This thesis examines the role of civil society in addressing human security in the Indian state of Meghalaya. Civil society has been revived over the last two decades and is now one of the key concepts in the study of politics. Yet there are few detailed empirical studies of civil society at a local level examining the constraints on participation and the ways this affects what is contested. Human security has also gained prominence in the past decade as both a challenge to state-centric conceptions of security and as an alternative approach to development by focussing on the security and insecurity of groups and individuals. In order for those experiencing insecurity to identify and contest the causes of insecurity, participation in civil society is necessary. Yet there is very limited analysis on the ability of civil society actors to contest the causes of insecurity in particular local contexts. Meghalaya is part of the region know as Northeast India, one of the least researched regions in South Asia. Identity politics dominate civil society in Meghalaya, empowering particular actors and particular causes of insecurity and marginalising others. Furthermore the construction of Meghalaya in the Indian national context leaves it isolated from civil society actors in other parts of India, intensifying the impact of local circumstances. This thesis examines the responses of civil society actors to environmental insecurity and gender-based insecurity in Meghalaya and finds that participation is constrained by the dominance of identity politics, the power differentials between civil society actors, and existing inequalities within the local context. This thesis reaches three conclusions. First, civil society is constrained by both the state and the power of particular actors and ideas in civil society itself. Secondly, the relationship between civil society and human security is constitutive. Constraints on civil society affect which insecurities can be contested and the prevalence of particular forms of insecurity, especially identity insecurity, empower particular civil society actors and marginalise others. Thirdly, context is vital for understanding the constraints on civil society and the conditions under which these constraints may be transcended. This requires a deeper understanding of Meghalaya that goes beyond the reproduction of homogenous and unchanging ethnic categories.

This is a story of a cross-cultural dance exchange conceptualising myth as a living art through traditional Kathak dance form in collaboration with contemporary Aboriginal dance form, weaving and celebrating the reconciliation and independence of all people through male and female energy to evoke an ancient universal serpent energy. It continues the poetic traditions of interpretation which accompany the arts in both Indian and Aboriginal cultures. / Master of Arts (Hons)

The following thesis seeks to inquire whether the recent phenomenon of women seeking out and indeed actively engaging with a medicalised birth stems from a shift in not only perceptions of risk, but also how a shift in responsibility, choice and control has impacted on the birthing women of Australian society. The thesis examines sociology of risk employing the work of both Beck and Giddens, although an emphasis will be placed on the work of Ulrich Beck. The three major themes that underpin the work of Beck, namely his risk society thesis, reflexive modernization and individualization are employed to explore some of the issues that concern the relationship between risk and society, the ramifications of this form of society on its inhabitants and specifically in relation to its impact on those experiencing pregnancy and childbirth. The Risk Society as an explanatory framework was empirically tested by conducting 45 interviews with women who had recently given birth from three separate birthing environments: private birth mothers, birth centre and home birth mothers. The argument is put forward that whilst previous research into the area of childbirth is clearly important in shedding a critical light upon childbirth practices, it does nevertheless neglect some important current social changes. In this respect, the application of Beck and Giddens work to the area of sociology of reproduction captures more adequately the ideological shift which this thesis examines. It is argued, through the scrutinizing gaze of the public, that the pregnant woman is the least able to escape the consequences of risk society where changed notions of health and responsibility have created a cultural acceptance of medical intervention of childbirth. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This thesis is an applied study of the response of a selected group of large construction companies in the Sydney Basin to the National Training Reform Agenda (NTRA). The thesis emanates from an interest in the modern view of public policy that suggests public sector intervention should 'augment rather than impede market forces' (Dollery, 1994:225). This view argues that too much public intervention has the potential to culminate in government failure because governments can be self-interested bureaucracies that are divorced from the interests and constraints of the market. To avoid such an outcome, this policy position advocates that governments should develop and implement public policy that encourages community, industry and individual participation in the policy agenda. This minimalist approach to public sector intervention, and the values it espouses, was investigated through research into the NTRA and the construction industry. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This work introduces an alternative paradigm that claims that the primary industry of imperial Ethiopia has been (and still is) one that has evolved around the Abyssinian national mission vis-a-vis the populations it rules from a point of conquest. Abyssinia, like Catholic Spain in the Americas, carried out a series of 'civilising' missions (Christianising), that has spanned centuries to modern times. Around a theocratic mission evolved a service type industry, the author calls theo-industry. On that basis, the work demonstrates how well-known categories of 'land-tenure', namely, the gult/goolt, the gultenya/gooltenya, the rist, the ristenya, the gabbar and related others are categories of a fiscal system of theo-industry, not of an agrarian system or agrarian industry. It is argued how these rather complex categories belong in the realm of wages and pensions of a service-type industry, not in those of agriculture. By failing to establish the functional link between agriculture and the national mission of the rulers, the scholars of Ethiopian studies have so far been unable to identify this 'elusive' but all-pervasive primary industry of Ethiopia. That in turn, the author argues, has had a rub-off effect in hindering a clear and comprehensive understanding of issues such as poverty and famine. The central topic of this work is the 'identification' of this 'elusive' industry. The study of its evolution, set in historical grounds, of its dynamics and the intricate maze of multi-natured relations is attempted. On this basis, the option of creating an independent (from theo-industry), and more importantly, renewable agricultural industry is proposed as the key to tackling chronic levels of poverty and famine in Ethiopia / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This research arose out of the author's concern that the Salvation Army and its social services in Australia were being influenced by government and society at the expense of its own Christian beliefs and internal rhetoric. The Army's rhetoric is explored through an analysis of Salvation Army's texts. The study findings verify the proposition of Kress (1985) and others, that institutions transform and are transformed through their use of discourse. It is confirmed that William and Catherine Booth (the Army's founders) were not independent from the state and from external influence as required by Booth. It was found that just as William and Catherine Booth reworked the discourses of their time, they were influenced in turn by these discourses and the organization they created , namely, The Salvation Army was transformed through the use of discourse. The research found that modern texts produced in the Army in Australia, are influenced by the dominant discourses of the modern Australian welfare state, and that as a consequence the Army, in transforming these discourses for their own purposes, is also being transformed and in the process becoming increasingly colonised by governments in Australia. / Master of Arts (Hons)

