PhD: Unpacked

Dr. Leua Iosefa joins us to unpack the growing relevance of culture to criminality and culpability, as New Zealand’s population diversity expands. Diversity brings different cultures and cultural practices that are currenty criminalised. How will our laws adapt? If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD: https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/17014 – For any questions, qualms or queries,...

Dr. Lee Saing Te joins us to unpack climate-change compassion fatigue, and the gap between knowledge and action.  If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD: https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/items/78a82edf-e31b-4e8e-a834-9e66a988d46d – For any questions, qualms or queries, reach out to the PhD: Unpacked team through phdunpacked@gmail.com, or @phdunpacked on Instagram. This podcast is bro...

Dr. Maureen Sinton joins us to unpack why we crave the unpredictable authenticity of talkback and how it played a seminal role in the early moments of the Christchurch terror attacks of 2019. If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD:  https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/items/09448a6f-1cfa-462e-b5aa-3f54f81b42d9 – For any questions, qualms or queries, reach out to the PhD: Unpacked team t...

Dr. Zoe Port joins us to unpack her research into problematic workplace environments, & the various reasons driving multiple-job lifestyles. Working multiple jobs is now relatively normal, but is that a good thing? If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD: https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/16567 – For any questions, qualms or queries, reach out to the PhD: Unpacked team through...

Dr. Reuben Fong joins us to unpack the problematic themes hidden in your favourite Children’s films - Ratatouille, Chicken Run, Stuart Little, The Wild Thornberry’s and the Land Before Time. If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD:  https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/54051 – For any questions, qualms or queries, reach out to the PhD: Unpacked team through phdunpacked@gma...

Dr. Tamara Bozovic joins us to unpack the science of improving city walkability. While it’s often described as being anti-car and all about walking, it’s actually more complicated than that - listen to find out how.   If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD: https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/items/c47fb2ef-a7de-4e01-b49e-365a75f0fe54 – For any questions, qualms or queries, reach out to...

In the third and final episode of this mini-season, Janhavi delves into emotional regulation with Dr Rachel Low from the Psychology Department at Victoria University of Wellington. Rachel tells Janhavi what role emotional regulation plays in romantic relationships, and explains why bottling up your feelings takes more energy than sharing them.  We also look at how partners who feel loved can buffe...

‘Attachment styles’ have become a trendy topic on TikTok and Instagram, but does social media get it right? In the second episode of this mini-season, Janhavi dissects attachment theory with Dr Nickola Overall from the Psychology Department at The University of Auckland. Nickola does some myth-busting around what you think you may know about attachment theory. She also explains how your attachment...

Welcome to Season 2.5 which is all about romantic love!  In the first episode of this mini-season, Janhavi sits down with Dr Matt Hammond from the Psychology Department at Victoria University of Wellington.  Romantic relationships involve seeking and giving support, and Matt talks about how the way you ask for support can impact the quality of support you get from your partner.  Janhavi digs into...

“ Contemplating how senior citizens thrive in 21st century society. What is ‘successful’ ageing? How does one contribute to society after retirement? What happens when you put unassociated toddlers and elders in a room together? Dr. Joanna Macfarlane joins us to Unpack the idea of ‘generativity’, and how intergenerational programmes can be used to combat boredom and loneliness in later life. This...

“Dissecting mainstream media depictions of the New Zealand sex-work industry.” Why is ‘the oldest profession in the world’ routinely excluded from labour rights discourse? Why are sex-workers ostracized, & framed as ‘outsiders’ in their own communities? How does our media bend their stance on sex-work, to benefit contradictory narratives? Dr. Gwyn Easterbrook-Smith joins us to Unpack the nuanc...

“Exploring the importance of community values in healthcare service delivery.” Why do we frame health and wellbeing through the lens of the individual? Why do healthcare policies so often ignore collective identities, and broader socio-cultural context? Dr. Hana Tuisano joins us to Unpack the Tokeluan worldview of ‘Māopoopo’, and her new healthcare model, utilizing cultural knowledge and practice...

