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    Social Media & Agenda Melding: Understanding Trump's Proposed Border Wall
    (Redfame Publishing Inc, 2022-12) Spencer A; Croucher S
    This study explores how belief in social media outlets is an important aspect of agenda melding in an online environment. In this study, the researchers employ agenda melding as a theoretical lens to explore how belief in social media outlet can predict support for the proposed Border Wall. The researchers surveyed 232 people to find out how belief in media outlet contributes to building an online media agenda in the context of immigration. Social media networks continue to grow in influence when it comes to understanding important political issues and the way they manifest themselves in mainstream United States immigration policy.
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    Children with HIV: A scoping review of auditory processing skills
    (PLoS (Public Library of Science), 2019-09-12) Dawood G; Klop D; Olivier E; Elliott H; Pillay M
    IIntroduction Auditory processing disorders can negatively affect academic performance in children. They can result from a number of aetiologies, including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although studies in paediatrics are limited, research suggests that HIV-infected children display poorer auditory processing skills than uninfected children. Methods The aims of this study were to scan the peer-reviewed literature on auditory processing skills in HIV-infected children, to describe how auditory processing was tested, how auditory processing skills were reported, and to identify gaps in current evidence. This systematic scoping review was conducted using a modified version of Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. Key words comprised ‘HIV’, ‘auditory processing’, ‘hearing’ and ‘child’. Electronic databases were searched for relevant articles published from 1 January 2000 to 30 April 2018, and reference lists of included studies were pearled. Two researchers reviewed the articles and extracted data on sample descriptors, auditory processing testing procedures, and auditory processing skills. A third author collated the results and resolved discrepancies. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association description of auditory processing skills framed the analysis. Results Five articles were included in this review (three from Brazil, one each from Mexico and Tanzania). Samples, and methods of testing were heterogeneous. Three studies reported on localization abilities, while gap detection thresholds, performance on dichotic tasks and speech discrimination scores were reported in one article each. No one study tested all areas of auditory processing skills and there was limited information about the auditory processing skills required for learning. Conclusion This review highlighted the current sparse evidence-base for auditory processing in HIV-infected children. It identified the need to standardise testing procedures, measures of auditory processing skills, and sample selection.
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    Lolita Latina : an examination of Gothic and Lolita style in the Mexican environment : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Visual and Material Culture, College of Creative Arts, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Hardy Bernal, Kathryn Adèle
    This thesis, completed for the award of Doctor of Philosophy in Visual and Material Culture, Ph.D., examines the development of the fashion-based Mexican Gothic and Lolita movement, and its evolution from its subcultural Japanese roots. It asks, “What are the cultural conditions that encourage this movement to flourish in the Mexican environment?” In turn, “What does Mexican culture contribute to Mexican Gothic and Lolita style?” And, “What does Mexican Gothic and Lolita style say about Mexican culture, society, and beliefs?” The Gothic and Lolita movement is currently thriving in Mexico as an authentic, independent, creative, handmade fashion industry, yet to be co-opted into mainstream culture. With the do-it-yourself aspect of the movement comes its own, unique, cultural flavour. As such, it transforms and rearranges meanings of the original subcultural style in order to make new statements, which subvert the meanings, and understandings, of the Japanese Lolita identity. Analyses of Mexican Gothic and Lolita styles, in context with the Mexican environment, culture, and belief systems, as well as the operation of the Mexican Gothic and Lolita industry, are major focal points of this study. Also investigated are the ways the movement reflects, fits into, and departs from, the philosophies of the original subculture, especially regarding sociocultural and gender politics. These latter aspects are critiqued in context with “normative” gender positions, roles and hierarchies, within mainstream Japanese and Mexican societies.
