Meh, I’m taking a break
Current mood: listless
Category: Blogging
Those of you who keep checking in (yep, I know you're there, you show up on the site stats) will have noticed a distinct lack of activity on this blog.
It parallels the slow down in my real-world life.
So, notes to players: I'm dealing with some health problems, and taking my time about it.
There may not be much worth looking at here for a while. Que sera, sera.
Thanks to the help of some kind friends, I'm moving flats. This will undoubtedly lead me to be even less physically active for a while as I recover from the energy expended.
To all who have kindly invited me to things I didn't show up for, well now you know why. I'll float up again as and when I'm physically competent to make it out and home again of an evening. Keep doing the marvellous things you all do, I'm still a fan :-)
GWS protest TOMORROW!
Current mood: determined
Category: News and Politics
Reposting this from e-mail circulated by VUWSA Women's Rights Officer, Georgina Dickson:
This is an earnest request to get up early tomorrow (Thursday 5th June, 2008) at 8.40am to come along to the Academic Board meeting! (Hunter Building, come to VUWSA reception earlier if you don't know where to go). The future of the Gender and Women's Studies department is being discussed. This is a crucial point in terms of the major, if we can show a large amount of support, it will go a long way in communicating to the University that we will not stand for the GWS major being effectively disestablished.
We have lots of good banners, and we are going to be wearing "Thursdays in Black" t shirts and black. So please, if you have one of these, wear it and wear black!
Hope to see you along tomorrow.
Regards,
Georgina
(below is a letter from Lesley Hall, acting programme director of Gender and Women's Studies)
I am writing to enlist your support for the upcoming Academic Board meeting this coming Thursday 5th June at 8.40am.
The salient points to consider in any discussion about Gender and Women's Studies (GWS), some of which have implications for other disciplines, are:
1. GWS has no confidence that the decisions being made are based on sound academic arguments.
2. Moving GWS to Karori would severely disrupt our programme and make it difficult for GWS students to complete double majors (very few major in GWS and Education).
3. The change proposal process as it relates to GWS has not been transparent. It was first signaled in the outcome document (Part One, Phase 2) released towards the end of April 2008. VUW's Consultation Policy for Employment Matters states that staff 'must know what is proposed before they can be expected to give their views...'.
4. GWS is under the purview of the Board of Gender and Women's Studies. The Board has not been consulted about the proposed changes; nor have staff, students or the wider community i.e our stakeholders.
5. Previous reviews of Women's Studies have recommended that the discipline be autonomous, have a clearly identifiable physical location and also be strongly supported.
6. GWS is the only field of study which does 100% of its teaching within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences while being based in another faculty.
7. The re-structuring that led to the amalgamation of disciplines into Schools was for administrative purposes only. We are unaware of any suggestion at that time that Art Historians should teach Religious Studies or that Anthropologists should teach Criminology. Indeed the Dean of FHSS confirmed to the Working Party on Women's Studies (2002) that there was neither intention nor expectation that the programme be re-oriented "away from its multi-disciplinary approach and towards an education focus."
8. GWS is universally accepted as an important subject in its own right throughout the academic world. Its critical and self-reflexive approach to research and scholarship is both important and rigorous. Expecting GWS staff to teach in Education courses compromises the integrity of both GWS and Education and this has obvious implications for all other disciplines.
9. Key GWS approaches have been integrated into some non-Gender Studies courses e.g. Janet Holmes' Linguistics Honours course on Language and Gender, but this does not preclude the need for an autonomous GWS programme. Just as incorporating Maori and Pasifika perspectives into other university courses does not lead to a call for the elimination of Maori Studies or Pacific Studies, the need for an autonomous GWS in addition to feminist approaches within other disciplines remains strong.
10. Although some distinct gender-oriented courses have emerged in a range of disciplines, this has not been the case in many others. GWS thus fulfils an important role for many students in providing an introduction to important social and political issues, together with training in critical thinking and gender analysis across a wide range of areas.
11. Postgraduate EFTS form an increasing proportion of GWS EFTS and the level of GWS supervision of postgraduate students is outstanding. The 2 full-time staff currently supervise 12 PhD students, 10 of them in GWS.
12. The cancellation of taught postgraduate courses with less than 16 students would mean that the supply of GWS research students would dry up, as we believe would be the case in many other disciplines.
