Cary Bennett is a sociologist at the University of New England, Australia. His research interests include drugs and drug use in society, health and illness, mental health, social aspects of HIV/AIDS, education and global development. He has conducted research and published in all these areas. Phone: 02 6773 2992 (+61 2 6773 2992 overseas) Address: Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences University of New England Armidale, NSW Australia, 2351
This article draws from a wider research project undertaken in 2018 in Armidale, a small regional... more This article draws from a wider research project undertaken in 2018 in Armidale, a small regional city in New South Wales (NSW) Australia, to explore the challenges commercial venues face in presenting and maintaining a regular live music programme. An analysis of the main themes suggests that the issues regional venues encounter are often qualitatively and/or quantitatively different from those facing their urban counterparts. This research found that regulatory issues, such as licensing, planning and noise, were not considered major impediments to regularly hosting live music. Rather, finding and accessing affordable quality bands in the numbers and styles needed to keep audiences coming to gigs, and getting audiences to regularly attend and spend money in the numbers needed to sustain the gigs, were identified as ongoing difficulties. Although venues in larger metropolitan cities are often confronted with similar problems, these are not the sort of issues that stand out in the re...
Currently, a third of Australian aged care residents are partnered, with many experiencing instit... more Currently, a third of Australian aged care residents are partnered, with many experiencing institutional interference in their relationships. Staff duty of care usually takes precedence over privacy. Some institutions separate couples;; residents' doors may be kept open;; staff enter without knocking, ignore 'do not disturb' signs, or gossip about residents;; all of which make privacy a challenge. This paper reports on findings from an online survey into the needs of partnered Baby Boomers (born 1946-65) and the levels of privacy that they anticipate they will require to maintain their primary relationships in residential aged care facilities. At a time marked by a policy shift towards consumer-directed residential aged care, it is pertinent to understand the needs of this subset of future consumers. Our research found that the majority of respondents expected to remain sexual indefinitely, considered physical intimacy with their partners essential to their wellbeing, and required a high degree of privacy to maintain their relationships. Respondents were asked to rate seven domains of privacy. Those considered most important were visual privacy, private space, and bodily privacy. This paper outlines various ways for service providers to prepare for the next generation of consumers, initiatives that would enable residents and their families to make informed decisions when choosing a facility, potentially improving the experiences of both residents and staff.
Despite legal protections, couples in Australian residential aged care facilities experience inst... more Despite legal protections, couples in Australian residential aged care facilities experience institutional interference in their intimate and sexual relationships. Panoptic surveillance remains widespread in aged care. Little attention is given to privacy. Some residents’ doors are kept open at all times. Couples may be separated or provided with single beds only, unable to push them together. Staff frequently enter without knocking, commonly ignore ‘do not disturb signs’ and often gossip about residents. This culture has its origins in colonial institutions. Attempts at legislative reform to redress this situation have been met with mixed responses, with the most vociferous opposition coming from religious conservatives. A recurrent source of conflict is the tension between the ‘rights’ of religious and political institutions versus those of individuals. This article identifies systemic issues faced by partnered aged care residents, their historical origins, and the legislation tha...
With Consumer Directed Care (CDC) on the horizon and a wave of baby boomers who are ageing, aged ... more With Consumer Directed Care (CDC) on the horizon and a wave of baby boomers who are ageing, aged care providers need to be aware of and respect the desires and requirements of future ‘consumers’. In contrast with current provider arrangements, funding is linked to the individual rather than the institution in a CDC model, with the likelihood that there will be greater demand for those facilities that meet emerging consumer expectations and offer couple-friendly environments. One group that has largely been ignored at all levels in residential care, from government policy to service provision, is couples, or partnered individuals. Situated within a broader study exploring the needs of partnered baby boomers, this paper investigates whether existing residential aged care facilities provide the conditions needed to facilitate the sexual and intimacy needs of partnered aged care residents. Such exploration is particularly pertinent at a time when the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Tra...
