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Where are all the parents? An analysis of visibility, representation, and information for parents on university websites
(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2025) McChesney, Katrina; Mason, Shannon; Miyashiro, Maryann; Jones, Emma; Rhodes, Kate
Student parents, staff/faculty who are also parents, and parents of prospective or current students all form part of university communities, yet these groups have each received relatively little attention. Underpinned by the visible cue theory of representation, this study considers the extent to which parents are represented, made visible, and provided with information via higher education institution websites. Using web searches and manifest content analysis, we examined the text and images on 45 Australian and New Zealand public university websites. 592 webpages were identified that represented or targeted parents or parenting within the university community. All 45 universities had some parent/ing-related website content, but this content was largely restricted to dedicated parent-facing pages. Moreover, representations of parents were intersectionally thin, reproducing normative depictions of parents as able-bodied, non-Indigenous, and women. Websites are not politically neutral texts, but represent institutions’ deliberate self-curated depictions of their idealised identities and target communities. On the websites we examined, parents were there but not there: nodded to through some information and representation, yet restricted to particular corners of the website space. Universities must recognise parents as equal members of their communities and ensure better representation, visibility, and support for parents to facilitate equitable participation.
How do societal pressures influence the nutrition choices of adolescent boys in a New Zealand single-sex school context, and what are the implications for New Zealand educators?
(The University of Waikato, 2025) Grinter, Amy; Petrie, Kirsten
Understanding how nutrition choices of adolescent boys are influenced by social pressures in a New Zealand single-sex boys’ school is critical in informing science educators on how to design and deliver nutrition education. While there is a body of literature on social influences such as family (Berge et al., 2016), peers (Ragelienė & Grønhøj, 2020) and social media influence (Derenne & Beresin, 2006) on adolescents and children, much of the research had a focus on young females and overlooked the niche influences that shape the nutrition choices of adolescents’ at a single sex boys school. Adolescence marks a significant change period, including the shift in value of opinion from their parents to their peers (Mazzeo et al., 2024). Additionally, compulsory subjects at school are coming to an end. Therefore, there is a great responsibility on educators to highlight the importance of the nuanced factors that affect nutrition consumption throughout their lives and equip adolescents with a more realistic approach to nutrition that extends beyond calories and macronutrients. With this in mind, and to gather some initial data this study sought out to explore: How do societal pressures influence the nutrition choices of adolescent boys in a New Zealand single-sex school context, and what are the implications for New Zealand educators? Given the scope of the study, a mixed-methods survey was conducted with Year 11 students (16 years and older) combining quantitative questions with a small number of open-ended questions to capture nuanced perspectives associated with nutrition. This study not only considers the formal teaching of nutrition but also the informal culture of the school environment and how these factors play their part in influencing the choices adolescents make about their food habits. Year 11 students are at a key developmental stage of transitioning from childhood to adolescence. The findings from this study raise several implications for educators. A clear takeaway is the need to address the existing narrow scope adolescents have when it comes to nutrition. For many boys, nutrition has been reduced to a narrow mindset focusing on protein consumption, macronutrient balancing and body image. This mindset, reflected in many of the survey responses, prioritises physical measurements such as physique or athletic performance, rather than their overall health or well-being. Social media was raised as a contributor to this mindset with most participants reporting daily exposure to social media and fitness influencers who promote this hyper fixation on macronutrients. This culture of misinformation is corroborated by school sporting environments, where coachers try to deliver simplified nutrition advice, reinforcing this narrow, macronutrient tracking mindset. Compounding this issue is the segmented approach to nutrition education within the school curriculum, as well as the school culture and canteen options, which fail to cultivate healthy eating messages. These findings suggest the need for an educational reform. A more integrated approach that can suitably portray the nuanced and multifaceted factors that influence nutrition choices is required. Finally, this survey’s results indicated education is not sufficient alone to harbour healthy eating, but the school environment must also reflect and promote healthy eating. Therefore, nutrition should not be segmented to individual topics, but taught across departments in science, physical education (P.E.) and health, social studies and be displayed in everyday school practices. Additionally, providing education to sports coaches and trainers will enable them to offer more well-rounded, holistic nutrition advice to their students. Without considering an education reform, schools run the risk of continuing to instil this narrow-sighted ideology about nutrition.
The role of mangrove fringe areas in providing feeding habitat for the New Zealand eagle ray (Myliobatis tenuicaudatus)
(Environmental Research Institute, The University of Waikato, 2018) Cadwallader, Helen Frances; Fernihough, G; Ross, Philip M.; Francis, M; Battershill, Christopher N.
This report details the results of an investigation into the use of mangrove fringe habitat by the eagle ray Myliobatis tenuicaudatus. The study was conducted in Matua estuary, Tauranga Harbour, and examined differences in the use of natural mangrove fringe vs. trimmed (mangrove removal and maintenance) mangrove fringe areas by rays. The use of these areas as feeding habitat was determined by quantification of feeding excavations.
“Thoughts & prayers,” conspiracy theories, and laughing emojis: Facebook comments on the attempted assassination of President Trump
(John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2025) Phillips, Justin B.; Carson, Andrea
This article examines online responses to the 14 July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Using large language model embeddings and machine learning algorithms, we analyze 26 thousand Facebook comments in near real-time reacting to “breaking news” stories from six national mainstream media outlets covering the assassination attempt. The themes we identify are consistent with historical studies on political assassination attempts and death, indicating evidence of public dismay, but also other widespread reactions including conspiratorial thinking, mocking, and trolling. Facebook’s laughing emoji features as one notable troll-like response to this traumatic event, with news of the shooting prompting nearly nine thousand ‘haha’ reactions. Within this online language is a political response apportioning blame, where both the political left and right accuse one another of inciting political violence. Our paper further connects these empirical observations with literature on affective publics, digital mourning, and RIP-trolling.
The government's dismantling of climate laws breaks years of cross-party agreement
(The Conversation, 2025) Barton, Barry; Campion, Jennifer
Just as world leaders gather for this year’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil, the government’s announcement of its intention to significantly change New Zealand’s climate change law upends years of cross-party consensus. All of the proposals pose serious problems, but the change to the zero-carbon provisions in the Climate Change Response Act 2002 runs counter to the underlying purpose of the act to provide accountability for climate change policy. The government proposes to simplify emissions reduction plans, which are produced every five years to set out policies and strategies to decarbonise every sector of the economy. It also wants to remove the Climate Change Commission’s role in providing independent advice on emissions reduction plans, and allow more frequent revisions of these plans without public consultation. The changes would also adjust timelines for emissions budgets and reports, and relax deadlines for the government’s response.