Raising the Bar Christchurch 2024

Is Enshittification Inevitable? - Mark Rickerby

Mark Rickerby, a Lecturer in the University of Canterbury’s School of Product Design, explores the concept of enshittification, highlighting the decline in user experience with digital products. He examines how tech giants initially offer excellent services, then commodify users for business clients, and eventually prioritize profits over both. Rickerby considers whether this trend is an inevitable outcome of neoliberal capitalism or shaped by cultural and technological shifts in the 2000s and 2010s. He also discusses potential optimism for the internet’s future and how we might build a healthier digital ecosystem.

Why Scary Stories Are Good For You? - Dr Erin Harrington

Dr. Erin Harrington, Senior Lecturer in the English Department at the University of Canterbury, explores how scary stories, from fairy tales to horror games, shape our lives and memories. Often dismissed as guilty pleasures, these experiences of "recreational fear" may offer surprising benefits. Dr. Harrington investigates how the thrill of fear can help us engage with and reimagine the world in new ways. Her academic work on horror media has been featured internationally, and her arts and theatre writing has appeared in publications across Aotearoa.

Many Ways of Knowing: Mātauranga Māori, Indigenous Knowledge, and Science Education - Kari Moana and Sara

Kari Moana and Sara, university-based teacher educators and researchers in UC’s Te Kaupeka Ako Faculty of Education, explore the intense debate surrounding mātauranga Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand's science classrooms. As curricular reforms challenge traditional views, critics argue that integrating Indigenous knowledge could dilute "real" science, while supporters say it's long overdue. This discussion delves into whether we're on the verge of an innovative fusion of knowledge systems or entering a new realm of controversy. With expertise in mātauranga Māori, science education, and decolonisation, Kari Moana and Sara examine the transformative possibilities at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge and science in Aotearoa and the Pacific.

Offender Rehabilitation Can A Cheater Change Their Spots? - Dr Jacinta Cording

Dr Jacinta Cording, a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology at the University of Canterbury, explores the effectiveness of offender rehabilitation as an alternative to punitive sentencing. This talk examines evidence-based practices that reduce recidivism, from boot camps to prison-based treatments, and highlights tailored approaches that address individual needs. Dr Cording challenges the idea that "commonsense" approaches can reduce crime and emphasizes the crucial role rehabilitation plays in building safer communities.

What Came First the Volcano or the Earthquake? - Dr Ben Kennedy

Professor Ben Kennedy, a science communicator and Professor in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Canterbury, first asked, "Why do volcanoes erupt?" at the age of five. Now, 44 years later, he continues to explore this question with advanced tools and experiments. Ben shares his passion for magma, bubbles, cracks, and pressure, discussing the interactions between earthquakes and volcanoes, the exciting experiments on magma, and tales of erupting volcanoes.