13. GWS at Victoria has a proud record of research and achievement by both staff and students, a history of scholarly outputs in national and international publications, as well as providing influential commentators for public discussion and debate. GWS staff examine national and international theses and provide peer review and editorial expertise for various journals.
Gender and Women's Studies (GWS) is being threatened with closure at Victoria University with changes proposed by the University Council.
These include -Limiting 300-level/honours classes to (a completely unrealistic) minimum of 16 students -Making GWS lecturers teach in Education, outside of their specialist fields -Potentially shifting GWS up to the Karori Campus
To name a few
These changes are being made with no consultation of students. First it was film, now it's Gender and Women's Studies. What next?
Show the University that you will not tolerate being left out of the equation. Speak out against what's happening at the PROTEST
* Wednesday, 12pm in the Hunter Courtyard*.
Bring banners, friends and pass this on to all of your relevant networks.
Edit: good background here, in a column by Eleanor Bishop, writing for Salient magazine on campus.
The threat to Gender & Women’s Studies @ VUW
Current mood: aggravated
Category: News and Politics
The Gender and Women's Studies (GWS) programme, first established at Victoria University in 1974, has an international reputation and a proud history. It is a leader in teaching and research on issues relating to sexuality and gender that profoundly affect the lives of both men and women.
The programme currently has two full time academic staff and one part time assistant lecturer. It has a particularly strong record of postgraduate enrolment and completion. Many graduates in GWS go on to postgraduate research degrees, including PhDs, several with national and international scholarships. These two staff are currently supervising twelve PhDs, ten of which are PhDs in GWS. Other expressions of interest are currently under consideration.
Doctoral graduates are usually mature students who fill leadership roles in such areas as human rights, women's health, government policy, academia and politics.
GWS is a dedicated specialist programme earning in excess of 40 EFTS plus income from PBRF and PhD completions.
The programme's location within the university has been contested at regular intervals since its inception 35 years ago. Currently GWS is located in the School of Education Studies (SEDS). This is a result of the research interests of its former programme director and it has functioned satisfactorily - if largely independently - in this setting. The programme draws students from undergraduate programmes throughout the university.
With the dissolution of SEDS, under the current proposal for change at the College of Education, GWS risks being disestablished. The proposal could disestablish GWS by:
* Requiring GWS academics to teach courses in Education despite the subject area being a minor part of our current teaching. Requiring GWS academics to teach outside their subject knowledge, let alone their research knowledge effectively divests them of their academic specialization - and discounts the disciplinary integrity of Education as well as GWS.
* Setting a 16 student minimum for 300-level and BA Honours course enrolments in GWS despite the high percentage of GWS students progressing to complete research degrees. Under current numbers, this 16 student minimum would destroy the GWS major and BA Honours programme and cut off the supply of students to the thriving GWS postgraduate programme.
* Requiring prospective Kelburn based undergraduates (the majority) to travel to Karori for classes, which is a strong disincentive for them as it involves extra expense and time; This is likely to choke off the supply of students who wish to study GWS.
Victoria University must:
* Recognise that GWS is a discrete interdisciplinary academic subject.
* Allow GWS 300-level and BA Honours courses to continue, without an unrealistic minimum number of students.
* Recognise that if GWS is to remain in Education appropriate support is necessary in order to maintain and grow the GWS programme.
* If suitable support is not possible within Education then GWS should be relocated amongst cognate disciplines that will maximize common research and teaching interests amongst students. In other NZ universities GWS is located with Sociology, Anthropology or with Development Studies.
* Recognise the need for GWS to be in a discrete location on Kelburn Campus close to GWS resources such as the VUW Library and in order to maintain and build collegiality among undergraduate and postgraduate students.
International Women’s Day for Disarmament 2008
Current mood: cold
Category: News and Politics
International Women's Day for Disarmament 2008: Protests, petition and information
Since 1982, International Women's Day for Disarmament (IWDD) has been marked on 24 May by women around the world calling for the peaceful resolution of conflict, and an end to the horror and devastation of armed conflict; the destruction of the physical environment by peacetime military training and weapons testing; the diversion of financial, human and other resources into military institutions; and to government support for corporations that profit from death and destruction. This year in Aotearoa New Zealand, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is focusing on the NZ Superannuation Fund (Super Fund) investments in nuclear weapons and cluster munitions producing companies.
