Food Practices of Young People in a Remote Aboriginal Community

This paper explores forms of surveillance within residential care homes for young people. It is argued that surveillance is a crucial aspect of care and this can be experienced as both negative and positive by children and staff. In particular the research was concerned with how forms of control and monitoring are conducted in relation to food and food practices. Relations of power and resistance within the context of a care home are routinely played out and through food. The paper illustrates the ways in which children variously resist and accept regulation and control in relation to food. It also considers the manner in which staff try to implement an ambience and ethos within the care home that is not overtly institutional yet allows them to provide care for the children. In order to achieve this, often contested conceptions of ‘family’ and ‘home’ are drawn upon and operationalised through food related practices and interactions. Three residential care homes for children in central Scotland were studied using a mix of interviewing and ethnographic techniques.

Download Full-text

“No More Secrets—Ngukurr News”: Looking Back at the Contribution of a Community Newspaper in a Remote Aboriginal Setting

Practicing Anthropology ◽

10.17730/0888-4552.39.1.44 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 44-48

Author(s):

Kate Senior ◽

Richard Chenhall ◽

Daphne Daniels

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Community Development ◽

Research Process ◽

Community Member ◽

Collection Management ◽

Northern Australia ◽

Aboriginal Community ◽

Community Newspaper ◽

Looking Back

This paper examines the contribution that a community newspaper made to a remote aboriginal community in northern Australia. Instigated by the researchers as a way to engage young people in the project, the community newspaper became an important focus of activity and learning, providing young people with skills and education around the collection, management, and dissemination of news and supporting youth to gain empowerment in the community. At the time, the researchers did not acknowledge this impact. This article discusses the development of the community newspaper, and the authors (two academics and one community member) reflect on the importance of supporting community development activities in the research process.

Download Full-text

Introduction

Fast Food Kids ◽

10.18574/nyu/9781479842704.003.0001 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Amy L. Best

Keyword(s):

Social Context ◽

Young People ◽

Material Object ◽

Junk Food ◽

Health Food ◽

Food Markets ◽

Public And Private ◽

Food Practices ◽

Political Forces

This introductory chapter begins with an overview of the book's main themes. This book is an ethnography about food in the lives of American youth and the places where they eat. It hopes to show how the entanglements of class, social context, and cultural meaning shape the ways in which youth relate to food as both symbol and material object, as both public and private good, while also accounting for the set of broader economic and political forces that have reshaped the current food landscape where young people eat. Looking at contemporary food practices, it provides an opportunity to see the different types of relationships youth forge with food and food markets. The remainder of the chapter discusses what kids eat and why, health food vs. junk food, and where kids eat. An overview of the subsequent chapters is also presented.

Download Full-text

Indigenous Young People Transitioning from Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) in Victoria, Australia: The Perspectives of Workers in Indigenous-Specific and Non-Indigenous Non-Government Services

International Indigenous Policy Journal ◽

10.18584/iipj.2016.7.3.2 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Philip Mendes ◽

Bernadette Saunders ◽

Susan Baidawi

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Home Care ◽

Family Welfare ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Positive Role ◽

Aboriginal Community ◽

Children And Young People ◽

Out Of Home Care ◽

Care Leavers ◽

Welfare Agencies

Indigenous children and young people are overrepresented in the Australian out-of-home care (OOHC) system. To date, specific research has not been undertaken on workers' perspectives regarding the Indigenous-specific and non-Indigenous supports and services available to Indigenous young people exiting the system. This exploratory research involved focus group consultations with workers from seven child and family welfare agencies to examine the current support services available to Indigenous young people who are in or will be leaving out-of-home care in the State of Victoria. Findings suggest that Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) play a positive role in working with non-Indigenous agencies to assist Indigenous care leavers. Participants identified some key strategies to improve outcomes, such as facilitating stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous services, and improving the resourcing of ACCOs.

Download Full-text