investigating what Australians want to know and how scientists can better communicate issues of reliability and quality control,” said Professor Leslie.

The $10 million funding to UNSW is part of The Australian Government’s $20 million commitment over five years to the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence, through the Water for the Future initiative.

For more information on the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence visit www.australianwaterrecycling.com.au.

The theory-building book adopts a global perspective on sex and sexuality. The book was published by Routledge and edited jointly with Professor Henrietta Moore from the University of Cambridge and Professor Richard Parker from Columbia University, New York.

With contributions from leading scholars and activists across the world, the book highlights ‘flash-points’ in contemporary debate, and offers innovative new ways of thinking about sex and sexuality.

Topics focused on include the relationship between sexuality and gender; the nature and status of heterosexuality; hetero- and homo-normativity; the intersection of class, race and age on sexual identities and lifestyles; and new forms of sexuality emerging in rich world and developing world contexts.

For more information see the Routledge website

In late 2010 when Rinehart made her first media investment in the Ten Network, her friend, columnist Andrew Bolt, wrote about her motives. He dismissed the idea that she sought to make money. “My strong and not entirely uninformed hunch,” he said, “is that much bigger issues are at play involving our country’s future and threats to wealth we’ve taken for granted”.

The clue, Bolt said, was a statement by Hancock Prospecting that it was interested in the news media “given its importance to the nation’s future”.

Bolt’s column went on. “Rinehart is on a mission. Channel 10 is just the vehicle”. He then pondered her chances of turning Ten into “an Australian Fox News”. Significantly, Bolt’s column is still on the website of Rinehart’s lobby group, Australians for Northern Development and Vision.

The reference to Rupert Murdoch’s right wing Fox News Channel is eerily reminiscent of a statement from British climate “sceptic” Lord Monckton. Monckton toured Australia promoting climate scepticism in 2010 and 2011. Rinehart made a donation to cover part of the 2010 tour and in 2011, Monckton delivered the Lang Hancock Lecture at Notre Dame University, sponsored by Rinehart’s company. Monckton also made a less publicised speech at a seminar sponsored by the Mannkall Economic Education Foundation.

In this speech Monckton discussed strategy for the free market, climate sceptic Right in Australia. He urged those he called “the super rich” to invest in or establish a satellite TV channel, so that people like Andrew Bolt could get more airplay. He lamented that there was no “Australian version of Fox News”. He added: “Frankly whatever you do at a street level – which is what you are talking about here – is not going to have much of an impact compared with capturing an entire news media.”

Capturing an entire news media is what is now happening at Fairfax.

Rinehart’s “mission” can also be deduced from ANDEV, the position papers of which are on her website. ANDEV is a largely a front for the mining industry. Its main policy favours the creation of “Special Economic Zones” which would “secure the lowest possible tax rates for the remote north of Australia”, especially the elimination of any resource tax.

A founding member of ANDEV is John McRobert, a key figure behind Pauline Hanson’s tax policies at the 1998 election. In 2010, Brisbane-based McRobert, who has known Rinehart for 30 years, said that “Gina is deeply concerned about this country and the way it’s going and she wants to have a voice, somehow”. Other supporters of ANDEV include miner Hugh Morgan, a godfather of the New Right in Australia and Professor Ian Plimer, a notable sceptic whom Rinehart has appointed to boards of her companies.

Rinehart’s call for “Special Economic Zones” has also been championed by right wing think tank the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA). The IPA now has a “North Australia Project” which it describes as a “joint project” of ANDEV and the IPA. Its director, John Shipp, echoed Rinehart’s call for the abolition of the mining tax and the carbon tax as well as industrial relations “reform”.

All of this is recognisable as representing the agenda of one side of politics.

The traditional justification for journalism has been that it can act as a watchdog on powerful government and corporations. What is now occurring is that representatives of one of the most powerful sectors in Australian society, the mining industry, are seeking to dominate one of the important accountability mechanisms in a democracy.

None of this means Rinehart will succeed easily. As well as having no background in news media, she will face a journalistic workforce which has a history of pushing back against attempts to interfere with journalism. This is something which the now disgraced Canadian press baron Conrad Black discovered and which young Warwick Fairfax also experienced in his disastrous 1987 privatisation attempt.

Moreover, Fairfax readers have come to expect an intelligent and independent approach to journalism. The imposition of Rinehart’s political priorities will deepen the financial crisis at Fairfax because many readers will simply abandon it. That is why this week Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, warned her not to “trash” the brand of Fairfax, while Malcolm Turnbull has advised her that Fairfax’s business model would be undermined “if Fairfax was seen to be a mouthpiece of Gina Rinehart and a spokesvehicle for the mining industry”.

While many are appalled at Rinehart’s bid for control of Fairfax, some are portraying it as salvation for quality journalism. Tony Abbott’s reaction was: “Good on Gina for being prepared to invest in journalism at a difficult time,”.

It may be good for Tony Abbott, but the Rinehart cure for Fairfax may be worse than the disease.

David McKnight receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He worked as journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald in the late 1980s.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

With over 30 years of research in the field of early language and literacy development, text comprehension and family literacy and over 200 publications including 8 books and more than $3 million in competitive research funding this recognition of his dedicated work is more than deserved. Congratulations Trevor!

This survey is open to people living in Australia with a spinal cord injury and closes on 16 July 2012. The research, commissioned by Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA), is aiming to learn what helps individuals achieve self fulfilment and to identify gaps and barriers to this. It looks at hopes and aspirations, well-being, day-to-day life, formal support, and injury and aftercare.

Please select the link http://www.surveys.unsw.edu.au/survey/156456/2fa7/ to complete the survey online or contact the SPRC at 02 9385 7820 to complete this by telephone. Participants are invited to give their contact details to go into a draw to win a $250 Coles Myer voucher.

Project contact: shona.bates@unsw.edu.au

The scheme replaces the Education Tax Rebate which the government argues was inefficient with many parents not claiming their education costs. Prime Minister Gillard said the new scheme was “a helping hand” for families.

But the Coalition has argued that the new benefit is simply a “cash splash”. Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne said that the measure was designed to distract from the carbon tax, which begins on July 1. The West Australian Senator Michaelia Cash suggested that lump sum payments to parents will “be poured straight down the slot of a pokie machine”.

So how do these different arguments stand up to analysis and evidence?

What is the Schoolkids Bonus?

Around 1.3 million Australian families with 2.2 million children at school will get a new cash payment of $410 for each child in primary school and $820 for each child in high school. The cash payment will replace the Education Tax Refund from 1 January 2013.

Under the previous scheme, families could claim a 50% tax rebate on some school-related expenses. But most of those who were eligible weren’t claiming what they were entitled to, either less than the full amount or nothing at all. Because the new payment will be automatic and upfront, parents won’t miss out if they are not taxpayers or if they fail to make a claim.

Just like the Education Tax Refund, the Schoolkids Bonus will be available to families receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A (FTBA), plus young people in school receiving Youth Allowance and some other income support and veterans’ payments. Given the link to FTBA, a family with two school age children will be eligible if their total family income is below roughly $107,000 a year.

Overall, the new bonus scheme will be more progressive in its impact than the tax refund it replaces. This is because lower income families are less likely to be able to afford to spend the $1,500 on two secondary school children that would be necessary to benefit from the tax refund, and even if they did, very low income families may not be paying sufficient income tax to fully benefit.

While this suggests that the new bonus will be a more effective way of helping low income families, it also suggests that these families are unlikely to be spending this much on education expenses. In this sense, it seems fair to say that the Schoolkids Bonus will not necessarily be solely targeted to spending on education costs, but will have an element of redistribution.

Nothing new

This sort of redistribution is not new however. In 1976, the Fraser government replaced the then existing tax rebates for children with higher Family Allowances, with the express intention of redirecting assistance to low income families.

Nor is the idea of lump sum payments or bonuses new. The Howard and Rudd governments provided many lump sum payments to carers and age pensioners, including in the 2008 economic stimulus package.

The Baby Bonus introduced by the Howard government in 2002 was another example of a lump-sum payment.

Political motivations

But is the Schooldkids Bonus, or any bonuses for that matter good policy?

Take the example of the bonuses paid to carers, age pensioners and seniors from 2004 onwards. They were convenient ways of spending some of the proceeds of the earlier part of the mining boom. But why bonuses, and not an increase in the base pension rate?

One of the key benefits with bonus payments is that they allow governments to maintain fiscal flexibility. They can be cancelled or reduced if circumstances change and they are not necessarily indexed in the same way as the payments they supplement.

The question of bonus payments was explicitly considered by the Harmer Pension Review in 2009. It found that one-off lump-sum payments were not “effective mechanisms for addressing the adequacy of the pension because they do not provide ongoing financial certainty.”

Nevertheless, the Review went on to argue that one-off payments may have a role:

“in circumstances where pensioners may not otherwise gain from specific budgetary or economic changes, such as from changes to taxation arrangements, to compensate for policy changes, or where a fiscal stimulus is desired”.

This rationale does appear to fit current circumstances.

Plasma bonus?

Are families likely to spend the Schoolkids Bonus payments on the pokies – or even plasma TVs? Analysis of longitudinal survey data by the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Instead, the arrival of a newborn child is mainly associated with increased expenditure on health care, and with first born babies, with spending on children’s clothing.

Compensation and redistribution

Overall, it seems fair to conclude that the Schoolkids Bonus may help some families with their education expenses, but it is more about a further – albeit fairly modest – redistribution to lower and middle income families as compensation for the government’s Clean Energy Future package, on top of the package’s fairly small element of redistribution to lower income households.

In this regard, it is no different to the compensation package that the Coalition Government introduced in 2000 following the introduction of the GST, and not really different that from earlier bonus payments that both sides of politics have introduced when it suits them.

It should also be said that it is pretty offensive to suggest that families will spend their bonus payments on frivolous or wasteful items. The idea that the one million low and average income families with school age children who will receive the Schoolkids Bonus will rush out to the pokies would appear to reflect prejudice rather than evidence.

Peter Whiteford and Gerry Redmond receive funding from the Australian Research Council.

Gerry Redmond does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

• Australian National Identity PhD Scholarship

Description: As part of an ARC Future Fellowship at the University of New South Wales, a PhD scholarship exists to explore, broadly, the meaning and place of Australian national identity in conditions of liberal democracy and cultural diversity. There is latitude to frame the inquiry according to the successful applicant’s specific interests. The successful candidate will be supervised by Dr Geoffrey Levey.

Value: $23,728 per annum

Application deadline: 15 July 2012. Available to commence from 31 August 2012.

View further details and eligibility requirements here

• Horticulture Australia Masters in Philosophy Scholarship

Description: The purpose of the contribution is to award a scholarship for a Master of Philosophy by research in the UNSW School of Social Sciences under the principal supervision of Dr Krishna K. Shrestha. The research project is to assess the social, economic and cultural aspects of urban trees in relation to climate change in Sydney. The aim of the work will be to identify what promotes or works against the further planting of trees in Sydney’s suburbs. This will provide a socio-economic perspective on the problem of increasing the urban forest in Sydney.

Value: $26,670 per annum

Applications deadline: 6 July 2012

View further details and eligibility requirements here

• Social Work PhD Completion Scholarship

Description: The purpose is to award a completion scholarship to a postgraduate research student in Social Work in the School of Social Sciences, who is at risk of not completing on-time due to financial hardship.

Value: $10,000 in total

View further details and eligibility requirements here

Project description: This project will create a new understanding of the politically sensitive but enigmatic category of the migrant and mobile child in post-War cinema. It will achieve this through a comparative historical, aesthetic, and social study of child mobility on screen. 

View further details and eligibility requirements here

Please note: APAs are only available to Australian and New Zealand Citizens or Permanent Residents.

The Faculty is currently offering a number of new scholarships for postgraduate research students.

Australian National Identity PhD Scholarship

Social Work PhD Completion Scholarship

The university provides a wide range of prestigious scholarships from annual stipends, living allowances and tuition fee costs, to travel scholarships and supplements.For a full list of postgraduate research scholarships, information about eligibility and how to apply, visit the Graduate Research School website.

NCHSR researchers were active participants in conference sessions and debates. Professor John de Wit, Director of NCHSR, gave a plenary presentation about the need for evidence to plan behavioural and community interventions during the ‘prevention revolution’. Other NCHSR staff spoke in a panel discussion about challenges and opportunities in the prevention revolution, including the need for political strategy (Professor Peter Aggleton), HIV treatment uptake in Australia (Dr Limin Mao) opportunities to increase HIV testing (Dr Martin Holt), and the case for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (Dean Murphy).

For details about conference debates and resolutions, please see the AFAO blog.

The heart of Irish Sydney, Bondi Beach, became the centre of annual Bloomsday celebrations for the first time recently at an event hosted by UNSW.

 Bloomsday is celebrated world-wide to mark June 16, 1904, the day James Joyce chose to set his modernist masterpiece, Ulysses. This year, the beach location was chosen for the all-day celebration because of its significance to Australia’s Irish diaspora.

“Bloomsday has long been marked in Sydney, but this is the first time that the famous Bondi Beach has become the centre for festivities,” said Professor Rónán McDonald, Director of UNSW’s Global Irish Studies Centre, the host of the event.

“The sea and the beach feature prominently in Joyce's novel, so the setting is appropriate, but also because of the number of Irish backpackers and migrants that have made Bondi their temporary or permanent home,” he said.

The Premier, Barry O’Farrell, read from the iconic book along with former federal minister Susan Ryan, writers Mark Dapin, Ursula Dubosarsky and Suzanne Leal, literary journalist Susan Wyndham, poet Jamie Grant and actor Chris Haywood.

James Joyce's Ulysses is widely regarded as one of the greatest novels ever written.

“As time goes by we see more that it's a novel of, and for, the world – the first truly 'global' novel,” said Professor McDonald. “It is a great privilege to be able to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the book’s publication in this way.”

Bloomsday on Bondi was organised by the Centre, the Consulate General of Ireland and the Irish Echo Newspaper.

Bloomsday is celebrated world-wide to mark June 16, 1904, the day James Joyce chose to set his modernist masterpiece, Ulysses. This year, the beach location was chosen for the all-day celebration because of its significance to Australia’s Irish diaspora.

“Bloomsday has long been marked in Sydney, but this is the first time that the famous Bondi Beach has become the centre for festivities,” said Professor Rónán McDonald, Director of UNSW’s John Hume Institute for Global Irish Studies, the host of the event.

“The sea and the beach feature prominently in Joyce's novel, so the setting is appropriate, but also because of the number of Irish backpackers and migrants that have made Bondi their temporary or permanent home,” he said.

The Premier, Barry O’Farrell, will read from the iconic book along with former federal minister Susan Ryan, writers Mark Dapin, Ursula Dubosarsky and Suzanne Leal, literary journalist Susan Wyndham, poet Jamie Grant and actor Chris Haywood.

James Joyce's Ulysses is widely regarded as one of the greatest novels ever written.

“As time goes by we see more that it's a novel of, and for, the world – the first truly 'global' novel,” said Professor McDonald. “It is a great privilege to be able to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the book’s publication in this way.”

Bloomsday on Bondi was organised by the Institute, the Consulate General of Ireland and the Irish Echo Newspaper.

For the full program and tickets click here.

The Faculty will sponsor the ‘Walkley Young Journalist of the Year – Print Journalism’ for the next three years.

As a provider of journalism studies, the new partnership reflects the Faculty’s commitment to the importance of fostering quality Australian journalism and recognising excellence in young journalists.

Professor James Donald, Dean of the Faculty said that the partnership is a sign of UNSW's constructive engagement with the media industries. 'In times of rapid media change,' he added, 'the traditional skills of print journalism – investigative research, accurate reporting and the ability to tell a compelling story – become all the more important. We are very happy to be supporting this award.'

The Walkley Foundation recently announced the finalists in the 2012 Young Journalist Awards, with the winner revealed at the annual awards ceremony on June 27. The Faculty congratulates the three finalists in the Print Journalism category and is delighted to support the recognition of their outstanding contribution to the industry.

Finalists:

Anthony DeCeglie, The Sunday Times. “Karl In Fire Fallout”
Whitney Harris, The Bendigo Advertiser. “Child Abuse”
Erik Jensen, The Sydney Morning Herald. “Rogue dentists escape penalty”

Eileen, Director of the Centre for Refugee Research in the School of Social Sciences, has been appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her service to the refugee community, particularly women and girls, as a researcher, educator, publisher and lobbyist.

Eileen said the award is an important recognition of the refugees the Centre has worked with over the years.

"While I am the recipient of the award, it is a recognition of the work of the fantastic people at the Centre and most importantly a recognition of the refugees with whom we have the privilege to work."

Eileen expressed her gratitude to the School and the Faculty, " it is the support they provide which makes the research which the award recognises possible."

Eileen has also been a recipient of a New South Wales Premier's Award (2005),  and a Human Rights Medal from the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (2001).

James Donald, Dean of the Faculty, said that this is a richly deserved recognition of an outstanding career.

For a full list of UNSW Queens Honours recipients click here. The full citations are available on the Australian Honours website.

19 School of Education staff braved the wet weather to participate in the iconic winter event, helping to support thousands of Australians living with multiple sclerosis.

The Education team ‘Never Stand Still’ wore red shirts in support of the cause and raised over $2,200 to donate to MS Australia. Organisers of the event hope that they will raise over $1.1 million nationally towards Multiple Sclerosis research this year.

If you would like to support the team, donate here.

The Syrian government must bear responsibility for the atrocity, regardless of whether it had given orders for the killings. The government has created an atmosphere in which such tragedies have become more likely. By persisting with its attacks on centres of Sunni resistance and raising the spectre of communal conflict, the government is sending out messages to its supporters that they can take matters into their own hands.

The spectre of a sectarian revenge cycle

The attacks may not have been part of a specific government strategy – it is possible that the murderers (probably from the Alawite community) who carried out the murders were acting on their own behalf. However, they clearly coordinated their attack with shelling of Houla by government forces.

The incident is likely to set off a cycle of revenge involving the Alawite and Sunni communities. The city of Homs and the Assad regime have a tortured relationship. 30 years ago, in an effort to destroy a Muslim Brotherhood uprising in Homs and the nearby city of Hama, the President’s father, Hafez Al Assad, set his troops loose on Hama with possibly 20,000 deaths resulting.

That outrage was forgotten by the outside world but not by the regime or the people of Hama and Homs.

The role of the “international community”

With the introduction of UN-Arab League Observers the level of violence had appeared to taper off slightly and outsiders seemed happy to turn their attention to other crises. The events over the weekend, however, have returned Syria to the spotlight.

The international community seems unwilling to resort to force against Assad. There are, however, some glimmers of hope that international pressure might be building up and might cause him to think again. A number of Western governments, including Australia, have expelled Syrian diplomats in protest.

These are largely symbolic acts that are unlikely in themselves to disturb the government in Damascus. We have, however, seen stirrings in the UN Security Council, which could portend more serious action.

Friends in Moscow and Beijing

While continued Russian and Chinese resistance to Western demands for direct action can be expected, the decision of China and especially Russia to associate themselves with the Security Council’s recent statement is significant. These two “friends” of Assad effectively associated themselves with the Council’s accusation that the regime had violated international law by shelling Houla.

While neither country is renowned for its support for human rights, it is likely that they are discomforted by the attacks and may be willing to apply greater pressure on the regime to comply with the Annan plan.

Russia is a vital friend of Syria and has significant interests in the country. It is also, with China, firmly opposed to notions of regime change and the violation of sovereignty. This is consistent with the view that the regime and its supporters would never contemplate the removal of Bashar Al-Assad and his family. Too much is perceived to be at stake in this civil war – the survival of the Alawite community itself is seen to be threatened by the resistance of the Sunni majority.

As the Guardian’s Simon Tisdall has written, however, Russia also has important interests invested in its relations with the United States and President Putin is not likely to be sentimental in his handling of the crisis. Assad would do well not to take Russian support for granted.

Assad remains in control

UN-Arab League envoy, Kofi Annan, has met President Assad to deliver a clear warning about the continuation of the violence and the increasing international impatience with the government’s behaviour. Other governments have spoken out condemning the regime’s behaviour.

Annan, together with UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, and the head of the Observer force in Syria, General Mood, has restated the importance of the six-point plan that he developed. It remains the only (albeit slim) prospect for a reduction in the violence.

A major obstacle to the implementation of Annan’s plan is that President Assad appears to feel that he is winning the conflict. His regime appears to be united and much of the country is relatively quiet. He struck a confident tone in remarks at a Non-Aligned Movement meeting in Tehran last week when he said Syria would survive the crisis.

As long as Assad senses victory there is little real incentive for him to back off from the violence and honour the Annan peace plan. It will be up to people like Annan, Ban Ki-moon and the Russians to convince Assad that his confidence is misplaced.

By Anthony Billingsley, University of New South Wales

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

The project, which investigated public attitudes on disability, was commissioned by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

The review of Australian and international literature found that younger, more educated people and those with a personal familiarity with disability have more positive attitudes; people were more comfortable dealing with disability than with psychiatric illness; negative attitudes of both teachers and students are a barrier to inclusive education; and employer misconceptions stop people with a disability or mental illness gaining employment.

Co-author, Associate Professor Karen Fisher, said the most significant finding was the lack of understanding of the impact these negative attitudes have on people’s lives.

“There is a research gap in this area,” she said. “One of the reasons that change is slow in Australia is because we are not acknowledging that our approach is piecemeal.”

The report found that New Zealand and the UK have more strategically invested in campaigns to change attitudes and conduct regular surveys to measure the change. The introduction of the ABC’s online forum, Ramp Up, last year is an example of where Australia is also making positive moves.

The project concluded that strategies to change community attitudes are most effective when they include policies on three levels; personal, organisational and structural.

Associate Professor Fisher said awareness and personal contact with people with disability needed to be encouraged, as well as communication in employment, education and health organisations and that policy and legislation needed to be revised.

“It is also crucial that people with disability are included in the design and implementation of policies and that those policies are sufficiently resourced to reinforce positive attitudes towards the disability experience.”

Read the full report here.



This is an incredible opportunity for teachers wanting to specialise in Special Education. The ‘Every Student, Every School’ initiative aims to provide better learning and support for the 90,000 students in NSW public schools with a disability, learning difficulties or behaviour support needs in our public schools through a strong focus on professional learning and support for teachers and support staff. With an undeniable need for Special Education professionals, there has never been a better time than now to commence your specialised education in Special Education.

The UNSW Master of Education program offers students a contemporary focus on learner diversity and inclusive learning as well as behaviour management and research methodologies, with a strong emphasis on action research to explore key issues and challenges in the special education field. With mid-year and summer entry and evening classes there is sure to be a study program that suits you. Students who study Special Education at UNSW will learn from and have access to leaders in the field at one of the leading universities in Australia. If you would like to find out more about the program and study option please contact Doc. Iva Strnadova on 02 9385 3736. 

The mid-year intake applications are now open.

Alyssa Rothwell, animator and production lecturer in the School of the Arts and Media, created the hand-drawn vector animation in response to the instrumental work Ether Etude, composed by colleague and award-winning Australian composer, Andrew Schultz.

Schultz, head of the School, composed the piece for flute, clarinet and string quartet to be performed by Ensemble Offspring.

“I offered the piece to Alyssa because I enjoy collaborating with other artists and was interested in the potential of this piece to be explored visually in a dynamic and engaging way,” he said.

Joyride, which runs for just over two minutes, transforms the screen with simple black lines that dance in rhythmic formation, drawing music and vision into one combined movement.

Rothwell said she deliberately avoided using colour and texture in the animation, preferring to leave space for the music.

“Commercial animations are loaded with colour, movement and effects that manipulate how you think and feel,” she said. “Animation can be fascinating and engaging with just simple moving lines in play.”

The animator said Schultz’s composition, which alludes to the effects of ether and the gassy ether of the sky, was perfect and she didn’t want to “clomp around on it”.

For Schultz, the animation is a faultless interpretation of his music.

“Joyride is quirky, abstract and highly entertaining. The simple and economical lines become dramatic characters and then evaporate into the ether,” he said.

Rothwell has presented Australian Film Commission funded animations at the Pompidou Centre, Paris, and has created animation and digital backdrops for Theatre of Image productions at the Sydney Theatre and Powerhouse Museum.

The MIAF runs from 17 -24 June.

A part-time Postdoctoral opportunity exists in this project (application closing date 8th June 2012). Please click here to view the advertisement, and then contact Professor Donald (stephanie.donald@unsw.edu.au) for more details.

There is also scope for postgraduate students (MA and PhD) to attach to the project (and at least one scholarship is currently available) - again please contact Professor Donald (stephanie.donald@unsw.edu.au) in the first instance.

PhD student Katy Alexander’s work Alter Ego, combines large-format screen projection, live performance and sound.

 Alter Ego is an exploration of “confronting our own reflection, our alter ego”, explains Alexander, who has collaborated with a video artist, choreographer, composer and six performers to create the new media theatrical production, playing at Walsh Bay.

 Incorporating Alexander’s love of theatre, it is the only installation to use live performers.

 Alexander’s inspiration for Alter Ego was ignited by her PhD research on theatre and new media, in the School of the Arts and Media.

“Undertaking a PhD has really pushed my creative ideas, it’s very satisfying to see Alter Ego come to life,” she says.

Four speakers gave insightful and engaging presentations: Lyndall Partington, from the UNSW Careers Centre, gave an informative breakdown of the DFAT application process; Laurie Smith, the Executive Director of International Operations at Austrade, opened minds to positions in the Australian foreign service beyond DFAT and spoke on how he became passionate about Asia; James Hudson, the East Asia Advisor at CSIRO International, discussed how CSIRO plays a role in global responses to global challenges, and what they don’t teach you about at university about diplomacy; and Huw Pohlner, the Manager for Strategy at Asialink, spoke on the growing importance of Asia to Australian diplomacy. The event received news coverage from SBS Mandarin News Australia, and was broadcast on SBS on 23 May at 5:30pm.

If you would like to know more about this event look out for the edited video on the UNSW Confucius Institute website.

First Photo: Event Q&A – The speakers field another question in the Q&A session held after the event.

Second Photo: Speakers and ACYA Presidents – The speakers at Diplomatic Careers in Asia, with representatives from ACYA. Left-right: Laurie Smith; Lyndall Partington; Huw Pohlner; James Hudson; Matthew Tsang (ACYA Macquarie President); Andrew Blackie (ACYA UNSW Co-President); Jennifer Catterson (ACYA USYD Co-President); Andrew Li (ACYA UNSW Co-President)

The MediaPass Student Industry Day gives students the information they need to get into the media industry.

UNSW is the first university to host the event, a result of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) partnership with the Walkley Young Australian Journalist of the Year Awards.

The event drew an audience of around 130 journalism students from universities all over Sydney and allowed them to gain professional insight from some of the nation’s foremost print, broadcast and radio journalists.

A wide range of topics such as employment advice, freelance journalism and how to adapt to a changing media environment were discussed by leading journalists Mark Dapin, Sarah Ayoub and Antony Loewenstein.

During his presentation, Media Alliance federal secretary Chris Warren outlined the implications of “disruptive technologies” such as online channels on traditional print media business models.

He emphasized the role of trade unions in improving the wages and conditions of journalists as: “a task that is absolutely vital now as the media industry undergoes massive transformation to digital technology and tries to come to grips with the complex fragmentation of our audience.”

Highlights included the young journalists panel discussion, where students were given practical advice on journalistic integrity and ethics, the challenges posed by new technologies, and how to handle sensitive situations.

Panellist Madeleine Genner, a producer at ABC, believes that being multi-skilled is important.

“TV and radio reporters are increasingly becoming the same thing. It’s not about being excellent at both, but knowing how they work is important.”

Despite the numerous obstacles facing the next generation of journalists, Warren said, “journalism has the potential to be more timely, more relevant and more exciting with these new technologies.”

Sarah Sharkey Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

John Hume Institute for Global Irish Studies

REF. 8735NET

Salary Level (Level B): A$84,927 - A$100,119 per year depending on qualifications and experience (plus up to 17% employer superannuation, plus leave loading).

The John Hume Institute for Global Irish Studies was established in 2010 within the School of the Arts and Media (formerly the School of English, Media and Performing Arts). Directed by Professor Rónán McDonald,it is a UNSW research centre aimed at enhancing our understanding of Ireland and the Irish around the world.

The Institute is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Global Irish Studies. We welcome applicants with an interest in Ireland and the Irish Diaspora from a wide range of subject backgrounds across the humanities, arts and social sciences, including history, politics, literary studies, sociology, anthropology, music and media. The successful candidate will pursue a self-directed research project over the duration of their appointment, as well as undertaking other duties related to the Institute and their research field (publishing, applying for grants, and assisting with the running of a major research centre). The candidate will also contribute to the conception and development of summer school courses in Irish Studies.

This is a full-time position, available for a fixed term of three years commencing in September 2012.

Applicants should systematically address the selection criteria in their application. UNSW is an equal opportunity employer.

Having read the documentation, you may then direct any enquiries to Professor Rónán McDonald on telephone (61 2) 9385 4772, or email: r.mcdonald@unsw.edu.au 

For more information about the Centre, visit http://jhigis.arts.unsw.edu.au/

For the position information pack and to submit an application please use the link below to the Human Resources jobs@UNSW board.

Human Resources jobs@UNSW board 

Applications close : 15 June 2012

A opportunity exists for postgraduate research students in the area of Modern Irish Studies.

More information about this top-up scholarship is available at the university's Graduate Research School website

Graduate Research School

Educationally, Australia performs well by international testing standards, but we have been forced to face evidence of a decline in the last round of PISA testing.

