La representación mediática del deportista con discapacidad en el reportaje televisivo. Informe Semanal, un estudio de caso

El tratamiento informativo de los Juegos Paralímpicos de 2008 en los medios españoles aparece ligado casi exclusivamente a los valores asociados al universo deportivo, según un estudio previo. Los paralímpicos son atletas, no personas con discapacidad. Ni se tendió al sensacionalismo ni se ofreció una imagen estereotipada. Debido a la particularidad del acontecimiento, también desaparecen reivindicaciones y problemas. Se trata de información deportiva en la que importa el resultado, los éxitos, las medallas. Para profundizar en la comprensión de la representación televisiva de los deportistas con discapacidad, el objeto de estudio es ahora la información televisiva al margen de la dinámica noticiosa de la cobertura diaria de los Juegos. El análisis de otro tipo de piezas, reportajes, ha permitido descubrir marcas tendentes a la estereotipación vinculadas al campo semántico periodístico, aquel que se hace visible a través del uso de recursos que propician la emotividad y la espectacularización. Emergen las historias de vida y detalles íntimos. Los protagonistas muestran una gran autoestima y una autoidentidad positiva al alejarse de las representaciones sociales habituales de la discapacidad.

Environmental health, indigenous identity, cultural representations and the production of ecological consciousness in Northern Ontario

The primary goal of this research is to document local perspectives by presenting a set of commentaries and meanings, in the form of narratives, related to environmental health conceptions on an Oji-Cree reserve in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Through an ethnographic case study, this research explores how the modern-day production of a sociocentric and ecocentric self, as ethnic marker and moral category, is contributing to environmental/community health and well-being on Native reserves. Cultural representations of personhood and community based on the Medicine Wheel model, as a cognitive model, create an ontological paradigm that promotes a holistic foundation for human behaviour and interaction, as well as healthy, sustainable communities.

Constructing an Indigenous Model of the Self to Address Cultural and Mental Health Issues in the Canadian Subarctic

Since the last decades, academic research has paid much attention to the phenomenon of revitalizing indigenous cultures and, more precisely, the use of traditional indigenous healing methods both to deal with individuals' mental health problems and with broader cultural issues. The re-evaluation of traditional indigenous healing practices as a mode of psychotherapeutic treatment has been perhaps one of the most interesting sociocultural processes in the postmodern era. In this regard, incorporating indigenous forms of healing in a contemporary framework of indigenous mental health treatment should be interpreted not simply as an alternative therapeutic response to the clinical context of Western psychiatry, but also constitutes a political response on the part of ethno-cultural groups that have been stereotyped as socially inferior and culturally backward. As a result, a postmodern form of "traditional healing" developed with various forms of knowledge, rites and the social uses of medicinal plants, has been set in motion on many Canadian indigenous reserves over the last two decades.

Development of multidisciplinary workshops between different subjects as an innovative teaching methodology for the acquisition of professional skills of the future architect

The implantation of the new Architecture Degree and the important normative changes in the building sector imply the need to use new teaching methodologies that enhance skills and competences in order to response to the increasing requirements demanded by society to the future architect. The aim of this paper is to present, analyze and discuss the development of multidisciplinary workshops as a new teaching methodology used in several Construction subjects of the Architecture Degree in the University of Alicante. Workshops conceived with the aim to synthesize and complement the technical knowledge acquired by the students during the Degree and to enhance the skills and competencies necessary for the professional practice. With that purpose, we decided to experiment on current subjects of the degree during this academic year, by applying the requirements defined in the future Architecture Degree in a practical way, through workshops between different subjects, superposing the technical knowledge with the resolution of constructive problems in the development of an architectural project. Developing these workshops between subjects we can dissolve the traditional boundaries between different areas of the Degree. This multidisciplinary workshop methodology allows the use of all the global knowledge acquired by students during their studies and at the same time, it enhances students’ ability to communicate and discuss their ideas and solutions in public. It also increases their capacity of self-criticism, and it foments their ability to undertake learning strategies and research in an autonomous way. The used methodology is based on the development of a practical work common to several subjects of different knowledge areas within the "Technology Block" of the future Architecture Degree. Thus, students work approaching the problem in a global way discussing simultaneously with teachers from different areas. By using these new workshops we stimulate an interactive class versus a traditional lecture. Work is evaluated continuously, valuing the participative pupil´s attitude, working in groups in class time, reaching weekly objectives and stimulating the individual responsibility and positive interdependence of the pupil inside the working group. The exercises are designed to improve students’ ability to transmit their ideas and solutions in public, knowing how to discuss and defend their technical resolutions to peers and teachers (Peer Reviewing), their capacity for self-criticism and their capacity to undertake strategies and autonomous learning processes at the same time they develop a personal research into new technologies, systems and materials. Students have shown their majority preference for this teaching methodology by the multidisciplinary workshops offered in the last years, with very satisfactory academic results. In conclusion, it can be verified nowadays the viability of the introduction of new contents and new teaching methodologies necessary for the acquisition of the skills in the future Architecture Degree, through workshops between several subjects that have had a great acceptance in students and positive contrasted academic results.