The concept of ‘moral panics’ continues to be used as a framework for analysing the causes, struc... more The concept of ‘moral panics’ continues to be used as a framework for analysing the causes, structures and functions of social and political crises. Nonetheless, as an analytical tool, such a framework is limited in its capacity to explain the ongoing and interconnected relationships between drugs and society. Drawing first on an interdiscursive and intertextual framework, the field of analysis is broadened to consider how recent drug panics in Australia depend upon, signify and condense wider social and historical anxieties around drugs and other social problems. However, such an approach also has its limitations given that the play of intertextuality is conditioned by relations of power at the level of what Foucault calls a ‘dispositive’, a historically contingent configuration that strategically orientates our responses to the problem. Three dispositional drug-related prototypes are considered and how they work together to shape, reinforce and condition the drug problem and our r...
Assessment rubrics are being promoted and introduced into tertiary teaching practices on the grou... more Assessment rubrics are being promoted and introduced into tertiary teaching practices on the grounds that they are an efficient and reliable tool to evaluate student performance effectively and promote student learning. However, there has been little discussion on the value of using assessment rubrics in higher education. Rather, they are being gradually and (seemingly) uncritically mainstreamed into tertiary teaching expectations and practices, often through professional development workshops. This article investigates the pedagogic value and validity of criteria-based assessment rubrics and the instrumental rationality and goals informing them. Drawing on a small body of criticism, the article explores an emerging discourse that contends that assessment rubrics are not capable of measuring and evaluating complex thinking skills. Rather, they limit the independent responses of students and the professional judgement of markers, encourage compliance jeopardising student commitment a...
The concept of 'moral panics' continues to be used as a framework for analysing the causes, struc... more The concept of 'moral panics' continues to be used as a framework for analysing the causes, structures and functions of social and political crises. Nonetheless, as an analytical tool, such a framework is limited in its capacity to explain the ongoing and interconnected relationships between drugs and society. Drawing first on an interdiscursive and intertextual framework, the field of analysis is broadened to consider how recent drug panics in Australia depend upon, signify and condense wider social and historical anxieties around drugs and other social problems. However, such an approach also has its limitations given that the play of intertextuality is conditioned by relations of power at the level of what Foucault calls a 'dispositive', a historically contingent configuration that strategically orientates our responses to the problem. Three dispositional drug-related prototypes are considered and how they work together to shape, reinforce and condition the drug problem and our responses to it. This research was initially concerned with better understanding the socio-political dynamics around what was stated to be a new emerging threat to the Australian community , and then finding an appropriate conceptual/theoretical framework from which to analyse it. The threat concerned the increasing use of methamphetamine, especially crystal methamphetamine, more commonly known as 'crystal meth' or 'ice', as represented in the mainstream media, and the conceptual framework under consideration was 'moral panic'. However, in surveying the media texts and commentary on the subject, it soon became apparent that there were a number of drug-related controversies , 'scandals', debates and such occurring in Australia over the past few years, many
AbstrAct Assessment rubrics are being promoted and introduced into tertiary teaching practices on... more AbstrAct Assessment rubrics are being promoted and introduced into tertiary teaching practices on the grounds that they are an efficient and reliable tool to evaluate student performance effectively and promote student learning. However, there has been little discussion on the value of using assessment rubrics in higher education. Rather, they are being gradually and (seemingly) uncritically mainstreamed into ter-tiary teaching expectations and practices, often through professional development workshops. This article investigates the pedagogic value and validity of criteria-based assessment rubrics and the instrumental rationality and goals informing them. Drawing on a small body of criticism, the article explores an emerging discourse that contends that assessment rubrics are not capable of measuring and evaluating complex thinking skills. Rather, they limit the independent responses of students and the professional judgement of markers, encourage compliance jeopardising student commitment and creativity, and promote a false sense of objectivity in the marking and grading of student work. t Sarah, an ex-student of mine, came to visit me after completing her first semester in a Master's programme in an Australian University. She had been an outstanding undergraduate student who had gone on to achieve first-class honours and was now embarking on a Master's of Education. I inquired how she was enjoying the experience. She smiled at first, knowing how much emphasis I place on my students enjoying their learning experience, but then said that she was having a difficult time with one subject. This was
This article draws from a wider research project undertaken in 2018 in Armidale, a small regional... more This article draws from a wider research project undertaken in 2018 in Armidale, a small regional city in New South Wales (NSW) Australia, to explore the challenges commercial venues face in presenting and maintaining a regular live music programme. An analysis of the main themes suggests that the issues regional venues encounter are often qualitatively and/or quantitatively different from those facing their urban counterparts. This research found that regulatory issues, such as licensing, planning and noise, were not considered major impediments to regularly hosting live music. Rather, finding and accessing affordable quality bands in the numbers and styles needed to keep audiences coming to gigs, and getting audiences to regularly attend and spend money in the numbers needed to sustain the gigs, were identified as ongoing difficulties. Although venues in larger metropolitan cities are often confronted with similar problems, these are not the sort of issues that stand out in the re...
