Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice 4 - Thursday 21 December 2023 10.00am (AEST)
Justice, Communication, Creative Industries and Entertainment Industries
- Presiding Officer: Professor Margaret Sheil AO
- Ceremonial Host: Ms Angela Leitch
- Presenting Officer: Professor Kevin Sanson
- Doctor of the University Recipient: Mr Robert Malezer
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Honourary Award Recipient - Doctor of the University
Les Malezer
Les Malezer is a prominent leader, activist, advocate and researcher who has devoted his career to promoting and protecting the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia, and Indigenous Peoples of the World. He continues to seek change for legal recognition of First Peoples’ status and rights in Australia.
He has worked extensively in community organisations at the local, regional, national and international levels, and held important posts in representative bodies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, including as Chairperson of the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action, and Co-Chair of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples. With deep expertise in policy development, strategic planning and community development, he has worked at all levels of Australian government.
Well known internationally for his human rights work, Les Malezer has worked tirelessly to raise the profile of Indigenous Peoples in United Nations (UN) and Commonwealth Heads of Government fora. He was responsible for shepherding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through to the UN General Assembly in 2007 and was integral to the design and preparations for a UN representative body for Indigenous Peoples. From 2013 to 2016 he served as a member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
In 1969, Les Malezer matriculated from Inala State High School in Brisbane, as school captain. He undertook studies in Engineering at the University of Queensland in the 1970s, and in the 1980s studied towards a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science, Sociology) at both University of Queensland and Australian National University.
In 2008, he was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal by the Australian Human Rights Commission, in recognition of his exceptional commitment to human rights, social justice and equality, and his decades of advocacy for Indigenous Peoples at the international level.
In recognition of his distinguished service to the community, QUT Council has awarded Les Malezer Doctor of the University.
Doctor of Philosophy
CREADO, Rhea Mae
Thesis Title
Children as Change-Makers: How Socially Engaged Art in New York City Can Inform Arts Pedagogy for Children
Supervisors
- Dr Lyndal May O'Gorman (Associate Supervisor)
- Dr Courtney Brook Pedersen (Principal Supervisor)
Citation
New York City (NYC) has a history of artist-led activism, disrupting and challenging existing societal structures and norms for positive social change. This study explored socially engaged art in NYC to inform arts pedagogy for children aged five to ten years. This creative practice research project resulted in the creation of several educational artworks, designed to support children as change-makers. These artworks aimed to encourage tolerance and inclusivity and support children's critical and agentic thinking, while employing a decolonial approach. In the context of a world-wide pandemic, the project also explored how creative, collaborative learning can take place online.
HAGGARTY, Takako
Thesis Title
Exploring the Japanese Tradition of 'Kuchishoga' as an Intercultural Music Pedagogy for People with Vision Impairment and Intellectual Disability
Supervisors
- Dr Gavin Steven Carfoot (Principal Supervisor)
- Professor Bree Jamila Hadley (Associate Supervisor)
Citation
Despite the significant amount of existing research on music and disability, little work has been undertaken on the connections between intercultural music pedagogy and students with vision impairment and intellectual disability (VIID). This research explored the ways that the ancient Japanese music pedagogy known as "Kuchishoga" could offer benefits to students with VIID. Through reflective practice, I outline the music learning outcomes of the participants, demonstrating how intercultural communication helped to create positive learning experiences. In this context, meaningful bridges between cultures and valuable learning experiences resulted from a commitment to bi-directional teaching, flexible and adaptable pedagogical approaches.
HOURIGAN, Aimee Louise
Thesis Title
Challenging the Coloniality of 'Digital Inclusion for International Development' Through Fa'asamoa
Supervisors
- Professor Daniel Angus (Associate Supervisor)
- Professor Michael Luigi Dezuanni (Principal Supervisor)
Citation
This thesis explores how 'digital inclusion for international development' is defined and experienced from a fa'asamoa ('the Samoan way') standpoint. By working in collaboration with a group of Samoan knowledge partners, this research takes a decolonial, co-design approach to explore the influence Samoan cultural values, customs, and practices have in shaping meaningful and inclusive uses of digital technologies in Samoa and amongst Samoan people. In turn, the thesis illustrates how fa'asamoa-grounded digital inclusion can support Samoans in areas of social identity formation, cultural relationality, and the navigation of emergent tensions between Samoan and Dominant ('Western') development practices.
JAMES, Robin Laurence
Thesis Title
Sustaining National Feature Film Production: Knowledge Transfers from Pre-Production Processes in Globalised Filmmaking
Supervisors
- Dr Ruari Baroona Elkington (Associate Supervisor)
- Associate Professor Sean William Maher (Principal Supervisor)
Citation
This thesis investigates the role performed by pre-production processes derived from market-led feature films that unite content creation practices across Hollywood studios and major US independent film production companies. The research focuses on certain key factors of pre-production such as development including shooting script, budgeting and project risk management. Each is argued to supply fundamental quality assurance mechanisms that contribute to financial success. By identifying specific policies, processes and practices in successful US feature film pre-productions, this research has identified how similar models may be applied to film production in national industries.
MCCULLOUGH, Craig Malcolm
Thesis Title
Sound Mobility: Smartphones and Tablets as Ubiquitous Polymedia Music Production Studios
Supervisors
- Dr Gavin Steven Carfoot (Principal Supervisor)
- Associate Professor Michael Robert Whelan (Associate Supervisor)
Citation
This study examines how mobile devices are perceived and engaged with for music-making. Using digital ethnographic research and digital methods focused on relevant online communities, and publicly shared social media and video, several significant themes related to the practices of mobile music-making are identified, such as the properties of the devices, aesthetics, the relationships among mobility, space and place, and creativity, and mobile music communities. The research also raises questions about the nature of music-making in the contemporary context of ubiquitous media, and whether use of social video platforms such as YouTube are changing the nature of music production practices.
MELLBERG, Jacques Thomas
Thesis Title
Psychological Distance and Fear of Crime: Understanding Subjective Worries about Crime from a New Perspective
Supervisors
- Professor Matthew James Ball (Mentoring Supervisor)
- Dr Michael Luke Chataway (Principal Supervisor)
Citation
This thesis explored how people become worried about crime in the absence of direct victimisation experience using data collected from two communities in Queensland, Australia. Analyses focused on individuals' perceptions of psychological distance from crime (i.e., how close they felt crime was in their immediate surrounding). As evidenced by the results, community members tend to report heightened feelings of worry about future victimisation when they perceive crime as a proximal threat (an event that could happen to them soon in their current location). The findings lay the foundation for new strategies to manage fear of crime in the community.
SARKAR, Sahana
Thesis Title
Women Survivors' Experiences of and Responses to Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence
Supervisors
- Adjunct Associate Professor Bridget Harris (External Supervisor)
- Professor Nicolas Suzor (Associate Supervisor)
- Dr Laura Elizabeth Vitis (Principal Supervisor)
Citation
This thesis offers an exploratory study of women survivors' experiences of and responses to technology-facilitated sexual violence by unknown persons in India. Findings from this research helps to: identify the continuum of violence women experience; demonstrates the cumulative impacts of technology-facilitated sexual violence; and women's responses to technology-facilitated sexual violence to practice safety. This thesis explores how these experiences, responses and impacts of technology-facilitated sexual violence is influenced by survivor's marginalised sex and gender, religious, caste, sexual identity. Further, this thesis ensures that violence is not separated from the cultural and social context in which it is taking place.