Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Neighbourhood disadvantage'

Background With the continuing increases in life expectancies in developed countries, an important public health goal is to ensure successful ageing—morbidity compression, maintenance of physical functioning and active engagement in life. It is well established that the onset of physical function decline begins in mid-life, and functional capacity is critical to maintaining mobility, independence and quality of life. A growing body of literature has found that residents of more disadvantaged neighbourhoods have significantly poorer physical function, independent of individual-level factors. However, the mechanisms through which neighbourhood environments are associated with this relationship remain largely unknown. The overarching aim of this thesis was to investigate the contributions of the neighbourhood environment to the relationship between neighbourhood disadvantage and physical function among middle-aged to older adults: this was accomplished in three studies. First, I examined the relationship between neighbourhood disadvantage and physical function in the Australian context (Study One). Second, I investigated if this relationship is explained by neighbourhood-level perceptions of safety from crime and walking for recreation (Study Two). Third, I examined the contribution of neighbourhood walkability and walking for transport to the relationship between neighbourhood disadvantage and physical function (Study Three). Methods This program of research utilized secondary data from the How Areas in Brisbane Influence HealTh and AcTivity (HABITAT) study. HABITAT is a multilevel longitudinal study underpinned by a social ecological framework. It was conducted in Brisbane among adults aged 45-70 years living in 200 neighbourhoods. HABITAT commenced in 2007 and had subsequent data collection waves in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2016. For this thesis, the 2013 data were utilised as physical function was first collected in 2013 (n= 6,520). The measure of neighbourhood disadvantage was derived from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (IRSD) scores. Physical function was measured using the Physical Function Scale (0 – 100), a component of the Short Form-36 Health Survey, with higher scores indicating better function. In Study Two, participants self-reported their perceptions of safety from crime using items from the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) questionnaire, which were subsequently aggregated to the neighbourhood-level. Walking for recreation (minutes per week) was self-reported by participants. In Study Three, neighbourhood walkability measures (street connectivity, dwelling density and land use mix) was objectively measured and provided by the Brisbane City Council (the local government authority responsible for the jurisdiction covered by the HABITAT study). Walking for transport (minutes per week) was self-reported by participants. The data were analysed using multilevel regression models (linear, binomial or multinomial). In instances where multilevel categorical models are undertaken, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation will be employed to estimate odds ratio and 95% credible intervals. All data were prepared in STATA SE 13 and analyses were conducted using MLwiN version 2.35. Results Findings from Study One found that residents of more disadvantaged neighbourhoods had significantly poorer physical function. These associations remained significant after adjustment for individual-level socioeconomic position (SEP). Moving forward from the descriptive findings, Study Two found that neighbourhood-level perceptions of safety from crime and walking for recreation partly explained (24% in men and 25% in women) neighbourhood differences in physical function. In Study Three, I found that neighbourhood walkability and walking for transport did not explain the relationship between neighbourhood disadvantage and physical function. Conclusion Given the growing proportion of the ageing population in Australia and the resultant increasing pressure on neighbourhood and city infrastructure in Australia, it is important to understand the contributions of the neighbourhood environment in the relationship between neighbourhood disadvantage and physical function. Despite the complexity in understanding neighbourhood socioeconomic differences in physical function, the findings of this thesis suggest that the neighbourhood in which we live is important to physical function. To reduce neighbourhood inequalities in physical function, attention needs to be given to improve the perceptions of safety from crime in more disadvantaged neighbourhoods to encourage more walking for recreation. Living in a walkable neighbourhood is important to support more walking for transport, but may not be sufficient to reduce neighbourhood inequalities in physical function. A multi-faceted intervention is needed to create a healthy, liveable and equitable community for successful ageing.

This thesis examines policy and service delivery issues in the development of health and support for families at risk. The research focuses on families with children less than 7 years of age living in some of the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods of metropolitan Adelaide. The thesis draws on evidence of (a) barriers to service support perceived by these families and (b) their strengths and resources in order to identify and develop arguments related to key issues of policy and service delivery.