Done well, standardised assessments can provide an important picture of aggregate student achievement. As teachers know, however, they are only part of the picture.

The new importance of ''knowledge work'' has huge implications for education. Knowledge and skills have become the global currency, says the special advisor on education policy to the OECD's Secretary-General, Andreas Schleicher.

But, as he observes ''there is no central bank that prints this currency, you cannot inherit this currency and you cannot produce it through speculation. You can only develop it through sustained effort and investment by people and for people.''

And we clearly need to consider the type of investment we make.

To teach well is to meet the exacting professional standards of modern-day knowledge workers.

What do we do to ensure new and existing teachers have the knowledge, skills and resources to meet these standards?

Effecting a sustained, systemic, statewide and then national lift in student achievement depends on a similarly sustained lift in teaching quality.

We need to map a network of pathways for teachers who are moving into, through or re-entering our systems after a period of absence. This network needs to ensure teachers have the support they need to maintain currency of content knowledge and pedagogic practice.

We need to ensure teachers can access a broad and robust evidence base on the effectiveness of different pedagogic approaches in a range of circumstances.

Ensuring access to such a base is important but not in itself sufficient to lift the quality of teaching. The ways in which it is used to inform and shape classroom practice is of more interest.

Further, we need to develop a better understanding of how teachers expand their repertoire of teaching skills. This may involve rethinking our approach to teacher professional development.

In the past in Australia, the concept of classroom observation, teacher collaboration and peer review has sometimes been viewed as an attack on teacher professionalism and autonomy.

Our efforts to improve the quality of teaching in our schools must begin in collaboration with our education systems' greatest assets - our teachers.

At the same time, we need to ensure we have the right teachers in our schools in the first place.

High-achieving countries tend to share certain characteristics when it comes to the teaching profession, including the recruitment of teachers from among the best and brightest of an age cohort.

NSW data suggests, however, there is a way to go to realise this standard. In NSW last year, more than a quarter of direct school leaver entrants to initial teacher education courses had ATAR scores in the bottom half of the HSC distribution.

The OECD reports that the increases in teachers' effectiveness between the first and second years of their careers are much larger than any subsequent gains.

This puts the onus back on getting initial teacher education right, together with support for teachers in their first year of service.

A powerful strategy to build the capacity of all teachers lies in the design and delivery of quality initial teacher education.

According to the 2010 Staff in Australia's Schools survey, fewer than one-third of early career teachers rated their pre-service education course highly for teaching indigenous students, those with learning difficulties or students from different cultural backgrounds.

ith much of the teaching quality agenda being debated nationally, what imperative is there for collective action in NSW?

Perhaps we should take a leaf from the 21st-century skills (cyber)book, which emphasises the importance of communication and collaboration alongside critical thinking and problem solving.

One thing we have not done particularly well is foster the most productive working relationship between the school education sector and the educational research community. This is essential if we expect teachers to embrace the quantitative and qualitative evidence base of their profession, as well as developing the art of its practise.

To create the best system possible, we need to understand the nature and value of each other's roles. From as an educationalist's perspective, it is incumbent on me to ensure advice to government is informed by the best evidence available, whatever that demonstrates.

From my links with the research community, it is also important for me to acknowledge the exciting, sometimes frustrating, parameters of the policy window.

Dr Michele Bruniges is NSW Director-General of Education and is Adjunct Professor in UNSW's School of Education.

This extract of her So, What? Public Lecture delivered at UNSW first appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald

 Wa

The increased provisions for welfare spending are partially symbolic, but also lay the foundations for a more progressive tax and welfare system. AAP

The Treasurer Wayne Swan has described the 2012 Budget yesterday as “a Labor budget to its bootstraps”, and commentators have variously seen it as “a big taxing, big spending budget, including a big increase in welfare” and as “a big dose of class warfare”.

While the budget aims to achieve a small surplus – which was not a surprise – there were some unexpected changes, including an increase in Family Tax Benefit Part A (FTB-A), the income-tested cash payment for families with children, with the biggest increases going to families with the lowest incomes. This comes at a cost of around $1.8 billion over four years.

A new Income Support Supplement to be paid to Newstart recipients and people receiving Youth Allowance will cost around $1 billion over four years, and give recipients $210 a year for single people and $350 (combined) for couples. Moreover, families with school aged children who receive FTB-A will also get a School Kids Bonus, worth $410 for each primary school aged child and $820 for each secondary school aged child. This will replace the Education Tax Rebate, which tended not to benefit low-income families.

The government also announced the first stages of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), substantial improvements in dental health care and new spending on aged care reforms among other items.

These figures need to be put into context. The combined impact of the “spreading benefits of the boom and support for families” package, the dental health package, the first stage of the NDIS and the aged care package is to increase spending over four years by around $8 billion. Out of total annual Commonwealth Budget spending of $376 billion close to $132 billion or 35% is on social security and welfare, and a further $61 billion on health. Therefore $8 billion represents less than 1% of total spending on health, social security and welfare over the same four-year period.

In addition, there are relatively substantial savings being made in social security and welfare at the same time – including nearly $700 million over four years on Parenting Payment changes, $360 million on lowering the age of eligibility for FTB-A and $127 million in restricting the portability of pensions.

Overall, whether this constitutes a “big increase in welfare” is debatable – it is just that given the size of the Australian economy and the size of the Commonwealth budget, small percentages translate into large numbers.

It is also worth noting that some of the smaller changes are particularly welcome, even if their impact is more symbolic than substantial. The Income Support Supplement will be equivalent to an increase of around $4 a week in the single rate of Newstart, which is not likely to make much of an impact on the deepening poverty of this group, but it is at least some recognition of the fact that there has been no real increase in the level of payment for close to 20 years. Just as welcome is the decision to double the liquid assets test thresholds, which will help reduce the likelihood that people will have to impoverish themselves just to get on to Newstart in the first place.

These and other initiatives, and the achievement of a budget surplus, are to be financed from around $32.6 billion in savings over four years, although for the purposes of the coming year’s surplus, it is $4.4 billion of savings in 2012-13 that are relevant. In this year, the largest single item of savings is $965 million in defence spending, followed by $600 million in deferring changes to the superannuation concession cap, around $450 million in deferring increases in overseas aid and $320 million in not proceeding with the company tax cut.

Whether these changes constitute “class warfare” is also debatable. In fact, the one major change that specifically targets the very rich – the reduction in the tax concession for superannuation for very high earners (those earning over $300,000 a year, a subset of the top 1%) – actually has a small cost to revenue in the 2012-13 year. However, over a four-year period, the changes labelled as “Improving fairness in the tax system” will become more significant, bringing in additional revenue of around $2.5 billion.

In sum, the targeted additions to spending in the budget are in part symbolic, but also likely to be quite progressive in their impact. Whether this signals an ongoing commitment to a more progressive tax and welfare system in the future remains to be seen.

Professor Peter Whiteford works at the Social Policy Research Centre at UNSW. Associate Professor Gerry Redmond works at the School of Social and Policy Studies at Flinders University.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

National Centre in HIV Social Research
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Level 3, John Goodsell Building
UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia

Tel: +61 (2) 9385 6776
Fax: +61 (2) 9385 6455
Email: nchsr@unsw.edu.au

 Described as the 'battlers budget' - in a not so subtle appeal to swing seats in NSW, mainly in the West and South West suburbs of Sydney - the narrative underpinning the Gillard-Swan budget is that some people matter more than others. While the Gillard Government will retain their commitment to social democratic programs like the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the cost will come in some part from a significant decline in foreign aid.

While it is a mantra in Western politics that there are no votes in foreign aid, in this case the decline in foreign aid spending signals Australia's – and in particular Gillard and Carr's shift – away from the foreign policy direction promoted by Kevin Rudd. It is a not so subtle swipe at Rudd in decreasing Australian foreign aid spending by $2.9 billion.

It also reduces the likeliness of Australia increasing its presence in the U.N., another Rudd dream. The U.N., along with numerous regional and international non-government aid agencies will notice Australia's retraction. It might win votes in the suburbs of large Australian cities for which foreign aid is a zero sum – if we spend money over 'there' there is less money to spend 'here'. But the cost to Australia's regional and international persona will be significant. Gillard's lack of credibility is delivering promises is again under fire.

The decrease in foreign aid means the Gillard Government will not fulfil the Labor Party's policy pledge at its 2011 National Conference to double its foreign aid budget by 2015. The $8 billion pledge has been razored to save the surplus with an extra $1.5 billion. In 2007, then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised to reach a target of 0.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on foreign aid. This was an increase from 0.35 per cent. Rudd argued it would: "…provide us [Australia] with the funding base in order to plan long term to intervene effectively with the economic underdevelopment of the region." On becoming Prime Minister Julia Gillard was asked if she would keep this commitment. She responded: the Government is committed to the millennium development goals."

The millennium development goals (MDG) were adopted by states, including Australia, in 2000 to be achieved by 2015. Numerical benchmarks were set to tackle extreme poverty by providing a framework for the international community to work together towards a common end of cutting global poverty in half, saving tens of millions of lives, and giving billions more the opportunity to benefit from the global economy. The eight MDGs were to: eradicated extreme poverty and hunger; to achieve universal primary education; to promote women's empowerment and equality; to reduce child mortality; to improve maternal health; combat diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria; to ensure environmental sustainability; and to develop global partnerships for development.

As Tim Costello, of World Vision Australia of persuasively argues: "…charity begins at home and the subtext of the 2012 federal budget is that "it ends at home". We'll just look after ourselves. And it's as if we set up a false contest of suffering, that we've got problems, floods, bushfires, so we'll just look after ourselves and forget our moral duties to the 1.4 billion in poverty…In 1960, 60,000 kids died each day. We halved that to 30,000 kids dying each day just two years ago. It's down now to 22,000 children dying each day. A lot of that's actually due to very simple aid interventions - rehydration kits for kids with diarrhoea, which is the biggest killer, mosquito nets, vitamin supplements. We are saving lives…"

Arguably Rudd's commitment to the MDG's and an increase in GDP spending on foreign aid was driven by his desire to have Australia seen as a good global citizen rewarded with an increased presence at the higher levels of international politics; notably the U.N. with Australia rewarded with a seat on the U.N. Security Council. In gutting foreign aid spending the latter is now unlikely. Hence, the Gillard-Swan decision is perhaps the ultimate triumph against Kevin Rudd.

The 'battlers budget' will allow Gillard to provide a surplus, estimated at $1.5 billion. The education and carbon tax handouts will boost domestic spending but probably on imported goods. All however, at the cost of the world's poorest and most in need. It is not a budget of generosity of spirit from a nation spared the economic nightmares of the U.K., Europe, Africa, most of Asia and Latin America. Moreover, declining aid directly results in more displaced people: refugees wandering the world, some of who will end up in Australia via leaky boats.

While the International Monetary Fund says a budget surplus would put Australia in a better position to "absorb the blow from future economic shocks" the decision to reduce foreign aid will mean Australia will have to pay more in both its regional-international reputation and to detain the asylum who will seek refuge. As Oxfam Australia has counselled, the federal government should "keep her promise to the world's poorest people". Executive director Andrew Hewett said giving "50 cents of every $100 of the country's income to the most needy was achievable."

Jo Coghlan lectures in the School of Social Science at UNSW. This opinion piece first appeared on Online Opinion.

The ambitious, but achievable, strategic and budgetary targets set out in the 2009 defence white paper are now dead in the water. That is the only reasonable conclusion to be drawn from the steady attrition in defence spending over the past three years, which is accelerating as the government sacrifices good policy on the altar of political expediency in its obsessive pursuit of a pre-election budget surplus.

This is not the first government to cut a defence budget and it certainly won't be the last. But there are few precedents for a government imposing such deep cuts in the absence of a recession or a demonstrable peace dividend.

Neither applies to Australia, which is still outperforming just about every other developed country, as Treasurer Wayne Swan continually reminds us. And, by the government's own admission, Australia's security environment is becoming more unpredictable and challenging, not less so, hardly a compelling case for reductions in defence spending.

Equally worrying is the means chosen to obtain defence savings which have been achieved largely by deferring, or slowing down, agreed acquisitions, unnecessarily complicating already difficult defence and industry planning by reducing certainty.

We have now reached the point where important capabilities are under threat, either because the necessary funding is unlikely to materialise, or because there is insufficient time to make equipment and systems combat-ready within designated time frames. The new submarine program is a prime example. As a recent study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute makes clear, it will be difficult to avoid a significant gap between the new submarines becoming available and the retirement of the Collins Class submarines they are slated to replace.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith's announcement of yet another review to determine which submarine we need begs the question of why these reviews were not carried out in the nearly four years since the National Security Committee of cabinet first approved their purchase.

An even more telling indictment of the government's perfunctory approach to defence is the apparent unwillingness, or inability, to match funding with declared strategic aims.

Major changes to approved equipment and personnel changes, including the location of Australian Defence Force units and supporting infrastructure, should not be made without a considered evaluation of the strategic reasons for, and consequences of, these changes.

But the government has ignored this logic with its decision to axe modern artillery and commission a major force posture review. Since the artillery was an approved purchase, what were the operational and strategic factors which justified its cancellation ahead of other capabilities that might equally have been eliminated? The suspicion is that there weren't any, and that Army was simply told to find savings of $225 million.

And how can the government accurately assess, in the just completed Force Posture Review, whether the ADF is "correctly positioned geographically, to meet Australia's current and future strategic challenges" without reviewing the 2009 white paper or writing a new one, neither of which has yet occurred? This is putting the cart before the horse, since it is the white paper which is supposed to determine the challenges confronting defence and where, how and with what the ADF needs to fight and deploy.

These decisions will have three major consequences, none of them good.

First, after more than a decade of commendable remediation efforts by both Coalition and Labor governments to restore the ADF to good financial and operational health, politics is set to trump national security as the Gillard government pursues its holy grail of a budget surplus. The spending cuts already announced will not be the last, so defence can expect to see further salami slicing and the cancellation of capabilities once considered essential to meeting its mission requirements.

Second, the ADF is unlikely to ever deploy 12 modern, combat-ready submarines designed in Australia or the promised 100 Joint Strike Fighters simply because they are no longer affordable. The government should admit this publicly and begin factoring in fewer submarines and advanced fighter aircraft. While there may be some justification for delaying a final decision on the JSFs, each year without a decision on new submarines further increases the already unacceptably high risk of a major capability gap developing towards the end of the next decade.

Finally, the next government is going to have to make some very tough decisions about defence spending priorities in economic circumstances which may turn out to be far less favourable than those faced by this government. None of this augurs well for our future defence capabilities or capacity to provide for our own security.

Alan Dupont is director of the Institute of International Security and Development at UNSW.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Australian

Earlier in the year, the Gonski report was released and has been subject to much debate ever since. Now you are being provided with the opportunity to discuss the future of schools and school funding with Minister Garrett and Mr Gonski. Please find attached an invitation to the School Funding Forum for Academics to be held on Friday 11 May at 1:00pm at the University of New South Wales.

This is by all means an exciting event and a large and diverse audience are expected to be present to discuss the Gonski report with Minister Garrett and Mr Gonski. Places are strictly limited so please register your attendance here. 

The program ran for the first seven weeks of session and links groups of first year students with a senior student and the breakfast was the program’s wrap up get together.

The mentors amused their student groups with their fancy dress and with a personalised rendition of ‘I Will Survive’ complete with impromptu dancing. The song reminded the students of how far they had come since their first week of university.

The morning in the Roundhouse was filled with lots of talking and laughing as groups filled their plates with eggs, bacon, mushrooms and toast. Funny stories about the first few weeks of university were also recounted and there was a distinct celebratory buzz throughout the room about the milestone of having reached over halfway through semester one.

Program Manager Zarni Jaugietis, gave an inspiring speech about the peer mentoring program and being part of the UNSW community. This was followed by a video showcasing student talent made by a few of the Tuesday Temptation peer-mentoring groups, with special effects, dancing and interviews. The video was created during one of their weekly meetings leading up to the breakfast.

So as all good things must come to an end and the reality that there were still classes to attend that day; the groups said their goodbyes, bellies full and headed, well-equipped, into university life.

Students interested in being a mentor in 2013 please contact Zarni Jaugietis - Zarni@unsw.edu.au

By Nicole Stinson – Peer Mentor 2012

Breaking News

Further to our news story posted on this site on the 20th of April, Drs Meryl Kenny and Fiona Mackay's report into the under representation of women in Scottish local politics has generated a lot of media interest with this latest coverage on the BBC.



The article reports on a new study conducted by Dr Kenny and her associate Dr Fiona MacKay about the state of health of Scottish local democracy.

For the full article, click here.

For a link to their blog, click here.

News Update - 24th April 2012

Wonderful news for Drs Meryl Kenny and Fiona MacKay; in response to their report (see links above) the parties have now promised action on equality.

Read more in the Guardian Scottish politics blog.

Please also follow the link to The Herald Scotland where this news has made front page.

Congratulations Meryl and Fiona.

The knowledge and skills imparted in this course have application for the management of archives and manuscripts in a wide variety of institutions and organizations, such as schools and colleges, churches and religious congregations, professional associations and learned societies, industrial organizations, pastoral and agricultural societies, business corporations, and local government authorities.

Course Brochure

Course Program

Stage 1: Principles and Techniques
Monday 18th June to Friday 22nd June, 2012
School of Humanities, UNSW

Stage 2: Field Practicum
Monday 25th June to Friday 29th June, 2012
Belvoir Street Theatre, Surry Hills

Audio recordings of presentations are available for download at: http://lectopia.telt.unsw.edu.au/lectopia/lectopia.lasso?ut=2690

NCHSR Director Prof John De Wit thanked the conference sponsors (Gilead, ASHM, NUAA, ACT Health Directorate, UNSW Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the UNSW Bookshop) whose support helped produce a high quality conference with a registration fee that was affordable to participants.

The organising committee was extremely pleased that the conference was deemed a success by several measures: the calibre of speakers, the number of attendees, and the timeliness and significance of the discussions. The conference abstract booklet is available for download and more information on proceedings will be forthcoming in a future edition of the NCHSR e-Newsletter.

Expressing her high regard for the courage of conference participants—including sex workers, those living with HIV or hepatitis and people who inject drugs—for speaking out about the issues confronting them, NCHSR’s Deputy Director Prof Carla Treloar closed by saying “I feel so fortunate that we have such people who are prepared to take such risks, and I have been privileged to learn from and be inspired by so many colleagues”. A summary of Prof Treloar’s speech may be viewed here. 

Speaking at UNSW’s National Centre for HIV Social Research conference yesterday, Della Bosca said he backed the recently released Australia21 report that urges the government to consider the decriminalisation of drugs.

As Special Minister of State, Della Bosca approved the establishment of the Kings Cross Medically Supervised Injecting Rooms. The injecting room trial was a result of the 1991 Drug Summit.

“I agree with the Australia21 position – the war on drugs has failed. If a person has a drug addiction it is far better to find treatment for them than to put them in jail,” he told the conference yesterday.

Della Bosca said early intervention programs needed to be reintroduced, as they are critical to treatment plans.

“After the Drug Summit the government introduced a series of programs for families that addressed the mental, educational and social problems that drug use stems from – many of those programs no longer exist.”

The Social Research Conference on HIV, Hepatitis and Related Diseases considers the social and behavioural dynamics of blood borne viral epidemics and sexually transmissible infections. It brings together researchers, health professionals, policy-makers and community members.



Observers of the USA's attitude towards international law seem to be perpetually taken aback by its actions, whether those relate to the use of force, the International Criminal Court or human rights. This book sets out to articulate the considerable degree of continuity in the nature of US engagement with international law. International Law, US Power explains that the USA has throughout its history pursued a quest for defensive and offensive legal security and that this was a key ingredient in the rise of the USA. Although skilful strategic involvement with international law was an ingredient in the USA 'winning' the Cold War, the rise of China and the growing negotiating strength of leading developing countries mean that the USA is likely to find it increasingly difficult to use the same set of techniques in the future.

 For more information, please visit the Cambridge University Press website.

In an opinion piece published in the Daily Mail last week, British woman Samantha Brick told the world how awful it was to be an attractive woman. She wrote: ''I'm tall, slim, blonde and, so I'm often told, a good-looking woman. I know how lucky I am. But there are downsides to being pretty - the main one being that other women hate me for no other reason than my lovely looks.''

Her article is accompanied by a toe-curling photo of her smiling stiffly at the camera while an exercise machine lurks in the background. In another, her French husband, whose praises are loudly sung in her column, is apparently shielding her from unseen amorous onlookers.

It's shamefully easy to lampoon a moderately pretty blonde woman who bursts into print claiming her life has been blighted by the jealousy of other females.

And, of course, that's precisely what thousands of women have been doing on Twitter and Facebook.

''WHERE ON EARTH IS SHE LOOKING? I want her mirror,'' is typical. But so are comments suggesting women who admit they care about appearances are shallow traitors to the feminist cause.

And therein lies the cunning trap laid by those sages at the Daily Mail. Publish a piece claiming women are always at each others' throats and they will be at each others' throats in the comments section. (Sound of cash register: stage left.)

Beauty is an open wound in feminism. It's up there with pornography and the hot-blooded enjoyment of heterosexuality. We all know that beauty is pleasurable, however diverse its forms. We know that sexual desire doesn't always follow the rules. We know that some of us like to look - indeed, some of us can't help it.

So where's the feminist language that lets us speak about these things in a kind and honest manner?

Why is it still so hard to talk about female beauty without defaulting to patriarchal stereotypes that simultaneously praise feminine allure and denounce its bearer as shallow, vain and vapid?

The Western history of art is a textbook on female beauty - its charms and its supposed evils. Female nudes are often posed staring into a mirror or averting their eyes to demonstrate their self-absorption. The bonus is that the viewer is allowed to check them out without meeting their gaze.

The implicit contract - as Marxist art critic John Berger famously wrote - is that men look at women and women watch themselves being looked at. Men act, women appear.

It's a view that is still recited in feminist debates. I've sat on panels at writers' festivals and taken questions from astonishingly gorgeous young women in hipster jeans who are furious that men look at them as objects of sexual desire and nothing more.

If looks still determine our destiny as women, then I'm on their side.

But we do not need to jettison our appreciation of beauty to accept that women can be attractive, but also smart, determined, funny and generous. Can we entertain a world in which women can be sexy and beautiful - in their own minds and the minds of other men and women - as well as being everything else they are?

Why do the two domains, mind and body, cancel each other?

Feminism has taught us that the mind and the body should not be seen as separate. Men claimed the life of the mind for so long - and the privileges of public life that went with it. Abortion, rape, domestic violence, shame for having sex outside wedlock - they were all written on the female body and left for women to shoulder in the domestic sphere.

When we separate the mind and the body and see the former as more valuable, we forget where we came from. Bodies matter, pleasure matters, beauty matters.

Beauty, of course, is always apprehended. Like sexual desire, it doesn't bend itself to visual rules. Some beautiful women were born with a natural talent for it. Our Governor-General, Quentin Bryce; Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story; Charlotte Rampling naked on a table in Helmut Newton's portrait; Germaine Greer with legs going on forever promoting The Female Eunuch in 1970.

Some of us acquire beauty through living, enjoying ourselves and settling into our skins.

The art critic Robert Hughes told me that when he first set eyes on Eva Cox, one of Australia's iconic feminists, he found her so sexy it was hard to breathe. Eva was part of a bohemian set in the 1960s.

''It was her black stockings,'' Hughes said. ''And the fact that she knew who she was.''

Beauty matters but it should not matter for women in the way it once did. Appreciating or feeling beautiful is part of being human. Being reduced to simply being beautiful in the eyes of another is a kind of slavery.

The good news is that ideals of feminine beauty are broader than they once were, but there is still a long way to go before we leave behind conformist ideas about body shape, facial proportions and hairstyles.

I was sitting at lunch with my three closest girlfriends recently. I've known one since kindergarten and the others since early high school. We sat there laughing and I looked around and was struck by how beautiful they are.

The idea that women routinely compete over their attractiveness to men is rubbish.

Even in our teenage years, at our most insecure, my friends and I formed a bond against the wall of male attention or inattention. We knew there was more to life.

Professor Catharine Lumby is the director of UNSW's Journalism and Media Research Centre.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Sunday Age.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences initiated the first university partnership with the SWF in 2010.

“We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with the Festival,” said FASS Dean, Professor James Donald.

“The Festival and the University are both committed to creativity and critical thinking. We both operate on a global scale with a cosmopolitan perspective and make a real contribution to Sydney's intellectual vivacity and literary culture. We are looking forward to taking part in another thought-provoking program.”

Various UNSW academics will be panellists at the Festival which runs from May 14 -20, attracting over 300 writers and 80,000 visitors annually.

Associate Professor David McKnight, in conversation with ABC TV's Jonathan Holmes, will discuss his book Rupert Murdoch – An Investigation of Political Power.

McKnight will also join ABC presenter Mark Colvin and journalist Robert Manne in a panel about journalistic ethics.

Professor Jill Bennett, Dr Edward Scheer and Professor Stephen Muecke will discuss art writing and performance, and UNSW graduate Mette Jackobsen will explore fairytales, folklore and fantasy with internationally acclaimed author Margo Lanagan.

UNSWriting will host a Festival event with author Jesmyn Ward where she will discuss her novel, Salvage the Bones, winner of the 2011 National Book Award for Fiction in the US.

The UNSWriting series is presented by the School of the Arts and Media.

See all Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences SWF events here

SYD2030 follows “six ridiculously good-looking university law students struggling to balance their thriving social lives with the demanding workload of law school”, says Arts/Law student Tatjana Marjanovic, one of the creators of the series along with Suzie Smith, Alex Barnett and Annika Drew, all recent graduates of the UNSW film program. The group formed Cheese On Toast Productions, which is the driving force behind producing the show.

Inspired by TV series Dawson’s Creek, Marjanovic says script ideas for SYD2030 “come from experience, to some extent”. She says the group was attracted to the idea of a web series because of its afforability. "Plus this particular medium has the ability to reach audiences much faster."

UNSW lecturer Dr Collin Chua, who taught the group film studies, says: “It's fantastic and really encouraging to see students from the film program going on to achieve success and awards. There are growing opportunities being seized in terms of getting creative film projects distributed.”

The group has received several offers to get started in the short film industry in Australia. However, they are planning on returning to the United States mid-year to see what opportunities await them there.

Marjanovic attributes Cheese On Toast’s success to their persistence. “Our motto has always been the worst anyone can say is ‘no’.”

The first three episodes of SYD2030 can be viewed on the website, with the fourth to be released this Friday.

Wood describes her novel as a “reverse urban love story” that has as one of its themes the contradictions in human relationships with animals.

This is not the first time Wood has been in the running for Australia’s most prestigious literary award. Her second novel, The Submerged Cathedral, was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin in 2005.

“I am thrilled to be sharing the long-list with some of the country’s finest writers,” she said.

Dr Anne Brewster in the School of the Arts and Media said she is honoured to be supervising Wood’s PhD.

“Charlotte is a major Australian writer whose fiction has explored many important aspects of contemporary Australian life, including the question of how we can live an ethical life,” said Dr Brewster. “She is a canny and forgiving observer of Australian suburbia, with a wry sense of humour.”

Wood's first novel, Pieces of a Girl, published in 1999, won the 1998 Jim Hamilton Award for an unpublished manuscript. Her second novel, The Submerged Cathedral (2004), was shortlisted for the 2005 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, SE Asia/South Pacific, along with the Miles Franklin. Her third novel, The Children, was a bestseller.

Wood said she is looking forward to the benefits of writing in a university environment.

“I’m hoping to build a bit more intellectual muscle into my fiction and share the process with committed individuals," she said. “It’s nice being in a place where the purpose of your whole existence is to think.”

The Miles Franklin Award shortlist will be announced on May 3 at the State Library of NSW.

Professor Slava Kalyuga
How Does Cognitive Load Research Add to Our Knowledge About Knowledge?

When: Wednesday, 2nd May 2012
Time: 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Location: Room 119, John Goodsell Building UNSW

For more details and to register, please click here. 

So, what? lecture with Professor Michele Bruniges AM
Teaching matters: The Role of Universities and Education Systems in Lifting Educational Quality

When: Thursday, 10th May 2012
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Location: Tyree Room, John Niland Scientia Building (map ref G19)

For more details and to register, please click here.

Professor Paul Ayres
Using Primary Knowledge to Enhance the Learning of Secondary Knowledge

When: Wednesday, 23rd May 2012
Time: 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Location: Room 119, John Goodsell Building UNSW  

For more details and to register, please click here.

Undergraduate Courses

 Bachelor of Education - (please click here to see a sample program)

Dual Degree Prorgams 

• Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Education/Bachelor Economics
• Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Science

To apply for the mid-year intake to an undergraduate degree you must apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) prior to June 8, 2012.**

Postgraduate Courses

Master of Educational Leadership
Master of Education (all streams as listed below)

• Master of Education in Assesment and Evaluation
• Master of Education in Educational Studies 
• Master of Education in Gifted Education
• Master of Education in Higher Education
• Master of Education in TESOL
• Master of Education in Special Education

For more information on any of the programs listed above, please do not hesitate to contact the School of Education on 02 9385 1977. 

Local Domestic and International Students are required to apply online please visit our How to Apply page for further details. The deadline for on-time postgraduate coursework applications is April 30, 2012 (please note: applications may be accepted after this date).**

**International Students: Please contact the International Office on 02 9385 6996 or by sending an email here or simply apply online. A step by step guide on how to apply to study at UNSW is available to students.

To view the video, click on this link and scroll down to the video player just above 'Related Videos'.

