Joan Beckwith, PhD Archive
Universities are under fire from both sides of politics. The right complain they fail to meet the needs of employers. The left argue they legitimise the ‘meritocracy’ and hence fuel inequality. Both arguments can be co-opted by governments intent on …
Euthanasia is not a topic of everyday conversation. Understandably. There are many barriers. But, Nikki Gemmell’s account of her mother’s suicide left me feeling urgent about the need to break taboos. Secrecy appears a poor choice, but how do you …
As an atheist who believes in spirit-sickness, and the importance of strong values, I find myself having interesting conversations about how that can be. What does it mean to believe in the spirit if you don’t believe in God? How …
I get angry about abuse and injustice, but (so far at least) not so much about my own illness. Friends are surprised by my apparent complacence. I’ve been surprised by their surprise, intrigued by my own inconsistencies, and curious about …
I get angry about abuse and injustice, but (so far at least) not so much about my own illness. Friends are surprised by my apparent complacence. I’ve been surprised by their surprise, intrigued by my own inconsistencies, and curious about …
'I' have hope and passion and belief in social justice. The embodied 'me' too often feels defeated, especially when my body is behaving badly. The curious separation of ‘I’ and ‘me’ mainly occurs at times of duress, and I wonder …
My old friend is scared about the aged care cuts. She lives in a facility where rumour runs rife about being dumped on the street or stranded in bed without incontinence pads. It would be easy to buy into divisiveness …
In bullying situations, blaming the victim and siding with the bully are default options, even though bullies are not popular. Changing these patterns means working against the status quo, but wouldn't everybody be better off?...Joan Beckwith.
New, far-right, anti-Islam political party “AUSTRALIAN LIBERTY ALLIANCE” officially launches on 20 October, 2015. Current Abbott-government politics create an environment in which such a party can flourish, and its international connections may also give it more ballast than previous far-right …
Guest post…My name is Cheryl McDonnell and I have been living with disabilities for 27 years – my own and those of my daughter. We were in an accident when my daughter was 6 months old. Our first encounter with …
