AUT - Social Science and Public Policy news
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Social Science and Public Policy news
For news from 2010-2012, view the Social Science and Public Policy news archive.
- Mar 2013 — New year, new Head of the School of Social Sciences and Public Policy
- Feb 2013 — Events put spotlight on criminology
- Jan 2013 — Social Science excellence recognised
New year, new Head of the School of Social Sciences and Public Policy
March 2013
After ten years as the first equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner in the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Professor Judy McGregor has taken up the role as Head of the School of Social Sciences and Public Policy.
While working as the EEO Commissioner Professor McGregor worked on issues such as equal pay, disability rights, human rights and business, freedom of expression and new media issues, civil and political rights and a big area of women’s rights including gender equality in governance, management and public and professional life.
"I led the Commission's well publicised opposition to the electoral finance reforms and its submissions on local governance reform," she says.
"During my term I worked for the UN and the Asia Pacific Forum on developing communication strategies for emerging national human rights institutions in Palestine, Jordan, Malaysia, Nepal, and the Maldives and I led two media monitoring teams to Timor Leste for its first democratic elections.
"One of her last projects was finishing a major national inquiry into EEO issues in the aged care sector, Caring Counts, including working under cover.She says she will continue to campaign for equal and fair pay for carers as an academic and a citizen.
"Taking up the role at AUT at the beginning of February, Professor McGregor says she wants to be involved in giving students the best possible tertiary experience.
"I want their life choices to be informed by critical inquiry and for them to have a stimulating and unforgettable university time."
She says the school, which sits in the Faculty of Culture and Society, provides a wonderful opportunity to link the evidence base of social science with public policy choices.
"I am looking forward to being involved in something new that will grow, continuing to work on social justice and human rights issues in New Zealand, and taking a public voice in significant public debates where I might have something useful to offer. Of course, I nurture the dream of languishing in the library reading and thinking, an intellectual transfusion, but I predict the day-to-day reality might be different!"
Events put spotlight on criminology
February 2013
Postgraduate students represent the next generation of criminologists and it is important that this is recognized in a formalised setting such as the ANZSOC Postgraduate (PG) and early career researcher (ECR) conference that took place this year in Auckland this last year
The venue for the PG and ECR conference was on the AUT University Nga Wai o Horotiu Marae, which formed part of a collaboration between Auckland University and AUT for hosting the overall ANZSOC conference.
While the overall conferences was a collegial endeavour between the two universities special thanks must go to AUT staff Antje Deckert and Robert Webb for organising a highly successful event that attracted at least 50 delegates.
Delegates where welcomed onto the Marae with a powhiri, the traditional custom by which Māori peoples greet strangers to their home.
The Marae itself is a particularly ornately carved meetinghouse that provided delegates with a very unique cultural experience and the opportunity to discuss the issues that were raised in the conference, as well as providing opportunity to network.
Overall the atmosphere was relaxed and open to numerous different points of view, which made it a very special day.
Special thanks must go to Kim Workman of Rethinking Crime and Punishment (RECAP) for his talk on how to engage in a more effective manner with the criminal justice issues of the day. Thanks also to Professor Marylin Waring for her example of how feminist academia can influence policy at national and international levels.
The PG and ECR conference provided a forum for academics and criminal justice stakeholders to provide advice often in the form of personal narratives or more formalised presentations that may be useful as a means of guidance for publication, conducting ethical research and securing employment in academia or the criminal justice sector.
Thanks should go to Prof Rick Sarre, Juan Tauri, Laumua Tunufa'I, James Rodgers. Prof Philip Stenning, Associate Prof Darren Palmer, Dr Michael Roguski, Dr Kirsten Hanna, Nick Paterson, Channel Kumar, Chris Warne, Associate Prof Roberta Julian, Dr Warwick Tie, Dr John Buttle and Dr Cassandra Cross. All who gave their time to make this a successful event.
The PG and ECR conference also provides opportunities for delegates to present their work, either by giving a presentation or as a poster. This year the posters were of a high standard as were many of the presentations.
This is the second year that the Monash Postgraduate Student prize was given to the most outstanding presentation or poster. The prize was awarded by Dr Paddy Rawlinson to Rosemary Cassidy for the presentation of her research into Campus Crime.
After the conference a number the delegates actively demonstrated their respect for the Marae by helping clean up and walked down to a nearby restaurant for the conference dinner.
Finally, it is the delegates that make for a successful conference and we would like to thank you all for attending.
- Antje Deckert, Robert Webb and John Buttle.
Social Science excellence recognised
In late 2012, staff from the School of Social Sciences and Public Policy collected awards for excellence.
Dr Camille Nakhid was recognised for her contribution to equity and diversity.
A team of 6 researchers — Ian Shirley, Carol Neill, Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop, Love Chile and David Wilson — were presented with a Faculty Research award. The team won the Established Research team award for leading the Asian and Pacific Development Programme (APDP).
The programme was established in 2007 as a longitudinal, multidisciplinary research programme with a focus on the dynamics of development in the Asian and Pacific region and the realities of economic, social and political change.
The research team engaged with 15 academic research teams located in the major cities of the region.