Search results

Lisa TILLMANN-HEALY erlaubt die Reise in eine Welt, die für viele Menschen fremd erscheinen mag, und betrachtet genauer, woraus diese "Fremdheit" resultiert: Es handelt sich um die Annäherung an eine Gruppe schwuler Männer aus der Perspektive einer heterosexuellen Frau. Hinzugezogen wird vor allem sprachliches Material – aus Interviews, zufälligen Begegnungen, Versammlungen und von "Outings". Das ihrer Studie zugrunde liegende Paradigma ist für TILLMANN-HEALY das der "Freundschaft", das ermöglicht, Bedeutung(en) innerhalb von und zwischen verschiedenen sexuellen Kategorien zu betrachten. Das Ausmaß, in dem diese Bedeutung(en) tatsächlich geteilt werden können, ist sicher begrenzt, aber die so eröffneten Verstehensmöglichkeiten sind beachtlich. Insoweit ist der von TILLMANN-HEALY gewählte Ansatz immer dann von Interesse, wenn Wege entwickelt werden sollen, von unterschiedlichen Gruppen (nicht) geteilte Bedeutungen zu untersuchen.

The problems being experienced on the roads, of continued fatalities, serious injury and infringements, are currently being evaluated through a cognitive approach which focuses on the individual. The paper outlines the main features of this approach and argues for an alternative approach which investigates driving as a culture and which offers a method of dealing with the appropriateness of the attitudes, beliefs and expectations embodied within that culture. A cultural approach involves looking at how driving as a culture is constructed and maintained, It thus represents a focus which is much more socially oriented and aimed at influencing the culture of driving rather than merely punishing the individual driver.

AbstractRural communities can be perceived as conservative and, therefore, hostile towards queer people who depart from heteronormative renditions of sexual orientation and gender identity. Such perceptions can force rural queer people to conceal their identity, fostering an environment of invisibility and displacement. This study consequently explores why queer people conceal their identity in rural communities. Drawing on a sample of rural queer Australians, this study examines why those who are out (public about their orientation) adopt identity‐concealing strategies. Using semi‐structured in‐depth interviews, the study draws on the experiences of 9 participants from rural towns varying in population size from 50,000 to under 3000. The findings highlight how perceptions of prejudice were based on historical experiences and still emerged through the people, systems and institutions. Such prejudice serves to stigmatise queer identities and motivates the adoption of concealment strategies as a coping mechanism. Four reasons for identity concealment were reported: to avoid exclusion, to avoid accusations of inappropriate behaviour, to avoid confrontation and to enhance perceptions of the queer communities. The findings highlight that there remain beliefs that concealing identity to various extents is necessary within certain rural contexts.

AbstractAn investigation of household preparedness and community connections was undertaken in the NSW Blue Mountains. The research employed a qualitative approach. Upon receiving ethical approval, interviews and focus groups with a total of 31 vulnerable residents were recorded and transcribed. Data analysis included the manual coding of individual transcripts and key word queries entered into NVivo 10. Fire planning for community resilience within Australia focusses on property preparation and an emergency warning system designed to assist the evacuation decisions of residents. In this article, we report on vulnerable residents and their preparedness for the October 2013 bushfires. Our findings demonstrate that the vulnerable people interviewed did not consider property preservation as a priority, and their knowledge and engagement with the warning system and evacuation procedures was limited. Of practical value, the research found local community services and emergency planning committees should collaboratively plan for vulnerable community members who are unable to take a very active role in preparing themselves or their dependents to face a bushfire or similar disaster. In addition, preparedness and warning communications should be devised and targeted to more clearly assist vulnerable people during the lead up to, and in the midst of, a disaster.