There are three sections below: 1) details of the simultaneous protests at the Super Fund offices in Auckland and Wellington on Friday, 23 May; 2) the 'End government support for military exports' petition which has just been re-launched for International Women's Day for Disarmament; and 3) some links to where you can get more information about the Super Fund investments, and about women and disarmament. This message is available online at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/iwdd08.htm
1) Protest the Super Fund investments in nuclear weapons and cluster munitions production
I went to this action in Wellington, about these investments: Friday, 23 May, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, at the traffic lights at the intersection of Queen's Wharf, Jervois Quay and Grey Street. Several staunch members of WILPF and PMA were present, holding hand-lettered heavy-card posters against the wind and spitting rain, to give those in the homeward-bound traffic something to think about as an alternative to the official budget stories being pushed by the major news media corporations.
for more information contact email wilpf@xtra.co.nz
The Super Fund has a responsible investment policy "which aims to enhance shareholder value and protect the reputation of the Fund through encouraging high standards of corporate behaviour. Despite this, the Fund invests in a range of companies involved in producing offensive weapons systems, such as nuclear weapons and cluster munitions, including many that overseas pension funds and banks refuse to invest in.
Even though the NZ Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act, 1987, states it is an offence for anyone to aid or abet "any person to manufacture, acquire, possess, or have control over any nuclear explosive device" within or beyond the NZ Nuclear Free Zone, the Fund has investments in companies involved in nuclear weapons production and deployment such as Lockheed Martin $21,850,772*, Northrop Grumman Corp. $22,490,337, Honeywell International $13,914,219, BAE Systems Plc $6,154,252, and EADS Co - $2,660,672 (*Fund investment at 30 June 2007, the most recent figures available).
While the Fund has announced it intends to divest from companies involved in cluster munitions production, there are concerns about how and when this will be done - these companies include Lockheed Martin as above, Raytheon Co. $2,294,974, Poongsan Corp. $1,582,636, Thales S.A. $657,428, and Hanwha Corp. $139,445. International Women's Day for Disarmament this year falls right in the middle of the Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions, where the text of the international convention banning cluster munitions will be negotiated and most likely adopted - the Conference will be held from 19 to 30 May in Dublin, Ireland.
2) No WARP! petition: End government support for military exports
Following a more favourable than expected response from the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee last year, the No WARP! petition has just been re-launched in time for International Women's Day for Disarmament.
The text begins: "To the House of Representatives: Every day, on average, global military expenditure is more than (US) $3.2 billion, while close to 29,000 children under the age of five die from mainly preventable causes; including lack of access to clean water, food and basic health care. To provide clean water for 2.6 billion people and save an estimated 4,000 lives each day would cost just (US) $7 billion - less than two and a half days of global military expenditure. We, the undersigned, are appalled that the New Zealand government contributes to this deplorable situation by funding and promoting companies involved in military and weapons related production and export." - the full text, and printable petition form, is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nowarpet.pdf If you have any difficulty opening or printing the petition form, please contact email nowarp@xtra.co.nz and we will post copies to you.
3) Where you can get more information
* About the Super Fund investments
'Act now! NZ Superannuation Fund investments in death and destruction', No WARP! (Network Opposed to Weapons and Related Production), April 2008 - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nwapr08.pdf
'Investing in whose future? NZ Super Fund invests in cluster munitions, nuclear weapons and human rights violations', No WARP! leaflet, April 2008 - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/superfund.pdf - if you would like printed copies of this leaflet, please email nowarp@xtra.co.nz and let us know your postal address and how many copies you would like
Mixing politics and social life
Current mood: thoughtful
Category: News and Politics
I tried to just pop in to the National Office of the Greens in downtown Wellington today, for a brief look at some new campaign materials, and ended up spending a good while there, catching up with a few people I've done activism with in the past several years.
So much for a quick look! I came away with a new t-shirt, and a submission deadline from Stefan Browning, a very well-respected recent president of the Soil and Health Association, publishers of Organic NZ magazine, and a list candidate for the Green party in the upcoming elections.
As the campaign team rolled in for a meeting, I scooted out the door to catch a bus to Newtown, and the Budget Night talk by Dr Russell Norman, co-Leader of the Greens.
This was a very enjoyable affair, as we were fortified by the Rongotai branch's clever decision to get the lovely folk at Bar Edward to supply some snacks, and we all enjoyed a drink of our own provision.