This inquiry into informal networks and policy negotiations is set in the theoretical framework of network governance. It builds theory to explain informal networks by examining neighbourhood associations in post-Katrina New Orleans through a variety of qualitative methodologies including interviews, document analysis, surveying and ethnography. In New Orleans, neighbourhood associations do not engage in social-service delivery, they prioritise neighbourhood protection and neighbourhood change. They represent their neighbourhoods through a system of intensive volunteering not elections. That system burns out neighbourhood leaders and leaves associations constantly looking for new volunteers. These associations partner with non-profits, work with politicians, and engage in fierce conflict when excluded from policy negotiations. Finally, they set their agenda based upon the physical characteristics of their neighbourhoods, investing in local institutions. These findings contribute to network governance theory. New Orleans’ democracy of volunteers introduces a new form of democratic anchorage to governance theory. Actors in informal networks have varying priorities. This demonstrates the importance of early involvement by these actors in policy creation and the ways in which policy construction can ignore community. Neighbourhood associations blackmail, bribe and coerce to create their own power, showing how power at the micro-level includes not only resources and decision-making, but also interest. These findings fit into a broader theme. Negotiations with multiple actors improve policy by incorporating complex priorities and neighbourhood context into the policy system. This wider theme of how to address complexity is the policy equivalent of the wisdom of crowds. Policy-makers can either incorporate complexity such as local context and differing priorities or face the conflict and consequences of ignoring it.

This thesis presents new data on the risk of obesity among immigrants to Australia. The findings show that obesity prevention efforts need to include vulnerable ethnic groups, immigrants in the early-mid settlement period, and immigrant families arriving with children and adolescents. In addition, healthier environments are needed to support healthy weight; particularly in poorer neighbourhoods and areas outside Australia's cities.

An average of at least one natural disaster is experienced every day worldwide. The frequency, timing, spatial extent and intensity of natural disasters is increasing. In response, this thesis aims to understand socio-economic inequalities in mental health and well-being and whether differential exposure to a major flood event influences this relationship. Findings indicate who you are and where you live is important in the context of a natural disaster. The importance of this research is to ensure health protection of populations with the greatest needs. This approach will help ensure that government expenditure on public health initiatives are appropriately targeted.

Responding to local areas with entrenched social and economic disadvantage has been a significant public policy issue in many parts of the world. A key challenge has been to establish appropriate governance arrangements to support an effective response. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the development of place-based governance theory in the context of responding to local disadvantaged areas. The thesis draws together a number of research findings to develop a set of place-based governance principles as a contribution to theory development as well as to future policy and program efforts to address spatial disadvantage.

This thesis explores young people’s experiences of transition into adulthood in Pilton, a disadvantaged neighbourhood in North Edinburgh, and considers how their social networks influence their perspectives and actions. The stories are told of young people, aged 16–23, including the challenges they face, the richness and diversity of their experiences. Their transition experiences involve families, friends, leisure spaces and engagement with the labour market. The study is located within Elias’ theoretical framework and highlights that strong social networks often flourish more strongly in contexts like this than in more affluent neighbourhoods. The research questions are: 1. How do young people in Pilton experience and manage transitions to adulthood? 2. How do disadvantage, stigma and violence affect the daily lives and transition journeys of young people in Pilton? 3. How useful is the concept of social exclusion to describe young people’s experiences in Pilton? 4. How helpful is the concept of resilience to support young people in Pilton? Main data sources have been fieldwork, carried out between June 2012 and May 2013, mainly in Pilton Youth and Children’s Project (PYCP). Desk-based and on-line research, including reviewing historical and contemporary documentation was undertaken to understand the context and to interrogate issues that arose – for example, to understand how embedded poverty and stigma has been throughout the history of Pilton. The study includes consideration of the usefulness of the concepts of social inclusion/exclusion and resilience, both prolific in contemporary discussions about marginalised young people and what ‘to do’ about them. The case is made for reframing the two concepts, returning them to their original intentions, and placing more emphasis on reducing inequalities. The challenges caused to young people by disadvantage, stigma and violence are significant. It is emphasised that these are faced within an unequal society, not as ‘socially excluded’.

