In this paper we examine eight lesbian mothers' experiences and perceptions of their young children's early childhood education. These mothers identified the in/visibility of their lesbian identities and families and the narrow definition of family in early childhood settings as significant issues in their experiences as childcare users. This…

Discursive psychology was used as a means of increasing our understanding of the way young people may talk about volume of consumption in relation to their drinking behaviour. Analysis of the audio recording and transcript of a pilot focus group discussion with four young people revealed that participants employed varying constructions of volume…

A content analysis of 25 award-winning Australian picture books was conducted to examine whether the incidence of sex-role stereotyping had decreased in Australian picture books since the mid 1970s. Comparing a sample of books from the mid 1970s to a sample from the 2000s, three potential areas of stereotyping were assessed: ratios of male to…

This paper explores the lived experiences of parents with mental illness in Australia. It draws on in-depth interviews with parents (n = 10) who have mental illness and provides an analysis of national mental health policies. The analysis of the parents' narratives is essential in building a picture for those involved in the issues associated with…

An evaluation of the Pride & Prejudice program, which ran in three Tasmanian schools in 2006, suggests that students who completed the program had more positive attitudes towards gay men and lesbians. This finding parallels an earlier evaluation of the same anti-homophobia program undertaken in Victoria. The evaluation leads to a discussion…

Early childhood teachers in Victoria, Australia face increasing cultural and "racial" diversity among the children and families with whom they work. A small-scale exploratory study found that many teachers were uncertain about how best to respond to such diversity and a mismatch between social expectations that teachers would encourage…

Syllabus and policy documents in many states and countries around the world, and more specifically in Queensland are underpinned by an emancipatory agenda, in particular the principles of social justice. Educators are called upon to achieve this through a pedagogy which is immersed in the language of critical theory. Two elements that underpin…

Young citizens growing up in different societies experience multiple socialization processes that help to shape their values and attitudes toward the political life of their societies. In this cross-national study, researchers asked students directly about their views of what "good" citizens do, how they saw themselves participating in…

Administered the Aftermath of Suicide Instrument to 54 adults. Factor analysis of their responses identified five factors, but only one of these was similar to any of the original factors. While the content of the Aftermath of Suicide Instrument remains valid, its factorial structure requires further clarification. (JAC)

The article, Part III in a series, discusses the normalization and deinstitutionalization of the mentally retarded in Australia. Two conceptions of normalization are critically examined--W. Wolfensberger's and Nirje's--including costs, benefits, problems, and underlying assumptions. (For Parts I and II, see EC 120 881.) (DLS)

This paper explores how some schooling cultures in New South Wales (hereafter NSW), Australia, police and silence non-heterosexuality through a number of institutional processes which enable homophobia and heterosexism to flourish, while normalizing and constituting heterosexuality as the dominant and only valid sexuality. The discussion shows…

Despite three decades of research, gendered participation in music continues to be problematic. While many aspects of Western society maintain a patriarchal stance in the workplace, it is apparent that girls have made some significant changes in their musical choices. Males, it seems, are maintaining the same preferences for instruments as they…

Background: Attitudes to the sexual expression of adults with an intellectual disability (ID) are one reflection of the inclusiveness of a community. Our capacity to measure attitudes towards this important aspect of adult life is limited by the lack of an appropriate instrument. The aim of this study was to continue the development of a recently…

This article examines data from two different studies concerning issues of social justice, gender and schooling and specifically the practices of secondary teachers, "Mr B", a teacher from a school in Tasmania, Australia, and "Mr C", a teacher from a school in Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom. Both teachers' practices and…

Schools have become separated from society and social issues through the practice of "transition education." More specifically, by stressing the preparation of students for society, schools accept the present structure of society as a given and therefore neglect their responsibility to educate. Since schools play an educational role in…