Russ talked about the process for getting Green items into the Budget (hilarious!), and what we'd gained, all very good policies; my stand-out being the insulation of State-owned housing stock - both a boost for energy conservation for the poorest citizens (making power bills cheaper), and an improvement for the health of the tenants, of whom children are a high proportion. Climate Change and Sustainable Transport Options also made an appearance, with our local Green city and regional councillors present to comment on initiatives being planned by WCC & WRC, especially Transmission Gully, a hugely expensive new road which has so far cost hundreds of thousands in consultancy fees and feasibility studies, without any actual road-building work having been done. The alternative of improving rail services in the same area was discussed as a better option. There was also a quick mention of sustainable, organic farming practices as a potential source of carbon offsets, in the same manner as forestry is, due to the carbon sequestering done by organic crop growth and composting. This then lead to a quick swipe at the Emissions Trading Scheme, which has several potential permutations that could lead to problems with our Kyoto obligations down the track.
Russ left plenty of space for questions, and lively debates ensued, including one heckler who strolled in from another part of the bar, then returned again. Lots of socialising later, I left to catch another bus, and passed several attendees heading back home on bikes. Lots of cycling clothing was evident in the audience, so it was a pretty fit and active bunch of people, for a Thursday night bar rendez-vous.
update: Jeanette's budget speech here, for those who want to get the details of Russell's more colloquial delivery.
yawn, it’s a sunny day, just after full moon, and I’m lazy!
Current mood: cheerful
Category: Life
Yesterday, I went for a little journey with a good friend and interviewed a writer/illustrator about his newest projects.
Then we noodled around Miramar, Lyall Bay, Kilbirnie & Newtown on our way back to the CBD. All in all, a fairly well-exercised day, but I'm very quiet today.
I've written most of the review for that, but I won't post in here until it's gone up on the Salient website next week.
I was invited to 2 full-moon events last night - and due to said big long healthy walk, I went to bed early & couldn't go to any drumming or dancing in the moonlight.
My family arrived on time, and we all made it to the venue in good time. I finished sewing my dress at lunchtime on the day ... so, no pressure to get it all right on the first go!
I managed to see a lot of friends graduate with me, from different schools. And 3 of us graduated GDArts majoring in Gender and Women's Studies, so it wasn't too lonely up there on stage when our section went through.
I neither lost my trencher, tripped on the academic gown, nor fell down the stairs. Win-win result, really.
I have a brand spanking new digital camera, thanks mum & sis for that prezzie. My photo albums may improve, once I sort out all the functions.
My grad night finished with a stroll round town, very late after going home and changing, with a good friend who currently lives in the night shift. It was surreally bizarre, and fun as well as disturbing, as we were both very sober at the time of hitting Cuba Street, and town looked rather strange. Maybe we both just have an odd sense of humour, though!
It was good to catch up with classmates I hadn't seen for a year who've left campus, plus a few who've moved on to post-grad research that I didn't know about.
I'll get back to posting feminist and political rants, I'm just chilllin out for a while with the feeling of peace that comes from completing something, and finally being pleased with what I've done.
I may even get around to reading books for pleasure, not for review or study!
Things I’ve learned about Graduation
Current mood: blah
Category: School, College, Greek
1~ anything that can be queued for, will be. In the most tediously incompetent way.
2~ sometimes, bumping into people you haven't seen since last year in queues helps pass the time pleasantly
3~ some things just don't look good on anybody. But they wear them anyway...
4~ on any public congratulatory occasion, the public are far nicer than the elected city representative who is given space to warble on about herself...
5~ I really loathe the combination of pink-lined graduation hood and white synthetic fur
6~ the more relatives, from differing domiciliary locations, the less likely the graduand is to want to see them, by the time the arrangements have been discussed ad nauseum, in triplicate.
7~ corollory to above: responding to stupid e-mails from family can put you off going out for a drink. Hopefully, this is only temporary!
8~ it's heartening to see how many women seriously believe that a new pair of stilletto heels are just the ticket for taking a half-mile walk through the centre of the CBD.
9~ and finally, nice to know there's one person more jaded than I am - our illustrious VUWSA Prez, who is sick of the circus after only 3 days worth of sitting on the stage amongst the Academic Staff. Wow, is he going to be scratchy by the time Heleyni & I have got through Graduation!
Will all this tedium of protocol be worth it? I'll tell ya Saturday morning!
tired
listless
determined
angry
aggravated
cold
thoughtful
cheerful
accomplished
blah