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Thesis (M.A.) (Honours) -- University of Western Sydney, Nepean, 2000. / A thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Honours) - (Performance), School of Applied Social and Human Sciences, University of Western Sydney, Nepean, 2000. Bibliography : Vol. 1, leaves 202-209.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-113). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

xv, 103 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of sociocultural factors in posttraumatic stress. The two major aims were to add to current knowledge about why women report higher rates of posttraumatic stress than men and to explore the role of ethnicity in response to trauma. Using an online survey with a college sample (n = 1041) and a community sample (n = 199), the findings confirmed prior research that traumas high in betrayal (e.g., abuse by a close other) are more strongly associated with symptoms of posttraumatic stress than traumas lower in betrayal (e.g., natural disaster or abuse by someone not close to the victim). Women also reported higher rates of depression, anxiety, and reexperiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but not avoidance and hyperarousal symptoms. The hypothesis that betrayal trauma would mediate the association between gender and PTSD reexperiencing symptoms was statistically significant although the effect was not substantial. Gender role socialization may also moderate the relationship between gender and PTSD reexperiencing, whereby men with more egalitarian beliefs had lower scores than men with more conservative beliefs. This study also investigated the rates of traumatic events among Asian and Pacific Islander (API) populations, and cultural correlates of posttraumatic stress. It included one of the few non-clinical samples of API adults from the community in the U.S. as well as a cohort of API students. Notable differences between the younger and older API participants were found in the reporting of various traumatic events. In particular, young API men reported adult sexual assault with surprising frequency at nearly 20% for both close and not close perpetrators which is several times more than the older API men. The influence of participants' concern with loss of face (LOF) on PTSD symptoms was also examined. The prediction that concern with LOF would moderate the effect of traumatic experiences on posttraumatic stress for APIs was not supported although LOF was directly associated with PTSD symptoms. These results add to the growing body of evidence that interpersonal violence and posttraumatic stress are issues that require attention among API populations. / Committee in charge: Jennifer Freyd, Co-Chairperson, Psychology; Sanjay Srivastava, Co-Chairperson, Psychology; Jeffrey Measelle, Member, Psychology; Jocelyn Hollander, Outside Member, Sociology

Pacific Islander high school students in the state of Utah specifically, but across the United States generally, face significant challenges such as high levels of high school dropout and low levels of academic attainment. The purpose of this study was to examine if components of an achieved ethnic identity (exploration and commitment) are positively related to high levels of school belonging among Pacific Islander high school students in Utah. I further investigated whether self-esteem was a mediating factor in any observed relationship between ethnic identity and school belonging. Participants in this study were Pacific Islander youth between the ages of 13-19 years old and attending high school in the state of Utah. The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure—Revised, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, Simple School Belonging Scale, and demographic questions were combined in a survey and taken by 111 participants. Results indicate a significantly positive relationship between school belonging and self-esteem (r = .39, p < .001). However, no relationship was observed between ethnic identity and school belonging. Results also suggests that self-esteem is not a mediating factor, nor is it related to ethnic identity individually for these students. Another purpose of this study was to better understand Pacific Islander students in our public education system, and especially in the state of Utah. Results revealed that ethnic identity may not operate in the same way for students in this study as has been suggested in the literature for other ethnic minorities. Specifically, ethnic identity, as measured by the MEIM-R may not represent the same construct, which leads to questions about how this sample was different than other national samples. The context of Utah may have been a determining factor and may play a role in the formation of ethnic identity for Pacific Islander students who live in Utah, especially for those who are also Latter-day Saint. Future research should look closely at the relationship between religiosity and ethnic identity for Pacific Islander students in Utah schools. The findings from this study also highlight the role of self-esteem in school belonging. They suggest a need to move beyond generalizations of this group of students as "minorities" to understanding how to increase their self-esteem in hopes of boosting their sense of belonging in our schools, thus leading to greater high school retention and academic achievement for this population.