Scroll through the video player menu on the right hand side of the page and select Christmas Island boat tragedy, dated 9/4/12.
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The transition from the Afghanistan conflict places the Australian military at an historic ‘inflection point’ Professor Dupont writes in a Lowy Institute policy brief.

Professor Dupont is a non resident Senior Fellow at the Lowy Institute and inaugural Director of UNSW’s Institute for International Security and Development. He warns against repeating the mistakes of the post-Vietnam era whereby the Army was hollowed out, hard won counter insurgency skills were lost, and Australia was left with a poorly equipped defence force.

“There is a real danger that post-Afghanistan uncertainty about future strategic challenges will lead to a similar period of drift and misplaced spending,” he writes.

The paper is timely considering the ADF must prioritise actions needed for a stronger Australian-US strategic relationship, as announced during President Obama’s inaugural visit in Australia in November last year, and calls for a vigorous public debate about the priorities of the ADF in time for the new Defence White Paper in 2014.

“To enable the ADF to meet the challenges of the future, there ought to be a much more informed and open discussion about defence strategy, the overall balance of the force, and external enablers such as the US alliance and our relationship with regional defence forces.”

Professor Dupont recommends that Australia should reduce its planned acquisition of 12 ‘future submarines’ and 100 Joint Strike Fighters, including to ensure the Army is properly funded for likely contingencies in Australia’s neighbourhood.

He concludes: “An unhealthy preoccupation with China could take us back to a discredited strategy of the past which held that the ADF should only be configured for state-on-state-conflicts and defence of the maritime approaches to Australia.”

Professor Dupont’s paper, Inflection Point: The ADF after Afghanistan is available on the Lowy Institute’s website.

His report, presented at the ACOSS national conference in Sydney, says that “Australian benefits for the short-term unemployed are now the lowest in the OECD in terms of replacement rates. Unemployment payments fell from 46 per cent of median household income in 1996 to 36 per cent in 2009-10.”

ACOSS has used the findings to call on the Federal Government to increase the Newstart allowance by $50 a week.

Professor Whiteford says that while wages are indexed to the CPI, jobless Austrailans are falling further below the poverty line.

“In 2050 a single, unemployed person would be receiving a payment of about 11 per cent of the average male wage ... little more than one-third that of a pensioner," notes the report, Global trends in poverty and inequality: the Australian welfare state in an age of uncertainty.

Professor Whiteford notes that unemployment stands out as the exception in Australia’s otherwise efficient welfare system, which says is among the best in the developed world.

“Australian family payments for social security recipients and the low-paid are the highest in the OECD.”

The papers resulting from the workshop will be reviewed and considered for the special issue of the Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disability (JARID), edited by Iva Strnadova, Terry Cumming and Marie Knox.

Robinson, S., Gendera, S., Fisher, K.R., Clements, N. and Eastman, C. (2011), ‘Evaluation of the Self Directed Support Pilot Second Report’, SPRC Report 10/11, prepared for the Department of Communities, Disability and Community Care Services Queensland.

When US President Obama announced the end of America’s involvement in Iraq, he deliberately did not claim victory.

But he did say, when welcoming the last contingent of combat troops home in October last year, that the war in Iraq was over. For Americans, Australians and the media in both countries, that may be how the situation is seen. Iraqis could be excused for disagreeing.

For some months now, Iraq has been experiencing a steady campaign of bombings and murders across the country. Iraqi security forces have been hard-pressed to deal with the attacks, especially since the departure of US forces.

The campaign has been directed largely at the Shi'a majority and, while the identity of the attackers and their motives can only be guessed at, it would seem that their intent is to demonstrate that the government of Nuri Al-Maliki is incapable of providing security and services for the population.

The campaign of violence has been provoked by two factors: provocative actions by Prime Minister Al-Maliki and the impending meeting of the Arab League in Baghdad. The situation has been aggravated by the descent into violence in Syria and rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which is being fought out in Iraq. This is a fertile environment for people who are intent on causing disruption.

Al-Maliki – consolidating Shi'a power

The focus on Shi'a targets, such as the city of Karbala, suggest that those behind the attacks are Sunni. It is also notable that the campaign achieved prominence following a series of measures by Prime Minister Al-Maliki which seem designed to drive out Sunni members of his coalition government and exclude the Sunni from power.

Last December, Al-Maliki issued an arrest warrant for Tariq Al-Hashemi, the country’s Vice-President, on charges of having organised death squads.

This action, and moves against other Sunni politicians, has created an atmosphere of crisis, which invites the rise of sectarian tensions in a volatile country.

The Arab League Summit and the Saudi connection

The meeting of the Arab League later this month will be the first held in Iraq since 1990. It represents significant progress in Iraq’s goal of being readmitted to the Arab community after the US invasion of 2003 and the election of Shi'a-dominated governments.

A particular problem for Iraqi ambitions has been the attitude of Saudi Arabia. Iraq and Saudi Arabia have long had an important, if complex, relationship. For many years, Iraq was seen as the Arabs’ bulwark against Iranian expansionism and the Saudis actively supported Baghdad, for example, in the Iraq-Iran war of 1980-1988.

The overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the removal of the Sunni-dominated government in 2003 changed the nature of the relationship. Conservative Sunni governments, especially Saudi Arabia, harbour great hostility towards Shi'a Muslims and have refused to be reconciled to the emergence of a government in Iraq in which the Shi'a play such a dominant role.

The collapse of order in Iraq, the resulting rise to regional dominance of Iran and the retreat of the United States from the contest left Saudi Arabia feeling exposed to the Iranian challenge and left Iraq as a place where the Iranian and Saudi rivalries would be played out. Both governments are supporting in various ways different groups in Iraq to promote their interests.

Routinely, this process has taken a Sunni-Shi'a dimension.

There are signs the Saudis might be coming to terms with the inevitable, with reports the Saudi ambassador to Jordan will also act as the non-resident ambassador to Baghdad – a post that has been vacant since 2003.

Rapprochement is, however, limited. The Saudis only reluctantly agreed to the convening of the Arab League summit in Baghdad and their delegation at the summit is likely to be at a relatively low level.

One of the conditions they imposed on their participation has been the exclusion of Syria from the event. Reflecting, in part, pressure from Iran, Iraq has reversed decades of hostility to the regime in Damascus to offer political support for the Al-Assad regime. The Syrians’ absence will be portrayed by the Saudis as a blow against growing Iranian influence in the region.

The domestic dimension

The campaign of violence is heavily influenced by external factors. Perhaps the most important consideration, however, is the challenge the attacks pose to the Iraqi government and to Nuri Al-Maliki’s prime ministership.

At one level, the continuing attacks highlight how the sectarian tensions, exposed and aggravated during the years of American occupation, have not been resolved now that Iraqi control has been restored. The United States left a deeply divided and traumatised society behind when it withdrew.

In particular, the focus of the attacks would indicate that significant elements within the country’s Sunni community have not come to terms with their removal for dominance in the state and their effective sidelining by the Shi'a.

Al-Maliki has gone a long way towards accumulating the key elements of state power in his own hands but, unless he can end the violence, probably by finding a way of accommodating Sunni concerns, his power may prove to be ephemeral and the violence wracking the country will continue.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

Abstract: A too-common Australian perception of gifted students channels the image of academically successful, confident young people from professional families, educated in independent schools. This session will explore the realities. We will examine the environmental and intrapersonal causes of underachievement among gifted students and discuss how schools can better identify and respond to these students’ academic and socioaffective characteristics and needs.

The Conference: This unique conference brings together leading researchers and practitioners in the fields of Inclusive, Disability, Special and Gifted Education to share their expertise and knowledge on creating quality educational outcomes for all students. The purpose of the conference is to bridge the current research-practice gap and nurture collegial and educational dialogue on most effective ways of catering for the diversity of students.

The conference will be of interest to a wide range of educators, including school and system/sector leaders, specialist and mainstream teachers, teacher assistants, curriculum coordinators and others interested in catering for diverse student needs. It will showcase contemporary evidence-based research and practice of quality interventions for students with additional learning needs and create opportunities for delegates to meet others who share similar interests, passions and concerns.

Over two days, delegates will have the opportunity to participate in an extensive and diverse range of workshops and will leave with information to assist them to support system, whole school, cohort and classroom processes and strategies. 

Ten per cent of school children are gifted, some will be identified by their teachers, but others remain isolated and unchallenged.

Miraca Gross knows this, not just from her work in the field, but also from her own experience as a gifted child.

Growing up in 1950s Scotland, Gross immersed herself in books and story writing to pass time in the classroom until she was eventually chosen to attend a selective high school in her home town of Edinburgh. read more

In Brief

First volume: November 2012
Volumes: 2 per year Articles: 6-7 per volume (plus reviews)
Format: Online only (open access)

Carrigy’s thesis, Performing History, Troubling Reference: Tracking the Screen Re-enactment  investigates the evolution, mobility and adaptability of the re-enactment as a form of historical representation in film and other screen-based media.

Now in its tenth year, the Faculty Best Doctoral Thesis Prize aims to encourage and reward the postgraduate researcher’s exceptional achievement in producing a PhD thesis, based on the examiners’ reports.

Winning the prize is heartening for Carrigy, who believes it’s is a great boost at this early stage of her career. “I am really thrilled to receive the Faculty Thesis Prize and am so pleased that there has been such a positive reception of my PhD research.” She said.

Carrigy describes her thesis as building on a burgeoning interest in re-enactment among historians, contemporary art theorists and performance studies scholars and an emerging reconsideration of the re-enactment in documentary filmmaking. Carrigy is excited about investigating the complex relationships between historical representation and technically reproducible media. This recognition is timely as she is already pursuing her next project.

“I’m in the process of putting together a book proposal based on my thesis and it’s heartening to receive this encouragement that I’m on the right track.”

Carrigy chose to study at UNSW because of the breadth and diversity of its film studies scholarship. “UNSW hosts a significant group of academics whose work is well established across a range of key areas of contemporary film studies. One of those academics is Jodi Brooks and I came to UNSW specifically to work under her supervision,” Carrigy said.

Director of Postgraduate Research, Associate Professor Stephen Fortescue, says judging the Faculty Thesis Prize is a difficult task. “Every year wonderful theses are nominated for the prize and this year was no exception. Megan's thesis won out, a deserved winner. It's reassuring for us, we know we're on the right track too when such high quality theses are nominated.”

The Faculty Thesis prize will be officially awarded at the Faculty Awards Ceremony on the 28 March 2012.

In the first few months of this year Professor Anne Burns, a TESOL professor at UNSW has added an additional three books to her already impressive list of publications. Three of her most recent works; Teaching Speaking: A Holistic Approach, The Cambridge Guide to Pedagogy and Practice in Second Language Teaching and Tips for Teaching Listening: A Practical Approach, made it to the shelves and there is no doubt that they will be received with acclaim. As well as an ongoing research project, Professor Burns currently has a number of other books in the works all of which we look forward to reading in the near future.

Medcalf, who is also Senior Research Fellow, Indian Strategic Affairs in UNSW’s School of Social Sciences, says Canberra has intensified diplomatic engagement and economic enmeshment with both powers, yet is also seeking to hedge against uncertainties surrounding Chinese power. This involves strengthening Australia's defence posture, enhancing the U.S alliance and forging new ties with other Asian partners including India. Yet there are serious questions about the viability of such a strategy, or Australia’s capacity to make it work.

"I would argue that the rudiments of a strategy are becoming clear, and each of our last few prime ministers – including the present one – can take some credit," Medcalf said. "But big questions remain over how coherent, sustained, or effective this approach will be, in a country prone to short-term thinking and, these days, policy paralysis."

China and India are principal markets for Australia’s resources, major sources of human capital, and critical strategic players in the region but Medcalfe questioned how Australia will balance the economic benefits of the two Asian giants with security anxieties over their growing military power and differing values.

"An ideal Australian strategy in the Indo-Pacific Asian century would be to give China, India and the United States all grand stakes in this country’s own prosperity and security," said Medcalf.

The lecture was introduced by Professor Alan DuPont, Director of UNSW's new Institute for International Security and Development as part of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences So, What? lecture series.

Listen to the podcast here.

Alzheimer’s Australia NSW and the Social Policy Research Centre are conducting research into the service and support requirements of people with younger onset dementia and their families/carers.

This includes surveys about experiences of younger onset dementia services. These surveys are for people who live in NSW only.

There are separate versions of the survey for people with younger onset dementia and their families/carers. Each of these can be filled out online or in a printed copy.

The surveys are open until April 10, 2012.

Surveys for people with younger onset dementia

People with younger onset dementia are particularly encouraged to fill in a survey.

Having assistance to fill in a survey is encouraged – this could be assistance from family, friends or from staff at Alzheimer’s Australia NSW. Assistance from Alzheimer’s Australia NSW can be organised by phoning (02) 8875 4636.

There are two versions of the survey for people with younger onset dementia:

• Standard survey

This version of the survey has 15 core questions and 5 other questions, plus some information questions about you. The questions in this version are comparable to those in the family/carer survey.

This survey would be suitable for people with younger onset dementia who can give a thorough or detailed response.

• Shortened survey

This version of the survey is shortened, and includes six questions only, plus some information questions about you.

This survey would be suitable for people with younger onset dementia who have difficulty with extended concentration or comprehension.

Please choose the version that is most appropriate. Both versions (including online copies) can be filled in with assistance and can be done over a number of sittings.

Survey for families/carers

There is one survey for families/carers. This includes separate questions about your own experience and the experience of your family member with younger onset dementia.

Survey links

Please choose which survey version and which format best suits you from the links below:

Short survey for people with younger onset dementia

• Online – SHORT survey for people with younger onset dementia

• PDF – SHORT survey for people with younger onset dementia

Standard survey for people with younger onset dementia

• Online – STANDARD survey for people with younger onset dementia

• PDF – STANDARD survey for people with younger onset dementia

Survey for families/carers

• Online – Survey for family/carers

• PDF – Survey for family/carers

Please contact Alzheimer’s Australia NSW on (02) 8875 4636 for a pre-printed copy to be sent to you.

Please return printed copies to:

Ariella Meltzer

c/- Social Policy Research Centre

John Goodsell Building, University of New South Wales

Kensington NSW 2052

Questions and inquiries

For questions or inquiries about the survey, please contact Alzheimer’s Australia NSW on (02) 8875 4636.

''Why? What's that got to do with the dockyard?'' said Associate Professor Karskens, who thinks it ''a bit mean'' to mark the site with a few lines from the artist without explaining what lies below.

''People will have their appetite whetted and then they will find it is under concrete and they can't see it. I'd like them to pull up the concrete and install some nice glass panels so people can see Sydney's past embedded there,'' said Professor Karskens, a winner of a Prime Minister's Literary Award for The Colony: A History of Early Sydney.

A former City of Sydney historian, Shirley Fitzgerald, is also scathing about the museum's handling of the colonial site, describing it as appallingly superficial. ''The MCA is trying to bury the history because they don't see it as their brief. They see it as counter to being edgy and postmodern … I don't think they quite get the importance of their site to the whole history of the city. It was the heartland of settlement,'' she said.

The remains of the government dockyard, begun in 1797 under Governor John Hunter and enlarged by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, have stayed something of a secret, despite their rediscovery 15 years ago through site testing for an earlier plan to extend the museum.

The remains of the dockyard are listed on the State Heritage Register for their ''outstanding and unique historical significance'' as part of the underground Sydney Cove West archaeological precinct.

Such early colonial archaeological remains are rare, according to the listing. Testing indicates substantial portions of two Macquarie-era docks remain.

In 2009, the then planning minister, Kristina Keneally, gave the museum redevelopment the go-ahead as a ''state-significant project''. She made only passing reference to the dockyard, even though the NSW Heritage Office said earlier: ''The nationally significant stone walls will be conserved and interpreted for the public''.

The MCA director, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, who has seen the dockyard site, said it looked like ''a lot of rubble'' and expert advice was to keep it covered.

''This is pretty much destroyed. You can see the outlines of a few bits of sandstone. You are not allowed to expose it. It's a heritage no-no. It is absolutely wrong to expose it because it starts to deteriorate,'' she said.

Plaques would be ineffective and the museum was going further than required in interpreting the site, she said.

Besides commissioning the artist, the museum acknowledges the dockyards in a lavish new book, Site, which includes a section by Professor Karskens. People with smartphones would be able to tap into information on the museum's website, she said.

Andrew, a contemporary artist of Wiradjuri and Scottish descent, whose flashing arrow will be unveiled at the museum's re-opening this month, said it would help to make the history visible.

Drawing on an indigenous shield design, the arrow's zig-zag black and white pattern would be animated in LED lights, creating a hypnotic effect and drawing attention to the site from as far as the Opera House, he said.

''It's a pretty significant reference … the LED is a strong light source, so you are going to be drawn to it,'' he said.

His words, inspired by archaeological reports on the dockyard and by his heritage, will be laser cut into the ground below the arrow.

''In the loch, blood stricken, time hidden lay lost, under this place of birth, under your mind lies a tunnel, under this stone, salty darkness, forgotten place of docks and ships,'' they say.

Andrew said he had envisaged a glass surface over the ruins but the realities of site management on foreshore land and architects' plans led him to drop the idea

''We have monuments to Captain Cook but there are no statues of Aboriginal people and that's more important than a glass to expose something,'' he said.

Tony Lowe, a heritage consultant who has done extensive archaeological work on the site, said he was content for the remains to stay hidden because mould and other agents could damage them.

He said there were issues with rising salt at the Museum of Sydney, where windows allowed the public to see the brick and stone footings of the first Government House, and at the Conservatorium of Music, where early remains were uncovered.

It was ''possible that in another generation, portions of the [dockyard] remains may be exposed. It will just be an engineering solution that can do that,'' he said.

The National Trust's advocacy manager, Graham Quint, said the presence of crowds and salt water made exposing the remains difficult. But there should be far more extensive interpretation of the history, possibly in the paving outside, with headsets available for visitors.

''Given there won't be an opportunity to access this for another 100 years, it's important to indicate the history,'' he said.

Professor Karskens said that in Wellington, New Zealand, shopping centre developers displayed the remains of a wrecked ship in the floor and in Sydney there were several precedents in revealing the rich history under our feet.

Ms Macgregor said another respected historian, Margaret Betteridge, had contributed a chapter to Site. Its title is the same as the message from the heritage consultants: ''Let sleeping docks lie''.

Read the full story in the Sydney Morning Herald

 Grace Karskens is an Associate Professor in the School of Humanities, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UNSW

The School of International Studies hosted the Big Bento Lunch, one of over 40 fundraisers held around Australia this week to support the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme Alumni Association initiative.

Organisers were delighted with the turn-out, with over 100 people turning out to chow down on bentos in the Morven Brown Courtyard and raising much-needed funds for the recovery effort.

Bahasa Indonesian is the national language of our nearest neighbor, Indonesia. 240 million people in the world's largest Muslim community also the world's third largest democracy speak it. Within decades Indonesia will be one of the world's leading traders positing the value of the Malay-derived language.While Bahasa Indonesian is not the only language spoken in Indonesia, there are around three hundred regional languages; it is the dominant language of the government, media, and education sectors.

As our nearest neighbor, according to the Australian government, Australia's past, present and future is "inextricably tied with that of Indonesia…As two culturally different societies sharing borders, history, interconnected peoples and common current challenges that demand close collaboration to resolve, Australia's relationship with Indonesia is both unique and complex."

For economic and security reasons, Australians should be encouraged to learn . Even for solely cultural reasons, Indonesia is a nation rich with a culture that is rewarding, generous, and forgiving. For students, tourists, writers and academics, to embrace the language, instigated to unify the Indonesian people after centuries of colonisation, makes for a richer experience and deeper understanding.

Yet in Australia only about 191,000 students currently study Bahasa Indonesian. While being the third most studied language at school education level, students studying Indonesian represent only 5.6 per cent of the total student population nationally.

However, 63 per cent of the teaching and learning of Bahasa Indonesian is conducted in primary school. In 2009, only 1,167 students in Australian high schools were enrolled in Bahasa Indonesian classes by Year 12. Federal Department of Education data shows that 99 per cent of Australian students studying Indonesian have discontinued their study before completing Year 12.

According to the recent report 'The Current State of Indonesian Language Education in Australian Schools', for decades Australian education policy-makers struggled to normalise Bahasa Indonesian teaching. There have been three distinct government-education approaches to the language. From 1955 to 1970, the teaching of Bahasa Indonesian was for political-strategic reasons, mainly considered the threat of communism as represented by the powerful Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

The period of 1970 to 1986 saw a decline in Indonesian partly due to economically difficult times in Australia constraining government spending and also due to political unrest in Aceh, Java and East Timor. There did however remain an interest in the economic as well as political and strategic benefits of Asian studies and Asian languages in Australian education.

It was not until 1987 that Australia had developed its first national policy on languages in which Indonesian was considered a core language and in need of significant federal funding support. In the 1991 Australian Language and Literacy Policy named the teaching of Indonesian as a priority language. The languages of the Asia-Pacific, including Indonesian, were considered "critical to Australia's national interests."

The Keating government in 1994 introduced the first major initiative in which Indonesian was specifically identified was the National Asian Languages and Studies in Australian Schools (NALSAS). The initiative targeted Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Bahasa Indonesian: with each representing Australia's largest trading partners in the Asian region. Keating's rationale for the inclusion of Bahasa Indonesian was nevertheless fundamentally economic, framed in terms of building the national capacity for economic growth.

In 2002, the Howard government ceased funding for NALSAS replacing it with the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA), which developed a framework for all language teaching. Under the National Statement for Languages Education in Australian Schools: National Plan for Languages Education in Australian Schools 2005–2008, Bahasa Indonesian was one of many languages highlighted for government support. The Rudd government, dismissing MCEETYA, declared a new initiative: The National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program (NALSSP). It identified the same four languages as the NALSAS. These languages receive targeted funding from 2008 to 2012.

According to David Hill again, NALSSP aimed to have at least 12 per cent of students exit Year 12 by 2020 with sufficient competence in an Asian language (including Indonesian) for university study or for business in Asia. He argues however that the program has lacked sufficient time or funding to achieve these goals. Current enrolment data seems to support this.

At university level, between 2001 and 2010 undergraduate enrolments in Bahasa Indonesian dropped nationally by 40 per cent. In NSW alone enrolments plunged by 71 percent. Between 2004 and 2009 Indonesian language programs closed in six Australian universities. In several states university Indonesian programs will have disappeared by 2020.

The government has long recognised the importance of Indonesian language. In 2004 the Commonwealth Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade recommended"that Indonesian Studies be designated a strategic national priority and that the Australian Research Council and the Department of Education, Science and Training be requested to recognise this in prioritising funding for both research and teaching."

Since 2006, Indonesian has been designated a 'Nationally Strategic Language' in Department of Education (DEEWR) funding agreements with universities. But the Parliamentary Committee's recommendation for prioritised funding has been ignored; no funding attaches to being a 'Nationally Strategic Language'.

To reverse Indonesian's decline David Hill has called on government to back the designation as a 'nationally strategic language' with appropriately strategic funding, for a National Indonesian Language in Universities Program (NILUP). The aim is to strengthen Indonesian programs, support quality teaching, while enhancing community links, and increasing demand for the language.

However, this may prove difficult. The image of Indonesia in recent events may contribute towards the apathy of government to fund Bahasa Indonesian teaching. Recent events: the violent death of student protesters in the transition to democracy in 1997-98, the Jakarta bombings of 2002, 2003, and 2009, the coverage of the imprisonment of Schapelle Corby and the Bali Nine, the alleged role of Indonesian people smugglers in bringing asylum seekers to Australia, and the Bali bombings of 2002 and 2005, may have deterred Australian students from learning not only the language but the richness and diversity of Indonesia, its history and culture.

Sadly, according to Indonesian historian Adrian Vickers, Indonesia is generally featured in the world's media for political violence and involvement in international terrorism. It has rated at the top of international corruption watch lists, and its president between 1967 and 1998, Suharto, was corrupt and extorted significant national and international wealth from his country.

Negative images do not do justice to the country. It may have the largest Islamic population in the world, but no more than a few hundred would want to be associated with the fanatical violence of terrorism. Let these factors not detract us from learning about Indonesia and learning Bahasa Indonesia, if for national interests or for personal development.

Dr Jo Coghlan is a lecturer in the School of Social Sciences.

This article was first published in ON LINE opinion.

Carr took his place as an Australian Senator in a ceremony at Government House today.

Carr completed his tertiary education in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in history in 1969. He first worked as a journalist for the ABC and The Bulletin. Joining the Labor Party at age 15, Carr was elected Member for Maroubra in 1983 and became leader of the party in 1988. In 1995 he became Premier of NSW.

A member of the UNSW Council from 1984 to 1988, Carr received the distinguished UNSW Alumni Achievement award in 1999. In 2006 he was awarded with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters for his eminent public service. The degree - the University's highest honour - recognised Carr as the longest continuous serving Premier of NSW whose passion for learning, political skill and active role in environmental conservation has inspired Australians.

With a considerable intellectual reputation and a passion for political and military history, he has unapologetically demonstrated that the life of the mind has a firm place in Australian public life. In 2008 Carr gave the inaugural Alex Buzo Memorial Lecture in the UNSW Arts and Social Sciences flagship public lecture series, investigating the precarious notion of human decency across a number of literary themes.

The Hague Symposium on Post-Conflict Transitions and International Justice brings together more than 60 0f the world’s brightest young minds from top law schools, graduate institutions, judiciaries, and the military.

Grey, who is currently completing her PhD on international criminal law and sexual violence crimes, said the invitation will give her the opportunity to extend her research.

“The Symposium is very expansive because it considers human rights abuses broadly. I’m looking forward to studying wider pushes for justice and accountability, in areas other than gender violence,” she said.

Participants undergo intensive training from leading political leaders, academics and practitioners in the skills necessary to holistically restructure a society after violent conflict.

Grey assisted in organising UNSW’s recent International Criminal Court Conference (ICC) that brought senior officials and dignitaries including the Court’s President and the newly elected Chief Prosecutor, to Sydney for the first time.

She believes the ICC has a progressive approach to addressing gender-based crimes.

“The Court’s statute acknowledges crimes like enforced sterilisation and prostitution and sexual enslavement. The ICC is an interesting case study because it is still in its infancy and is yet to complete its first trial.”

Grey has previously studied overseas, including Islamic politics at Amsterdam University and an internship with the International Bar Association at The Hague.

Professor Louise Chappell, PhD supervisor in the School of Social Sciences, says she is incredibly proud of Grey’s selection for the prestigious program.

“Rosemary is doing groundbreaking research which will contribute to strengthening the prosecutorial strategy at the ICC in relation to gender-based violence. The symposium will provide her with new insights into the entire international human rights protection regime which will be a great boost to her research. “

Grey will travel to The Netherlands in July.

In March, NCHSR will host another group comprising 13 Chinese non-government organisation (NGO) leaders in the field of HIV. This program aims to empower civil society with the information needed to facilitate HIV prevention, treatment and care in China and to foster links between Chinese NGO leaders and their Australia counterparts. Key issues to be addressed focus on NGOs’ major challenges of financial and human resource management, program development and implementation, partnerships with other organisations, policy analyses and advocacy, as well as technical support for HIV testing, counselling and treatment, legal aid and care and support for people living with HIV, and meaningful participation in HIV responses by the most affected communities.

This Hepatitis Australia sponsored workshop on care and support for people living with chronic hepatitis C will be held at UNSW on 11 April, the day prior to the silence&articulation conference.

It aims to

• explore the principles of chronic disease self-management (CDSM) and suggest how it can be tailored to hepatitis C
• increase delegates’ knowledge of CDSM principles and practice and explore their application in individual settings, and
• provide a forum for exchange of ideas and experiences to enhance non-clinical care and support for those living with chronic hepatitis C.

More details and registration ...

Murdoch and Rinehart could soon own almost all the significant newspapers in Australia. EPA/Michael Reynolds/AAP/Tony McDonough

Australia’s wealthiest person, Gina Rinehart has bought shares in Fairfax Media. Should we be worried if she buys a controlling interest in the company that publishes the Age, Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review?

I think we should.

It would mean that all the significant newspapers in Australia would be controlled by two very wealthy individuals, Rupert Murdoch and Gina Rinehart. In both cases, they bring with them an overarching political ideology which will inevitably affect their newspapers and through them, influence their readers.

This influence is not some comic book affair of the owner nightly dictating individual headlines and particular articles. Rather, owners choose editors and they in turn shape the coverage day in and day out.

In my recent book, Rupert Murdoch: an investigation of political power, I examine Murdoch’s relationship with his editors. I quote former Murdoch editor Eric Beecher who described Murdoch’s method as “by phone and by clone”.

Former Sunday Times editor Andrew Neil described unpredictable and sudden phone calls from Murdoch, often punctuated by long silences. Neil also made the common sense point that Murdoch “picks as his editors people like me who are generally on the same wavelength as him: we started from a set of common assumptions about politics and society, even if we did not see eye to eye on every issue and have very different styles.”

David Yelland, an editor of the Sun, said Murdoch editors ultimately end up agreeing with everything he says. “But you don’t admit it to yourself that you’re being influenced. Most Murdoch editors wake up in the morning, switch on the radio, hear that something has happened … and think, ‘What would Rupert think about this?’”

One former News Corporation executive, Bruce Dover, described his editors’ behavior as a sort of “anticipatory compliance”. Another argued Murdoch is “less hands-on than people assume … It’s not done in a direct way where he issues instructions. [Rather,] it’s a bunch of people running around trying to please him.”