Currently, a third of Australian aged care residents are partnered, with many experiencing instit... more Currently, a third of Australian aged care residents are partnered, with many experiencing institutional interference in their relationships. Staff duty of care usually takes precedence over privacy. Some institutions separate couples;; residents' doors may be kept open;; staff enter without knocking, ignore 'do not disturb' signs, or gossip about residents;; all of which make privacy a challenge. This paper reports on findings from an online survey into the needs of partnered Baby Boomers (born 1946-65) and the levels of privacy that they anticipate they will require to maintain their primary relationships in residential aged care facilities. At a time marked by a policy shift towards consumer-directed residential aged care, it is pertinent to understand the needs of this subset of future consumers. Our research found that the majority of respondents expected to remain sexual indefinitely, considered physical intimacy with their partners essential to their wellbeing, and required a high degree of privacy to maintain their relationships. Respondents were asked to rate seven domains of privacy. Those considered most important were visual privacy, private space, and bodily privacy. This paper outlines various ways for service providers to prepare for the next generation of consumers, initiatives that would enable residents and their families to make informed decisions when choosing a facility, potentially improving the experiences of both residents and staff.
Despite legal protections, couples in Australian residential aged care facilities experience inst... more Despite legal protections, couples in Australian residential aged care facilities experience institutional interference in their intimate and sexual relationships. Panoptic surveillance remains widespread in aged care. Little attention is given to privacy. Some residents’ doors are kept open at all times. Couples may be separated or provided with single beds only, unable to push them together. Staff frequently enter without knocking, commonly ignore ‘do not disturb signs’ and often gossip about residents. This culture has its origins in colonial institutions. Attempts at legislative reform to redress this situation have been met with mixed responses, with the most vociferous opposition coming from religious conservatives. A recurrent source of conflict is the tension between the ‘rights’ of religious and political institutions versus those of individuals. This article identifies systemic issues faced by partnered aged care residents, their historical origins, and the legislation tha...
With Consumer Directed Care (CDC) on the horizon and a wave of baby boomers who are ageing, aged ... more With Consumer Directed Care (CDC) on the horizon and a wave of baby boomers who are ageing, aged care providers need to be aware of and respect the desires and requirements of future ‘consumers’. In contrast with current provider arrangements, funding is linked to the individual rather than the institution in a CDC model, with the likelihood that there will be greater demand for those facilities that meet emerging consumer expectations and offer couple-friendly environments. One group that has largely been ignored at all levels in residential care, from government policy to service provision, is couples, or partnered individuals. Situated within a broader study exploring the needs of partnered baby boomers, this paper investigates whether existing residential aged care facilities provide the conditions needed to facilitate the sexual and intimacy needs of partnered aged care residents. Such exploration is particularly pertinent at a time when the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Tra...