I worked as a school administrator in 'disadvantaged schools' for many years. In this study I asked colleagues from sixteen schools in the northern and western suburbs of Adelaide to co - theorise about changes in their neighbourhood, school populations and programs, now that their schools are no longer recognised by policy as 'disadvantaged1. I explore the use of narrative method and arts based approaches by constructing a 'literary' research text that uses conventional sociological forms together with images, poetry and personal stories. I use anthropological and geographical theoretical constructs to look at the changing material, economic, cultural and social landscapes and the mosaic of inequalities in the city of Adelaide. I suggest that this is not a simple binary polarisation, although large numbers of people are similarly positioned by de-industrialisation and the diminishing social wage. After examining the literature on poverty in Australia, I am eventually prepared to call this space class, understanding that this is a sociological metaphor. Through a theorisation of each school as a 'place' within a specific neighbourhood, I look at the similarities and differences across sites. I suggest that 'disadvantaged schools' are similarly positioned as sites for the mediation of social inequalities, and that this can be readily seen in the time consuming 'housework' of discipline and welfare. I indicate how each school is differently able to 'do more with less', because of their unique neighbourhood and its narratives, knowledges, histories, teleologies and people. I show that the common coercive regimes of market devolution, new public management and the 'distributive curriculum' frame the work of teachers, students and administrators in ways that are not conducive to 'doing justice', despite the policy rhetoric of equity and community. I provide evidence that the neoliberal imaginary of context free schooling enshrined in effective schools literatures is Utopian and irrational. I argue that the capacity of the school to 'generate context' is always paradoxically dependent on 'context derived'. I discuss the notion of 'doing justice' and the benefits of 'disadvantaged schools' having a local set of principles that guide their decisions and actions and provide evidence that the school administrator's understandings of 'doing justice' are important. I also suggest that, despite being increasingly isolated and hindered by policy directions, the majority of the sixteen schools continue to work for and with principles of justice and equity, drawing on a range of emotional and intellectual resources and deep, longstanding commitments. I conclude by speculating on the kinds of policy and research agendas that might take account of both the commonalities and differences amongst 'disadvantaged schools', and what might be included in a comprehensive and systematic approach to 'doing justice'.

The English government is significantly expanding the number of free nursery places for two-year olds; but little is known about what sort of training and professional development might help early years practitioners to offer appropriate styles of early education and care for such young children. This thesis explores a project to offer professional support and development to eight early years practitioners working with two-year olds in a highly socially disadvantaged area in London. The project began with the participants being trained to use a structured child observation tool, and developed through fortnightly group meetings over a three-month period. These provided an opportunity for the participants to engage in dialogue and critical reflection about their data. The data were interpreted using a qualitative research methodology drawing on grounded theory and constructivist grounded theory. Evidence from the study suggests that the participants developed skills in “keen observation” (Dalli et al. 2009), and that they used the data they had gathered to develop their understanding of the children’s learning. The findings from the research increase the visibility of the practitioners’ theories: in particular, their theory that their work enables the children to act more autonomously in the nursery settings. Both the methodological approach used and the small size of the sample mean that no generalisations can be made from these findings. However, widely-held assumptions that early years practitioners are lacking in the capacity to reflect on and theorise their work are not supported by this research. Future studies might continue to make practitioners’ own theories about their work more visible, in order to explore them more deeply. This would enable the further development of approaches to training which engage with and enrich the practitioners’ own thinking.