A similar kind of relationship between Gina Rinehart and her editors would almost certainly develop if she bought a controlling interest and was able to choose board members and senior management. The values and culture of the newsroom would evolve in response to this, with “difficult” journalists departing and the remaining ones understanding the limits of dissent and exercising self-censorship.

Murdoch and Rinehart are also similar in that their interest in the news media cannot be reduced to dollars and cents. Both see them as vehicles for exertion influence on public opinion. Rinehart’s investment in Fairfax cannot be explained in terms of seeking a dividend or profit. She has explained her interest in the news media because of “its importance to the nation’s future”.

On Murdoch’s part there have been multiple instances of him keeping unprofitable newspapers alive, largely for reason of influence. This is so in the case of the Australian, the Times and the New York Post.

Murdoch and Rinehart are both conservatives but of a quite different type. Murdoch’s was an early supporter of “small government”, low tax, deregulation and privatisation. After his Wall Street Journal purchase, his company ran a worldwide advertising campaign with the triumphant slogan, “Free markets, free people, free thinking”. Murdoch is a fervent supporter of US hegemony, symbolised by his global campaign in favour of Bush’s invasion of Iraq.

Rinehart is an Australian nationalist and follows a narrower self interest, including passionate opposition to new taxes for the mining industry. She supports “Special Economic Zones” in Australia’s north where temporary labour can be imported and mining companies can get tax breaks. One of her supporters in this quest is John McRoberts who was once also an adviser to Pauline Hanson. Murdoch’s papers campaigned against Hanson and her ideas.

But Murdoch and Rinehart are closer on the issue of climate scepticism. In 2011 her company Hancock Prospecting sponsored the Lang Hancock lecture at Notre Dame University in Western Australia which was delivered by the roving climate sceptic, Lord Christopher Monckton. In the case of Murdoch, he has now reverted to climate scepticism after momentarily issuing warnings about its “clear catastrophic threats”.

The agreement of both Murdoch and Rinehart on climate issues suggests a bleak outlook for the coverage and debate on climate in Australia’s two major newspaper networks.

Some see hope because, they say, newspapers are “legacy media”. But I think they are wrong. Newspapers still generate most original news. Most “online news” is produced either by newspapers or public broadcasters.

Newspapers employ the most journalists and enable specialist coverage of politics, health education and other areas. In particular, for historical reasons political coverage is central to newspapers in a way it isn’t for television, which produces entertainment not editorials. Most important of all, many academic research studies have shown newspapers are a decisive agenda-setter for radio and TV.

So both Gina Rinehart and Rupert Murdoch are right. They understand the nature of political power and the significance of newspapers. And we may be the worse off for it.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

The event promises to add a new dimension to Sydney’s annual festival scene by showing the diversity of filmic expression from the Persian world and beyond, showcasing films that have been written, produced or directed by those of Iranian, Afghan or Tajik descent.

Fotouhi, an Iranian-born PhD candidate in the School of the Arts and Media, is currently completing her thesis on post-revolutionary diasporic Iranian authors who write in English. She has produced documentaries in Iran and Afghanistan.

“Film is a wonderful medium to remind people of their common humanity,” she says. “The importance of this festival is to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about the term Persian. Iranian cinema has had a lot of publicity in recent years but Afghan and Tajik voices also need to be heard.”

Fotouhi believes Australian society still associates the term Persian with Orientalist visions of harems, protestors and veiled women.

“Audiences need to see the contemporary Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan - modern portrayals of these countries are rarely seen on an international level.”

Film Lecturer Dr Michelle Langford is a Festival judge and will take part in a panel discussion on Iranian cinema at the State Library of NSW.

"The Festival provides a timely moment of cultural reflection and appreciation amidst a climate of increased political tension," said Dr Langford.

The Persian International Film Festival runs from 23 -26 February at Dendy Opera Quays.

Thompson,D., Fisher,K., Purcal,C., Deeming,C. and Sawrikar,P (2011),Community attitudes to people with disability: scoping project. Occasional Paper Number 39, for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA),Social Policy Research Centre.

Modernism Workshop One:

Jacinta Kelly will lead a discussion on and help to contextualise Mina Loys’s 1917 poem sequence “Songs to Joannes”

in Quad G040 4 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday 7 March

All are very welcome. If you would like to attend, please rsvp to Sean Pryor.

The creator of the award-winning The Vagina Monologues unveiled the plans when she delivered UNSW’s annual Australian Human Rights Centre (AHRCentre) lecture to a packed audience at the Sydney Theatre.

Ensler established V-Day, a global movement to end all forms of violence against women and girls, which is celebrated annually on Valentines Day.

“Next year on V-Day, we are asking one billion men and women to rise , to strike, to walk out of their jobs, their homes, their schools and dance until the violence stops,” she said. “One Billion Rising will be the moment when women come to see their strength in size and solidarity, and where men stand by us.”

The lecture, Until the Violence Stops, explored theatre as a mechanism for giving visibility to human rights violations, focusing on her work with women and girls in conflict situations.

“I have witnessed theatre change consciousness, bring about revelation, catharsis and activate people to become change makers in their communities,” she said.

Arriving in Australia directly from the Democratic Republic of Congo where she has established the City of Joy, a special facility for survivors of sexual violence, Ensler told the audience how Congolese women have learnt to heal through telling their stories.

“At the first City of Joy graduation I watched 41 women who had been raped by gangs or had members of their families killed, or had bullet wounds to their heads, strut across a stage and demand an end to impunity, rape, corruption and exploitation.”

Ensler believes the power of theatre is enough to transform suffering in the world and that performance is not just an indulgence in the midst of global poverty and genocide.

Introducing Ms Ensler at the Sydney Theatre, Director of the AHRCentre, Associate Professor, Andrea Durbach, said: “Through her writing and performance, Eve Ensler has squarely placed one of the greatest crimes against humanity firmly on the world stage. And not from a distance.

“She has carried her practice of theatre-making into the field – in Afghanistan, Mexico, Haiti, India, Egypt, South Africa, Jordan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo - educating millions of people about a crisis within our world, about horrific and endemic violence against women and girls. Eve has exposed this madness from within the theatres of war, via her theatre of humanity.”

Ensler was invited to speak on the eve of a major UNSW international conference, Justice for All? The International Criminal Court – a Ten Year Review. The conference will mark the work of the Court in its first decade, in particular, its role in achieving gender justice.

The conference and lecture are initiatives of the ARHCentre, UNSW’s Faculty of Law and Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The lecture was presented in conjunction with the STC.

Click here to listen to the interview in full.

BATTLING complicated administration and struggling to adapt to new ways of learning without the support of friends meant Matt Wilkinson had a difficult introduction to university. "It was all very new and different" the arts student says. His experience is common in campuses across the state. For Wilkinson, the transition was made easier through involvement with the University of New South Wales peer-mentoring program.

Such programs are a staple at Australian universities, with experienced students offering guidance to new students, who are simultaneously able to build a social network. "I came across the program via an email from the university and decided I'd give it a go," Wilkinson says. "I had a really excellent experience. My mentor helped me through. It's a great way to adjust to the teaching style and how it differs to high school. They teach you how to find your way around campus and it definitely helps with administration and making sure everything is done that needs to be."

Wilkinson's experience was so positive, he decided to become a mentor in his second year. "It was a great way to build my confidence, help myself get organised and give a little bit back to the university," he says. The role of mentor also offers the chance to meet new people. Wilkinson's first-year mentor now lives in France but the two remain in touch. ''I'm still in great contact with people I've met as a mentor," he says. "I work closely in a few fields with other mentors that I've worked with since the start of the program."

Wilkinson went a step further, becoming a senior mentor and helping train new members and develop the program. The arts faculty recognised his efforts with a student life leadership award last year. When he begins honours this year, Wilkinson will resume his role as a senior mentor.

For more infromation please download our brochure.

• Master of Education- This program is designed for educationalists who wish to study at an advanced level to enhance their professional development in school and training sectors.
• Master of Education in Applied Linguistics- A cross-disciplinary program in Education and Applied Linguistics designed to meet the needs of recent graduates or professionals who work in TESOL or a language education related area. Students engage with key issues and current debates in foreign and second language education in Australia and internationally.
• Master of Education in Assessment and Evaluation- A specialist program designed to address increasing demands to explore, critique and contribute to the study of assessment and evaluation.
• Master of Education in Gifted Education- This program is designed for educators who wish to enhance their knowledge and understanding of gifted education. This rewarding program focuses on contemporary issues involving gifted and talented students as well as the development of curricula and teaching strategies for their learning needs.
• Master of Education in Higher Education- A specialist program designed to address increasing demands to explore, critique and contribute to the study of higher education.
• Master of Education in Special Education- A specialist program designed to address the increasing demands for strategies in teaching children with special needs. The program will focus on learner diversity and inclusive learning as well as behaviour management and research methodologies.

Entry Requirements

A recognised Bachelor degree and relevant experience in education and training.

Commonwealth Supported Places are avaliable to eligible students for all of our postgraduate programs. For more information please see https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/CSPG.html.

To Apply please go to http://www.apply.unsw.edu.au

Important note: The MEd is not an accredited pre-service education program. For those graduates wishing to qualify to teach in NSW schools, please see the Master of Teaching / Graduate Diploma in Education program.

Long-serving staff member, now retired, A/Prof Alan Watson, was awarded the AM for service to the international community as founder of the Katoke Trust for Overseas Aid, to the people of Tanzania and to education (see attached). The School of Education is a major sponsor of the Katoke Trust and sends students and staff to Tanzania each year to work on its education-related projects so we are delighted that Alan's work has received such formal recognition. 

For more information about our relationship with the Katoke Trust click here.

Pre-service teachers have a wonderful opportunity to learn from outstanding Method lecturers such as Chirata at the School of Education.

OpenSecurity is part of openDemocracy, an open forum that brings together authors, academics and practitioners and publishes news analysis, debates and blogs that are accessible to academic and non-academic audiences.

 To read Yvette’s article, entitled ‘Transitions: creating space to address injustice after conflict or political turmoil’, click here and for more details on openSecurity’s editorial shift and relaunch, click here.

Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart has moved to increase her stake in Fairfax Media, owner of The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and a number of radio stations.

Rinehart has already shown her desire to play a role in public life, campaigning against former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s aborted mining tax. She has also demonstrated a willingness to make media investments to ensure her pro-business worldview is promulgated.

What does this latest move by Rinehart mean? Are we seeing the rise of a resources-based oligarchy that trumps democracy in Australia? Or is this simply a new iteration of an age-old effort by rich people to influence debate that affects their interests?

The Conversation spoke with University of New South Wales political expert, Mark Rolfe about the political implications of the Rinehart bid.

Is Gina Rinehart now behaving like the kind of oligarch we see in countries such as Russia?

No, more like the billionaires in America. To make the Russian analogy would be to take it a little too far in the authoritarian, anti-democratic direction. It’s more like the American example where there’s tendencies amongst particularly conservative billionaires, or multi, multi-millionaires, to seek to expand political influence.

Australia's Gina Rinehart hasn't yet become like Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich. EPA/Andy Rain

I say that with some comparison to America, but also there’s a comparison there with her father, Lang Hancock who wasn’t satisfied with merely sticking to the mining industry, but also threw his weight around politically in the 70s and 80s, particularly in his connections to the Premier of Queensland, Jo Bjelke-Petersen.

And there’s instances in America of billionaires like Philip Anschutz who get large enough and see directions in the country which they don’t like. They buy newspapers and other media outlets and set up think tanks to try to influence the terms of debate within the country, in the direction they like.

Pressure brought about by Rinehart and others saw the mining tax dumped. Are we now seeing a situation where democracy is being challenged by the emerging resources oligarchy?

I think there’s always been that tension in modern representative democracy. You can take it back to the battles in the late 19th century, early 20th century America with the “muck-raking media” as it was called versus the plutocrats – the Rockerfellers and others. So there’s always been this tension within democracy between ideas of the people and equality, and the power of rich and their capacity to control politics and/or the media.

I see it not as a start of this trend, but a recycling of an old battle that will continue. In the light of the global recession of the last couple of years and the Occupy movement across the world, which has targeted these sorts of plutocrats as their enemy, we are seeing a sort of 21st century global re-invention of that old battle.

Do the politicians have the heart for that fight?

Yes, of course. It goes along political and ideological lines in this battle, and the sympathies of politicians for or against such involvements by the billionaires. But there is a great potential at the moment.

In the light of the global recession, this problem about the distribution of wealth, of power, of equality and the rights of people, many politicians on both the left and the right in Australia, and in America we’re even seeing this from Republican presidential candidates, are using the language of populism.

So no politician these days can afford, if they want to keep their jobs, to be seen to be out of favour with the people, whoever they might be, and for expressing sympathies for the plight of the people. That context gives a great deal of leverage for pushing back against the political and economic power of the billionaires. Although nothing is assured in the political game.

What would be the political effect of Rinehart taking control of Fairfax. Could that mean a shift in its editorial line toward a more pro-business, anti-union, right-wing climate sceptic agenda?

She can try to. And from all accounts, she’s tried at the Ten Network using her similar shareholding there. So that’s evidence of her political desires.

Doing that at Fairfax is more complicated. There’s certainly a very good brand name in the Fairfax-owned Australian Financial Review (AFR), and as much as there are accusations of the Fairfax group being an old, 20th century, dying media company, at least the AFR has a special niche and it’s doing very well catering to that niche. Playing around with that, even if it’s to push things in a more conservative, right-wing direction, people might not want to see the current set-up change because it’s working well.

With other elements of the Fairfax group, like the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, we’ve seen battles in the past at those newspapers with Conrad Black, the Canadian media proprietor who is also very right-wing. He wanted to shift things in directions that pleased him but he came a cropper there.

And Rinehart could come a cropper with the same group of people, the journalists who are prepared to, in spite of the threats to jobs and so on, push back. And of course, Rinehart is seeking 10-14% of the company, so there are limitations at the moment.

Her ability to influence the agenda through an increased share of Fairfax may not be as great as people would suspect. At this stage I wouldn’t see the masthead newspapers at Fairfax shifting to become the Fox Network in America. I don’t see things changing dramatically.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

This weekend, Syria witnessed some of its bloodiest days since political agitation began last year. Dozens were killed after the government launched a new military offensive against rebel group the Free Syrian Army.

The intensified violence came as the much-criticised Arab League observer mission suspended its operations in Syria, its tentative plan for peace having been rejected by President Bashar-al Assad.

That the mission has failed to stem the bloodshed should come as no surprise. It highlights the cynicism of the rulers who dominate the League and an established pattern of impotence in the face of major crises.

A compromised endeavour

The mission initially promised much. It showed Arab countries' willingness to address an Arab problem. It potentially offered a way in which the regime in Syria might escape the consequences of its repression and a more representative government might be formed. But as the crisis has developed, weaknesses in the mission’s mandate and composition become more and more apparent.

Arab League observers have suspended their mission to Syria EPA/SANA

The appointment of a Sudanese military officer, General Mustafa al-Dabi, to lead the mission was a focus of concern from the start. Al-Dabi’s background as a supporter of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, who was involved in the violence of the Darfur and South Sudan crises, did not give confidence. These concerns were reinforced by Al-Dabi’s attempts to minimise the Assad regime’s culpability in the conflict.

The Syrian initiative reflected a range of motivations. The main proponents of the mission, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, could not be accused of concern for human rights. They are, however, vulnerable to accusations that they stood by while fellow Sunnis, who are the majority in Syria, were being killed by the “heretical” Alawite regime of al-Assad.

They also saw an opportunity to separate Syria from its alliance with Iran, as well as fearing Assad cannot survive, so are engaged in damage limitation. The orderly replacement of Assad might prevent the contagion of the Arab revolutions from spreading to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.

History repeating

That the mission to Syria was so compromised in both motivation and execution merely reflects a history of incompetence on the part of the Arab League.

The league was created in 1945 to promote economic and social development, settle disputes between Arab countries and coordinate relations with the rest of the world. From seven members in 1945, it now has 22 members, including Palestine.

Initially, the League was promoted by Britain as a means of maintaining control over the newly independent countries of the Arab world. It was later usurped by Egyptian President Nasser to promote Egypt’s pre-eminence in the region.

Failure after failure

League efforts to Arab economic integration have come to nothing. In 1964 it established an Arab Common Market, but the project was stillborn. Inter-Arab trade now only constitutes about 10% of total Arab trade.

The League’s attempts to coordinate Arab political activity have been ineffectual. For most of its existence it has operated as a talking-shop for Arab leaders who are focused on regime survival with no concern for human rights and political freedoms. These leaders have little interest in speaking out against atrocities by other rulers lest the legitimacy of their own regimes be called into question.

The League’s nadir was perhaps its refusal in 2009 to address the Darfur crisis. Despite a warrant having been issued for his arrest a few weeks earlier by the International Criminal Court, League members welcomed Al-Bashir to their summit in Qatar. Al-Bashir had been indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity over the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in Darfur. The summit rejected the Court’s action as a violation of Sudanese sovereignty.

Divisions were exposed by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. At a summit held to address the invasion, only 12 out of 20 states at the meeting were willing to condemn Iraq. The League’s impotence was further exposed by its inability to act over the 2003 American invasion of Iraq. Regimes such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia were torn between their dependence on the United States and the hostility to the invasion felt by their populations.

Scant success

A high point for the Arab League was the Abdallah Plan for the settlement of the Israel-Palestine dispute. The plan offered Israel full diplomatic and economic relations with all members of the League in return for Israel’s acceptance of a Palestinian state within the boundaries that existed before the Six-Day War of 1967.

Protesters attend a funeral in Douma last year. Syriana2011

Sadly, it was rejected by Israel and the United States. Despite reiterating their commitment to the plan, the Arab states have been unable to push it to the top of the negotiations agenda.

The action against Libya last year was the first time the league has taken action against a member state. The decision to support intervention was of dubious legitimacy, as only nine of the 22 members supported reference to the UN Security Council, and those that did had a range of motivations, not necessarily related to the plight of Libyan civilians.

Libya may have been a small success for the Arab League, but its failure to bring any kind of resolution to a Syria torn apart by civil conflict is an indictment on a morally hamstrung organisation whose motives are never pure.

Syria’s fate now lies with the UN Security Council, where a draft resolution will be voted on this week. It can only be hoped this process will be approached with less duplicity and more concern for human rights.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

Media coverage:

SMH
The Australian
Radio Australia News
Koori Mail

Professor Patrick Dodson to deliver the Inaugural Gandhi Oration at UNSW

A significant new annual lecture – the Gandhi Oration – will be launched this month (30 January) by the University of New South Wales, to be delivered by a person whose life’s work exemplifies the ideals of Gandhi.

The inaugural speaker is Professor Patrick Dodson, who has shown great leadership promoting and fostering reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The Gandhi Oration will be preceded by a remembrance ceremony at the Gandhi bust on the UNSW Library Lawn for India’s Martyrs’ Day, commemorated on the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on 30 January 1948.

The lecture is organised in conjunction with the Consul General of India and the Australia India Institute at UNSW.

What: Gandhi Oration delivered by Patrick Dodson

When: 6.30pm, Monday, 30 January 2012

Where: Leighton Hall, John Niland Scientia Building, UNSW

RSVP: This is a free event but RSVP is essential: pvcinternational@unsw.edu.au.

Professor Patrick Dodson – biography

Patrick Dodson is a Yawuru man from Broome in WA. He has dedicated his life work to being an advocate for constructive relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people based on mutual respect, understanding and dialogue. He is a recipient of the Sydney International Peace prize.

He is a former Royal Commissioner into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, former Chair of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and is currently Co-Chair of the Expert Panel for Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians.

Patrick lives in Broome with his family, where he is involved in social, cultural, economic and environmental sustainability through his roles as Chair of the Lingiari Foundation and Executive Chair of Nyamba Buru Yawuru.

He is the founding Director of the Indigenous Policy & Dialogue Research Unit at UNSW and Adjunct Professor at the University of Notre Dame Australia.

 Dr Bruniges – a UNSW alumna – is a leading Australian educator with extensive leadership and management experience in the education sectors in NSW, the ACT and at the Commonwealth level.

She led the national school reform agenda as an associate secretary in the schools cluster of the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, was Chief Executive of the ACT Department of Education and Training from 2005 to 2008 and held senior management positions in the NSW Department of Education and Training.

Professor Chris Davison, Head of the School of Education, has welcomed Dr Bruniges’ appointment.

"Professor Bruniges exemplifies the qualities we want to develop in our graduates. She is a great role model for our students and a catalyst for developing even stronger links between schools and universities in NSW,” Professor Davison said.

“We look forward to working closely with Professor Bruniges to enhance our engagement with diverse educational communities and to foster cutting edge research and innovation at all levels of teacher education.”

Professor Bruniges has a PhD in Educational Measurement and a Masters degree in Education from UNSW.

She is a graduate of the Institute of Company Directors and has won numerous professional awards, including a Churchill Fellowship to study student achievement in education in the US and The Netherlands, an Exceptional Service Award from the Professional Teachers Council NSW, and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators.

The panel of 22 Indigenous leaders, politicians and lawyers made the recommendations to the federal government after holding year-long public meetings and consultations across Australia.

The government aims to hold a referendum on the issues at or before the next federal election, due in 2013.

Professor Dodson, who leads UNSW’s Indigenous Policy and Dialogue Research Unit, was one of the co-chairs of the panel, which also included Associate Professor Davis, director of UNSW’s Indigenous Law Centre.

“Those of us travelling [the road to Constitutional change] will need fortitude, patience, staying power and fierce determination,” Professor Dodson told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The recommendations have received broad support from both sides of politics. The federal government will now consider the recommendations before drafting legislation to be put to parliament ahead of any referendum vote.

Read the full SMH story here.

Listen to ABC Radio National’s interview with Professor Dodson here.

For an analysis of the issues read UNSW’s Professor George Williams' article here.

Junior Scientia and Scientia Challenge are programs run bi-annually by the Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC) to challenge the interests of gifted and talented children from years 3 to 10.

The courses, ranging from engineering to gaming technology and criminology, are developed and presented by UNSW academics and graduates of UNSW’s Certificate of Gifted Education (COGE).

Kathryn Fraser, COGE graduate and science teacher at St Patricks College, Strathfield, presented the three-day ‘Crime Scene to Courtroom’ course for the first time this year.

“This is a course pitched at year seven to eight level for kids who are two years younger than that, yet they all have a deep level of understanding and can grasp complex ideas.”

Kathryn said the children’s level of enthusiasm for learning is infectious.

“I hear them talking in the breaks about the concepts they’ve learnt with the same passion that most children use for their favourite band or sports team. It’s incredibly positive.”

As a member of her school’s Gifted and Talented Committee, Kathryn believes many teachers still don’t have the training to identify and accelerate children.

“Teaching gifted children hasn’t been a priority for professional development in teachers, but I think that’s gradually changing.”

The COGE was introduced to meet the growing demand of teachers wanting training in developing curricula and teaching strategies for talented students.

Many gifted children feel isolated during their schooling. Rosie Cooper is an accelerated student who has just completed her HSC. She’s been coming to GERRIC workshops twice a year since she was eight and has returned in her summer holidays to help out as an assistant.

“I felt like a bit of an outcast at school but the GERRIC workshops gave me an opportunity to interact with like-minded kids,” Rosie said. “Coming back reminds me of what it was like, watching all these kids and their ideas bouncing off each other. It’s a place where they all want to be because they feel comfortable just being themselves.”

Ashley Carrick, who is moving into a selective class in her local high school, travelled from Wagga Wagga to attend the ‘Crime Scene to Courtroom’ workshop.

“I want to be either a teacher or a forensic scientist when I finish school so this has been great,” she said. “We investigated a hypothetical kidnapping and I got to be one of the expert witnesses and compare the suspect’s handwriting. I’m really hoping I can come back again in my next school holidays.”

GERRIC’s student programs will run again in July, click here to enrol.

Mr Shorten said the dole, worth $243 a week, acted as a safety net and was deliberately set at a level that encouraged people to take up paid work.

"Australia's social security system needs to provide a strong safety net for people who need financial assistance while also acting as an incentive for people to take up paid work," Mr Shorten told The Australian.

"Participation in the workforce is a priority the Gillard government is passionate about. Work is at the core of our beliefs.

"In the current economic climate, I believe we have got the balance about right. Particularly when delivering a surplus next year and continuing our strong economic management is an important part of this balance".

Mr Shorten's rejection of a Newstart increase comes after business and conservative economists added their voices to a campaign to see it lifted in the May budget.

Outgoing Australian Industry Group head and new Reserve Bank board member Heather Ridout last week backed a rise in the dole as part of several welfare reforms.

Ms Ridout, a member of the Henry tax reform panel that recommended single people on unemployment benefits and student assistance receive higher payments, said it was of ongoing concern that there was a $131- a-week difference between the Newstart allowance and the Disability Support Pension.

Mr Shorten yesterday defended the discrepancy in the payments.

"We need to remember that people on the DSP have special care and equipment needs, and recognise that disability is expensive - notwithstanding that this government is doing more than any before us to encourage people with a disability into work," Mr Shorten said.

"The bottom line is that no one should be in any doubt that the best way to deal with cost-of-living pressures is to have a job, receive fair pay and experience decent conditions at work. Since coming to office in 2007 this government has created more than 750,000 jobs and restored fairness at work by scrapping WorkChoice laws."

National Welfare Rights Network president Maree O'Halloran said Mr Shorten appeared to be out of step with many leaders in business, community organisations and charities.

"Even the OECD has questioned the efficacy of the rate of Newstart," Ms O'Halloran said. "There is not one shred of evidence to suggest that lifting the current rate of $35 a day will provide an incentive to stay on income support. On the contrary, current evidence suggests that the low rate is hindering job search and study. Lack of skills, not lack of motivation, is the main problem facing the nation's unemployed.

"The group which still needs convincing that Newstart Allowance is unsustainably low is MPs. Perhaps they should try living on just $35 a day."

The government argues that Newstart Allowance is for people assessed as having the capacity to do paid work and therefore needed to be paid at a level that did not act as a disincentive to find work.

A person can work part-time and earn up to 77 per cent of the national minimum wage before losing their basic payment. Mr Shorten said that, at any given time, about 19 per cent of people on Newstart were supplementing their payment by working.

Welfare groups have long claimed that the Newstart Allowance is inadequate to meet even the most basic living costs and have nominated the growing gap between it and the DSP as the most urgent of the nation's social security problems.

Former Treasury secretary Ken Henry, in his pivotal tax review, agreed, recommending that single people on unemployment benefits and student assistance should receive higher payments under a radical welfare overhaul.

Economist Judith Sloan recently argued in an opinion piece in The Australian that the allowance was "patently inadequate".

"We understand the dole was to be a short-term payment but, if people are unemployed for a long period, adequacy and the ability to find employment becomes important," Professor Sloan said.

"What seemed like a good idea of having different indexation systems has led to an enormous gap that can't go on."

Peter Whiteford, from the University of NSW Social Policy Research Centre, warned that, if current conditions continue, by 2050 Newstart Allowance will be just a third of the pension rate.

"It's interesting that so many people see it as a reasonable thing to do now," he said.

"The fact that people like economist Judith Sloan have come on board on this shows there's a strong mood for change.

"When they say the best thing for the unemployed is to get a job, they are right, but many people find it very hard to get jobs and in the meantime people have to live on it.

"I think it's beyond the stage of incentives. No one will give up a job because it's too easy on unemployment benefits."

A single welfare payment was first proposed by the landmark McClure report in 2000, which was commissioned by the Howard government. It contained a base sum with add-ons to reflect people's personal circumstances. Root and branch welfare reform has been rejected by successive governments, in part because it involves very high upfront costs.

This article was taken from The Australian website. See original article.

Sites such as Twitter and Facebook were used by police and emergency teams, but equally by individuals trying to connect during the crisis – showing that Twitter has evolved from a mere social networking site to a critical emergency tool.

#qldfloods and @QPSMedia : Crisis Communication on Twitter in the 2011 Queensland Floods was released by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCI).

Researchers involved include; Associate Professor Kate Crawford and Frances Shaw from UNSW and Associate Professor Axel Bruns and Dr Jean Burgess from the Queensland University of Technology.

Professor Crawford, deputy director of UNSW's Journalism and Media Research Centre, said the study focussed largely on the role of Twitter, which was prominently used by the Queensland Police Service during the crisis.

"We have been researching the uses of Twitter during times of crisis, and during the floods we paid close attention to the interrelationship between emergency services, the media, and individuals,” said Professor Crawford. “The Queensland Police Service's Media Unit (@QPSMedia) played a key role in getting timely and useful information out to the flood-affected population, and through Twitter, became a leading voice."

But social media didn’t just improve communication between police and media organisations. During the week of the floods, some 15,000 users – from official accounts to locals affected by the floods – participated in the #qldfloods hashtag on Twitter, sharing news, advice, photos and videos of the inundation.

“During times of crisis, many arguments and disagreements are suspended, and we see users come together to ensure that important information gets through to as many people as possible”, said Professor Crawford. “Social media users understand that their networks have become important additional channels for crisis communication.”

“The floods demonstrated that the way we use Twitter has changed. It’s not just a service for trivial 'what I had for lunch' messages, but a useful part of disaster communications for individuals, as well as emergency services and media in a time of crisis,” said Professor Crawford.

A particularly successful intervention by @QPSMedia was its series of ‘#Mythbuster’ tweets, which corrected rumours and misinformation circulating through social media (and some mainstream media).

Working with the Queensland Department of Community Safety and the Brisbane-based think-tank Eidos Institute, the research team will now embark on a three-year ARC Linkage research project which seeks to further investigate the use of social media during natural disasters in Queensland and elsewhere. The project will also develop improved strategies for the effective use of social media by emergency organisations.

