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We take great pleasure in announcing that the following PhD candidates have presented theses of exceptional quality.

A thesis is of exceptional quality when all three examiners of a candidate's thesis agree that the thesis is of an exceptional standard in every respect – research content, originality, quality of expression and accuracy of presentation – and is amongst the top 10% of theses examined.

Exceptional Theses 2018–present

2017 Exceptional Theses

Jerram Bateman, Department of Geography: Rural livelihoods in Sierra Leone: Longitudinal insights from Panguma and Kayima

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Tony Binns)

For more information on Jerram's work, please contact the Geography Department by email at geography@otago.ac.nz

Sarah Fraser, Department of Sociology, Gender and Social Work: Is there a suit missing in the social worker's wardrobe? A study of the nature and extent of an educator role in everyday social work practice in Aotearoa New Zealand

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Lynnette Briggs)

For more information on Sarah's work, please contact the Sociology, Gender and Social Work Department by email at sgsw@otago.ac.nz

Karen Greig, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology: Tracking dogs across the Pacific: an archaeological and ancient DNA study

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Richard Walter)

For more information on Karen's work, please contact the Anthropology and Archaeology Department by email at anthropology@otago.ac.nz

Rachel Rafferty, National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies: Civil society activists in a protracted conflict: Explaining differences in motivation to engage in intergroup peacebuilding in Northern Ireland

(Primary Supervisor: Dr. Katerina Standish)

For more information on Rachel's work, please contact the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies by email at peaceandconflict@otago.ac.nz

Masoumeh Rahmani, Department of Theology & Religion: Drifting through Samsara: Tacit conversion and disengagement in Goenka's Vipassana movement in New Zealand

(Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Will Sweetman)

For more information on Masoumeh's work, please contact the Theology & Religion Department by email at religion@otago.ac.nz

Tracy Rogers, Higher Education Development Centre: 'Doing the work of hearing': Exploring Cambodian school girls' educational persistence

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Vivienne Anderson)

For more information on Tracy's work, please contact the Higher Education Development Centre by email at hedc@otago.ac.nz

Luca J. Uberti, Department of Politics: Good-governance, corruption and growth: A political economy of post-socialist industrial transformation in Albania and Kosovo, 1998-2015

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Philip Nel)

For more information on Luca's work, please contact the Politics Department by email at politics@otago.ac.nz

2016 Exceptional Theses

Megan Gollop, Children's Issues Centre: Moving on? Parents' perspectives on the impact of post-separation relocation disputes

(Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Nicki Taylor).

For more information on Megan's work, please contact the Children's Issues Centre by email at cic@otago.ac.nz

Naomi Johnstone, Faculty of Law: Access to justice in the wake of war. Rule of law programming and customary justice in post-conflict Bougainville

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Jacinta Ruru)

For more information on Naomi's work, please contact the Faculty of Law by email law@otago.ac.nz

Sharon Matthews, Department of English and Linguistics: The monstrous mother and the "natural man": Mythic figures and recurring metaphors in the plays of James K. Baxter.

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Alistair Fox).

For more information on Sharon's work, please contact the Department of English and Linguistics by email english@otago.ac.nz

Ashley Samantha Murchison, Department of Politics: Aim for the heart? A study of New Zealand voter's responses to emotional appeals in televised political advertising

(Primary Supervisor: Dr. Christopher Rudd).

For more information on Ashley's work, please contact the Department of Politics by email at politics@otago.ac.nz

Thomas Michael Ian Noakes-Duncan, Department of Theology and Religion: Communities of restoration: Ecclesial ethics and restorative justice

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Murray Rae)

For more information on Thomas's work, please contact the Department of Theology and Religion by email at theology@otago.ac.nz

Joanne Oranje, Department of English and Linguistics: Intercultural communicative language teaching: Enhancing awareness and practice through cultural portfolio projects

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Anne Feryok)

For more information on Joanne's work, please contact the Department of English and Linguistics by email at english@otago.ac.nz

Susan Robson, Faculty of Law: Policy, operations and outcomes in the New Zealand employment jurisdiction 1990-2008

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Paul Roth)

For more information on Susan's work, please contact the Faculty of Law by email at law@otago.ac.nz

2015 Exceptional Theses

Lee Adam, Higher Education Development Centre: Troubling plagiarism. University students' understandings of plagiarism

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Rachel Spronken-Smith)

For more information on Lee's work, please contact the Higher Education Development Centre by email at hedc@otago.ac.nz