“Investigating the psychological underpinnings of why people dismiss scientific evidence.” What are the root causes of science-skepticism? Is climate change denial linked to a philosophy of inequality? Why is it so difficult to build trust towards scientists? Dr. John Kerr joins us to Unpack the data shedding light on why anti-science belief exists in New Zealand, and around the world. This is the...

Examining how the New Zealand media portrays normative refugee identities. Who, or what, is a ‘real’ refugee? When does pity become a saviour complex? Why do we stereotype and stigmatize the distant suffering of others? Dr. Natalie Slade joins us to Unpack the colonization of compassion, charity vs justice, and the need to transform, contest, and reconstruct refugee representation. This is the con...

“Analysing the lived-experiences of New Zealand Methamphetamine users” Are we thinking about drug ‘addiction’ all wrong? Dr. John Dance joins us to Unpack narratives of drug consumption in Aotearoa, the history and social forces that sustain Methamphetamine use, and the crippling permanency of drug convictions. When does recovery end- and at what point should people be allowed to shed labels from...

“Examining the influence of colonisation on New Zealand’s education system” Is our education system built for and by colonisers? Dr. Liana MacDonald joins us to unpack the foundations of our education system, the apparent hidden curriculums, and experiences of Māori teachers in the classroom This is a condensed, shorter-from version of the full episode we recorded. For the full version + many othe...

"Unpacking the allowed emotionality of the built environment" Why do people feel comfortable enough to express a wide range of emotionality at an airport? On this episode, Claire Ford joins us to discuss emotionality in the built environment, and how the physical world around us gives us cues of how to feel. If you'd like to read more, here's a link to Claire's thesis - https://openaccess.wgtn.ac....

"Highlighting the role of interior designers in empowering communities through design" Can you organically bump into each other anymore? On this episode, Kudzai joins Jolenna in the studio to discuss the important role interior deisgners play in both our interior and exterior experiences, through a case study of Porirua - one of New Zealand's most diverse and youngest demographics. If you'd like t...

"Understanding the important role architects have in Placemaking," Hey Architect, who the hell are you? Amelia Blundell joins the host of Season 1.5, Jolénna to dissect the important role architects have in placemaking. Everybody makes place in some capacity, so it's important to understand who, where, how, and why some people have the power they do.  If you'd like to read more, here's a link to A...

“Dissecting the important role of Non-Māori teachers teaching Te Reo in Primary education” Can we Hīkoia te kōrero (walk the talk)? Dr. Alice Patrick joins us to Unpack the past, present and future of Te Reo Maori language proficiency in Aotearoa; & the important role that non-Maori primary teachers play in spreading the Maori language vision.   If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the...

Sharing experiences, understandings, and insights from the sector’s undervalued voices  How can we facilitate the transition from surviving to thriving? Dr. Adrienne Everest joins us to Unpack community insights, learnings, & visions for change in New Zealand’s family violence landscape. If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD: https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/16266 For any q...

“Contemplating the ethics of statistical discrimination in the job hiring process” Are the stats selling you short? Dr. Vanessa Scholes joins us to Unpack the concept of statistical discrimination, morally problematic hiring practices, and the liberty of individuals.  If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD: http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/handle/10063/6212 For any questions, q...

“Investigating Rainbow community experiences of accessing mental health support in Aotearoa”  Can they name all the colours of the rainbow? Dr. Gloria Fraser joins us to Unpack the state of mental health care support for LGBTQIA+ New Zealanders. If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the resource that Gloria developed: http://rainbowmentalhealth.nz/ For any questions, qualms or queries, reac...

“Analysing New Zealand’s National Identity through our Olympic Games history” Are the Olympic Games the gold standard for celebrating ‘New Zealand-ness’? Dr. Micheal Warren joins us to Unpack the intersection of politics, sport, & national identity in Aotearoa.  If you’d like to read more, here’s a link to the PhD: http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/handle/10063/7630 For any questions, qua...

“Studying young men’s experiences of losing a close male friend” When is talking NOT the solution? Dr. Chris Bowden joins us to Unpack suicide bereavement in young men in the wake of losing a friend, and the valuable role of silence in the grief process  Content warning: Contents of this episode include mentions of suicide, and general themes of death and dying If you’d like to read more, here’s a...