The School of Education is reaping the rewards of its recent reforms including a greater variety of methods, the introduction of double History and double English methods at pre-service undergraduate level and the new dual degree structure.

Read more from the SMH here. 

For information about the Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Education program click here.

The project, Survivors, Defenders, Providers, led by the Centre for Refugee Research (CRR), focused on at-risk refugee women and girls in seven countries - Jordan, India, Colombia, Uganda, Zambia, Thailand and Finland.

The UNHCR selected the CRR to conduct the project as part of the 60th anniversary of the Refugee Convention this year.

The project culminated in ten refugee women in Jordan, Colombia, Zambia, Uganda and Finland travelling to Geneva to present their survival stories to the UNHCR with support from CRR academics and UNSW Master of Social Development interns.

The High Commissioner opened this month’s Ministerial level inter-governmental meeting in Geneva with a personal commitment to addressing sexual and gender based violence in refugee camps.

“I will do everything possible to uphold and strengthen UNHCR’s commitment to address sexual and gender based violence and to support states in ensuring access of survivors to justice,” he said. “If we cannot get protection right for women and girls we won't get it right for anyone.”

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, also pledged support, stating that Australia’s newly appointed Global Ambassador for Women and Girls, Penny Williams, will engage with the UNHCR and refugee groups to promote the empowerment of women.

USA, Norway, Kenya, Guatemala and New Zealand have also pledged more resources to the issue.

CRR’s director, Dr Eileen Pittaway, has worked with refugees for over forty years. She said the personal pledge from the High Commissioner was a “better outcome than she could have ever imagined”.

“It was extremely difficult and painful for the women to go to Geneva and speak out. They were so brave in sharing their stories and making demands of the UNHCR, governments and NGOs,” she said. “This makes it all worth it for them.”

Dr Pittaway is contacting the refugees involved in the project to let them know about the positive outcome.

“Some of them have access to email, but for others the good news needs to filter 600km into the jungle. We are committed to making sure the message gets to them.”

Dr Pittaway will discuss future funding for services aimed at preventing sexual violence against refugee women and girls in camps and urban slums with Australian government funding bodies this week.

Arts and Social Sciences took both the awards for Teaching Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision, with recognition for Dr Paul Dawson from the School of English, Media and Performing Arts and Professor Paul Patton from the School of History and Philosophy.

Dr Claudia Tazreiter from the School of Social Sciences and International Studies was one of just six UNSW staff members who received an award for Teaching Excellence in the General Category.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence serve to highlight the fundamental importance of teaching at UNSW and foster its ongoing development; support the development of staff capability for applying for national and other external teaching awards; and provide opportunities for UNSW staff to showcase outstanding teaching practice.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence serve to highlight the fundamental importance of teaching at UNSW and foster its ongoing development; support the development of staff capability for applying for national and other external teaching awards; and provide opportunities for UNSW staff to showcase outstanding teaching practice.

The UNSW School of Education offers two intensive pre-service secondary teacher education programs for graduate students.

The Master of Teaching is an accelerated pre-service secondary teacher education program specifically designed to support students in their transition into first year teaching and to nurture future leaders of the profession.

The Graduate Diploma in Education is an intensive program (available both full time and part time) consisting of the first three semesters of the Master of Teaching. The program aims to provide a strong initial year of preparation for teaching in secondary schools.

For more information and information on how to apply please click here.

Safe at Home, Safe at Work? National Domestic Violence and the Workplace, conducted by UNSW’s Centre for Gender Related Violence Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, confirms that domestic violence affects employees capacity to get to work and their performance, productivity and safety.

The majority of the respondents were women (81%), two-thirds were in full-time employment and nearly two-thirds (64%) were over 45.

Nearly a third of the 3,600 respondents had personally experienced domestic violence, with half of those reporting that the violence prevented them from getting to work. Reasons given included being physically injured or restrained, keys being hidden and partners failing to care for children.

Domestic violence in the workplace took the form of abusive phone calls and emails, and the partner physically coming to work. The main reported impacts were being distracted, tired or unwell, needing to take time off, or being late for work.

“Having a job and staying economically independent is critical to surviving a violent relationship,” said the Centre’s Ludo McFerran. “Our goal is to reduce the impact of domestic violence by supporting the victims to stay safely in their homes and in their jobs.”

The survey was distributed through unions to encourage the introduction of domestic violence provisions in enterprise agreements.

Existing domestic violence clauses provide up to 20 days paid domestic violence leave to attend to matters such as attending court for a protection order.

The survey was undertaken as part of the Domestic Violence Workplace Rights and Entitlements Project conducted by the Centre and funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

If you have questions or need further assistance with registration, please do not hesitate to send an email to education.events@unsw.edu.au.

As the world commemorates the thirty year fight against HIV this year, UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, has called for a “prevention revolution” to stop new infections. It is possible for Australia to become one of the first developed nations where infection rates are going down, but this requires investment in a new generation of behavioural prevention programs.

In many developed countries the number of new HIV diagnoses has been gradually increasing since the late 1990s. In Australia, 1043 new diagnoses of HIV were reported in 2010, up from a low of 719 cases in 1999, with gay men continuing to be most affected. Since 2006, numbers of HIV diagnoses have been fairly stable nationally, an achievement unique for developed countries. HIV prevention for gay men in Australia, especially in New South Wales, has long been seen as a model for “best practice” worldwide. What we now need is a shared vision to drive down the numbers of HIV infections and the continued resources for a mix of prevention approaches.

Much is currently expected of antiretroviral treatment for the prevention of new HIV infections. A recent trial among heterosexual couples in Africa confirmed that if a person living with HIV is effectively treated, the likelihood of infecting his or her partner can be reduced by as much as 96%. Recent international research among homosexual men shows that when antiretroviral pills are taken by HIV-uninfected men their chances of becoming infected are substantially reduced. These uses of treatment for prevention have since been heralded as “game changers”, but more research is ongoing and caution is warranted as trials of the use of antiretroviral drugs in vaginal microbicides are providing mixed results. In Australia, HIV testing coverage and treatment uptake are already among the highest in the world and several studies are underway or planned to investigate what further contributions treatment can make to HIV prevention. That new HIV diagnoses have not already been going down may be because the benefits of treatments for prevention can be offset by relatively minor increases in sexual risk behaviour, as have occurred in the past decade.

Promoting sexual practices that reduce the risk of HIV transmission remains an important component of any mix of HIV prevention programs, in Australia and internationally. Social and behavioural research shows that gay men in Australia remain highly motivated to prevent HIV infection and many men continue to use condoms consistently. However, it is also clear that, 30 years into the HIV epidemic, many gay men are finding ways to balance the importance of HIV prevention with pleasurable, intimate sexual relationships and experiences. Their good understanding of HIV prevention has allowed gay men to devise alternative strategies to reduce the risk of HIV transmission when condoms are not used, mostly by limiting unprotected sex to partners with the same HIV status. Such risk reduction strategies have become an important part of the HIV prevention practices of some gay men in some situations. This doesn’t reflect complacency or ignorance, but the reality that living with HIV has dramatically changed. Appropriate and effective prevention, as has been heralded by affected communities in Australia, respects and supports people in making informed choices and provides the tools to reduce risk and minimize potential harm.

Effective prevention programs are also informed by a robust understanding of human behaviour, which continues to evolve in the social sciences and humanities. There is compelling evidence from a multitude of studies that a wide range of theory-informed prevention approaches can be effective in supporting behaviour change. Now is not the time to abandon such behavioural prevention for what may seem easier approaches that may however equally be less than perfect. Rather, it is time to strengthen social and behavioural prevention science in partnership with health promotion experts to develop and implement new HIV prevention programs, as part of a mix of approaches.

Promising approaches to HIV behavioural prevention may in particular benefit from current theorizing of self-regulation that acknowledges that people do not always act on their good intentions and that not all behaviour reflects reasoned decisions. Self regulation approaches to health promotion support people in clarifying what is important in their lives and in acting on these goals. Building on evidence from a range of health domains, what is needed is the commitment and support to develop, evaluate and bring to scale these and other innovative behavioural prevention programs. Australia, with its acclaimed partnership response and strong tradition in social and behavioural research is well positioned to take the lead in re-invigorating behavioural prevention of HIV. People can and do change their behaviours, but behavioural prevention is a long-term process. Sustained efforts and continuous innovation are required to achieve the goal of reducing and eventually eliminating new HIV infections, nationally and globally.

Professor John de Wit is director of the National Centre in HIV Social Research

Stephen Hetherington, Paul Patton and David Miller have been elected as Fellows by the Academy, which was established in 1969 with a mandate to advance knowledge of, and the pursuit of excellence in, the humanities in Australia for the benefit of the nation.

David Miller is a Professor of History and Philosophy of Science with an international reputation as an authority on the history of science in eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain, during the peak of the Industrial Revolution.

Paul Patton is a Professor in Philosophy with a strong international reputation for his work both in political philosophy – especially on issues of political liberalism, historical injustice and indigenous rights – and in contemporary European philosophy.

Stephen Hetherington is a Professor of Philosophy whose key research interests are in epistemology and metaphysics. With seven monographs, two edited collections and more than sixty articles, he has earned an international reputation for his revivification of epistemology.

The Fellowship of the Academy comprises more than 500 distinguished individuals elected through a rigorous peer nomination process in recognition of the excellence and impact of their scholarship.

The Philip Parsons Young Playwrights Award

Zoe Coombs Marr is the winner of the Philip Parsons Young Playwrights Award, given each year to a NSW writer under 35.

Coombs Marr, who graduated from a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies/Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2009, will receive a $10 000 commission for the rare opportunity to write a new play for the Belvoir Theatre.

The commission is awarded to a playwright whose work demonstrates an original and compelling theatrical voice. Coombs Marr was presented the award for her one-woman show And That Was the Summer That Changed My Life, which premiered last year at the Next Wave Festival.

Anthea Williams, the Literary Manager for the Belvoir Theatre and also a graduate from UNSW’s Theatre and Performance Studies program said the play was "the most heart-warming and hilarious coming-of-age tale I've ever had the pleasure to read".

Coombs Marr is also one third of the highly acclaimed theatre company post. Their works have been performed extensively at festivals and theatres all over Australia, including Next Wave Festival, Melbourne Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Brisbane Festival, TINA Festival (Newcastle), Urban Theatre Projects and Performance Space.

Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award

25 year old Jessica Bellamy has won the 2011 Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award for her play Sprout. The $20,000 award attracted 72 submissions from across Australia.

Sprout  is a love story set in Australia near the end of the world, which asks its audience to consider what sort of links bind us in a world that is falling apart. The play premiered at the Old Fitzroy Theatre in October 2011.

Bellamy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies and holds a Graduate Diploma of Dramatic Art in Playwriting from NIDA. She is a Griffin Playwriting Australia Associate Playwright for 2011-2012.

Future Fellowships 2011

Two Arts and Social Sciences researchers have been awarded prestigious Future Fellowships by the Australian Research Council (ARC). Professor Stephanie Donald and Dr Geoffrey Levey were recipients of the four-year fellowships which aim to promote research in areas of critical national importance.

Professor Stephanie Donald, from the School of Languages and Linguistics has received the fellowship for her project Migration and mobility: the question of childhood in Chinese and European cinema since 1945. The project will produce a comparative account of the migrant and mobile child in postwar film, researched in China and Europe.

Geoffrey Levey from the School of Social Sciences and International Studies will use his fellowship for the project An Australian dilemma: liberal democracy, cultural diversity and the quest for national identity, which traces how liberal nationalism and its chief rival, cultural nationalism, apply to and help make sense of Australian politics and political debate.

Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRA).

Three researchers in the Faculty were awarded early career awards from the ARC.

Joanne Faulkner, School of History and Philosophy for The politicised child in postcolonial community: a political ontology of childhood and memory examined through cases in Australia and Canada

Lisa Ford, School of History and Philosophy for Protecting the peace: protectors and the legal transformation of the British Empire, 1820-1850

Michael Hooper, School of English, Media and Performing Arts for Australian modernism in compositions by Butterley, Conyngham, Edwards, Meale and Sculthorpe

Internal Grants

A number of Arts and Social Sciences researchers have been successful in gaining internal UNSW research grants.

UNSW Goldstar Grants are awarded annually in recognition of UNSW researchers who achieve near misses in the ARC and NHMRC funding rounds. The Goldstar funds allow for initial research on the proposed research project, and assists researchers to further refine and improve their application for re-submission.

Paul Jones, School of Social Sciences and International Studies - Populism and Communicative Mediation

Geoffrey Levey, School of Social Sciences and International Studies - The Hyphen in the Melting-Pot

Iva Strandova and Terry Cummings, School of Education - Investigating the Coping Skills of Ageing Women with Intellectual Disabilities: Developing a Strategy-Based Framework for Promoting Healthy Ageing.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Learning and Teaching Awards

Teaching Excellence: Claudia Tazreiter, School of Social Sciences and International Studies
A special commendation went to Carmella Hollo, School of Languages and Linguistics, for her achievements over a teaching career lasting four decades

Excellence in Sessional Teaching: Rodney Taveira, School of English, Media and Performing Arts
An honorable mention for Valerie Combe-Germes, School of Languages and Linguistics

Contribution to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Karyn Lai, School of History and Philosophy

Excellence in the Application of TELT: Sumiko Iida, School of Languages and Linguistics
An honorable mention for Katrina Moore, School of Social Sciences and International Studies

Teaching Excellence for Postgraduate Supervision: Elizabeth McMahon, School of English, Media and Performing Arts

UNSW Staff Excellence Awards

FASS staff received awards across three of the six UNSW Staff Excellence Award categories.

Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Lynne Bester, School of English, Media and Performing Arts
For an innovative approach to Bachelor of Music applications and the introduction of Skype technology to conduct interstate and overseas student auditions.

Excellence in Professional Services: Laura Warren, Dean’s Unit and Human Resources
For the provision of services to support the strategic direction of the Faculty and for her contribution to UNSW and Faculty advisory bodies.

Excellence in Community Engagement (highly commended):  Eileen Pittaway, Centre for Refugee Research
For the outstanding support of refugees, and in particular refugee advocacy both nationally and internationally.

The following undergraduate elective is being offered run by Dr Paul Evans:

EDST2044 Motivation in Learning and Teaching
The course covers a range of contemporary perspectives on motivation that offer some ways to address the following questions: Why do people want to achieve highly in school and in life? Why do people choose some educational pursuits over others? Why do people do anything at all? Concepts covered include values, attitudes, will, creativity, flow, rewards, punishment, passion, and the ways in which they affect our choices and behaviours in sometimes surprising ways.

Enrolments for summer courses open on the 10th October.

For information about the postgraduate summer courses that we are running please click here.

Cass, B, Brennan, D, Thomson, C, Hill, T, Purcal, C, Hamilton, M, and Adamson, E (2011) Young carers: Social policy impacts of the caring responsibilities of children and young adults , Report prepared for ARC Linkage Partners, October 2011.

Enrolments will open again on Monday December 5.

Bridgette Styles was seeking damages of more than $200,000 from her former employer, claiming she became suicidal and depressed after she became the target of an office whispering campaign over a fling with a colleague, Luis Izzo. Clayton Utz had denied her claims.

Following mediation, both sides agreed to discontinue the case, part of which was set to be heard before a jury in the NSW Supreme Court next year.

Read more at SMH, including video interview with Professor Lumby : http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sexism-case-dropped-as-lawyer-reaches-settlement-with-former-employer-20111129-1o53k.html#ixzz1fABsgmSt

Simone completed her PhD in Philosophy at the University of Sydney in 2007. She is a political philosopher and a postcolonial cultural theorist, who works mainly in the Continental tradition and especially in Deleuze studies. She currently works for the Ngarrindjeri Nation in South Australia on an ARC-funded project about postcolonial negotiation and Ngarrindjeri nationhood. She is the author of Postcolonial Agency: Critique and Constructivism (2010) and the co-editor of Deleuze and the Postcolonial (2010) and Agamben and Colonialism (2011), all published by Edinburgh University Press.

Dr Bignall's research project is Building political community: the affective sources of conflict and cohesion

"Recent political philosophy is preoccupied with theorising conflict and gives little attention to the affective origins of social cohesion.This project aims to rectify this tendency. It understands the individual as a relational entity that is directed by the pursuit of joyful relations. The complex nature of individuality provides scope for new thinking about how integrity can be protected in conflict situations, while remaining flexible and open to engagements in the cultural context of plural society. The outcome is a novel understanding of political community built upon positive affective forces."

The research project, 'Cultural Transmission in the Greek Australian Community' based in the School of Languages and Linguistics in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, aims to generate new insights for community leaders and ordinary families, to enhance the understanding of how Greek culture is transferred between generations in Australia.

The High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Yannis lacovou, presented the $5000 cheque to the Acting Dean of the Faculty, Professor Eileen Baldry, on Thursday 29 November.

“It is a pleasure to support the important academic research that is carried out at the University of New South Wales and we hope to continue to do so in the future.” Said Mr Iacovou.

 Dr Maria Zarimis, the project’s leader, says “Cultural transmission is a major concern for the Greek-Australian community, and indeed all established non-English communities in Australia, with the question arising as to what is the future of the culture and language in their context.”

“Older members of the community wish to preserve and transfer to further generations what is most valuable in their culture. The question of how this is to be done is a matter of serious debate,” said Zarimis.

Greek Studies Advisor to the Dean, Dr Nicholas Doumanis, is developing a proposal for a research project which would capture never previously documented information about the Greek-Cypriot Australian Community. The project would assist in preserving the cultural significance of past generations of Greek-Cypriot migrant Australians.

The night was presented by two current students, Danielle McKinnon and Daniel Heyman. Mr Patrick Lee, Chief Executive of the NSW Institute of Teachers delivered the keynote address. Simon Paterson of JJ Cahill Memorial High School made a fantastic response on behalf of the award winning Supervising Teachers (here).

The School of Education was very pleased to have the opportunity to recognise the outstanding commitment of people in schools and University working to improve teacher quality in NSW schools. The inaugural awards were to recognise Supervising Teachers in schools who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of UNSW pre-service teachers. The nominations for the awards were made by preservice teachers.

Also recognized were those involved in our Alternative Professional Experience Program, Professional Experience Program, Method Lecturers Program and Educational Leadership Mentors program.

See below for a full list of award winners.

Outstanding Supervising Teachers 2011

• Fatima Deassis – St Mary’s Senior High School
• John de Bres – Fort Street High School
• Jimmy Chai – Granville South High School
• Allison Emo – South Sydney High School
• Katheryn Fisher – Wagga Wagga High School
• Fiona Foster – Brigidine College Randwick
• David Gearin – Holy Spirit College Lakemba
• Rana Kaddour – Punchbowl Boys High School
• Elizabeth Newton – Randwick Girls High School
• Simon Paterson – JJ Cahill Memorial High School
• Andrew Smith – Gymea High School
• Jennifer Summers – Punchbowl High School

Special Awards 2011

• John Riley – Outstanding Support for Alternative Professional Experience
• Sue Cass – Coordinator, Method Lecturers
• Elizabeth Maxwell– Partnership Coordinator
• Robyn Lonergan Coordinator – Alternative Professional Experience
• Aisha Pruze – Professional Experience Coordinator
• Jim McAlpine – School/University Liaison
• Sue Cass – Educational Leadership Mentor
• Julie Kennedy – Educational Leadership Mentor
• Ted Noon – Educational Leadership Mentor
• Barbara Stone – Educational Leadership Mentor

First prize: Remi Hatsumi, David Tang, Andrew Min, Hana Thomson, Preston Leung

Special runner up prize: Hyo-Jin Lee, Suzie Lee, Selena Chen

Best Japanese Language prize: Emerson Sunardi, Kelvin Man, Mandy Chang, Raymond Wang

Credit must also be given to Associate Lecturer Yumiko Hashimoto who encouraged the students to enter and has supported their development through the Advanced Japanese course. The victory comes on the back of a successful year for the Japanese Studies program which has also seen students win awards at events such as the 42nd Australian Japanese Speech Contest.

Olivia Rothwell has worked in the field of education and the visual arts since the early 1990's completing her honors degree in 2001. She has practiced and exhibited her artwork in reputable galleries across Australia and has held posts as a high school teacher and head of department in Australia and overseas. She returned to Australia from the UK in 2007 and retrained as a special education teacher through the NSW Department of Education and Training’s retraining program. She received her Masters of Education (Special Education) from Sydney University in 2009 and has recently completed a Graduate Certificate of Education in Leadership from the Office of Educational Leadership, UNSW.

Olivia is currently working as a special education teacher at Wiley Park Girls High School and is a member of the UNSW Student Higher Degree Research Committee.

Olivia Rothwell’s aims to investigate the effectiveness of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) as an intervention to support the comprehension skills of female teenagers with a mild level of intellectual disability. Designed to facilitate reading comprehension for students with reading, learning and behaviour problems; international research has established CSR as particularly effective for those students in the middle years of school using expository text (Klingner, Vaughn, Arguelles, Hughes & Leftwich). The implementation of CSR in New South Wales public high schools however, is not widespread despite the urgent need for strategies to support literacy for struggling secondary readers. Additionally, there is limited research about how to assist struggling readers and many pre-service teachers feel unprepared to teach literacy and numeracy to those who fall behind or who experience difficulties learning (Rohl & Greaves, 2005). The systematic implementation of research-based literacy strategies like CSR in high school settings is crucial if Australia is to achieve its goal of effective elimination of barriers to learning and improve literacy outcomes for all students.

The research project will identify the coping strategies and supports that positively impact the lives of ageing women with intellectual disabilities by exploring their life experiences. An inclusive research framework will be employed, including researchers who are themselves ageing women with intellectual disabilities. They will be supported with innovative assistive technology. The outcome will be a strategy-based framework for promoting healthy ageing of women with intellectual disabilities.

Doc. Iva Strnadová is a Senior Lecturer in Special Education at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. She is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney, Faculty of Education and Social Work, Australia. Iva Strnadová has a strong history in securing national and international research grants. As part of the School of Education's Special Education Research Group, Iva’s current research is focused on using iPads to support individuals with disabilities. The group is currently conducting a study on using iPads to support adult women with intellectual disabilities to participate more fully as researchers themselves. Since 2005, she has participated in more than fifteen different research projects on a national and international level. She has published two professional books in the field of special education, co-authored eight other books and co-edited one book. Iva Strnadová has published ten peer-refereed journal articles and eleven papers in peer-refereed conference proceedings. Her research interests include ageing with intellectual disabilities, women with intellectual disabilities, across the life span experiences of families caring for a child with a disability and inclusive education.

Dr. Therese Cumming is a Senior Lecturer and Learning and Teaching Convenor for the School of Education at the University of New South Wales. Her research interests include: students with emotional and behavioural disorders, inclusive practices, social skills training, positive behavioural interventions, and the use of technology in the classroom. As part of the School of Education's Special Education Research Group, Terry's current research is focused on using iPads to support individuals with disabilities. The group is currently conducting a study on using iPads to support adult women with intellectual disabilities to participate more fully as researchers themselves. She has published a book and several journal articles and presented her work at both national and international conferences. Prior to her university and research work, Dr. Cumming has many years experience as a special educator and behaviour mentor in the United States.

We were very honoured to host 28 presenters from a wide range of research areas, including teacher education, educational administration, learning and instruction, curriculum studies, social context of education, and educational policies.

The Annual HDR Student-led Conference is a showcase of postgraduate research and a celebration of the significant contribution postgraduate researchers make to the research profile of the University.

The conference aims to:

• Provide a supportive academic environment for Higher Degree Research students to present their research work and get constructive feedback on it.
• Offer opportunities for HDR students to get feedback from peers, especially students from other universities.
• Provide a friendly and open environment for research students to exchange ideas and build network.
• Offer scaffolding and chances for publication.

To view a slides of the keynote speech How to conduct non-empirical educational research: some strategies by Prof Colin Evers please click here. 

We are proud that the university has recognized the incredible hard work and outstanding scholarship they have both demonstrated in building world-class research programs and in mentoring and supporting a large cohort of higher degree students, at the same time making such substantial contributions to the School in teaching and administration.

All at the School of Education take great pride in their exemplary achievements!

Paul Ayres is a researcher whose main focus is on learning and instruction. In particular he is a member of the group at UNSW that pioneered Cognitive Load Theory. He has authored a number of international journal articles that have examined various effects related to CLT such as the expertise reversal effect, split-attention, isolating elements, measuring cognitive load, the goal-free effect and worked examples. A recent focus is on using technology and multimedia in learning, with a special interest on the role of mirror neurons in animated human movement instruction. He has an Australian Research Council Grant for this research in partnership with Fred Paas (Erasmus University, the Netherlands). He is currently supervising a number of PhD students researching topics such as general problem solving strategies & brainstorming, worked examples & feedback, instructional design for chronic pain learners, human movement & instructional animations, multimedia & cognitive load, early entry of gifted students to university, and effective teaching of gifted students. He also has a broad interest in mathematics education.

Slava Kalyuga's research interests are in cognitive processes in learning, cognitive load theory, and evidence-based instructional design principles. His specific contributions include detailed experimental studies of the role of learner prior knowledge in learning (expertise reversal effect); the redundancy effect in multimedia learning; the development of rapid online diagnostic assessment methods; and studies of the effectiveness of different adaptive procedures for tailoring instruction to levels of learner expertise. He is the author of three books and more than 60 research articles and chapters

David Fitzpatrick, Professor of Modern History at Dublin’s Trinity College, delivered the inaugural Patrick O’Farrell Memorial Lecture, established by the John Hume Institute for Global Irish Studies (JHIGIS).

The annual lecture honours renowned historian and Emeritus Scientia Professor, Patrick O'Farrell, whose career was dedicated to the evaluation of the Irish contribution to Australian life.

In his address, Professor Fitzpatrick re-examined some of the themes explored in O'Farrell's Ireland's English Question, particularly his ideas on how Irish stereotypes have been expressed and exploited by the Irish themselves.

“The clerical myth of Irish fidelity to faith and fatherland was self-fulfilling, enabling the Church to create an identification between Irishness and Catholicism that reinforced communal bonds and encouraged Irish Australians to idealise their ancestors as members of a more egalitarian society than Australia,” he said.

Professor Fitzpatrick pointed to the fact that beliefs about Ireland and the Irish, though sometimes disingenuous, had left an enduring imprint on Australian politics and culture.

“Irish questions, however misconceived, were until recently an essential ingredient of Australian political discourse, and have yet to lose their hold on popular imagination,” he said.

Professor Rónán McDonald, Director of the JHIGIS, paid tribute to Professor O'Farrell as the foremost historian of Irish-Australia.

“He inaugurated a noble tradition in Irish Studies at UNSW which the Institute seeks to continue,” Professor McDonald said.

This partnership has been growing for several years, with the second wave of the SBAfL Programme officially launched by the Minister of Education on the 10th November, with a televised keynote address delivered by Chris Davison.

For more details please see the following links to recent media coverage of the partnership.

• http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2011/11/11/support-top-crucial-sbafls-success 
• http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2011/09/27/school-heads-discuss-new-appraisal-norms
• http://www.borneobulletin.com.bn/fri/nov11h7.htm 
• http://www.borneobulletin.com.bn/fri/nov11h11.htm 

The UK Higher Education Academy-funded Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment (TESTA) Project uses the student experience of assessment to inform assessment innovation.

Over 1900 Arts and Social Sciences undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students responded to the Assessment Experience Questionnaire (AEQ) in October.

Associate Dean of Education, Associate Professor Sean Brawley, said this was a fantastic result. “I was delighted with the response to the questionnaire which clearly showed that FASS students wished to share their thoughts about assessment,” he said. “The results provide a very powerful diagnostic tool around assessment, identifying strengths and weaknesses.”

Prizes were on offer for students to complete the survey. Tristan Carey was the lucky winner of an Apple Ipad 2 presented by the Acting Dean,  Professor Eileen Baldry.

Dr Scott Denton conducted the project for the faculty and in addition to the questionnaire, ran several focus groups with over 60 students. Dr Denton is now analysing the wealth of data produced by the project.

The TESTA project was designed by the former head of Teaching and Learning at Oxford University, Professor Graham Gibbs. The project is one of a number of assessment projects being carried out in the Faculty, including a project examining student time on task; examination by School’s of assessment practices as well as the ongoing work of the Faculty Assessment Working Party.

Miriam along with Claire Allen, Joel Richardson and Murray James won the Australian final to win a trip to Brazil to compete against 45 teams from around the world.

The team performed a cover and an orginial composition using nothing but pieces of stationery. A roll of sticky tape, pens, a wad of post-it notes, a stapler, hole puncher and a bunch of empty Red Bull cans were their chosen 'instruments'. Teams were judged based on three criteria: creativity, rhythm and how they wowed the crowds. They edged out their competition with their originality, creativeness, enthusiasm and performance flare for all things stationery.

A link to the award is available here.

The workshop was designed to engage high school students who wished to learn more about Asia. The event gave students the opportunity to meet some current UNSW students, academic staff and AEF business ambassadors.

There were a range of activities in the event, including small group discussions and country-specific workshops. Students had the opportunity to share their own experiences of Asia, its cultures and its peoples, and to discuss how Asia literacy is being explored in their own schools.

A short video of the event can be seen on UNSWTV. 

By attending lectures and tutorials you will expand your understanding of Philosophy or History over summer. Auditors attend and participate in classes similar to other students, but are not required to complete assessments.  There is a total of 36 face to face hours for each of the below courses.