This study sought to explore what Self-Help Support Groups (SHSGs) might have to offer young people who experience mental health issues. By definition, these non-profit support groups are run by and for people who come together on the basis of a shared experience. Although much research has been conducted on SHSG involvement among adults, there has been little investigation on the experiences of young people; this is despite the importance of youth mental health. Although several bodies of knowledge contributed to this study, they offered a limited understanding to the findings. Consequently, a more encompassing social capital framework was used to illuminate and challenge the findings. Among the varied understandings of social capital are two oft-cited perspectives – that of Bourdieu (1986) and that of Coleman (1988). However, that applicability of social capital to this study necessitated a theoretical extension of these two perspectives. The present study offers valuable direction to improve current social policy. This includes increased training opportunities for human service providers to raise awareness and appreciation for the unique role filled by SHSGs ; the demonstration of explicit support for SHSG’s in social policy that is relevant to mental health, substance use issues, and young people; and the establishment of a New South Wales clearing house. The thesis closes by attesting the potential benefits associated with SHSGs; if not for the potential benefit they offer young people with mental health issues, and the communities to which they belong, then as a valuable area for future investigation. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The purpose of this research was to inquire into the subjective experience of participants of psychodynamic group art therapy.This investigation was designed to record participants' responses and understanding of their art-making and their artwork in therapy. The qualitative methodology of phenomenography was chosen to record the art-making process. The sample included three women from a women's centre and six university students. A single interview was conducted with each of the nine participants and included their artwork from the group art therapy. Group art therapy committed to a participant's personal development was effective in contributing to a resolution of personal conflicts, whereas group art therapy committed to professional development was effective in stimulating group dynamics, but the participants were guarded when discussing the personal content of their artwork. / Master of Arts (Hons) (Art Therapy)

The participation of parents in the schooling of their children has become a central policy objective of the education sector in Australia as well as other parts of the developed world. The discourse of parent participation emphasises a need for parents to be involved in order to maximise the benefits of their child’s education. Parent participation includes such practices as parents and schools working as partners to improve the well-being and achievements of an individual child to formal participation of parents in decision-making forums. This thesis approaches the issue of parent participation through a study of parent advocacy bodies as they deal with policy issues and interface with parents as the school level and governments at the policy level. The policy area of gender equity is used as an illustrative example to analyse parent advocacy bodies’ structures and ways of operating. As a result of the empirical work that involved semi-structured interviews, observation techniques and extensive use of archival material, this thesis revisits the theory of positional goods as it reflects the notion and understanding parents have broadly that education is positional in that only few can achieve the highest levels of education and hence effort is exerted in ensuring their child achieves as highly as possible. This thesis argues that gender equity is caught in this thriving to capture a positional good that is elusive for most but appears enhanced by the use of adequate gender equity strategies. The action of parents within parent advocacy bodies reflected the fight over scarce resources that were perceived to be enhancing educational outcomes for girls at the expense of boys. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This thesis explores parental health behaviours in order to develop a questionnaire which will measure the health behaviours of parents. It does so in a triangulated study by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The aims of the qualitative study were to explore parents’ concepts of health and the health behaviours they initiate for their preschool aged children and examine the relationship between parents’ health concepts and the health behaviours they undertake for their children. The aims of the quantitative study were that the health concepts of wellness, health promotion and illness prevention, identified by these parents, were measured. In line with the major research aims of the second quantitative study the emerging theory from the inductive exploration of parents’ health and their health behaviour and the health literature formed the basis for the construction of a questionnaire which contained health domains of wellness, health promotion and illness prevention and their clusters / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)