Rosemary Du Plessis
Position
Associate Professor of Sociology
Appointed 1976
Qualifications
B.A.(Hons) (Social Anthropology, Rhodes University)
M.A. (Sociology, University of Canterbury, 1976).
Room
Room 302
Contact Details
Phone: +64-0-3-364-2878
Internal Phone: 6878
rosemary.duplessis@canterbury.ac.nz
Postal address:
School of Social and Political Sciences
Sociology Department
University of Canterbury,
Private Bag 4800,
Christchurch,
New Zealand
Background
Rosemary has long term interests in gender, family, work and embodiment. She has edited two collections of feminist writing and contributed to a variety of studies relating to women's paid and unpaid work. Between 2003 and 2005 she led the Constructive Conversations/ Kōrero Whakaaetanga research programme which focused on genetic testing and biobanking. This multi-disciplinary, multi-sited research programme was funded by the New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology to explore the social, cultural, ethical and spiritual implications of new health biotechnologies. (See Constructive Conversations website). Her involvement in research relating to public participation in debates about new technologies is a component of a long term interest in citizenship, inclusion and the development of public policy.
Rosemary is a member of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO and Toi te Taiao: The Bioethics Council and has a strong interest in national and international developments with respect to the ethics of knowledge production and use.
Undergraduate Courses
- SOCI111 Exploring Society
- GEND226 Telling Stories – Constructing Selves
- SOCI270 Telling Stories – Constructing Selves
- SOCI340 Life Stories and Social Analysis
Research Interests
Politics, participation and biotechnologies; gender politics and feminist analysis; auto/biography and social practice
Politics, Participation and Biotechnologies
In the last six years, I have developed a new research interest in public participation in decision-making about science and technology. This research interest relates to work I am currently doing as a member of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO and Toi te Taiao: The Bioethics Council. Work in this field has included the following:
Constructive Conversations/Kōrero Whakaaetanga Research Programme
Between 2003 and 2005 I was Programme Leader for Phase One of this programme which looked at the social, ethical, cultural and spiritual implications of genetic testing and biobanking. A variety of research reports have been produced as well as sole authored and joint-authored academic papers. See Constructive Conversations Korero Whakaaetanga Biotechnologies, dialogue, and informed decision-making (Phase1).Cross-Case Study Learning Group
In 2003 I collaborated with other social scientists located in Crown Research Institutes (Landcare Research and ESR) and the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) on an evaluation of the Dialogue Fund initiative of the Ministry for Research Science and Technology. We produced several research reports, as well as organising a workshop at which those involved the four Dialogue Fund projects presented to one another and discussed issues they were encountering in their work.
See Ministry of Research Science and Technology - Cross Case Study Learning Group report.Life Science Governance: Civic Transitions and Trajectories – Special issue New Genetics and Society
Dr Richard Hindmarsh (Centre for Governance and Public Policy Griffiths University) and I have jointly edited a special issue of New Genetics and Society, Vol.27, No.3, Sept. 2008, which features research and writing in Australia and New Zealand on the application and control of biotechnologies in the fields of human health and the environment.
Gender politics and feminist analysis
I have edited and contributed to two collections of New Zealand feminist writing in the social sciences for Oxford University Press (Feminist Voices: Women's Studies Texts for Aotearoa/ New Zealand and Feminist Thought in Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1998) and a special issue of the Women's Studies Journal (Knowledge, Politics and Education , 2001).
Auto/biography and social practice
I have a long-term interest in the place of personal narrative in social research. A jointly written book chapter on narratives, community organisations and pedagogy was published in Biographical Methods in Policy and Practice: a European Perspective a Policy Press (UK) edited collection in 2004. This work relates closely to courses that I teach on Telling Stories – Constructing Selves and Life Stories and Social Analysis. Future work that explores narratives of health and illness and particularly ‘recovery' stories is currently being developed.
School Administration
Director Social Science Research Centre
Research Committee
University Administration
College of Arts Research Committee 2004
College of Arts Research Fund Committee 2005
Gender Studies Programme Committee 2004-2009
Recent Publications
Please see Rosemary's UC Research Profile for a full list of publications.