Ways of Reasoning

29 November 2011–9 December 2011

With Dr Michaelis Michael

Lectures: 10am–12pm; Biomed Theatre A;
Tuesday 29 November 2011 – Friday 9 December 2011 excluding weekends

Tutorials: Either 1pm–3pm Or 3pm–5pm; Morven Brown Building; (allocated class provided on registration)
Wednedsay 30 November 2011 – Thursday 8 December excluding weekends

Registrations close: 22 November 2011 

Europe in the Middle Ages

3 January 2012–19 January 2012

With Dr Geoff Nathan

Lectures: 10am–12pm; Central Lecture Block, Theatre 1;
Tuesday 3 January 2012 – Thursday 19 January 2012 excluding weekends

Tutorials: 1pm–2pm; Central Lecture Block, Theatre 1;
Tuesday 3 January 2012 – Wednesday 18 January 2012 excluding Friday 6 January, Friday 13 January and weekends

Registrations close: 16 December 2011

Holocaust and Genocide in Historical Perspective

3 January 2012–19 January 2012

With Dr Michael Abrahams-Sprod

Lectures: 10am–12pm; Central Lecture Block, Theatre 4;
Tuesday 3 January 2012 – Thursday 19 January 2012 excluding Friday 13 January and weekends

Tutorials: Either 12pm–1pm Or 2pm–3pm Or 3pm–4pm; Various locations, contact School; (allocated class provided on registration)
Tuesday 3 January 2012 – Thursday 19 January 2012 excluding Friday 13 January and weekends

Registrations close: 16 December 2011

Registration and Payment

• Downloadable Registration Form

Register to audit these Summer Courses by sending your Registration Form to the us by post, fax or email.

Payment of the $893 fee and enrolment must be finalised on the first day of the course at the School office, between 8.30am and 9.30am.

Arts and Social Sciences researchers have been awarded over $2.5 million for 14 projects across a broad range of disciplines, in the new Australian Research Council (ARC) grants.

The funding announced earlier this month falls into two broad categories, 'Discovery' and 'Linkage'.

Discovery Projects 2012

In Discovery Project grants, Arts and Social Sciences received over $1.6 million for 11 projects.

• Stephen Hetherington, School of History and Philosophy, Sceptical reasoning: its epistemological nature, limits, and worth

• Martyn Lyons, School of History and Philosophy, Peasant writings and social identities in Europe, 1850-1920: towards a new history from below

• Karma Maclean, School of History and Philosophy, Imagining India in white Australia: Inter-colonial relations and the empire, 1901-195

• Mina Roces, School of History and Philosophy, A history of Filipino migration and identity, 1906-2010

• Peter Collins, School of Languages and Linguistics, Grammatical variation in English worldwide: the role of colloquialisation, Americanisation and other factors

• Ed Scheer, School of English, Media and Performing Arts, New media dramaturgy: how new media transform the composition and reception of live performance

• Christine Alexander, School of English, Media and Performing Arts, Charlotte Brontë and the romantic imagination

• Manolete Mora, School of English, Media and Performing Arts , The changing identity and sustainability of the music-cultures and worldviews of the Riau Islands' sea nomads and sedentary Malays

• Fiona Morrison, School of English, Media and Performing Arts, Christina Stead in America

• David McKnight, Journalism and Media Research Centre, Spinning out of control: the management of news by two Australian governments, 2004-2010

• Catharine Lumby and Kath Albury, Journalism and Media Research Centre, Young people, sex, love and the media

Linkage Projects 2012

The Faculty was successful in 3 Linkage Project grants– undertaken in collaboration with industry and government agencies –, worth $941,000. This was a success rate of 50% (winning 3 out of 6 applications), compared to 36.1% across all Linkage Project applications to the ARC.

• Ursula Rao, School of Social Sciences and International Studies, The application and consequences of e-governance for India's fight against urban poverty

• Gerry Redmond, Jen Skattebol and Peter Saunders, Social Policy Research Centre, Are the kids alright? Understanding the wellbeing of Australian children in their middle years

• Kristy Muir and Lyn Craig, Social Policy Research Centre, We can't afford not to: supporting young people within their families and communities from early adolescence to early adulthood,

Congratulations also goes to Arts and Social Sciences researchers who have received grants in partnership with other universities.

• Lisa Ford, School of History and Philosophy, who is a Chief Investigator on a Linkage Equipment, Infrastructure and Facilities (LIEF) grant for legal history with the Australasian Legal Information Institute (UTS and UNSW).

• Kate Crawford, Journalism and Media Research Centre who is a Chief Investigator on a Linkage grant with the CCI Arc Centre of Excellence, Social media in times of crisis: learning from recent natural disasters to improve future strategies.

UNSW researchers were awarded $33 million for 110 projects in this latest round of grants, topping the state and ranking third nationally. The new projects will be funded from 2012.

See a full list of UNSW’s successful grants at the ARC website.

She also received an excellent report from her professional experience where her supervising teacher commented on her “sophisticated skill in all areas of teaching” , noting her enthusiasm for teaching and concern for all the students in her care. Her supervising teacher praised her thorough lesson preparation and applauded the innovative and creative design of these lessons. Her report also stated that “Danielle’s ability to plan, assess and report for effective learning was outstanding”

Danielle has shown that same enthusiasm for her studies at UNSW and in her interactions with members of staff and other students – she is an outstanding graduate.

Congratulations Danielle from all at the School of Education!

Susan G. Assouline is Associate Director at the Belin-Blank Center, and Professor of School Psychology, in the Department of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations at the University of Iowa. She has a special interest in academically talented primary school students and is co-author of both editions of Developing Math Talent: A Guide for Educating Gifted and Advanced Learners in Math (2005, 2011) As well, she is co-developer of The Iowa Acceleration Scale, a tool designed to guide educators and parents through decisions about accelerating students. In 2007 and 2010, Dr Assouline was awarded the Mensa Education and Research Foundation Award for Excellence in Research for her work on twice-exceptionality.

Identification of Students for Gifted Programs and Assessment of Gifted Students for Programming: What’s the Difference and Does it Matter?

Identification and assessment are not synonymous. The nuance in their meanings has important implications for the ways in which teachers, psychologists, and counselors work with all students and gifted students, in particular. To answer the question: “Why does it matter?” we will examine various gifted education identification systems and models. We will discuss the ability/achievement continuum and the concept of general vs. specific aptitude. We will consider how an understanding of this continuum can contribute to the decision-making process about various academic interventions, specifically acceleration and enrichment. We will also discuss the role of assessment in diagnosis and intervention of twice-exceptional learners. Finally, we will address the ways in which assessment of cognitive ability and academic achievement differ from assessment of psychosocial factors.

These findings come from a major new international study in online practices of 25,500 children in Europe and Australia.

The research shows that Australian kids are more likely to be exposed to harmful content on the web and indulge in risky online practices than children from many other countries as they start using the internet at a younger age than in most countries.

The report was produced by a team from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCi), including UNSW Journalism and Media Research Centre Director, Catharine Lumby.

“Our kids are what we call ‘high use, high risk’. Being natural risk takers, they may bite off more than they can chew and see some things they are not comfortable with,” says Professor Lelia Green from Edith Cowan University who led the team of CCi researchers.

The findings include:

 * Australian children (9-16) were, on average, almost eight years old when they first used the internet;

* They are ranked eighth out of 26 countries for Internet use, with 76% going online daily and 22% once or twice a week;

* Top activities are using the internet for schoolwork (86%), watching video clips (85%), playing games (78%), emailing (67%) and social networking (63%);

* Most Australian children report being able to bookmark websites, find information on how to use the internet safely and block messages, but only 37% say they can change filter preferences;

* 28% of 11-16 year olds have seen sexual images online; and

* 29% of Australian children say they have been bullied (compared to 19% across Europe), and 13% say this occurred on the internet (compared to 6% for European nations).

 “A growing challenge is that more kids will be going online with mobile devices, where they will be out of the family monitoring range,” Professor Green said. “Three in five Australian children are using their smartphones to log on – a much higher proportion than in the other 25 countries.”

The report compares Australian children with children from 25 countries including the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Norway. It draws on the work of the ‘EU Kids Online’ network funded by the EC (DG Information Society) Safer Internet plus Programme.

The report 'Risk and safety for Australian children on the internet' was written by Lelia Green, Danielle Brady, Kjartan Ólafsson, John Hartley and Catharine Lumby.

UNSW’s Journalism and Media Research Centre is a key partner in Australia’s only Centre of Excellence in the humanities. The ARC Centre for Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCI) is helping to build a creative Australia through cutting edge research spanning the creative industries, media and communications, arts, cultural studies, law, information technology, education and business. It is funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC).

Australian children are among the earliest and prolific users of the internet globally, according to a new study.

AU Kids Online — authored by Professors Leila Green, John Hartley and Catharine Lumby from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation — compared Australian kids aged nine to 16 to their European counterparts.

A total of 400 children and their parents or carers were interviewed in person for the study.

Australian children were on average less than eight years old when they started surfing the Web, making them one of the youngest users in the 26-nation study.

76 per cent of Australian kids and young teenagers were reported to go online daily for an average time of 1.5 hours per day.

 The study also revealed that parental and teacher guidance of online use and safety was high in Australia.

Read more at http://www.cio.com.au/article/406221/aussie_kids_youngest_prolific_internet_users_study/?fp=4&fpid=5

These findings come from a major new international study in online practices of 25,500 children in Europe and Australia.

The research shows that Australian kids are more likely to be exposed to harmful content on the web and indulge in risky online practices than children from many other countries as they start using the internet at a younger age than in most countries.

The report was produced by a team from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCi), including UNSW Journalism and Media Research Centre Director, Catharine Lumby.

Read more at

http://www.arts.unsw.edu.au/news-and-events/aussie-kids-at-higher-risk-in-cyberspace-new-report-1332.html  

http://www.cci.edu.au/about/media/media-release-aussie-kids-‘earliest-internet-users’

http://www.cio.com.au/article/406221/aussie_kids_youngest_prolific_internet_users_study/?fp=4&fpid=5

• A/Prof David McKnight for Spinning out of control: the management of news by two Australian governments, 2004-2010: 2012-2014, ARC Discovery Project DP120100629, Funding Awarded: $95,000

• Prof Catharine Lumby, Dr Kath Albury, Prof Alan McKee, Prof David Buckingham for Young people, sex, love and the media, 2012-2014, ARC Discovery project DP120102594, Funding awarded: $200,000

Their work focuses on developing video installations and performance lectures using audiovisual samples to challenge historical events and cultural trajectories. The sibling duo of emerging visual artists will put the prize of $60 000 towards their professional development - and are looking to undertake a one-year program overseas.

According to ArtsNSW, "Soda_Jerk plan to undertake a five month arts residency at Eyebeam in New York City – the leading not-for-profit art and technology centre in the US. They also plan to spend time at Harvard University’s Hip Hop Archive in Boston and embark on a mentorship with Craig Baldwin, one of the most respected artists working in the field of found-footage filmmaking."

Their winning installation piece, After The Rainbow (2009), a video installation that investigates the temporal dimensions of cinema. Through a reimagining of the initial sequence of The Wizard of Oz (1939), the fantasy world of cinema and the reality of Judy Garland’s sad life collide in much the same way as the worlds of Kansas and Oz in the original film. Instead of taking Dorothy to Oz, the twister transports a young, hopeful Judy Garland into the future where she encounters her disillusioned adult self.

This is Soda_Jerk’s second installment in ‘The Dark Matter Cycle’, a series of video remix works that mobilise the conceptual framework of time travel to explore the relationship of recorded media to the passage of time.

The Helen Lempriere Travelling Art Scholarship is a substantial prize for emerging contemporary visual artists in Australia. Soda_Jerk was selected from 12 finalists by an independent panel of judges made up of director Kathleen von Witt (Hawkesbury Regional Gallery and Museum), senior curator Dr Daniel Mudie Cunningham (Artbank), artist and former Scholarship winner Todd McMillan, and curator and writer Jeff Khan (Performance Space).

Visit the Soda_Jerk website here.

Thank you to ArtsNSW and DLux MediaArts for information we have used in this story.

To view the article click here

On October 15, Japanese language students representing all states and the territories of Australia and New Zealand gathered at the JapanFoundation Hall in Sydney for the 42nd Australian National Final JapaneseSpeech Contest. Two of the four contestants representing the State of New South Wales were our UNSW students, Vincent Uecker and Hana Thomson. They were the two winners of the NSW State competition in two of the three tertiary student divisions. 

Vincent, who is a student in the Intermediate Japanese B course, started studying Japanese last year. He competed in the Open Beginner Division with his speech entitled, "Does a Japanese girlfriend improve your Japanese?". He delivered his speech confidently, and the audience throughly enjoyed his sense of humour.The answer to his question was "no": A Japanese girlfriend does not improve your Japanese. 

Hana, who is studying in the Professional Japanese B course, competed in the Background Speaker Division. Her speech title was "I am Hana-jin." She discussed her multicultural upbringings of American and Japanese heritage, born in Singapore, growing up in Australia and concluded she is not one of, but all of "Amerika-jin", "Oosutoraria-jin", and "Nihon-jin" and named her heritage "Hana-jin".

Vincent and Hana were awarded their certificates by the Ambassador of Japan, Mr Shigekazu Sato, and each received a return ticket to Japan from the Japan Airlines and Bullet Train ticket from the Japan Rail Tokai.

Vincent is due for a semester of exchange in Rikkyo University in Tokyo, and he plans to go to have an advanced look at Japan using the ticket. Hana plans to go to visit her grandmother in Tokyo during the summer holiday.

We cannot forget UNSW participants at the NSW state competition who also did extremely well. Including Vincent and Hana, eight UNSW students participated in three eligible divisions of Open Beginner, Open, and Background Speaker, and six students won prizes.

Open Beginner Division

1st Prize Winner: Vincent Uecker "Does a Japanese girlfriend improve your Japanese?"

2nd Prize Winner: Hayden Blain "Culture Shock: My Taiwanese food experience." 

Open Division

2nd Prize Winner: Kyle Koo "Army and Freedom."

3rd Prize Winner: Billy Jaya "Haggling in Osaka."

Background speaker Division

1st Prize Winner: Hana Thomson " I am Hana-jin."

3rd Prize Winner: Yuna Kubota "Until we get there."

Congratulations to all!

Check the course description and timetable below.

Launched in 2010, the event stands to recognise current undergraduate FASS students for their demonstration of leadership on campus or within the community, as well as acknowledge their efforts to optimise student experience on campus and the public profile of UNSW.

Recipients listened to a speech by the Dean, Professor James Donald before being handed their awards, then participating in the luncheon.

The students were nominated by FASS staff for four different awards with some students overlapping and being awarded in two categories. The categories included academic, community, student life and creative and performing arts leadership.

Students awarded academic leadership showed outstanding commitment to their program of study with excellent academic achievement, displays of leadership in the classroom, and interaction with both peers and staff.

Community leadership recognised students who had show exceptional commitment to community engagement at a local, national or international level.

Those nominated for student life leadership were committed to enhancing the on campus experience for all UNSW students.

Lastly, the creative and performing arts leadership award recognised students for significant contribution to the arts at UNSW through leadership in practice-based activities, both within or outside their program.

The leadership awards are part of an initiative to remark upon student activities which also includes the Dean’s List Reception and Faculty Awards Ceremony.

Congratulations to all the recipients of the leadership awards!

Congratulations to the following grant recipients:

• Prof. John de Wit, National Centre in HIV Social Research, Improving antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation for people living with HIV in Australia: a realistic and feasible approach? $419,896

• Prof. Carla Treloar, National Centre in HIV Social Research,Understanding and preventing hepatitis C transmission within sexual partnerships, $370,481

• Prof. Anthony Zwi,  School of Social Sciences and International Studies, Routine screening for intimate partner violence in antenatal clinics: A qualitativestudy of how Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women decide whether to discloseabuse they have experienced and contributors to the impact of screening, $390,456.00

“In Quantum Anthropologies, the renowned feminist theorist Vicki Kirby contends that some of the most provocative aspects of deconstruction have yet to be explored. Deconstruction’s implications have been curtailed by the assumption that issues of textuality and representationare specific to the domain of culture. Revisiting Derrida’s claim that there is “no outside of text,” Kirby argues that theories of cultural construction developed since the linguistic turn have inadvertently reproduced the very binaries they intended to question, such as those between nature and culture, matter and ideation, and fact and value. Through new readings of Derrida, Husserl,Saussure, Butler, Irigaray, and Merleau-Ponty, Kirby exposes the limitations of theories that regard culture as a secondorder system that cannot access—much less be—nature, body, and materiality. She suggests ways of reconceiving language and culture to enable a more materially implicated outcome, one that keeps alive the more counterintuitive and challenging aspects of poststructural criticism. By demonstrating how fields, including cybernetics, biology, forensics, mathematics, and physics, can be conceptualized in deconstructive terms, Kirby fundamentally rethinks deconstruction and its relevance to nature, embodiment, materialism, and science.”

On the 13th of October, soon to be retiring Professor Gavin Kitching delivered his last lecture at UNSW, a summary of the lecture in point form is below.

(1) Marx's original concept was deepy morally and politically ambiguous (although whether he himself thought of it as such can be debated).

(2) It has become even more ambiguous now, because the history of 'actually existing socialism', in the USSR and elsewhere, has shown that you can only abolish capitalism's worse faults by abolishing some of its best virtues as well.

(3) As a result, there is now almost total unanimity in the world now that the best solution that is practically available is keeping capitalism's innovation and dynamism, but trying to compensate for its social costs by state policy ("capitalism with a human face").

(4) The problem now, however, is that capitalism has become a single global economic system, (a single 'capitalism') and, in the face of that system, individual states can suffer if they impose 'capitalism-civilising' policies that others do not. I said in fact that "competition AMONG states is now the principal impediment to the adoption of 'capitalism-civilizing' policies WITHIN states.".

(5) To date, we have no solution to this problem, we have no proper 'politics of globalization' in fact. As a result, the emergence of a single global 'capitalism' poses a powerful threat to human well being, not only economically and financially, but environmentally as well. However,

(6) The appearance of a single global capitalism in the world since the 1980s is a powerful testimony to Marx's historical foresight. In addition, Marx's Hegelian philosophy of history (expressed in his philosophically profound contention that "mankind only sets itself such problems as it can solve"), gives us reason to hope that an effective 'politics of globalization' can be created, even if it provides no guarantees that that will be.

Between July - September 2011 Philip Birch, Lecturer in Criminology and Social Research (SSIS) has led a research team of 18 in order to investigate the implicit and explicit characteristics associated with aggression in romantic relationships. The study has investigated this issue from a gender neutral perspective and the explicit characteristics under investigation were personality traits and affect. The two attached reports are a summary of results from the research. More detailed analysis will be conducted on the data and published next year.

For a summary of results, click on the links below:

Characteristics associated with Intimate Partner Violence - Summary Report (A)

Characteristics associated with Intimate Partner Violence - Summary Report (B)

Known as the industry’s first chief data officer (his former position at Yahoo!), Fayyad is the current chairman & CTO of ChoozOn Corporation, a consumer deals search engine.

Fayyad really knows big data because he’s been developing technologies and research to harness, process and elicit insights from it for the past 20 years. More specifically, he has helped organizations including NASA, Audience Science, Microsoft and Yahoo! develop data mining technologies and data strategies.

Read more at SmartData Collective, http://smartdatacollective.com/brett-stupakevich/41877/predictive-analytics-big-data-what-does-future-hold, incl. below:

The article gave even more examples of how big data can raise the privacy shield for consumers. For instance, Kate Crawford, a researcher involved in the paper “Six Provocations for Big Data” and an associate professor at the University of New South Wales, says that aggregating data from multiple sources can reveal a person’s identity from social media and search engine data.

She says that the reason behind this is that the companies involved in collecting the data may “have no obligation to support scientific inquiry.” This includes requiring that companies pay for the data or manipulate the data by eliminating certain study methods. An example of this is that data samples can be nominal (or not representing a random review of all the data). Crawford and Danah Boyd (her research partner) reference consumer sentiments garnered from Twitter activity as an example. Their premise is that if you dig into the data about Twitter usage, you can see a large portion of users are not saying anything. About 40% of Twitter users are there just to listen. This could signify a “certain type of person” and not the unbiased story.

Professor Alan Dupont, well known academic, media commentator and national security expert, has been appointed the inaugural Director of the Institute for International Security and Development within UNSW’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He will take up the position in February 2012.

“The new Institute will bring together a critical mass of scholars to work on cutting edge, policy-relevant research on international security and development challenges, with a particular focus on Asia, Africa and the Middle East,” said Faculty Dean Professor James Donald.

The Institute will have an important role in leading public debate as well as educating Australia’s next generation of strategic analysts, policy-makers and professionals working in defence, foreign affairs, the national security community, non-government organisations, the media and development assistance.

“In today’s interdependent world, it is more important than ever to understand the links between conflict and under-development” Professor Dupont said.

“Universities have a crucial responsibility to contribute solutions to the many security and development challenges we confront. The new Institute will work in collaboration with other areas of the University and reach out to leading think tanks, policy institutes and universities in Australia and overseas, to advance its research agenda and provide thought leadership”, he said.

Professor Dupont is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and the US Foreign Service Institute and holds a PhD from the Australian National University. He is currently the Director of the Centre for International Security Studies and foundation Michael Hintze Professor of International Security at the University of Sydney, and a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy.

Professor Dupont is the author of numerous academic and policy publications on international security, including a path-breaking book on the emerging non-military security challenges to Asia’s security, and has lived in developing countries for many years. Prior to becoming an academic, he worked in government for 25 years in the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has also served in a number of senior advisory positions to the Ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade as well as the Government of East Timor.

Amongst trees lined with flags from different countries and an assortment of national foods, the International Language Festival took place on Wednesday 12 October at lunch-time in the Morven Brown Courtyard.

Current international languages students and those interested in learning about studying languages came together to celebrate the diversity of cultures and languages available to study in the School of Languages and Linguistics. The unique event highlighted the value of learning a language for those with a global career in mind.

Staff members from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences were present to provide information about language courses, international studies and international exchange opportunities.

First-year student Kathryn Brackenburg attended the festival keen to find out more international exchange.

“I’m really enjoying my study of French,” said Kathryn, who is majoring in Linguistics and French.

“I think learning languages is important. I want to have a more thorough knowledge of the world and I think language is something that will enable me to do that, particularly with an aim for doing exchange and getting immersed in another culture,” said Kathryn.

The event was organised by COFA student Mark Leak, who has been studying Spanish this semester. Mark hopes that taking on a Spanish course for his General Education elective will benefit him in the future when he intends to move overseas and start a design business.

The International Language Festival was a first for the Faculty and is testimony to the increasing importance of global education at UNSW.

Coptic Christians have long been discriminated against in Egypt, but the violence against them, and the government response to it, signals concerns for democracy in the country. EPA/Mohamed Omar

The violence in Egypt involving Coptic demonstrators, military units and unidentified thugs shocked the country and rang alarms about prospects for transition to democracy.

Egypt is going through a revolution and it would be naive to expect it to proceed smoothly, without finding a reverse gear. Nevertheless, the violence and the government’s response to the killing of the Coptic Christians are of real concern.

The unrest originated from Coptic protests about the burning of a church in Upper Egypt. The arson has been attributed to comments (probably mischievous) by the governor of the region who suggested the church had been illegally built – an invitation for anti-Christian radicals.

Seeds of protest

Violence involving Copts is a continuing problem in Egypt. The Coptic community offers a tempting target to extremist Muslims seeking to provoke unrest around the country. Attacks on churches and disputes about religious practices occur regularly.

Egypt’s Copts, who number between 10 and 15 million people out of the country’s population of 80 million, have long complained about discrimination in education, employment and senior positions in government and the judiciary.

They resent restrictions on their ability to build new churches or repair old ones. They frequently resort to erecting buildings that are designated as community centres, but which effectively operate as churches. This is a source of tension between communities, especially in more remote regions.

Solidarity

The picture is not entirely bleak. In much of the country, especially in Cairo, Copts and Muslims live side-by-side in relative harmony – even to the point of sharing religious festivities and schools.

After the violence on Sunday, many Muslims demonstrated their support for victims of the attacks. Tahrir Square – the centre of the revolution which overthrew President Hosni Mubarak – played host to impressive displays of Muslim-Christian solidarity.

Communal tension will take time to overcome. In the meantime, it is important that the government demonstrates its determination not to tolerate communal violence, as well as its commitment to equality for all Egyptians.

There have been periods in Egyptian history when these ideals have been approached but, the regimes of Anwar Sadat and Mubarak sought to exploit tensions for their own advantage.

Upcoming elections

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces may not be averse to employing a similar tactic. The Council is committed to holding presidential elections in November.

There are, however, signs that it intends to retain control of the process, perhaps by promoting its Chairman, General Tantawi, for the presidency.

Military interest

The concern is that the military has no interest in the development of democracy in Egypt. Members of the Supreme Council were integral to the regime of Mubarak and they have grown rich through the armed forces’ extensive involvement in the economy. Perhaps 40% of the economy is controlled by the military.

Military support for the Tahrir demonstrators was largely based on the desire to prevent Mubarak’s son, Gamal, from succeeding to the presidency. Now that Gamal has been dealt with, military enthusiasm for the revolution, for trials of members of Mubarak’s regime and for the principles of human rights has waned.

The Council announced that military tribunals for civilians would remain and reports of torture of people detained by the military persist.

It seized on violence on the border with Gaza to retreat from its commitment to revoke the emergency law, one of the most important and symbolic demands of the Tahrir demonstrations.

A university strike in Alexandria was suppressed violently and there is still disagreement over a new electoral law.

Protest reaction

The government’s reaction to the protests – it seemed intent on putting all blame on the Coptic demonstrators – is in contrast to its subdued response to the attack on the Israeli embassy in September.

It also closed a television station that broadcast Sunday’s violence – thereby reinforcing the fear that the authorities intend to exploit the unrest as the product of sectarian divisions and to promote the importance of their role in maintaining national unity.

Equally concerning is that after long being seen by the public as the protectors of Egyptian integrity and the heroes of the Tahrir Square uprising, the military are now being viewed differently. There is widespread condemnation of the authorities handling of the violence and increasingly loud demands for the removal of Tantawi.

Successful transition to democracy requires the effective withdrawal of the military from the political process. The signs aren’t good so far.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

We are offering a number of competitive incentive scholarships for students wishing to pursue a Masters Research higher degree or PhD with the Special Education Research Unit at UNSW, School of Education.

The scholarships are available to full-time and part-time students who will commence their studies in January 2012. The scholarships consist of a one-off payment on enrolment of:

• $3,000 for Master projects
• $6,000 for PhD projects.

 The preferred areas of research are studies in education and:

• ageing with intellectual disabilities,
• women with intellectual disabilities,
• life span experiences of families caring for a child with a disability,
• disability inclusive research,
• inclusive education,
• emotional and behavioural disabilities,
• Educational technology for students with disabilities.

ELIGIBILITY

In order to be eligible to apply for this scholarship, a student must:

• Be eligible to enroll in a full-time postgraduate research degree in Education (for PhD or Masters by research) at The University of New South Wales, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Education

• Satisfy the minimum English language proficiency requirement as set by the university

• Research must be focusing on the area of “Special education and/or disability studies”

SELECTION

Selection will be on the basis of the academic qualifications of the applicant and the quality and relevance of their proposal.

Selection Committee: A/Prof Paul Ayres, Dr. Terry Cumming, Dr. Iva Strnadova, Prof Chris Davison

Eligible applicants will be automatically considered by the School of Education Selection Committee.

In order to apply, please provide:

• Your academic transcript

• Research proposal including the working title of your research, research questions, intended research methodology and aimed group of participants (approx. 1000 words)

For more information about potential supervisors, please follow the links below:

Dr. Iva Strnadova

Dr. Therese Cumming
For more information about the School of Education and its research higher degree programs, please see http://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/postgraduate-research/

Applications close 30th Oct 2011

For more information about entry requirements and applications, please contact the Research Student Admissions Coordinator, Dr Kerry Barnett, k.barnett@unsw.edu.au, Tel. +61 2 9385 1986.

The School of Education would like to extend its warmest congratulations to Prof Miraca Gross who has been honoured with the title of Emeritus Professor, effective upon her retirement from the University of New South Wales on 31st December 2011.

Dr Miraca U. M. Gross is Professor of Gifted Education in School of Education, University of New South Wales as well as the founding Director of the Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC). She is recognised nationally and internationally as a leading authority on the education of gifted and talented students, and her work on the academic, social and emotional needs of gifted children has influenced educators around the world.

Miraca holds MEd and PhD degrees in gifted education. She began her career as a teacher and has 22 years' experience as a classroom teacher and school administrator in State education systems in Scotland and Australia. For 12 years, she was a specialist teacher of gifted and talented children in several different classroom settings, including the regular classroom, cluster grouped classes, pullout programs, and full-time classes. Miraca moved to UNSW from the University of Melbourne in 1991 and in December 1995, received the University of New South Wales Vice - Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 1997 she set up the Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre to provide an establishment for excellence in research, teaching and services for gifted education. The foundation of GERRIC was not only an acknowledgement by UNSW of its leadership role in this field of education, but a milestone in the history of gifted education in Australia being the first centre of research in gifted education in the Southern Hemisphere. In the 14 years since, the initiatives taken by GERRIC have had a remarkable influence on the education of gifted and talented students throughout Australia, not just in high-impact research and program outcomes, but also in filling vital national specialist and training needs. GERRIC post graduate coursework and research graduates and former staff are highly regarded locally and internationally, have assumed key roles in the gifted education field as University academics, school leaders, education consultants, educators, counsellors and psychologists, policy makers, curriculum consultants and designers, and presenters and co-ordinators of gifted and talented programs. More than 2,000 teachers from every Australian state and territory, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vanuatu have successfully completed the UNSW Certificate of Gifted Education program. At the same time more than 600 onsite school inservices by GERRIC presenters and educational consultants have been conducted across Australia, and more than 23,000 children from around Australia have attended GERRIC’s short courses and residential programs for gifted students.

