Conclusion : gender and politics and the changing status of women today

This book concerns a new body of knowledge and an emerging set of questions that has accompanied national, cross national and international global political movements aimed at trying to understand and to improve the situation of women by eliminating gender inequities and injustices.

Planning and delivering interventions to promote gender and sexuality

This chapter is designed to assist those working with young people to translate the research and understandings on addressing gender, sexuality and bullying presented in this book into practice in schools. Drawing on current research on effective sexuality education, teacher practice, building respectful relationships and addressing gendered based violence, the chapter discusses and presents the key elements of planning and delivering successfully interventions for young people in schools. The chapter focuses on a number of potentially challenging, complex and interrelated gender and sexuality issues common to schools as they attempt to provide safe and supportive learning environments for all young people. Drawing on the Australian experience a range of case studies is presented. Strategies for dealing with issues such as homophobia, gender and violence, sexual harassment, ‘bitch fights’ and pornography are presented and used as examples to assist teachers and other professionals to know when and how to intervene to build more positive and respectful relationships amongst students.

The effect of prescribed fluid consumption on physiology and work behavior of wildfire fighters

The purpose of this study was to examine 1) wildfire fighters' ability to consume the prescribed fluid volume (1200 mL h-1), 2) the effect of fluid intake on plasma sodium and hydration, and 3) the effect of fluid intake on firefighters' heart rate, core temperature and activity during emergency suppression shifts. Methods: Thirty-four firefighters were divided into ad libitum (AD, n = 17) and prescribed (PR, n = 17) drinking groups. Results: PR drinkers did not meet the prescribed fluid target, yet consumed over double the volume of AD drinkers. No differences between groups in plasma sodium or hydration were noted. PR drinking resulted in lower core temperature between 2 and 6 h. This did not coincide with reduced cardiovascular strain, greater work activity or larger distances covered when compared to AD drinkers. Conclusion: Extra fluid consumption (above AD) did not improve firefighter activity or physiological function (though PR firefighters core temperature was lower earlier in their shift). Firefighter can self-regulate their fluid consumption behavior and work rate to leave the fireground euhydrated.

Re-Visioning bisexuality: rhizomatic cartographies of sex, gender and sexuality

This thesis is a sociological study of bisexuality and gender in Australian society. A theoretical frame informed by philosophers Deleuze and Guattari is deployed to analyse data from 47 interviews. It finds that the diversity of participants’ bisexual lives challenge conventional dichotomous understandings of heterosexual/homosexual, man/woman and masculine/feminine.

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index survey 30.0 : The wellbeing of Australians – social media, personal achievement, and work : Report

The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index monitors the subjective wellbeing of the Australian population. Our first survey was conducted in April 2001 and this report concerns the 30th survey, undertaken in August 2013. Our previous survey had been conducted four months earlier in April. This intervening period corresponded to the 6th year of the Labor Government, elected in November 2007. Shortly after data collection, on 7th September, an election took place at which Labor lost to the Liberal Party Coalition.
The share market had been stable for a couple of years, at a level well below its peak before the financial crisis. However, unemployment remained at about 5% and for those people with jobs, many were better-off financially due to cuts in interest rates, and so, in mortgage repayments.
Each survey involves a telephone interview with a new sample of 2,000 Australians, selected to represent the geographic distribution of the national population. These surveys comprise the Personal Wellbeing Index, which measures people’s satisfaction with their own lives, and the National Wellbeing Index, which measures how satisfied people are with life in Australia. Other items include a standard set of demographic questions and other survey-specific questions. The specific topics for Survey 30 are social media, personal achievement, and work conditions.

Reflections on learning, life and work : completing doctoral studies in mid and later life and career

Book review of : Reflections on learning, life and work: Completing doctoral studies in mid and later life and career, by Maureen Ryan