El Sistema est le nom d’un programme vénézuélien de formation à travers la musique symphonique. Au bout de quarante ans d’existence le nombre d’élèves est impressionnant, de toutes classes sociales. Imité dans plus de 60 pays, El Sistema est une référence mondiale pour l’utilisation de l’art musical comme instrument d’éducation personnelle et sociale auprès des populations de quartiers défavorisés socio-économiquement. Néanmoins, il existe une grande lacune quant à la recherche en sciences sociales sur ce qui est réellement fait au Venezuela et dans les pays qui s’inspirent d’El Sistema.Nous participons à combler cette lacune en appliquant des méthodologies ethnographiques sous un regard sociologique. Pour cela nous avons focalisé la recherche sur l’unité de base d’El Sistema – le núcleo. Il s’agit d’un espace physique, comme une école, où se regroupent des acteurs (élèves, professeurs, parents…) pour des cours de musique au quotidien, en suivant les principes et les méthodes d’El Sistema. Cet enseignement est gratuit et les instruments sont prêtés aux élèves.La double-question posée est : comment se déroulent les actions dans le núcleo et quel est le rôle de chaque type d’acteur qui le constitue ? Pour tenter de répondre à ces questions générales, qui seront approfondies au long de la thèse, nous proposons une analyse comparative entre trois núcleos de trois pays différents : Venezuela, Brésil, Portugal. Dans ces deux derniers, nous avons choisi des programmes de formation musicale inspirés par l’El Sistema vénézuélien : le Neojiba au Brésil ; l’Orquestra Geração au Portugal.Dans chaque programme, nous avons choisi un seul núcleo comme unité d’analyse. C’est donc une recherche multi-située, où sont appliquées des méthodologies qualitatives : observation ethnographique ; entretiens semi-directifs, focus-groups. L’analyse comparative n’est pas normative, elle sert ici à provoquer la pensée grâce aux différences et aux similarités entres les trois núcleos, ce qui complexifie la recherche. Dans les trois terrains de recherche, l’ethnographie est centrale, quotidienne et très intense, pour que l’on puisse illustrer le rôle de chaque type d’acteur dans les núcleos. Nous cherchons à comprendre quelles actions individuelles et collectives se développent dans chaque contexte. C’est le coeur de cette thèse : révéler le plus d’aspects empiriques possibles des núcleos et sous divers angles complémentaires.Pour comprendre les actions dans les núcleos nous avons besoin d’élargir l’analyse, en y intégrant les contextes sociaux, économiques et politiques qui les enveloppent. Les facteurs qui semblent externes ont, eux aussi, beaucoup d’impact sur les actions de chaque acteur et, en conséquence, sur les résultats atteints à travers l’éducation musicale dans les núcleos
El Sistema is the name of a Venezuelan educational program that uses symphonic music as a tool. After forty years of existence, the numbers of students have increased impressively from all social classes. Reproduced in more than 60 countries, today El Sistema is a worldwide reference in the use of musical art as a tool for personal development and social education among populations living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Yet, there is a gap in social science research on what is really done in Venezuela and in the countries that have been inspired by it.We intend to fill in this gap by applying ethnographic methodologies under a sociological eye. For that, we focus the research on the basic unit of El Sistema – the núcleo. The núcleo is a physical space, like a school, where social actors (students, teachers, parents…) get together for daily music classes, following principles and methods of El Sistema. The lessons are free and the instruments are lent to the students.The starting double-question we ask is: how do the actions progress in a núcleo and what is the role of each of these actors? To answer these questions, we suggest a comparative analysis between three núcleos in three countries: Venezuela, Brazil and Portugal. In the last two, we chose musical education programs inspired by the Venezuelan El Sistema: Neojiba in Brazil and Orquestra Geração in Portugal.In each program, we chose one núcleo as a unit of analysis. It is, therefore, a multi-situated research, in which we apply qualitative methodologies: ethnographic observation, semi-structured interviews and focus-groups. The comparative analysis is not normative. Instead, it is a way to complexify, to provoke the researcher’s thinking using the differences and the similarities between the three núcleos. In our fields of research, ethnography is central, carried out daily in a very intense paste, aiming at capturing and illustrating the role of each actor in the núcleo. We want to understand which individual and collective actions are developed in each context. The heart of this thesis is to reveal as many empirical aspects of the núcleos as possible, through diverse complementary angles.To understand the actions in the núcleos we extend the analysis by incorporating the social, economical and political contexts surrounding them. The factors that seem external also have impacted on the actions of each actor and, in consequence, on the results obtained through musical education in the núcleos