In 1997 the Australian Federal Government honoured Miraca with the inaugural Australian Award for University Teaching in Education. In 2003 the Australian College of Educators honoured her with the Sir Harold Wyndham Medal for outstanding services to Australian education. In 2008 she was awarded the Order of Australia by Her Majesty the Queen for her services to education for the gifted. In 2009, the Mensa Education & Research Foundation presented Miraca with its Lifetime Achievement Award for research in the area of human intelligence. She is the first non-American to win this award. She has won several other international awards, including the Hollingworth Award for Excellence in Research in the Education and Psychology of the Gifted in 1987; the Mensa Education & Research Foundation Award for Excellence in 1988 and 1990; the American National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Early Scholar Award in 1995, and was again honoured by the NAGC with their Distinguished Scholar Award in 2005.

Miraca served for six years as President of the Gifted and Talented Children’s Association of South Australia, and served on the seven-person Executive of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children from 1995-1999. Miraca’ book, Exceptionally Gifted Children, has received international acclaim and a second edition was published in 2004. These books are two of many publications based on Miraca’ 25-year longitudinal study of 60 young Australians with an IQ of 160+.

Miraca has been working part-time for several years now and plans to continue to serve as the Director of the Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC) and to contribute to research and occasional teaching in the School of Education.

She will also play a critical role in complementing and supporting the work of new staff who have been recruited to work in gifted education in the School of Education, including Bronwyn McLeod, Dr Jae Jung and Associate Professor Wan Ng. However, retirement will also give her much–deserved time to spend with her beloved husband John and her garden and bridge games. On behalf of the School of Education we wish her the very best, and look forward to seeing her “baby” GERRIC go from strength to strength with new programs, new courses and new opportunities.

Professor Miraca Gross AM, DipT Moray House, Edin, BEd SACAE, MEd PhD Purdue, FACE.

The School of Education would like to extend its warmest congratulations to Professor Miraca Gross who has been honoured with the title of Emeritus Professor, effective upon her retirement from the University of New South Wales on 31st December 2011.

Dr. Miraca U. M. Gross is Professor of Gifted Education in School of Education, University of New South Wales as well as the founding Director of the Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC). She is recognised nationally and internationally as a leading authority on the education of gifted and talented students, and her work on the academic, social and emotional needs of gifted children has influenced educators around the world.

Miraca holds MEd and PhD degrees in gifted education. She began her career as a teacher and has 22 years' experience as a classroom teacher and school administrator in State education systems in Scotland and Australia. For 12 years, she was a specialist teacher of gifted and talented children in several different classroom settings, including the regular classroom, cluster grouped classes, pullout programs, and full-time classes. Miraca moved to UNSW from the University of Melbourne in 1991 and in December 1995, received the University of New South Wales Vice - Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 1997 she set up the Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre to provide an establishment for excellence in research, teaching and services for gifted education. The foundation of GERRIC was not only an acknowledgement by UNSW of its leadership role in this field of education, but a milestone in the history of gifted education in Australia being the first centre of research in gifted education in the Southern Hemisphere. In the 14 years since, the initiatives taken by GERRIC have had a remarkable influence on the education of gifted and talented students throughout Australia, not just in high-impact research and program outcomes, but also in filling vital national specialist and training needs. GERRIC post graduate coursework and research graduates and former staff are highly regarded locally and internationally, have assumed key roles in the gifted education field as University academics, school leaders, education consultants, educators, counsellors and psychologists, policy makers, curriculum consultants and designers, and presenters and co-ordinators of gifted and talented programs. More than 2,000 teachers from every Australian state and territory, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vanuatu have successfully completed the UNSW Certificate of Gifted Education program. At the same time more than 600 onsite school inservices by GERRIC presenters and educational consultants have been conducted across Australia, and more than 23,000 children from around Australia have attended GERRIC’s short courses and residential programs for gifted students.

In 1997 the Australian Federal Government honoured Miraca with the inaugural Australian Award for University Teaching in Education. In 2003 the Australian College of Educators honoured her with the Sir Harold Wyndham Medal for outstanding services to Australian education. In 2008 she was awarded the Order of Australia by Her Majesty the Queen for her services to education for the gifted. In 2009, the Mensa Education & Research Foundation presented Miraca with its Lifetime Achievement Award for research in the area of human intelligence. She is the first non-American to win this award. She has won several other international awards, including the Hollingworth Award for Excellence in Research in the Education and Psychology of the Gifted in 1987; the Mensa Education & Research Foundation Award for Excellence in 1988 and 1990; the American National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Early Scholar Award in 1995, and was again honoured by the NAGC with their Distinguished Scholar Award in 2005.

Miraca served for six years as President of the Gifted and Talented Children’s Association of South Australia, and served on the seven-person Executive of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children from 1995-1999. Miraca’ book, Exceptionally Gifted Children, has received international acclaim and a second edition was published in 2004. These books are two of many publications based on Miraca’ 25-year longitudinal study of 60 young Australians with an IQ of 160+.

Miraca has been working part-time for several years now and plans to continue to serve as the Director of the Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC) and to contribute to research and occasional teaching in the School of Education.

She will also play a critical role in complementing and supporting the work of new staff who have been recruited to work in gifted education in the School of Education, including Bronwyn McLeod, Dr. Jae Yup Jung and Associate Professor Wan Ng. However, retirement will also give her much–deserved time to spend with her beloved husband John and her garden and bridge games. On behalf of the School of Education we wish her the very best, and look forward to seeing her “baby” GERRIC go from strength to strength with new programs, new courses and new opportunities.

Twitter could almost have been created as a tool for scientific analysis. It churns out vast quantities of data in a format that looks perfect for computational crunching. But do tweets reflect what is really going on in the world? The BBC reports on how “engineers” (of which more later) from Texas Rice University monitored tweets during American football games. Professor Lin Zhong said that this tracking revealed what was happening in the game sometimes faster than broadcast media, often registering big events within 20 seconds.

This Twitter-following technique, he said, could be applied to anything from monitoring reactions during televised political debates to revealing the location and duration of power cuts.

 “People don’t often think of themselves as being sensors, but each of us constantly senses and reacts to our environment.

 “Thanks to social media sites like Twitter, it is now possible to capture those reactions—for millions of people—in real time,” he said.

However, other scientists were warning of the potential dangers of focusing too much research on social media and big data analysis techniques. Danah Boyd of Microsoft Research and Kate Crawford of the University of New South Wales raised a series of questions in a paper for Oxford Internet Institute’s “A Decade in Internet Time: Symposium on the Dynamics of the Internet and Society.” One of the questions they raise is about the degree to which individuals have given permission for their social media activities to be used:

Read More at The Wall Street Journal: http://blogs.wsj.com/tech-europe/2011/10/06/learning-from-twitter/

Almost 50 cents of every dollar spent by governments in Australia goes on social spending – either social security or health and community services. This week’s tax forum must reform the system, as the taxation and transfer systems are the two main ways governments reduce inequality and poverty.

The Henry Review and the Harmer Pension Review between them provided the most detailed analysis of Australia’s social security system looking not only at the interactions between the two systems, but also analysing specific social security policy issues in their own right.

The Henry Review recognised that: “A 21st century tax and transfer system should reflect the commitment to Australian values of fairness and support for those who are disadvantaged, but do so in a way that is efficient, sustainable, simple and transparent, and internally consistent”

Although it concluded the broad architecture of the transfer system was well suited to these goals, reflecting effective targeting of support to low income households, the Report identified a number of weaknesses: the system is overly complex, can treat those of similar means differently, and can result in people making choices that potentially undermine long-term wellbeing. Henry noted that setting payment levels and the design of payments could be improved to provide incentives to participate in the workforce.

Many issues raised by the Henry Review are long-term and should be debated and analysed comprehensively before reforms are introduced.

Other issues are more urgent and should be acted on as a matter of priority.

The system needs to minimise adverse incentives to work and save. It should treat different types of households equitably, and be politically and economically sustainable. But, if payments are not adequate, the system is not meeting its primary objective.

The unemployed

Currently, for a single person on the average wage losing their job, Australian benefits are the lowest in the OECD.

A single unemployed adult receives about $475 per fortnight, or $33.90 per day. If they’re renting privately, they’re entitled to up to $116 per fortnight in rent assistance, but to get that amount their rent has to be more than $258 per fortnight, leaving them with just $23.75 per day for everything else.

And that assumes you can find somewhere to rent for that amount. The NSW government’s Rent and Sales Report found that in June 2011 the cheapest one-bedroom homes in Sydney’s outer ring were in Wyong and Gosford and cost “just” $180 a week.

If you were on Newstart and paying that rent would have just $16.50 a day left over for your food, clothing, transport and other bills.

Adequate payments are important for incentives. If the gap between pensions and allowances widen further then incentives to claim disability payments will increase.

High housing costs can also price the unemployed out of areas where job opportunities are greater.

If welfare recipients don’t have enough money to live on, they may not be able to undertake sufficient or effective job search; a student may compromise their study efforts.

The carers' case

The difference between payment rates can also create major equity problems.

The Australian community provides support to people caring for those who have a disability. But if the person being cared for dies then their carer, who has been encouraged to commit many years to providing support – and whose labour market skills and experience have therefore been adversely affected – can experience a massive drop in income after the bereavement period of 14 weeks is over.

If they are under 60 when their partner dies they will see a reduction in income of more than $200 per fortnight.

The gap between pensions and allowances has existed for a long time, but has become much worse since 1997.

Pension payments

Pensions are rising at a faster rate than other benefits. Flickr/i.tokaris

Since 1997 Age, Disability and Carers Pensions have been indexed to average earnings while payments for the unemployed remained indexed to the CPI.

Before then single rate of Newstart was around 91% of the single pension rate. The gap between pensions and allowances has widened over time.

Changes in payments for pensioners implemented after the Harmer Review have meant that the gap between in benefits for the unemployed and for people with disabilities has widened. It’s now more than $230 per fortnight, and a single unemployed person receives a payment that is only 65% of the payments for a disability pensioner.

As the system is currently configured this gap cannot narrow over time, it can only grow.

Last year’s Intergenerational Report assumes that current indexation policies apply into the future so that age and disability pensions will be linked to wages, while most other payments for people of working age and families will be indexed to prices.

Over a 40 year period this will produce an even more remarkable change in the relative levels of support for pensioners and beneficiaries. Pensions are projected to rise by 4% a year on average, while benefits and allowances would rise by 2.6% a year.

The result – if actually continued for 40 years – would be that in 2050 a single unemployed person would be receiving a payment of about 11% of the average male wage, compared to 20% now.

The gap between pensions and allowances would widen enormously, and an unemployed person would be receiving a payment that was little more than one-third that of an age or disability pensioner.

So relative poverty among working age allowance recipients including families with children would increase significantly. But also incentives for the unemployed to qualify as eligible for disability payments would be strengthened enormously.

Encouraging employment

Would raising benefits to a more adequate level keep the unemployed out of jobs or even cause low paid workers to give up jobs?

Australia has been very fortunate in having one of the lowest increases in unemployment of any OECD country since 2008. But we shouldn’t overlook the fact that it has still risen significantly, and there are many people relying on an increasingly inadequate payment.

Over the last fifteen years the level of Newstart for a single person has fallen from around 54 per cent to 45 per cent of the after-tax minimum wage. If it hadn’t changed from the 1996 level then benefits would be around 19 per cent higher. It is difficult to see that going back to to that would pose serious disincentives to work.

 Urgent reforms

These problems are not going to go away. Current policies are simply going to make the problems more difficult to deal with the longer decisions are postponed.

The single rate of Newstart should be increased by around 20%, and rent assistance should be increased substantially (with a rent threshold of around 20% of income before support is payable).

In the longer run, Rent Assistance should be indexed to rental costs. The indexation of unemployment payments needs to be regularly reviewed and adjusted to ensure payments are adequate.

The Tax Forum needs to make changes now, before inequalities in the system are too great to handle.

Peter Whiteford Professor, Social Policy Research Centre at University of New South Wales

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

The reams of data that many modern businesses collect—dubbed "big data"—can provide powerful insights. It is the key to Netflix's recommendation engines, Facebook's social ads, and even Amazon's methods for speeding up the new Web browser, Silk, which comes with its new Fire tablet.

But big data is like any powerful tool. Using it carelessly can have dangerous results.

A new paper presented at a recent Symposium on the Dynamics of the Internet and Society spells out the reasons that businesses and academics should proceed with caution. While privacy invasions—both deliberate and accidental—are obvious issues, the paper also warns that data can easily be incomplete and distorted.

"With big data comes big responsibilities," says Kate Crawford, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales, who was involved with the work. "There's been the emergence of a philosophy that big data is all you need," she adds. "We would suggest that, actually, numbers don't speak for themselves."

Crawford's paper, written with Microsoft senior researcher Danah Boyd, illustrates the ways that big data sets can fall down, particularly when used to make claims about people's behavior. "Big data sets are never complete," Crawford says. For example, researchers often study Facebook to analyze people's social relationships, using connections made through the social network as a stand-in for real-world ties. But it's common for Facebook to show a distorted picture of people's closest social relationships, such as with parents, live-in romantic partners, or friends seen daily. "Facebook is not the world," Crawford says.

Read more at Technology Review http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/38775/?mod=chfeatured

Prof Chris Davison is one of three members of  the prestigious International Advisory Panel to the English Language Institute of Singapore while Honorary Prof David Nunan external consultant and English Method Lecturer  Ms Karen Yager is the Inaugural Teaching Fellow.  All three have also made significant contributions to the growth of the institute.

For a recent newspaper article please click here.

It was 1948 before President Truman desegregated races in the US army. The Australian army didn't officially enlist indigenous people until 1941, though plenty of them died before that defending their colonised land.

The standard debate about boys versus girls is framed by nature versus nurture. Boys are supposed to be naturally more aggressive and likely to enjoy hunting mammoths. Girls are supposed to be kind, nurturing and itching to roast a prehistoric beast for the tribe.

And that's pretty much what a teacher told me in primary school when I finally hit a boy who'd been teasing me for years. He got detention. I, with no acknowledged irony, got the cane. Why? Girls need to learn how to behave like girls.

The current debate about Australian women being permitted to fight like men in battle raises some timely questions about what we think gender means.

For many, it's clear that men and women are born with innate psychological differences.

Read more at http://m.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/gender-has-always-been-on-the-front-line-20111003-1l52j.html

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/gender-has-always-been-on-the-front-line-20111003-1l52j.html

Congratulations to Jae from all at the School of Education.

The 2011 Annual Report of Trends in Behaviour

Stigma remains a major issue for people affected by HIV, hepatitis C or drug dependence. In HIV prevention, survey research indicates that despite safe sex being well embedded, gay men’s social networks are diversifying, posing a challenge to educators. “As gay men have become more integrated into mainstream society, they have become a less cohesive group to target in HIV education and prevention,” said Dr Martin Holt, Senior Research Fellow at NCHSR. In addition, the proportion of gay men engaging in unprotected sex with casual partners has increased over time to 38 percent of men with casual partners in 2010.

“These are often isolated or occasional incidents of unprotected sex, and may occur in situations where both partners believe they have the same HIV status,” said Dr Holt. “However, attempts by gay men to limit HIV transmission by disclosing HIV status are not always effective.” After significant improvements in HIV testing rates, the proportion of gay men reporting recent HIV testing has fallen to 59 percent of men in 2010. This suggests that new ways need to be found to make it easier for gay men to undergo regular sexual health checkups and HIV testing.

“The proposed changes to Australia’s National HIV Testing Policy to allow community-based, rapid HIV testing may make testing more accessible to at-risk groups,” Dr Holt said.

Media coverage of the release of the 2011 Annual Report of Trends in Behaviour includes:

"WA's HIV rate on the rise", The West Australian - http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/10345506/was-hiv-rate-on-the-rise/

"Fewer gay men having HIV tests", Medical Observer - http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/news/fewer-gay-men-having-hiv-tests

"Gay men having more unsafe sex", Sydney Star Observer - http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2011/09/28/gay-men-having-more-unsafe-sex/62779

"STI rise prompts calls for more regular testing", Gay News Network - http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/northern-territory/1691-sti-rise-prompts-calls-for-more-regular-testing.html

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Media Production students are inviting members of the general public to celebrate their original and experimental animation works at the free festival. Opening night is Wednesday September 28.

Director of the Creative Practice & Research Unit, Su Goldfish, said the festival will highlight a range of different animation techniques from digital, stop-motion, claymation, cut-out and silhouette animation.

The student-run festival will also feature interviews with animators and two satellite exhibitions, Sound Works and Bodies & Interfaces.

Amy has now been invited to attend the Leading curriculum change conference as a guest of the association where she will be presented with the award.  She was nominated for her outstanding unit of work on the Vietnam war in History Method class. The unit of work made use of a detailed and extremely well organised Webquest to engage the students and scaffold their learning of this topic. The unit catered for a diversity of learners, enabling gifted students to explore this topic in depth, and those less skilled in history to approach the topic at their own pace.

Congratulations from  the School of Education!

At Home With Julia follows the tradition of poking fun at politicians' personal lives. ABC Television publicity

I was waiting for her to say “he touched me in nooks and in unexplored crannies I never knew I had” but it was not to be.

For the rest of the episode, however, the lead in At Home With Julia sounded like our First Lady of Suburbia Kath Day-Knight with her talk of “the desert tray” and her “perves” on the garden tradie, a sexual theme the actress Amanda Bishop has continued from her parody of the song 9 to 5.

The reviews

The reception to the first episode has ranged from those who start with the word lame to spiral downwards to “appalling television”; to those who liked the wry “sly and warm-hearted comedy exploring the humanity that exists within the identities of the political arena”; to one critic who was ready to chew her own arm off to get some intelligent satire because this show was “a symptom of the relentless drive towards trivialising politics and politicians”.

It all depends on your point of view is one response but that doesn’t get us very far beyond personal likes and dislikes. But we can pursue this so-called trivialisation, the important point that satire is always read against a context, and what traditional avenues of political satire the show didn’t pursue.

The executive producer was quoted as saying the show was a comedy “love story” and would not be mean-spirited.

Of course this show is against a background of spite against Gillard that may play to the Billy Tea Partiers in the stalls of the Colosseum.

This is one part of the difficulty of dealing with an audience that will read with a context. And the show may please many who are dismayed by the vitriol.

But when a producer announces a comedy about a politician people expect a satire involving all the traditional tropes about politicians that have been employed in Australia since the 19th century, and go further back to England.

This show mostly fails to deliver those expectations, regardless of their fairness.

Satire and politics

“Mean-spirited” is a tricky term in satire and comedy. Denouncing satirists for being “mean-spirited” has been a traditional counter-attack by the victims of satire against their tormentors. That satire is, well, just not nice, damn it!

For their part, satirists have often wanted to portray their work as a public service against the wicked, ever since Alexander Pope said in the eighteenth century the aim of satire was to cut an animal from the herd as an example to others.

So there has always been a battle between satirists and targets for reputation and position on the moral high ground.

History of satire

In February 1843 the editor of the newspaper The Satirist and Sporting Chronicle declared in the first edition that his purpose was: to expose and repress “humbug, either judicial, magisterial or political… and though satire is to be the weapon which we shall fearlessly yield – let it be remembered we shall at all times strive to steer clear of PERSONAL SCURRILITY (sic). Our pages shall never be made the channel of private resentment [but]… whatever we deem prejudice to the public weal."

He called it humbug but we know it as hypocrisy. Evidently the editor’s first target thought he was scurrilous and mean-spirited for writing that the pockmarked face of this politician was due to “the commission of sin in early life and the effects of mercury”. The editor was jailed in our first libel case brought by an elected politician and the paper folded.

Whatever the fairness of the verdict, it demonstrates that politicians have always been targeted for the same vices of corruption, lies, hunger for power, ambition and self-interest.

Now all these vices have been contrasted to the virtues of democracy in which the ideal politician looks after the people’s interests before their own, are self-effacing and have little interest in ambition, rewards and other sins of the flesh.

The ‘gap’ in democracy

In other words, there is always a gap between two ideas of politicians which satirists exploit, whether fairly or unfairly, and make the charge of hypocrisy.

Politicians must play a game in order to get elected: they must appear ordinary or like the people to get elected but they must have the qualities of ambition, thick-skin, a desire for power in order to succeed in politics. They must have the qualities most of us don’t have.

So the whole game reeks of hypocrisies, not just in politicians but also in us.

This is why we have seen cartoonists depict Malcolm Turnbull in a top hat; Tony Abbott as another Lord Nelson holding a telescope twisted to himself marked Vision for Australia to a bung eye; and Steve Bell depicting Tony Blair as the one-eyed Bambi Ballcrusher.

Now in At Home With Julia we get no hint of Gillard’s ambition that got her to the top, that deposed a prime minister, and that has ditched her left ALP ideology for pragmatism. The closest we get in the program is the phone conversation with “Keating” who is a windbag constantly telling Julia how great he is.

Satirical sex and domination

Spitting Image portrayed Margaret Thatcher as a dominatrix eager to dole out punishment to recalcitrant ministers. Flickr/Galaxy FM

As may be gleaned from the example of the pock-marked face and “sin”, sex and the trivial sells satire. Greed for sex and other basic needs become metaphors for overwhelming selfishness and domination that hint at what awful things they may do to us. However, exposure of our First Couple as our First Bonkers has no such dark overtones.

In 1992 a cross party group of ex-politicians-cum-authors portrayed a female prime minister who has nothing to learn from JFK and Henry Kissinger about sex as an aphrodisiacal by-product of power and who beds an ambitious admiral in Up The Greasy Pole. This was a gender egalitarian twist on an old theme and was a far cry from the suburban bonking in the TV show.

The sexual allure of Margaret Thatcher was a much discussed theme in the 1980s, with frequent recourse to Francois Mitterand’s famous description of her having “the eyes of Caligula and the mouth of Marilyn Monroe”.

Her ministers were often ridiculed as public schoolboys who subconsciously wanted a spanking from “nanny”, and so that theme of a shrill dominatrix PM satisfying salivating ministers was recurrent in Spitting Image.

Thatcher’s husband Denis was portrayed in Private Eye as a reactionary “duffer” who says in private all sorts of odious things at home and in private that he wouldn’t dare say in public. That is, he supposedly reveals the “true” Thatchers (“tearaway darkies”; “keeping the lower orders in their place”.

Now At Home With Julia holds no such threats. Nor is it like That’s My Bush of 2001 which parodies American family sitcoms like The Honeymooners of the 1950s. In such sitcoms the males were always idiots rescued by the women. So in the parody there is a complete contrast between the idiocies of George Dubya at home and the expectations of him as president. For example he is a frat boy who farts at a prisoner to be executed in a gas chamber (get it?).

Get personal

Such examples demonstrate there is no better way to get even through satire than to get personal and trivial. In 1993 Jeff Kennett was immune to all sorts of attacks and mockery but he unleashed the inner boofhead when a Good Weekend article photo-shopped his head on a nude body.

The same tactic so annoyed a Toronto mayor that his office tried to remove all copies of the newspaper from city facilities.

Also in the 90s, an artist deposited a statue of a nude Liz and Phil in all their sagging glory on a bench by Lake Burley Griffin. An enraged monarchist knocked the heads off. The perceived nudity of the powerful strips away more than their clothes.

Apart from last night, when the proxy Julia apologies for her dressing gown slipping open to give the taxi driver “an eyeful” there is no pursuit of the personal.

In this show there are only a few of the traditional themes we expect in comedies about politicians and these few are little explored.

At Home With Julia says Gillard is another Kath in love with her Kel, but from Werribee not Fountain Lakes, although the McMansions are not that different on the western shores of Port Phillip Bay.

At Home With Julia airs on Wednesday nights at 9.30 on ABC1.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the digital options for helping raise kids. Dedicated children’s TV stations are only a click away; there’s a huge industry in learning DVDs; and there are so many learning apps that devices such as iPads are being introduced to classrooms.

Professor Catharine Lumby, director of journalism and media research at the University of NSW and co-author of Why TV is Good for Kids: Raising 21st Century Children (Pan Macmillan, $32.95), says electronic entertainment is unfairly demonised when it comes to children.

“It’s a middle-class myth that unless you’re reading a book, you can’t be learning,” she says, adding that strict Australian standards require children’s TV shows to use educational consultants.

Too much can be unhealthy, admits Lumby. But, as with everything, balance is key, and as media grows more interactive, it can offer more for children. “There’s good evidence that kids who do online activities increase their literacy.”

However, others believe technology plays too big a role in an area that should be focused on human contact and organic learning.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/tech-it-or-leave-it/story-e6frfro0-1226144873101#ixzz1Z1UkDmew

• Professional Issues/Teacher Development
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The Murdoch crisis in the UK raises many questions about media ownership in Australia. AAP/William West

The Gillard Government’s media inquiry is to disregard the crucial issues of bias and concentration of media ownership, despite Bob Brown’s demands for wider terms of reference. This is, at best, misled.

The Murdoch News of the World phone hacking scandal in Britain has brought to light many disgusting and wilfully illegal abuses of personal privacy.

It points also to the scale of the corrupting power that media proprietors can have on good governance and liberal democracy.

Concentrated ownership

We have reason to worry. It is well known that Australia has one of the highest concentrations of media ownership in the world. Liberal, “fourth estate” standards of journalistic independence and diversity of opinion are essential conditions for informed citizenship and freedom of speech and hence for the proper functioning of a democracy. By those standards Australia compares poorly with most other developed OECD nations.

The Australian situation has much to do with the historic domination of the Australian media by the three media dynasties of Packer, Fairfax and Murdoch.

All three have at various times asserted their private commercial and political interests strongly, and used their influence in ways that flouted journalistic and editorial independence.

Public broadcasting

The weakness of “watchdog”, “fourth estate” controls on the privately owned broadcasting and print media has been exacerbated by the comparatively low funding of Australian public service broadcasters and their low share of the television viewing audience.

This did not, however, prevent the conservative Howard Government’s attacks on both the critical independence and funding of public broadcasting in Australia. Paid advertising was forced on the SBS TV network in 1991.

And no one should doubt that an Abbott government would deliver still greater power to the private media proprietors, restart the culture wars and renew attempts to starve, hobble or privatise the ABC.

Monitoring the media

The professionalisation of journalism came relatively late to Australia and commercial broadcast journalism functions here with minimal regulation for accuracy and impartiality.

In the early 1990s, Hawke government reforms replaced the existing requirement that a broadcasting licensee be a “fit and proper person” with ownership and control limits and handed much responsibility for the quality of content, including the development of codes of practice, to the broadcasters themselves.

That allowed our notorious shock-jock talkback radio kings to become a law unto themselves to a point where Justice Woods noted eleven years ago on a public action against broadcaster 2UE that John Laws was “too famous to be put in jail”.

The effect has been to encourage hate speech, scapegoating, and blind politics among some of the most powerless sections of the population.

Standards not ownership

At the other end of the spectrum the once reputable Murdoch-owned Australian speaks only for top end business interests.

The print and broadcast media now routinely offer platforms for the views of right wing think tanks funded with undisclosed contributions from corporations, such as the Sydney Institute, the Institute for Public Affairs and the Centre for Independent Studies.

Successive governments have taken the cowardly way of avoiding vexing the media proprietors with needed public interest regulations on quality, content, journalistic standards and editorial independence.

Instead they have attempted to fix the problem with rules designed to promote diversity of ownership.

Flawed rules

The most recent round of legislative changes in 2006 on cross-media ownership prohibit an individual from controlling more than two media out of radio, TV and newspapers in a license area.

But what our most recent studies have shown is that rules were deeply flawed and have led not to less concentration but rather to more.

Between 2003 and 2010, while the number of licensed commercial broadcasting services increased from 306 to 317, the number of controllers of these licenses fell, from to 42 to 39.

The number of newspapers monitored by the Australian Communications and Media Authority did not change, while the number of controlling organisations fell from 13 to 8.

These rules have increased incentives for large media companies to centralize their news and current affairs with costs to both quality and regional focus.

Weakened governments, powerful proprietors

Some may object that these are merely the precious concerns only of a progressive middle class (about 25 per cent of voters), or worse, as the think tank hit men would have it, more noise from “the Balmain basket weavers”, “chattering classes” and “the doctors wives”. Wrong!

Our analysis of successive waves of the ANU Australian Survey of Social Attitudes shows that more than 70 percent of Australians believe that the big media proprietors have too much power and that the ownership of the media is too concentrated.

The same surveys show that people care much more about good governance, civic engagement, and public provision than is commonly believed.

Many factors have contributed to the increasing paucity of our news and current affairs. A general tendency for people to retreat from the public world into entertainment is but one of them. The inherent and the often wearing complexity of political and policy problems is another.

But none of this can hide that the deterioration is a direct consequence of a larger 25 year long policy of micro-economic reform that has steadily weakened the role of government and preferred, one-sidedly, to advantage private interests against public interests and the interests of the consumer over those of the citizen.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. Read the original article.