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    Farmer cooperatives in Mexico : case studies in Jalisco : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in AgriCommerce at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2016) Romero Paz, Rex Mauricio
    Farmer cooperatives are businesses owned and controlled by (and for) their members in order to create welfare and satisfaction beyond simple profitability. In developing countries, farmer cooperatives have been formed in rural areas in an effort to improve social integration, social equity, market and information transfer. Additionally, cooperatives have reduced the negative economic impact of market power and uncertainty through lower transaction costs, higher incomes and collective bargaining power. However in Mexico, cooperatives have faced an increasingly competitive and dynamic environment and have not adhered to the principles and values, such as solidarity, self-help and mutual aid, established by cooperative legislation. There is a lack of education, training and culture in relation to cooperatives. In addition, there is limited government support for financing, no stimulation for their creation and development and no public technical assistance. Despite this situation, in the state of Jalisco, there are successful consumer farmer cooperatives, whose main objective is to supply feed input (concentrates) to their members at the lowest possible cost. They have been able to achieve this by leveraging the collective bargaining power of members via the cooperative union. In order to identify factors for success in relation to the farmer cooperatives in Jalisco, a mixed methodology study was undertaken, using three case studies and a survey. Three farmer cooperatives in Los Altos, Jalisco were selected for the research: Pedro Ezqueda, Nutrimentos and Prolea. The results from the study showed that the following factors influence the success of farmer cooperatives in Jalisco: leadership; member knowledge and continuity; effective communication; member satisfaction; training; and government support. Additionally, challenges faced by these cooperatives include: poor understanding of cooperative principles among members; low enthusiasm for attending training; individualistic members with limited trust between them; lack of member commitment and participation in their cooperative; lack of young people joining the agriculture industry (including cooperatives); and no clear public policies regulating the agricultural sector. Despite these issues, farmer cooperatives have been successful within the challenging and dynamic environment in Mexico. Keyword: Jalisco, Mexico, farmer cooperatives, factors for success
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    'Reality tours' to Chiapas, Mexico : the role of justice tourism in development : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2006) Wrelton, Elena
    This thesis investigates the role of justice tourism as a form of tourism and as a form of activism. It contains the results of research carried out in Chiapas, Mexico on a Reality Tour organised by San Francisco-based human rights organisation, Global Exchange. The research investigated the views and experiences of the three main parties involved in the tour, Global Exchange, the tour participants and the host NGOs. In acknowledging that the aims of the parties involved go beyond that of tourism development, it uses the concepts of empowerment, the role of NGOs and social movements to assess the tour's usefulness in the context of both alternative and post development. In doing so it suggests that although the practice of the Reality Tours is set within alternative development and that the tours are able to support alternative development initiatives, it also presents a way Northern NGOs can support post development processes that are occurring in Third World countries. The research was designed to firstly assess the impact of the tour as a form of tourism. Through comparison to the tourism literature it concluded that it is a form of alternative tourism with a high level of measures taken to ensure social responsibility in its operation. Unlike the majority of forms of tourism it is not intended to contribute to the development of an industry. Secondly the research was designed to assess the tours usefulness as a method of education and tool for activism. With regards to activism the research highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the Reality Tours as a method of stimulating action. It concludes that the experiences gained during the tour are particularly useful in supporting certain forms of action that are both diverse and closely aligned with the participants existing interests.
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    A framework for analysing the adoption of New Zealand pastoral farming systems in central Veracruz State, Mexico : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agricultural Science in Farm Management at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1995) Martínez-García, Alejandro Nicolás
    Tropical areas of developing countries have significant potential for increased food production. In the case of Mexico, an important economic activity in the tropics is livestock production based on pasture. Tropical regions represent 25% of the total area of Mexico and support more than 50% of the country's cow production. Historically, however, animal production in Mexican, and other tropical areas, has been low. Low pasture utilisation, and associated poor herbage quality, is one factor that contributes to poor animal performance in the tropics. This situation contrasts with the success of New Zealand pastoral systems, which in comparative terms have been able to obtain high levels of animal production and efficient use of pasture. Differences in pasture productivity (both in quality and quantity) and social and economic conditions between the Mexican tropics and New Zealand are large. Nevertheless it was proposed that some of the pastoral farming methods used in New Zealand, could be adapted to the conditions of tropical farmers in Mexico, particularly in relation to effective planning and control of the farming system. To test this hypothesis, the consequences of implementing some of New Zealand's pastoral farming techniques under tropical conditions in Central Veracruz State were explored by developing a spreadsheet model to simulate local farming systems. The model included linked submodels for pasture growth and quality, livestock transactions, milk production and enterprise gross margins. The effect of improved farming systems of milk output and cash returns were evaluated relative to the average levels of performance currently achieved from a medium-sized farm in the Central region of Veracruz State in Mexico. Straight forward changes in the design of the farming system, such as synchronising calving with the pattern of pasture growth rather than year-round calving, would significantly affect milk production and cash returns to the farm family. The modelling process was seriously constrained by the lack of farm-level data on pasture production and animal performance. Nevertheless, the model framework clearly identifies which data should be collected, and priority should now be given to assembling these data so simulation decision support models such as that developed in this study, can be effectively used to plan improved farming systems. Keywords: tropical agricultural, Mexico, farming systems, spreadsheet model.
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    The strategy of urban life : reinventing practice in the disenchanted world : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1987) Mahar, Cheleen
    The economic practice of a Mexican squatter settlement provides the focus for this study. The thesis argues that traditional structures of individual and community have been transformed in squatter settlements to function as economic structures influenced by the logic of capitalism. Using a method deriving from Bourdieu's ethnographic account of field, habitus and strategy, the varied and complex struggles for economic and social survival among Oaxacan squatter residents are examined. It is contended that a method which overcomes the idealist limitations of interactionist theory, and the structuralist limitations of functionalist theory, as well as the determinism of marxist theory is necessary. Using Bourdieu's method, a dialectical analysis examines the forms of capital, the struggles for position, and the economic practices in the fields of economics, social relations and community politics. The study concludes with a critique of the method.