It is accepted protocol among Indigenous communities to identify one's link to land. I was born and raised in Brisbane. My birth grandmother is a Goreng Goreng woman, my birth grandfather is a Punthamara man. However, I was adopted by a Koombumberri man and an anglo-celtic mother after being removed at birth under the Queensland government policy of the day. The action of my removal and placement has had profound effects upon my growing and my place within my community today. For the last 15 years I have worked in the health sector. My current position is as a Lecturer within the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Science, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba. My areas of expertise are Indigenous Health and Primary Health Care. I have been employed in this capacity since January 2000. Prior to my full time employment as a nursing academic I have primarily been located within three areas of health which have directly impacted upon my current research. I was first positioned within health by undertaking my General Nurse Certificate through hospital-based training commenced in the late 1980s. For me this training meant being immersed within whiteness and specifically the white medical model. This meant learning a set of skills in a large institutionalised health care service with the provision of doctors, nurses, and allied medical staff through a hospital. Within this training there was no Indigenous health curriculum. The lectures provided on 'differing cultures' and health were on Muslim and Hindu beliefs about death. At that point I was painfully aware of the glaring omission of any representation of Indigenous health and of acknowledgment of the current outstanding health differentials between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. I knew that the colonisation process inflicted upon Indigenous Australians was one of devastation. The decline in our health status at the time of colonisation had been felt immediately. Since this time our health has been in decline. While in the 1980s it was now no longer acceptable to shoot us, poison our waterholes, and incarcerate us on missions, we were still experiencing the influence of the colonisation process, which had strong repercussions for our current health status. Our communities were and remain rife with substance abuse, violence, unemployment, and much more. For Indigenous Australians these factors cannot be separated from our initial experience of the colonisation process but are seen as the continuation of it. However, there was no representation of this and I received my first health qualification.

This exegesis examines the context of my studio work submitted for the degree of Doctor of Visual Art at Griffith University in 2004. My art practice reflects my identity, which is complex and many-stranded, but at its core is my identity as a 21st century woman of Torres Strait Islander descent. I also acknowledge multiple heritages and, like many of my contemporaries, I am a descendant of those two thirds of the Torres Strait population who now live on the Australian mainland. Having been born and brought up on the mainland also means that I am connected to, and have been affected by, wider Australian Indigenous issues, particularly those resulting from the alienation and dislocation which stem from colonialism. Therefore, as I draw from both traditional and contemporary modes and theory to explore the appropriateness of my art practice, this exegesis centres on the question: What constitutes culturally appropriate practice for me as a contemporary Torres Strait Island woman?

The realm of research into the various aspects of organisations is wide-ranging, offering any researcher immense freedom to investigate those area(s) which are of particular interest to him/her. While there are set theoretical parameters for studying organisations, eg. various theories looking at organisational communication, structure and networks, the only real limitation lies in the mind of the researcher. That is the beauty and nature of organisations, they do not have to wholly conform to any set ideal, rather they have the opportunity to be unique and diverse depending upon the organisation's purpose. It seems that most investigations of organisations are one dimensional, ie. reporting on what actually happens or how efficient processes are or attempting to define aspects of culture. However, in this thesis a second dimension has been added�intercultural aspects of communication. Hence, the research evaluates the intersection of the intercultural communication which exists within an organisation. For this two dimensional approach, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) was chosen. As with most bureaucratic organisations, due to the size and complexity it is not practicable to look at an entire organisation For this thesis, a case study of one of ATSIC's twenty-seven regional offices was undertaken. Details of this follow in the paper; however, the two main reasons for choosing to complete a case study of ATSIC are 1) because the author is full-time employee with access to people, facts and inside information that might otherwise not be available and 2) ATSIC is not a typical bureaucracy; rather it is atypical due to its structure and purpose, which is to further the economic, social and cultural diversity of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. While part of the Commonwealth Government, ATSIC is founded upon, and is committed to, furthering both intercultural concepts and the economic status of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. This is accomplished by ATSIC being the major advisory body to Government; attending national and international policy forums; raising awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and in providing supplementary funding (through both grant and loan initiatives) which supports other funding that is given to indigenous people or organisations through Government mainstream programs (health, housing, education, social welfare etc.). To further limit the scope of this research, the communication which has been analysed is that relating to grant administration. As ATSIC plays a major role in providing grant funding to indigenous people, this area of evaluation is highly important, as it shows how ATSIC (represented by one regional office) carries out its functions and business: providing services and assistance to its clients�the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. The case study includes comments gleaned from both questionnaires and interviews from staff and managers within the chosen regional office. This also includes views of indigenous and non-indigenous people as well as views from the elected community representatives of that region. It is envisaged that by incorporating the views of those mentioned above, that the data is as complete, valid and reliable as possible As with any traditional group of people, there are different norms and cultures which permeate their social and working lives. The information presented in this thesis is based on views of a non-indigenous person who has collected data from one specific region and it is not valid to generalise these findings to other regions in Australia. Communication in ATSIC is highly complex and difficult to explain to those outside the organisation. A main reason for this is that there are many requirements that both the Government and the indigenous communities place on ATSIC, and unfortunately they are often diametrically opposed. This creates quite an ironic and disharmonious situation for all parties concerned�a bureaucracy versus intercultural perspectives. These situations are discussed throughout the thesis. It is important for readers to note that the ideas which are conveyed in this thesis are the author's own and are not necessarily those of ATSIC, the Government or indigenous people. This research experience is one which has been extremely beneficial for the author. While the author's personal views may not be aligned with others, I challenge those people to read not only this thesis, but other work like it so that they may be in a position to make their own informed decisions about controversial issues such as Aboriginal affairs.