On Tuesday, 6th of September, the Year 10 Japanese Class headed out to UNSW to attend a workshop titled "Opening a Door into Asia". The purpose of this workshop was to show us all how important it is to learn an Asian language and be involved in Asian culture, as the Asian market is rapidly growing and will continue to do so in the future.

First of all, have you learnt an Asian language? Learnt about the culture or traditions of particular regions of Asia? Do you have a passion for Asian studies? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, then you have just gained yourself a giant advantage over your peers in the eyes of your future employers (and yes, you can show this to your parents who disapproved of your choice of Japanese over French). These words came from the mouths of people such as lawyers, designers, managers, all people who have extremely successful career paths.

So many things are possible with the newly coined term "Asian literacy". Ironically, to be "Asia literate", you don't have to actually be literate in an Asian language. It's about possessing the skills to become a vital asset in an Asian market, where the customs, language and traditions are different. People in various positions of power with good careers all spoke, giving us career advice about how to further increase our Asia literacy, by going to Asia and experiencing a whole new culture, and gaining new skills.

After the presentations, the fun and games started. There were a choice of four stations to attend, each representing an Asian country- Japan, China, Korea and Indonesia. The Japanese room entertained us with a quiz on our language skills.via Jpop. To get points, the teams from North Sydney Girls eagerly offered trivia and translated songs from Arashi, EXILE and AKB48.

Most of the NSGs then rushed off to the Korean workshop, which took place in a dance studio. We were given the choice of learning the dances for chart toppers like Mr Simple, Shock, Ma Boy, Replay, and some song by other bands such as T-ara and 2NE1. After much deliberation, we chose ShiNEE's Replay and set out with half an hour to master the choreography. Even though it was harder than it looked (and definitely harder than Shinee makes it look), it was great fun and we even convinced our teacher, Mrs Mizoshiri to join in.

The message that was delivered to us was ultimately that having Asian literacy sets you out from the rest of the employees. It will make life easier for you when finding a job, not to mention give you so many new experiences along the way. As the world grows, young people will be expected to do much more than ever before. Whether it be an Asian language or not, your language skills are an important asset that will stay with you for life.

Prof. Hugman and A/Prof. Flaskas, of the Social Work programs in the School of Social Sciences & International Studies, are among just 12 leading social workers who have been chosen as Foundation Fellows for the new professional Australian College of Social Work. The ACSW has been established under the auspices of the Australian Association of Social Workers, to ‘recognize, demonstrate and promote advanced social work practice; set standards for excellence in specialist and advanced generic practice and to advocate through its members for high quality services to influence social change’.

The role of the Foundation Fellows will be to ensure the College establishes the best possible practices and structures to achieve these aims. The Foundation Fellows have been chosen because they ‘represent outstanding members of the profession as demonstrated through their educational and practice excellence’ and as having ‘eminent standing in the profession and a national or international reputation’, according to Dr. Jan Carter, Director of the ACSW.

Prof. Hugman is currently the chair of the ethics committee of the International Federation of Social Workers; he has published extensively on professional ethics, international social work and social gerontology, and previously has practised in aged care, mental health and community welfare; since 2004 he has served as a consultant to UNICEF Vietnam to advise the Vietnam Government on the establishment of professional social work. A/Prof. Flaskas is a leading researcher, educator and practitioner in family therapy; she has published extensively in this field and holds an honorary doctorate from the Tavistock Clinic in London for her contribution to family therapy theory and practice. She has also received a national award for Distinguished Contributions to Australian Family Therapy.

Prof. Hugman said, ‘This is a great honour, not only for Carmel and myself, but also for Social Work here at UNSW and for our School. It reflects the high standards that we set in our research, teaching and ongoing practice engagement with the professional community.’

‘It is wonderful to see two colleagues of the calibre of Richard and Carmel being honoured in this way’, said Prof. James Donald, Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. ‘Their work shows that two of UNSW's key values can be achieved at the same time: world-class research and effective social engagement. We are proud to have them as members of this Faculty.’

Professor Eileen Baldry, from UNSW Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, argues the Australian criminal justice systems are no exception.

Professor Baldy presented Disabling justice: Social justice, human rights and mental and cognitive disability in the criminal justice system last week as the final event in the Faculty’s public lecture series in 2011.

The lecture was delivered to a packed Leighton Hall at the UNSW Kensington campus, with over 250 people in attendance.

During her lecture Professor Baldry addressed why there so many people with mental and cognitive disability incarcerated. Professor Baldry’s research has found that people with mental and cognitive disabilities who become enmeshed with the police, courts and prisons are largely from the most disadvantaged backgrounds and communities, with Indigenous Australians significantly over-represented amongst them. As criminal justice processes are primarily to assess guilt and administer punishment, they tend to intensify experiences of disability; prison is not a therapeutic place.

Watch the lecture on UNSW TV

Professor Chris Davison from the School of Education was the keynote speaker at the event and spoke to overcoming the common challenges associated with assessments. She outlined an array of ideas as to how to refresh the current approaches to marking to maximise the potential outcomes for students and to make the assessment process easier, quicker and more interesting for the teacher.

Key strategies suggested included the use of assessment banks and models/exemplars, the co-construction and contextualisation of assessment criteria, standardised feedback sheets, online forums for self and peer evaluation, cross-course benchmarking, and technologies to record, student work and stimulate great self-reflection, eg. digital portfolios, feedback via audio-file, use of mobile.

Dr Shirley Scott, Director of Learning and Teaching for the Faculty, stated that the event was part of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science Assessment Project. “Fifty staff from across our Schools and Centres as well as the Learning and Teaching Unit participated in the event, sharing examples of successful innovations in assessment and of common challenges, the role of technology, and ways by which to ensure that our assessment practices function as an integral component of, rather than simply a way of measuring, student learning.”

Attendees participated in a roundtable discussion where they were invited to share experiences and ideas on how to tackle the challenges associated with assessing group work and class presentation, e-assessment, oral forms of assessment, assessment portfolios and the role of course co-ordinators in assessing a large course with a constrained budget.

Professor Davison has an international reputation for her work on assessment for learning and has undertaken extensive research and development on assessment reform and changing assessment cultures in Australia and Asia.

Spaces are available in the following workshops:

For more information about our Office of Educational Leadership and courses offered please click here.

If something on the TV or radio news strikes you as unfair, you can complain to the broadcaster. If you're not satisfied, you can call the Australian Communications and Media Authority. The authority's attention is regularly drawn by viewers to Today Tonight and A Current Affair, and it is now considering objections over the way 2GB host Alan Jones has covered climate change.

If you spot an error in a newspaper, you call it first. If that doesn't resolve the matter, you go to the Australian Press Council, funded mainly by the major publishers and labelled a ''toothless tiger'' this week by the Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy. Yet it showed it had at least some teeth on Thursday, finding that The Daily Telegraph had no evidence for a critical assertion against the Greens, and requiring it to publish its ruling prominently.

Read more at Brisbane Times: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/no-one-to-turn-to-when-online-gets-out-of-line-20110916-1kdvf.html#ixzz1YXdP8KtK

The term ‘Big Data’ has been bandied about a lot in the course of the research industry’s recent debate about social media data, privacy and ethics – and Boyd and Crawford have plenty to say that will be of interest to researchers wrestling with these topics.

I was particularly drawn to the questions they ask about the ethics of Big Data and the way researchers are seeking to use ‘public’ data from social media sites.

Market research industry bodies have been criticised in certain quarters for publishing social media research guidelines that stick to established ethics about the importance of gaining the informed consent of research participants and protecting their anonymity. They’ve been called antiquated and out of touch – but that’s a charge that’s impossible to level at Boyd, who was named one of the most influential women in technology by Fast Company magazine in 2009.

Yet the points she and Crawford raise in their paper are broadly similar to the concerns research industry bodies seek to address.

Read more at Research-live.com: http://www.research-live.com/confirmation-bias-–-or-why-i-love-this-paper-by-boyd-and-crawford/4006015.blog

Also in the Spring issue of Uniken, a story on how women face yet another dilemma when it comes to motherhood: could three kids push you out of the workforce? Anna Zhu, research associate at the Social Policy Research Centre investigates with Catherine Brogan.

Sydney's past is more than just ball-and-chains, bubonic plague and brothels. Grace Karskens from the School of History and Philosophy discusses the buried truths of early settlement.

Read these stories and more in the Spring Edition of Uniken.

 Uniken is UNSW’s flagship magazine. Now published quarterly, it reports on the latest developments in research and teaching, as well as featuring comment from leading academics on issues of public concern.

Journalism experts fear the Gillard government's media inquiry, which is expected not to examine bias or media ownership, is shaping up to be a missed opportunity and waste of time.

The inquiry's terms of reference are expected to be released this afternoon, but it is widely reported today that the inquiry will focus on the issue of privacy and whether media regulators have sufficient oversight powers.

The Greens have been pushing for a more extensive inquiry that examines the dominance of News Limited – which Bob Brown has dubbed the "hate media" – in the Australian newspaper market.

"I don't see the point of an inquiry at this time," says Michael Gawenda, Director of the University of Melbourne's Centre for Advanced Journalism.

"The only issue is the ownership of the media and I think that horse has bolted. Not much can be done about that now. If News Limited is forced to divest newspapers who is going to buy them?"

He says that, although some media outlets are undoubtedly biased, "no inquiry by politicians into the issue of bias in the media makes any sense at all".

"What are they going to find and what are they going to do about it? What is the definition of bias?"

Read more at The Power Index http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/head-to-head/will-julia-gillard-s-media-inquiry-be-a-waste-of-time/20110914402

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences greeted potential students both at the Scientia Advisory Centre and in the Robert Webster Building where lectures and exhibitions were held.

Faculty staff members from each area of study were present in the Scientia Advisory Centre to assist potential students and respond to their many questions about studying humanities, social sciences and creative arts at UNSW.

A number of Faculty student ambassadors provided insight into on-campus life and the opportunities that different courses offer from a student’s perspective.

Student Ambassador Daisy Johnson says, “A lot of the time prospective students have technical questions, like what is the ATAR cut-off.. But I try to include as much as I can about what their student life is going to be like, because that’s one of the biggest things that affected me when I started my degree.”

An English, Media and Performing Arts exhibition was set up in the Robert Webster foyer area displaying graduate career profiles and film screenings of students work. Performing Arts tours allowed curious students to explore the facilities that will be on offer to them as a Music, Dance or Theatre and Performance Studies student.

A series of informative lectures ran throughout the entire day, providing specific details about each area of study.

The vast array of activities and the presence of helpful staff, student ambassadors and volunteers meant that Open Day 2011 was a beneficial experience for potential Arts and Social Science students seeking out what is on offer for them at UNSW.

Honours Projects 2011, held at the start of September, provided an opportunity to display the range of original and adventurous practice-based projects that students from media, dance, film and theatre and performance studies have been researching and developing over their Honours year. Daytime and evening screenings, performances and installations took place throughout Io Myers Studio and Studio One.

Daytime exhibits included Natalie Abdullah’s You Will See film installation in Io Myers and Michael Chu’s video gaming work, Xeno Slayer, in Studio One. From dusk, Mark Starmach’s interactive media installation, When Body Meets Bench, was set up between the two venues outside. People were invited to experience ‘stillness in the streetscape’ and then join in a conversation about public seating and spaces by writing on the bench or by ‘Tweeting.’

The evening events enticed supportive crowds who were able to move between the different spaces and witness live performance works featuring Maria White, Bernice Ong, Khat Reid and an improvised dance performance by Nalina Wait. Film Studies Honours student James Thomas’ short film, Ontoillogical, was also screened. At the end of Thursday evening, discussion between artists and audience members was opened up in a feedback session.

Natalie, James and Bernice had their installations displayed once more at UNSW Open Day on 3 September for the benefit of potential students looking to get a glimpse of what our creative students are capable of achieving.

Honours Projects 2011 was an entertaining series of contemporary artistic productions. Pleased after her final performance, yet saddened at the thought of taking apart the unique set she constructed for her project, The Ideal Condition, Theatre and Performance student Bernice Ong said, “It’s such a good way to end a year of Honours ... I’m really upset I have to take it all down.”

The next step for each of these emerging artists is to respond to the feedback they have received over the past week, keep working on their theses and finish off their reports by October.

Dr Joanne Faulkner from the School of History and Philosophy is one of three researchers in the running for the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Research in Ethics.

Know as ‘the Oscars of Science’ the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes reward excellence in the fields of research and innovation, leadership and commercialisation, school science and science journalism and communication.

The Eureka Prize for Research in Ethics is awarded for the investigation of theoretical or practical ethical issues that contributes to an integrated body of work represented by a book, monograph or a series of related articles that contribute to the understanding and development of ethical standards.

Dr Faulkner’s work examines the political significance and effects of dominant cultural representations of children as innocent. The Importance of Being Innocent outlines the various historical trends, emotional investments and social tensions that shape contemporary ideas about what childhood represents, and our responsibilities in regard to children.

Dr Faulkner said she is excited about becoming a finalist. “Because I’m a junior researcher, it’s wonderful to receive this level of acknowledgement for my work. Such a strong endorsement of this research also recognises that the politicisation of children, and accommodating children’s political participation, are issues of emerging importance to the community.”

UNSW has a record-breaking 11 finalists in the running for Australia’s premier science awards, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes. The record number of nominations eclipses the benchmark of 10 finalists set, again by UNSW, in 2008.

The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner on September 6.

The project will apply cognitive agnostic assessment methods to evaluating learner writing skills. According to contemporary cognitive diagnostic approaches, the levels of acquisition of organized knowledge structures (schemas) should be the major target for diagnostic assessment. Such knowledge structures allow students to appropriately categorize writing situations and approach them in an organized manner without excessive cognitive demands. From a cognitive load perspective, diagnostic assessment for learning needs to be aimed at evaluating schematic knowledge structures that reduce student cognitive load and thus enhance learning. Accordingly, task-relevant schemas will be determined first followed by developing scoring procedures (rubrics) for evaluating these schemas. Construct map modeling will be used to describe key cognitive proficiencies in writing focusing on text organization and coherence of narrative texts. The project will design appropriate tools for analyzing the available set of essays provided by the Education Bureau (Territory-wide System Assessment data) and develop recommendations for enhancing student essay writing skills.

We now offer the chance for students to specialise in Music teaching as a double method in our two graduate preservice programs (GDE/MTeach). Dance and Society & Culture are also being offered as teaching specialisations at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level.

For more information about our programs see:

• Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Eduation
• Bachelor of Music/ Bachelor of Education
• Graduate Diploma in Education/ Master of Teaching

 DISABLED MOTHERS*

Co-editors: Gloria Filax and Dena Taylor

Publication Date: 2014

 DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS: DECEMBER 31, 2011

While there are several books on raising children with disabilities, the literature is scant on experiences of disabled women who are raising children OR the experiences of those parented by a woman with disabilities. Bringing together disability with mothering has the potential to challenge dominant narratives of both mothering AND disability. Noticing dominant ideas, meanings, and/or stories/narratives (normative discourses) regarding both 'mothering' and 'disability' expose the limits beyond which disabled mothers live their daily lives.

The goal of this edited collection is to add to literatures on mothering and disability through providing stories by disabled mothers or their children as well as chapters of scholarly research and theorizing. We intend that both stories and research in this collection will raise critical questions about the social and cultural meanings of disability and mothering. Whether a birth mother, an adoptive mother,a foster mother, a co-mother, someone mothered by a disabled woman, or someone whose research explores disabled mothering, we invite you to submit to this collection.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

How are disabled women discouraged from having children? How does the medical model of disability shape the meanings assigned to disabled mothers? How do chronic illnesses affect mothering? Are disabled mothers healthy mothers? How do the social and cultural models of disability shape how we understand disabled mothers and mothering? Are disabled mothers oppressed? How doissues of race,class, and sexuality affect disabled mothers and their families? Should disabled mothers 'pass' as normal? How are pregnancy and birth experiences shaped by disability? How do children experience and understand a disabled mother? What support is needed and received by disabled mothers? How does the built environment, both public and private, shape the experiences of disabled mothers? What kinds of issues are there with children's schools, health professionals and/or children's attitudes? What form, if any, does social and political activism take? Do legal remedies work to assist disabled mothers (for example, disability as a protected category in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the Americans with Disabilities Act)? How does a mother's disability expose the expectations of mothering? How does a mother's disability expose the assumptions about disability? How is society disabling of mothering? How can we 'do' disabled mothering differently?

Submission Guidelines

Abstracts should be 250 words. Please also include a brief biography (50 words) with citizenship.

Please send to mailto: gfilax@shaw.ca and mailto: detaylor@cabrillo.edu

Deadline for Abstracts is December 31, 2011

Accepted papers of 4000-5000 words (15-20 pages) will be due October 15, 2012

and should conform to MLA citation format.

*Tanya Titchkosky argues that referring to "disabled people" is preferable because it emphasizes disablement as a social process that prevents certain people from access to resources and goods available to others. "People with disabilities" implies that disability is not part of what it is to be a person and leaves disability as a problem. We agree with Titchkosky and therefore our choice of the title for this collection is "Disabled Mothers". (See Tanya Titchkosky (2003) Disability, Self, and Society. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, chapter 2).

• TIME: 4.30pm
• DURATION: 60mins followed by refreshments and informal discussion
• DATE: 31 August 2011
• ADDRESS: Room 119, John Goodsell Building, UNSW, 2052

 Admission to this event is free however we ask that you kindly RSVP to the following email address: education.events@unsw.edu.au.

There is a limited number of scholarships available to Honours students.

The School of Education will organize an information session for potential candidates later this semester (watch for an announcement on this website). Meanwhile, interested students should submit an expression of interest to Kerry Barnett (k.barnett@unsw.edu.au) or have a preliminary chat to a staff member whose research interests you.

Note: Successful Honours applicants for 2012 are eligible to apply for up to two scholarships to support their studies worth $5000 each. Application forms from the School of Education, Room 125 , Goodsell or email education@unsw.edu.au

NSW lags behind the rest of Australia in both participation rates and affordability with only 81 per cent of children accessing early childhood education compared with more than 95 per cent in some other states and territories.

The review, announced by the NSW Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli, will recommend a new funding system to increase access and participation, especially for disadvantaged children.

“The situation in NSW has come about because successive state governments have failed to invest adequately in young children. WA and SA offer preschools as part of their public school systems,” Professor Brennan said. “However, in NSW early childhood education has been largely left to community and private providers.”

The review will help the state government deliver its goal of providing access to early childhood education for all children in the year prior to starting primary school, significantly improving their health and economic prospects in later life.

“The early years are critical in terms of brain development – services need to be educationally and developmentally focused. The evidence is now in that preschool is the crucial time for governments and communities to invest in early childhood education,” said Professor Brennan.

The review’s recommendations are expected to be presented to the Government by the end of the year.

• undertake research projects at some of the top universities around the world

• be supervised by some of the best researchers in your area of study

• travel to exotic locations and meet other students to create your own profession network for the future.

An information session for students interested in going on an outbound practicum in S1-2012 will be held at 10am on 31st August 2011.

If you would like to register for this session or register your interest please register here

A list of our current exchange partners can be found at:

• Student Exchange Partners

• Practicum Exchange only partners

Further information about the Practicum Exchange Program go to  Research Exchanges  or  email: practicum@unsw.edu.au

The conference will aim to:

• Provide a supportive academic environment for HDR students to present their research work and get constructive feedback on it.
• Offer opportunities for HDR students to get feedback from peers, esp. students from other universities.
• Provide a friendly and open environment for research students to exchange ideas and build network.
• Offer scaffolding and chances for publication

For more information please click here

The effort to overthrow Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi appears to be reaching its climax with key elements of his military forces surrendering to the rebels and senior members of his regime in rebel hands.

While the rebels may not yet fully control Tripoli, Gaddafi’s hold on this crucial city seems to have largely evaporated.

The performance of the rebel forces has been impressive. The general view of them has been that they are largely disorganised and untrained enthusiasts for the departure of Gaddafi.

An organised revolt

Reports of rebel infiltration into Tripoli and the rebels’ apparent success in overcoming logistical problems, however, suggest a higher degree of military organisation than might have been expected.

The, perhaps unexpected, rebel victory resolves one problem, the removal of Gaddafi at Libyan hands. This was not a victory won by others for the Libyans. It raises, however, new problems, which have always been in the background but have been ignored by the West and the rebels themselves.

Where will Gadaffi go?

The first of these is what to do with senior members of the regime when they fall into rebel hands.

From one perspective, the answer to this is clear. UN Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 require all states to hand members of the regime who may have been implicated in human rights abuses, including Gaddafi and his sons, to the International Criminal Court. This obligation applies to all countries, including those that are not members of the Court.

The countries that included this provision in the Security Council resolutions may now be regretting their action as they confront the varying reactions to the possibility of Gaddafi’s capture.

Western allies might have liked to find an escape route for Gaddafi in the hope that his departure from the scene would end the violence and allow speedy reconciliation.

The citizens of Libya, however, have already shown that they might prefer to deal with Gaddafi themselves.

As we saw with the killing of Saddam Hussein, this might not necessarily accord with international legal standards.

Who is in charge?

Another problem relates to the question of what comes next. The interim national council is nominally in charge, but it is not clear how much power the council has.

The council chairman, Mustafa Abd Al-Jalil, does not cut a particularly impressive figure but he may be a man of hidden strengths as was Nuri Al Maliki in Iraq.

Many of the members of the council have ambiguous backgrounds. Jalil himself has been accused of involvement in human rights violations and there have been claims of summary executions of captured supporters of the regime committed by rebels.

A big question relates to the attitude of the people who command the rebels’ armed forces.

The killing of the former commander, Abd Al-Fatteh Younis some weeks ago suggests tensions within the military, which could bode ill for civilian control of the new political system.

It is difficult to evaluate the attitude of the military commanders but it is to be remembered that most revolutions in the Arab world since independence have been led by the military. The tradition dies hard.

Perhaps the greatest challenge to the establishment of a functioning, open and law-based government post-Gaddafi is to be found in the tribal nature of Libyan society.

The importance of tribalism

Tribalism is an immensely complex element in the make-up of Libya. After trying to destroy the tribes’ power, Gaddafi was forced to fall back on his own tribe, the Qadadfa, and a number of other large groups to secure his regime. Members of the Qadadfa and these trusted tribes were placed in key positions, including the security services. It is probably the desertion of some of these larger tribal groups that has precipitated the collapse of Gaddafi’s regime.

While the new government will welcome the support of the various tribes, it will know that loyalty of tribal groups is a precarious thing. They will be expecting rewards for their support and it can be expected that there will be intense rivalry among the tribes for benefits from the government. It may not be possible for the government to satisfy all the tribes’ demands.

What next?

It is also not clear what the rebels’ objectives are besides the removal of Gaddafi. We will hear much about democracy in coming months but it is hard to imagine how a society that has had no experience of democracy and is riven by competing loyalties and enduring enmities can establish a workable democratic system in the short term.

The new government will be faced with immense challenges, which would be daunting for more experienced and better resourced people than those leading the Libyan rebels.

These challenges will be aggravated by the removal of the one unifying factor in the civil war – the desire to get rid of Gaddafi.

The full opinion piece is published in The Conversation.

The winner of the competition, Tim Dean, from the School of History and Philosophy, presented his thesis topic Evolution and Moral Ecology which explores the fundamental phenomenon of moral disagreement using evolution as a tool.

Tim praised the value of the competition for research students, “I think this is terrific competition, it really forces you to step back and think about the big picture and what you are trying to achieve with your research.”

Ioana Oprea from the School of Social Sciences and International Studies placed second for her presentation on Higher Education – A Race to Happiness, which attempts to answer the question: “how will this degree make me happy?”

The People’s Choice prize went to Sandra Garrido, from the School of English, Media and Performing Arts (EMPA) who presented on her thesis titled Negative Emotions in Music.

Other students who took part in the competition were Cynthia Fernandez Roich, Susie Pratt, Gabrielle Dixon-Ritchie, Stefan Solomon, Uraiwan Keodara, Timothy Broady and Cris Castro.

Dr Michelle Langford, event compare and EMPA Postgraduate Research Coordinator, said the Faculty competition is really important for building research communities amongst postgraduate research students. “It gives them a chance to share their research really succinctly and communicate it in a way that allows the rest of the world to understand what they are doing.”

Judges included Associate Dean (Research), Dr Kristy Muir; Director of Postgraduate Research A/Prof Stephen Fortescue and Dr John Attridge, from the School of English, Media and Performing Arts, who scored students on language and presentation skills as well as the all important ability to watch the clock.

Dr Muir said it was a close competition. “They did a fantastic job on being able to summarise what their thesis is about, why it is important and communicating that to the audience so it made our job as judges quite difficult.”

The winning students will go on to compete in the 2011 UNSW Interfaculty Final to be held on 1 September. The finalist will represent UNSW at the grand-final of the Australia and New Zealand Competition held at the University of Western Australia on 29 September.

Video: Reza Taheri

Watch Tim Dean

Watch Iona Oprea

Watch Sandra Garrido

UNSWeetened 2011 was launched on August 18, at the UNSW Bookshop. The journal is a student-produced initiative showcasing the creative writing skills of students from every faculty. More than half of the 22 contributors featured in the 2011 journal are studying Arts and Social Sciences programs.

UNSWeetened compiles a carefully chosen selection of poetry and prose submitted by both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The journal is the product of a serious competition judged by notable members of the literary scene. Professor Peter Alexander from the School of English, Media and Performing Arts was a member of the 2011 panel.

The launch celebrated a culmination of hard work, collaboration and artistic flair from all students involved in the publication. A strong crowd was present to peruse the brand-new editions of UNSWeetened 2011 while a student vocal ensemble and award-winning performance-poet, and UNSW graduate, Scott Sandwich, provided entertainment.

Creative Writing Honours student Camilla Palmer was the winner of the Open Fiction category for the second year running, with her piece, Janus Face. Camilla recited part of a second entry, White Collars, for the audience. Arts student Carla Valencic also shared her Undergraduate Poetry entry.

Third-year Media/Law student Dhanu Eliezer co-ordinated the 2011 project. Dhanu said she was both pleased and relieved with the success of UNSWeetened 2011 which she considers a “valuable celebration of art and literature.” Dhanu thanked UNSWeetened 2011’s enthusiastic team of volunteer editors, designers and publicists. Fellow undergraduate Arts students Erin Anderson and Ali Woods also contributed to the editing team.

UNSWeetened 2011 is a free publication available from the UNSW Bookshop for a limited time and has been added to the UNSW Library catalogue. The initiative is supported by Arc, the UNSW student organisation.

• TIME: 4.30pm
• DURATION: 60mins followed by refreshments and informal discussion
• DATE: 24 August 2011
• ADDRESS: Room 119, John Goodsell Building, UNSW, 2052

Admission to this event is free however we ask that you kindly RSVP to the following email address: education.events@unsw.edu.au.

Does Australia need an inquiry into the news media? It does, but not for the reasons that prompted Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Senator Bob Brown to discuss the idea. They are angered because of political bias. But there is an even bigger and more complex issue.

According to some, the newspapers of Australia are dinosaurs due for extinction. The vast newsrooms with busy journalists hunched over their phones and the late-night decisions on the front-page headline will disappear. And, according to some, good riddance.

We beg to differ. Newspapers' problems are problems for democracy and for an informed public. This has been recognised by several overseas inquiries.

Read more at The Age: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/print-is-at-the-root-of-good-news-20110817-1iy1k.html#ixzz1Vi1Pz9mw

• TIME: 4.30pm
• DURATION: 60mins followed by refreshments and informal discussion
• DATE: 17 August 2011
• ADDRESS: Room 119, John Goodsell Building, UNSW, 2052

 Admission to this event is free however we ask that you kindly RSVP to the following email address: education.events@unsw.edu.au.

8 September 2011, 9.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.

G03 Hugh Dixon Theatre, G04 Pioneer International Theatre, G05 Boral Theatre, AGSM Building

Programme (PDF)

Presenters from

• University of New South Wales
• Australian National University
• University of Cagliari, Italy
• Samara State Technical University, Russia
• University of Tirana, Albania
• University of Sydney
• University of Melbourne
• University of Queensland
• University of Western Sydney
• Macquarie University
• Bond University
• University of New England

Dolby, R., Cashmore, J., Brown, J., Fisher, K.R., Fernandez, E. and Thomson, C (2006),‘Outcome Study on the Use of Children’s Services as a Strategy in Child Protection’ ,SPRC Report 15/06, for the Department of Community Services NSW, Social Policy Research Centre, March 2006.

The Conversation spoke to Dr Alyce McGovern, Convenor of the Criminology Program at the University of New South Wales to explore what the police can do to get the situation under control.

Sixteen thousand police were on the streets of the capital on Tuesday night, but the trouble has extended to Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Leicester and Birmingham. Rioting and looting broke out following a protest about the death of Mark Duggan, who was shot dead by police in Tottenham in North London on 4th August.

The police have been having trouble controlling the situation. What has been wrong with their strategy so far?

I think they weren’t really predicting what eventuated – that the violence would erupt in a number of different places. The sheer scale of the rioting, and the fact that it has spread to Nottingham, Manchester and Birmingham among others has taken them by surprise. They didn’t expect that it was going to move outside the boundaries.

What should the police do from here?

That’s a difficult question. Where I’m sitting the police could play to one of their strengths and use the media. People seem to be hiding their faces while they riot and loot, but the media can expose their identities. Police can exploit that fear of being arrested, and point out that they are easily identifiable in those images.

What role has the media played in exacerbating the crisis?

There’s always an argument about whether the media make these things worse or make them better. It’s hard to lay blame on the media – the role it plays now is a lot more complicated. TV pictures can be broadcast immediately and people can see these things happen live. Rioters are usin