Janine M. Pierce

On Community Capitals as We See Them through Photovoice: Cowell Oyster Industry in South Australia

In this article, we discuss a photovoice study of the oyster industry in Cowell on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. For the last 15 years the Cowell community has been adding water-based farming – the environmentally sensitive industry of oyster aquaculture - to its land-based farming. The community capitals approach for assessing community sustainability was undertaken using photovoice and a photo stimulated workshop. Whilst this study provides data on natural, produced, and institutional capitals, the method enabled subtle reflections to be made on social and human capitals. Hence it provides some data on these hard to capture aspects of the capitals approach. The method allowed the Cowell community to tell their insider-looking- out story of the impact of oyster aquaculture on their community. The capitals approach linked well with photovoice methodology, and would have wider applicability in assessing the impact of other environmentally sensitive industries and developments in other communities. Findings from the study indicated that oyster aquaculture is viewed by Cowell community members as adding positive social and human capital, and that any negative aspects of the industry on the other capitals are seen as minor.

Impact of Oyster Farming on Rural Community Sustainability in North Vietnam

This chapter discusses community sustainability in relation to social impact of the implementation by the Vietnamese, Research Institute for Aquaculture No1 and NSW DPI of oyster farming into the Ban Sen Province in the Van Don district in North Vietnam, funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). A Photovoice project in which cameras and diaries were given to ten oyster farmers to record their story of impact from oyster farming was conducted in late 2011. Photo data was then coded into a Five Capitals Framework (environmental, human, social, institutional, produced). Results indicate oyster farming has been a largely positive impact on lives of farmers and their commune. Income from oyster farming has enabled diversification into other types of farming, provided jobs, more assets, better life quality, and opportunity for the young to stay in the commune. Social impact was often linked to the new industry with impact across community spirit and quality of life. Some negative impact issues relating to parasites, seed quality, some jobs that were boring and lacking satisfaction and low oyster prices were highlighted. Farmers indicated through photos that the next generation may stay in the area in oyster farming. Photovoice in conjunction with Five Capitals framework is recommended as a means of qualitatively describing the livelihood and community impacts of aid programs which are not captured by the usual economics-focused impact studies.

For the Love of Family: A Mafia Lens on Love and Commitment

Abstract The themes of love, commitment and honour are explored within the context of the American Mafia. In most capitalist-focussed conventional organizations managers acquire assets and income through exchanges, through wages, direct operations and build cultures and cultural norms (Friedman, 1970). The authors argue the Mafia organization has similarities and differences to conventional organizations, differences being in how money is acquired and in ethical behaviours which could be described as counter to what is the expectation of conventional organizations. Parallel to the Christian Ten Commandments, baptism and initiation rituals existing within the Mafia are drawn that provide insights into Mafia values that guide behaviours. Honour as a key Mafia value is argued in this article as being a misnomer, being more reflective of dishonourable values of revenge, fear and punishment. Love and commitment within Mafia families 1 including roles of women are examined. It appears that love for family appears secondary to primary commitment to the Mafia Family. This paper contributes to literature on the Mafia in highlighting how ‘love’ and virtues are relative terms from which unethical acts can be justified within Mafia codes of behaviours. Also highlighted is that organizations valuing vice can survive and sustain if shrouded in secrecy rather than transparency. In the Mafia organization as in conventional organizations, codes of behaviours and commitment central to all money-making organizations are a key to survival.