Kathy Fox, Professor of SociologyTuesday, January 26, 2016 at 4:00pm
Waterman Memorial Lounge
Kathy Fox, Professor of Sociology
Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 4:00pm
Waterman Memorial Lounge
Title: Why Hotels in New Zealand have Trampolines: Risk, Responsibility and Legal Consciousness
Synopsis: Both the U.S. and N.Z. are common law countries, both former British colonies. Yet the U.S. is notorious for its litigation, while New Zealand has the most comprehensive “no-fault” system in the world. In the 1970s, the country eliminated tort law in cases of injury and accident, and instituted a publicly administered compensation system. Even in cases of negligence, victims can apply to the government for compensation; the burden for accidents and injuries is shared communally. Anecdotally, Kiwis are mystified by the U.S. tendencies toward litigation-defensive behaviors and risk-aversion. Is there something unique about New Zealand legal consciousness? Do New Zealanders think differently about matters related to risk-taking, harm and its remedy? Professor Fox will discuss New Zealand legal consciousness, the interaction between legal structure, culture, and meaning-making that citizens do about the law.
Kathy Fox came to UVM in 1994 after receiving her Ph.D. in Sociology from University of California, Berkeley. Her research has been largely focused on issues related to social control and risk discourse(s), specifically studying interventions with high-risk violent offenders, and street-based drug injectors. In 2013, she received a Fulbright Senior Scholar award to conduct research on New Zealand’s approach to restorative justice and offender reentry.
Dianna Murray-Close, Associate Professor of Psychological Science
Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 5:00pm
Waterman Memorial Lounge
Title: Beyond Mean Girls: Understanding the Development of Relational Aggression
Synopsis: Psychologists have long argued that girls rarely exhibit aggressive behaviors. However, in the past two decades, a growing body of research indicates that girls and women are often aggressive in ways that have largely been overlooked by researchers. Specifically, girls tend to engage in relational aggression, including gossip, social exclusion, and rumor-spreading, rather than physical aggression. In this lecture, Professor Murray-Close will discuss our current understanding of the development of relational aggression, including the risk factors and developmental outcomes associated with these behaviors.
Dr. Dianna “Annie” Murray-Close (Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2006) is an associate professor of Psychological Science at UVM. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in developmental psychology. Her research focuses on the development of aggressive behaviors in girls. She has published over 35 articles, many in top journals in her field such as Child Development and Development and Psychopathology. Her work is funded by the National Science Foundation and has been featured by CNN.com, Seven Days, WCAX, and Vermont Public Radio.
A recording of the lecture will be made available at the online media blog http://blog.uvm.edu/compute-cas-media/ and eventually at the College of Arts and Sciences website.
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Please note: All lecture speakers, topics, start times, and locations are subject to change.