Tese de Doutoramento em Sociologia
Título: Atores da educação musical: etnografia comparativa entre três núcleos que se inspiram no programa El Sistema na Venezuela, no Brasil e em Portugal. El Sistema é o nome dado a um programa venezuelano de formação através da música sinfónica. Ao fim de quarenta anos de existência os números de alunos são massivos e de todas as classes sociais. Imitado em mais de 60 países, o El Sistema tornou-se uma referência mundial a nível da utilização da arte musical como instrumento de educação pessoal e social junto das comunidades e dos bairros mais desfavorecidos socioeconomicamente. Todavia existe uma grande lacuna quanto à investigação em ciências sociais sobre o que é realmente feito na Venezuela e nos países que se inspiram no El Sistema. Esta tese visa contribuir ao preenchimento dessa lacuna aplicando metodologias etnográficas sob um olhar sociológico. Para isso escolhemos focar a investigação na unidade de base do El Sistema – o núcleo. É um espaço físico, como uma escola, no qual se juntam uma série de atores (alunos, professores, auxiliares…), e onde há quotidianamente aulas de música seguindo os princípios e os métodos do El Sistema. É gratuito e os instrumentos são emprestados aos alunos. A dupla-questão sob a qual nos vamos focalizar é a seguinte: quais as ações nos núcleos e qual o papel de cada tipo de ator que o constitui? Para tentar responder a estas questões gerais, que se irão aprofundar ao longo da tese, propomos fazer uma análise comparativa entre três núcleos de três países. Em cada país escolhemos programas de formação musical inspirados no El Sistema venezuelano: o Neojiba no Brasil; a Orquestra Geração em Portugal. Em cada programa escolhemos apenas um núcleo. É, portanto, uma investigação multi-situada, aplicando metodologias qualitativas: observação etnográfica; entrevistas semi-estruturadas; focus-groups. A análise comparativa não é normativa, serve aqui para provocar o pensamento graças às diferenças e similaridades entres os três núcleos, complexificando a investigação. Nos três campos de pesquisa a etnografia é central, quotidiana e muito intensa, para que possamos ilustrar o papel de cada tipo de ator nos núcleos. Procuramos entender que ações individuais e coletivas se desenvolvem nos três contextos. É o foco desta tese: revelar variados aspetos empíricos dos núcleos a serem observados sob ângulos diferentes e complementares. Para compreender o que se passa nos núcleos precisamos alargar a análise, integrando os contextos sociais, económicos e políticos que os rodeiam. Há fatores externos que têm muito impacto sobre a ação de cada ator e, em consequência, sobre os resultados atingidos através da educação musical no núcleo.
El Sistema is the name of a Venezuelan educational program that uses symphonic music as a tool. After forty years in existence, the numbers of students have increased impressively from all social classes. Reproduced in more than 60 countries, today El Sistema is a worldwide reference in the use of musical art as a tool for personal development and social education among populations living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Yet, there is a gap in social science research on what is really happening in Venezuela and in the countries that have been inspired by it. We intend to fill in this gap by applying ethnographic methodologies under a sociological eye. For that, we focus the research on the basic unit of El Sistema – the núcleo. It’s a physical space, like a school, where social actors (students, teachers, parents…) get together for daily music classes, following principles and methods of El Sistema. The lessons are free and the instruments are lent to the students. The first questions we ask are: how do the actions progress in a núcleo and what is the role of each of these actors? To answer these questions, we suggest a comparative analysis between three núcleos in three countries: Venezuela, Brazil and Portugal. In the last two, we chose musical education programs inspired by the Venezuelan El Sistema: Neojiba in Brazil and Orquestra Geração in Portugal. In each program, we chose one núcleo as a unit of analysis. It is, therefore, a multi-situated research, in which we apply qualitative methodologies: ethnographic observation, semistructured interviews and focus-groups. The comparative analysis is not normative. Instead, it is a way to complexify and provoke the researcher’s thinking using the differences and the similarities between the three núcleos. In our fields of research, ethnography is central, carried out daily at a very intense pace, aimed at capturing and illustrating the role of each actor in the núcleo. We want to understand which individual and collective actions are developed in each context. The heart of this thesis is to reveal as many empirical aspects of the núcleos as possible, through diverse complementary angles. To understand the actions in the núcleos we extend the analysis by incorporating the social, economical and political contexts surrounding them. The factors that seem external also have impacted on the actions of each actor and, in consequence, on the results obtained through musical education in the núcleos.