The overarching research problem for this study was the need to improve upon rational models of policy analysis and delivery, to suit complex postmodern implementation environments. A theoretical model suited to implementing and evaluating major education reform initiatives was devised. Called the 'Multiple Discourse Model', it was grounded in systems theory, containing elements reminiscent of social systems, organisational and structural functionalist research, especially that of Hoy and Miskel (1982)1. However the model was also designed to incorporate a parallel naturalistic analysis reminiscent of postmodern critical pragmatic approaches, such as those explored by Cherryholmes (1994)2. Over a period of five years, this model was developed through an evaluation of the implementation of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (AEP) in the Australian Capital Territory government secondary schools sector. The distinguishing feature of the study's methodology was its multiperspective analysis, an approach suggested by Mclaughlin (1987)3 to take account of the differing communities of discourse which exist in a reformist policy implementation environment. To operationalise the research problem, dimensions of policy effectiveness were articulated. These were addressed through a comprehensive set of research indicators, extracted from the AEP's national policy goals and the local strategic and operational plans. Data aimed at judging the effectiveness of implementation were collected from multiple sources using multiple research instruments. These data were analysed in three stages using a purpose-designed computer program which could cross-reference between the four interacting dimensions of research indicators, research instruments, data sources, and potential variables modifying policy/program outcomes. It was found that this model produced clear conclusions about the effectiveness of AEP implementation in the delimited sector, within the framework of the AEP's own policy assumptions. The model also provided insights into critical issues which are generalisable to the national context, such as the power of cultural hegemony and the socio-political predicament of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dispossession. As a methodology, the model was found to have a number of technical advantages, including its capacity for focussing on selected areas of the implementation environment, its provision of access to multiple levels of detail amongst data and its possession of mechanisms for monitoring its own internal validity. The evaluation case study, used as the vehicle for the Multiple Discourse Model's development, demonstrated that best-practice administration was in place which enhanced short and medium-term policy/program outcomes. However, the study's findings also suggested that a fundamental disjuncture existed between the AEP's policy/administration paradigm and the conflicting assumptions of the primary target communities, reinforcing the findings of Sykes (1986)4. The research results suggested that despite measurable successful inputs, the planned long-term outcomes of the AEP will not necessarily be achieved. No significant administrative structures or actions were apparent which could resolve this lack of synchrony at the interface between government delivery systems and 'grass roots' Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community values. This raised doubts about whether any systems approach, however well refined, could be socially useful not only for evaluation, but also as a basis for reform policy and public administration in a postmodern pluralist democratic setting. The evaluation was therefore used as a locus for theoretical reflection as well. A new policy paradigm is suggested, based on a power-sharing 'theory of community', more in keeping with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' aspirations for self determination and more likely to alleviate the so far unresolved destructive effects of cultural and political dispossession.

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