Iain Matheson, University of Otago College of Education: Slipping down ladders and climbing up snakes: The educational experiences of young adults who were in foster care

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Gill Rutherford)

For more information on Iain's work, please contact the University of Otago College of Education by email at education@otago.ac.nz

Justin Maxwell, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology: The Moriori. The integration of Arboriculture and Agroforestry in an East Polynesian society

(Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Ian Barber)

For more information on Justin's work, please contact the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology by email at anthropology@otago.ac.nz

Ian Moodie, Department of English and Linguistics: Grounded narrative inquiry into language teacher cognition: Stories and case studies on English language teaching in South Korea

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Anne Feryok)

For more information on Ian's work, please contact the Department of English and Linguistics by email at english@otago.ac.nz

Suzanne Renner, University of Otago College of Education: Generalist teachers' self-efficacy beliefs for teaching dance

(Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor David Bell)

For more information on Suzanne Renner's work, please contact the University of Otago College of Education by email at education@otago.ac.nz

Bridgette Toy-Cronin, Faculty of Law: Keeping up appearances: Accessing New Zealand's Civil Courts as a litigant in person

(Primary Supervisor: Professor John Dawson)

For more information on Bridgette's work, please contact the Faculty of Law Department by email at law@otago.ac.nz

Gaye Wall, Department of English and Linguistics: Self-regulation during a reading-to-write task: A sociocultural theory-based investigation

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Anne Feryok)

For more information on Gaye's work, please contact the Department of English and Linguistics by email at english@otago.ac.nz

2014 Exceptional Theses

Rachel Buxton, Centre for Sustainability: Ecological drivers of seabird recovery after the eradication of introduced predators

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Henrik Moller)

For more information on Rachel's work, please contact the Centre for Sustainability by email at csafe@otago.ac.nz

Allan Cooke, Faculty of Law: State responsibility for children in care

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Mark Henaghan)

For more information on Allan's work, please contact the Faculty of Law by email at law@otago.ac.nz

Daniel Davy, Department of History and Art History: Lost tailings: Gold rush societies and cultures in colonial Otago, New Zealand, 1861-1911

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Angela McCarthy)

For more information on Daniel's work, please contact the History and Art History Department by email at history.arthistory@otago.ac.nz

Angga Dwiartama, Centre for Sustainablity: Investigating resilience of agriculture and food systems: Insights from two theories and two case studies

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Hugh Campbell)

For more information on Angga's work, please contact the Centre for Sustainability by email at csafe@otago.ac.nz

Erin Heim, Department of Theology and Religion: Light through a prism: New avenues of inquiry for the Pauline Huiothesia metaphors

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilco)

For more information on Erin's work, please contact the Theology and Religion Department by email at theology@otago.ac.nz

Jonathan Hicks, Department of Theology and Religion: Trinity, economy, and scripture: A theologically-motivated recovery of Didymus the Blind

(Primary Supervisor: Reverend Dr Christopher Holmes)

For more information on Jonathan's work, please contact the Theology and Religion Department by email at theology@otago.ac.nz

Jane McCabe, Department of History and Art History: Kalimpong kids: the lives and labours of Anglo-Indian adolescents resettled in New Zealand between 1908 and 1938

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Tony Ballantyne)

For more information on Jane's work, please contact the History and Art History Department by email at history.arthistory@otago.ac.nz

Adrian Nel, Department of Geography: Sequestering market environmentalism: Geographies of carbon forestry and unevenness in Uganda

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Doug Hill)

For more information on Adrian's work, please contact the Department of Geography, at geography@otago.ac.nz

Jane Tilson, College of Education: An exploration of the use of videotaped teaching and dialogue to support preservice teachers to critically reflect on their emerging teaching practice

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Susan Sandretto)

For more information on Jane's work, please contact the College of Education by email at education@otago.ac.nz

2013 Exceptional Theses

Kyle Gervais, Department of Classics: Statius Thebaid II

(Primary Supervisor: Professor William Dominik)

For more information on Kyle's work, please contact the Classics Department by email: classics@otago.ac.nz

Adisorn Juntrasook, University of Otago College of Education: Narratives of leadership in academia. A discursive-dialogic analysis

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Karen Nairn)

For more information on Adisorn's work, please contact the University of Otago College of Education by email: education@otago.ac.nz

Thomas Koentges, Department of Classics: Petronius' Satyrica. A commentary on its transmission, pre-plot fragments, and chapters 1-15