The concept of ‘moral panics’ continues to be used as a framework for analysing the causes, struc... more The concept of ‘moral panics’ continues to be used as a framework for analysing the causes, structures and functions of social and political crises. Nonetheless, as an analytical tool, such a framework is limited in its capacity to explain the ongoing and interconnected relationships between drugs and society. Drawing first on an interdiscursive and intertextual framework, the field of analysis is broadened to consider how recent drug panics in Australia depend upon, signify and condense wider social and historical anxieties around drugs and other social problems. However, such an approach also has its limitations given that the play of intertextuality is conditioned by relations of power at the level of what Foucault calls a ‘dispositive’, a historically contingent configuration that strategically orientates our responses to the problem. Three dispositional drug-related prototypes are considered and how they work together to shape, reinforce and condition the drug problem and our r...
Assessment rubrics are being promoted and introduced into tertiary teaching practices on the grou... more Assessment rubrics are being promoted and introduced into tertiary teaching practices on the grounds that they are an efficient and reliable tool to evaluate student performance effectively and promote student learning. However, there has been little discussion on the value of using assessment rubrics in higher education. Rather, they are being gradually and (seemingly) uncritically mainstreamed into tertiary teaching expectations and practices, often through professional development workshops. This article investigates the pedagogic value and validity of criteria-based assessment rubrics and the instrumental rationality and goals informing them. Drawing on a small body of criticism, the article explores an emerging discourse that contends that assessment rubrics are not capable of measuring and evaluating complex thinking skills. Rather, they limit the independent responses of students and the professional judgement of markers, encourage compliance jeopardising student commitment a...
The concept of 'moral panics' continues to be used as a framework for analysing the causes, struc... more The concept of 'moral panics' continues to be used as a framework for analysing the causes, structures and functions of social and political crises. Nonetheless, as an analytical tool, such a framework is limited in its capacity to explain the ongoing and interconnected relationships between drugs and society. Drawing first on an interdiscursive and intertextual framework, the field of analysis is broadened to consider how recent drug panics in Australia depend upon, signify and condense wider social and historical anxieties around drugs and other social problems. However, such an approach also has its limitations given that the play of intertextuality is conditioned by relations of power at the level of what Foucault calls a 'dispositive', a historically contingent configuration that strategically orientates our responses to the problem. Three dispositional drug-related prototypes are considered and how they work together to shape, reinforce and condition the drug problem and our responses to it. This research was initially concerned with better understanding the socio-political dynamics around what was stated to be a new emerging threat to the Australian community , and then finding an appropriate conceptual/theoretical framework from which to analyse it. The threat concerned the increasing use of methamphetamine, especially crystal methamphetamine, more commonly known as 'crystal meth' or 'ice', as represented in the mainstream media, and the conceptual framework under consideration was 'moral panic'. However, in surveying the media texts and commentary on the subject, it soon became apparent that there were a number of drug-related controversies , 'scandals', debates and such occurring in Australia over the past few years, many
AbstrAct Assessment rubrics are being promoted and introduced into tertiary teaching practices on... more AbstrAct Assessment rubrics are being promoted and introduced into tertiary teaching practices on the grounds that they are an efficient and reliable tool to evaluate student performance effectively and promote student learning. However, there has been little discussion on the value of using assessment rubrics in higher education. Rather, they are being gradually and (seemingly) uncritically mainstreamed into ter-tiary teaching expectations and practices, often through professional development workshops. This article investigates the pedagogic value and validity of criteria-based assessment rubrics and the instrumental rationality and goals informing them. Drawing on a small body of criticism, the article explores an emerging discourse that contends that assessment rubrics are not capable of measuring and evaluating complex thinking skills. Rather, they limit the independent responses of students and the professional judgement of markers, encourage compliance jeopardising student commitment and creativity, and promote a false sense of objectivity in the marking and grading of student work. t Sarah, an ex-student of mine, came to visit me after completing her first semester in a Master's programme in an Australian University. She had been an outstanding undergraduate student who had gone on to achieve first-class honours and was now embarking on a Master's of Education. I inquired how she was enjoying the experience. She smiled at first, knowing how much emphasis I place on my students enjoying their learning experience, but then said that she was having a difficult time with one subject. This was
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