Welcome to Research Commons
Research Commons is the University of Waikato's open access research repository, housing research publications and theses produced by the University's staff and students.
Recent Submissions
Item Ko wai tēnei e tū ake nei? Activating collectivity and accountability through grounded positioning(Journal Article, 2021-12)Building on conference conversations about positionality—about who we are and how our identities shape our views of the world, about the connections and disconnections experienced between us, and about our proximities to place, power, and privilege—this piece brings together four conference participants to continue to reflect on what positionality means, on why it is important, and on how to practice it in non-performative, well-developed, and mutually nourishing ways. Their dialogue reflects active and critical positioning in process and practice, creating opportunities for acknowledging our relationships and activating both collectivity and accountability in the various spaces where we live, work, create, and hope.Item Policy solutions to social housing stigmatisation in Aotearoa(Report, University of Waikato, 2025-02)This policy brief discusses social housing stigmatisation as a process and experience that has detrimental effects on social housing tenants. The brief also highlights the role social housing policy must play in addressing stigmatisation, thereby, ensuring the wellbeing and community inclusion of social housing residents. The discussion and recommendations in this brief are based on a review of evidence for the WERO (Working to End Racial Oppression) research project, examining how neighbours’ perceptions as well as policies and practices of social housing provision impact social housing tenants’ experiences of wellbeing and neighbourhood inclusion.Item “Landlords wouldn’t give my application a second look.” Discrimination exacerbates inequalities in access to private rental housing(Report, University of Waikato, 2024-08)This report and the key insights are based on findings from a housing survey that was conducted with 800 residents in neighbourhoods in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch. • Perceptions of unfairness in Aotearoa’s housing sector are widespread. Renters, Māori, younger people and low-income groups as well as residents in neighbourhoods with high levels of housing deprivation are most likely to think that people are treated unfairly when trying to rent or buy a home in Aotearoa. • Nearly one in three respondents reported having experienced discrimination when trying to rent or buy a home in Aotearoa. Renters, Māori, younger people and low-income groups as well as residents in neighbourhoods with high levels of housing deprivation are most likely to report experiences of discrimination. • Advantage and disadvantage in securing a home are determined by a combination of interlocking factors, including income and employment status, age, family status, and race/ethnicity or skin colour. These patterns suggest widespread experiences of potentially unlawful housing discrimination. • People strategically try to avoid and mitigate discrimination. Expectations of being discriminated against and of being advantaged influence where and how home seekers search for housing. This finding signals that experiences of rejection play a role in constraining people’s housing choices. • The survey findings suggest that discrimination, as part of tenant selection, contributes to housing precarity and inequalities in access to rental housing. Therefore, this research points to an urgent need to address housing discrimination, especially in the context of high levels of residential mobility among renters and intense competition for rental properties.Publication Comparing hardness tests to estimate, evaluate, and analyse the mechanical properties of structural steel(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024-11-23)The paper investigates the mechanical properties of structural steels, focusing on hardness and toughness, which are important indicators used in industrial applications. In total, four major hardness testing methods were analysed: Vickers, Rockwell, Brinell, and Leeb, and the Charpy impact test was used to measure toughness. The hardness tests evaluated the precision with which steel resistance to deformation can be determined under different conditions, and the Charpy test examined their energy absorption capacity in case of sudden fractures and tensile testing was estimated on them to study the range of yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. This research has conducted 288 experimental tests to evaluate the correlation between various hardness testing methods (Brinell, Vickers, Rockwell, and Leeb) and the mechanical properties of the structural steel samples. Further, 42 experimental tests were performed for the Charpy impact test to evaluate a correlation between Charpy impact values and mechanical properties of the structural steel samples. 330 samples were prepared for the respective tests, representing various structural steel grades (Grade 300, 350, and 400). Among different grades of steel samples, 350-grade steel exhibited a higher impact energy of 94.4 J. Both Charpy Impact Values and Hardness Test Values were plotted against ultimate tensile strength and yield strength to determine if there is a correlation between the properties. The results reveal a better accuracy of Vickers and Rockwell tests as they revealed only an error percentage of 2.5% and 1.9%, respectively, especially for fine-grained materials, while Leeb is characterized by good convenience in large-scale testing at the site. Although the Brinell test is very effective for coarse structures, it was not as precise as martensite in more complex microstructures. Both hardness and tensile strength showed a strong correlation, indicating that hardness may accurately predict the material strength. The study also highlights the reverse relationship between hardness and toughness. This research contributes to structural steel testing by proposing methods to predict mechanical properties using non-destructive testing techniques. It sets the stage for future improvementsin hardness testing models by incorporating factors like microstructural variations, strain hardening, and heat treatment, which can enhance the accuracy of predictions. Furthermore, the research underscores the importance of portable hardness testing methods and emphasizes the need for improved calibration protocols to ensure more accurate in-situ measurements.Item Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi through addressing racism in universities(Report, University of Waikato, 2024-06-30)Executive summary The WERO team conducted two studies on university documents to identify how universities articulate their commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and address inequities for Māori within tertiary education. The first study, which is a case study of a university’s Treaty Statement, highlighted the university’s limitations in empowering Māori to exercise tino rangatiratanga within various decision-making structures. The second study, which scrutinises Māori representation across strategic documents of all universities, revealed that universities reify whiteness by selectively interpreting Te Tiriti articles, pursuing targeted Māori recruitment, portraying Māori as reliant on the Crown for success, commodifying mātauranga Māori, and evading discussions about settler colonialism and racial equity. Drawing from our findings and constitutional transformation documents such as Matike Mai (2016), we proffer three recommendations to enable universities to more effectively uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi: 1. Universities must clearly define the operation of settler colonialism and racism in each institution so that sustainable anti-racist initiatives can be identified. 2. Each university must grow relational spheres where Māori are empowered to make collective decisions with the Crown representatives in the university. 3. Universities must invest in a Māori-led independent body to develop and deliver a Te Tiriti-centric programme that decolonises university processes
Communities in Research Commons
Select a community to browse its collections.