UC Spark

Dr David Thomas Small

School of Educational Studies and Leadership

Fields of Research

  • Comparative and International Education
  • Development Education
  • Education in the Asian Pacific region
  • Educational philosophy and theory
  • Globalisation
  • The knowledge society

Researcher Summary

A broad range of research interests include: comparative education, development education, globalisation, the war on terror, academic freedom, maternity service reform, human rights law, innovative university pedagogies.

Specific details below in 'Future Research'.

Subject Area: Disciplines

Research Projects

Future Research

  • Academic Freedom Under Threat: An investigation into the rights and obligations of universities, academics and intellectuals to engage in critical social issues, and the current threats to their capacity to discharge these obligations.
  • Development of a model for striking the appropriate balance between ensuring national security and upholding individual freedoms in countries at low risk of terrorist attack.
  • Neoliberalism's Fate: As economic turmoil dents Neoliberalism's air of impeachability for the first time, this project considers the prospects for the neoliberal model of education.
  • A study of the media's treatment of the New Zealand's midwife-led maternity system.

Publications


  • Small, D. (2011) The Uneasy Relationship Between National Security and Personal Freedom: New Zealand and the "War on Terror". International Journal of Law in Context 7(4): 467-486. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1744552311000255. (Journal Article)
  • Small, D. (2010) Exercising Academic Freedom in a Neoliberal World. Istanbul, Turkey: XIV World Congress World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES), 14-18 Jun 2010. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Small, D. (2010) Neoliberalism and the 'War on Terror': Making Academic Freedom More Important But Harder to Achieve. Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand: 27th Annual Conference of the Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand. Critic and Conscience?, 8-10 Dec 2010. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Small, D. (2009) Neoliberalism's Fate: Implications for Education. Armidale, Australia: ANZCIES 37th Annual Conference: Entering the Age of an Educational Renaissance: Ideas for Unity of Purpose or Further Discord?, 24-27 Nov 2009. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Ibrahim, H.H., Small, D. and Grimley, M. (2009) Parent/school interface: Current communication practices and their implications for Somali parents. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 44(2): 19-30. (Journal Article)
  • Small, D. (2008) Balancing national security and personal freedom in a low-risk society: The case of New Zealand. Milan and Como, Italy: Research Committee on Sociology of Law Annual Conference: Law and Justice in the Risk Society, 9-12 Jul 2008. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Small, D. (2007) Academic Freedom and the War on Terror: The Role of Critic and Conscience in a State of Insecurity. University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand: ANZCIES 35th Annual Conference: International Co-operation through Education, 30 Nov-2 Dec 2007. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • David Small. (2005) The Challenge of Being Critic and Conscience in a One-Size-Fits-All Society. University College Dublin: Intellectuals and The Nation-State, 29 Nov - 1 Dec 2005. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • David Small. (2005) The PBRF: Some Risks of Research Rankings. In R Smith and J Jesson (Ed.), Punishing the Discipline. The PBRF Regime: Evaluating the Position of Education - Where to From Here?: 120-130. Auckland: AUT University and UNiversity of Auckland. (Chapter in Book)
  • Small, D. (2005) Tightening the Grip on the Slippery Pole: The Globalisation of Control from the New World Order to the War on Terror. University of Warwick, UK: Translating Terror: Globalisation and the New Planetary Wars, 12 Nov 2005. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • David Small. (2004) Prospects of Peace and Development Since the Outbreak of the War on Terror. University of Canterbury: Securing a Peaceful Pacific. Preventing and Resolving Conflict in the Pacific, 15-17 October 2004. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • David Small. (2003) Can Development Studies be Development Education? In D. Storey, J Overton and B Nowak (Ed.), Contesting Development: Pathways to Better Practice. Proceedings of the Third Biennial Conference of the Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network: 113-117. Palmerston North: Massey University Institute of Development Studies. (Chapter in Book)
  • Small, D. (2002) Can Development Studies be Development Education? Massey University: 3rd Biennial Conference of the International Development Studies Network of Aotearoa New Zealand, Dec 2002. 8. http://devnet.massey.ac.nz/papers/Small,David.pdf. (Conference Contribution - Other)
  • Small, D. (1999) The Ouvéa Factor: Who Cares about Political Independence in New Caledonia? University of Canterbury: Sixth Pacific Islands Political Studies Association Conference, Dec 1999. 8. (Conference Contribution - Other)
  • Small,D. (1998) From the Colombo Plan to the APEC Process. Education and the Transformation of New Zealand's Regional Relationships.. San Diego: American Educational Research Association Annual Conference, April 1998. 10. (Conference Contribution - Other)
  • Small, D. (1997) Development education revisited: the New Zealand experience. International Review of Education 43(5--6): 581--94. (Journal Article)
  • Small, D.T. (1997) Development Education Revisited: The New Zealand Experience. In Masemann, V. & Welch, A. (Ed.), Tradition, Modernity and Post-Modernity in Comparative Education Hamburg: UNESCO. (Chapter in Book)
  • Small, D. and Greybe, S. (1997) Different Questions, Same Answer: A Comparison of the New Zealand and South African Qualifications Frameworks.. University of Oxford, UK: Education and Geopolitical Change, Sep 1997. 10. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • Small, David. (1997) From the Colombo Plan to the APEC Process: Education and the Transformation of New Zealand's Regional Relationships. Economics, Politics and Colonisation 4: 4. (Journal Article)
  • Small, David. (1997) Prospects for New Caledonia: The Challenge of Ouvéa. In Donald Denoon (Ed.), Emerging from Empire? Decolonisation in the Pacific: 9. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University. (Chapter in Book)
  • Small,D. (1997) Resisting Colonialism through Education: an indigenous schooling movement in New Caledonia. University of Canterbury: Annual Conference of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education, December 1997. 10. (Conference Contribution - Other)
  • Small, D. (1996) Fighting the Free-Marketeers in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Christchurch, New Zealand: Trading with our Lives: The Human Cost of Free Trade, 12-13 Jul 1996. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Small, D. (1995) The Matignon Accords and Kanak Education in New Caledonia. New College, University of Oxford: The "Globalisation and Learning" Conference on Educational Development, 21-25 Sep 1995. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Small, D. (1991) Overseas Alms Dealers Target New Zealand Market. Overview 41: 6 - 14. (Journal Article)