(Primary Supervisor: Dr John Garthwaite)

For more information on Thomas's work, please contact the Classics Department by email: classics@otago.ac.nz

Peter Petchey, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology: The archaeology of the New Zealand stamp mill

(Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Ian Smith)

For more information on Peter's work, please contact the Anthropology and Archaeology Department by email: anthropology@otago.ac.nz

2012 Exceptional Theses

Anna Crighton, Department of History and Art History: The selection and presentation culture of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1932-2002

(Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Mark Stocker)

For more information on Anna's work, please contact the History and Art History Department by emai:
history.arthistory@otago.ac.nz

Jamie Howarth, Department of Geography: Reconstructing the landscape response to earthquakes on the alpine fault, New Zealand

(Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Sean Fitzsimons)

For more information on Jamie's work, please contact the Geography Department by email:
geography@otago.ac.nz

Gillian Townsley, Department of Theology and Religion: The straight mind in Corinth: Queer readings across 1 Cor 11.2-16

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilco)

For more information on Gillian's work, please contact the Department of Theology and Religion by email:
theology@otago.ac.nz

2011 Exceptional Theses

Mathew Downs, Faculty of Law: No substantial miscarriage of justice: The history and application of the proviso to Section 385(1) of the Crimes Act 1961

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Kevin Dawkins)

For more information on Mathew's work, please contact the Faculty of Law by email:
law@otago.ac.nz

Bronwyn Polaschek, Department of Media, Film and Communication: The postfeminist biopic: Narrating the lives of Plath, Kahlo, Woolf and Austen

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Hilary Radner)

For more information on Bronwyn's work, please contact the Department of Media, Film and Communication by email: mfco@otago.ac.nz

Dennis Tay, Department of English and Linguistics: Metaphor in psychotherapy: Description and applications

(Primary Supervisor: Dr John Taylor)

For more information on Dennis' work, please contact the Linguistics Programme, Department of English and Linguistics by email: english@otago.ac.nz

2010 Exceptional Theses

Donald Moffat, Department of Theology and Religion: Ezra's social drama: The mixed marriage controversy in Ezra 9 and 10 as social conflict

(Primary Supervisor: Dr James Harding)

For more information on Donald's work, please contact the Department of Theology and Religion by email: theology@otago.ac.nz

Andre Muller, Department of Theology and Religion: Donald M. MacKinnon. The true service of the particular, 1913-1959

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Ivor Davidson)

For more information on Andre's work, please contact the Department of Theology and Religion by email:
theology@otago.ac.nz

Octavian Saiu, Department of Languages and Cultures: Beckett, Ionesco and the question of literary identity. A case study in the European reception of the theatre of the absurd at the end of the twentieth century

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Constantin Grigorut; Secondary Supervisor: Professor Chris Ackerley)

For more information on Octavian's work, please contact the Department of Languages and Cultures by email: languages@otago.ac.nz

Michael Stevens, Department of History and Art History: Muttonbirds and modernity in Murihiku: Continuity and change in Kai Tahu knowledge

(Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor John Stenhouse)

For more information on Michael's work, please contact the Department of History and Art History by email: history.arthistory@otago.ac.nz

2008 Exceptional Theses

Dr Marcel Fernandes, Department of English and Linguistics: Borges and pragmatism: Jorge Luis Borges, William James and the destruction of philosophy

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Chris Ackerley)

For more information on Marcel's work, please contact the English and Linguistics Department by email: english@otago.ac.nz

Gill Rutherford, University of Otago College of Education: Different ways of knowing? Understanding disabled students' and teacher aides' school experiences within a context of relational social justice.

(Primary Supervisor: Dr Anne Bray, Secondary Supervisor: Dr Motohide Miyahara)

For more information on Gill's work, please contact the College of Education by email: education@otago.ac.nz

2007 Exceptional Theses

Dr Greg Dawes, Department of Philosophy: Theism and explanation: a defence of scientific naturalism.

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Alan Musgrave)

For more information on Greg's work, please contact the Philosophy Department by email: philosophy@otago.ac.nz

Dr Robert Peden, Department of History and Art History: Pastoralism and the Transformation of the Rangelands of the South Island of New Zealand, 1841 to 1912. Mt Peel Station, a case study.

(Primary Supervisor: Professor Tom Brooking).

For more information on Robert's work, please contact the History and Art History Department by email: history.arthistory@otago.ac.nz

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