UC Spark

Associate Professor Rosemary Du Plessis

School of Social and Political Sciences; Sociology

Fields of Research

  • Science, technology and health politics
  • Gender politics and feminist analysis
  • State policy and political change
  • Politics, participation and biotechnologies
  • Auto/biography and social practice
  • Families, sexualities and domestic life

Researcher Summary

Rosemary Du Plessis 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/ Korero 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. 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. She was a member of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO 2004-9 and has a strong interest in national and international developments with respect to the ethics of knowledge production and use. During 2009 and 2010 she worked part-time for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage as Theme Editor for 'Social Connections' - a set of entries Te Ara: the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. These entries include information about families, community organisations, religion, health and crime as well as inequalities associated with ethnicity, gender and class.

Subject Area: Disciplines

Research Groups

Future Research

  • Networks in action - cross-disciplinary research collaboration
  • Risk, uncertainty and the politics of (social) scientific knowledge
  • Gender and natural disasters - women's experiences of the Canterbury quakes

Affiliations

Prizes and Awards

  • Sociological Association of Aotearoa (NZ) Scholarship Award 2009 (2009)

Publications


  • Cooper, A., Shaw, R., Beres, M., du Plessis, R. and Germon, J. (2012) Author Meets Critics: A panel discussion of Jennifer Germon's 'Gender: A Geneology of an Idea' (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009) held at the Sociological Association of Aotearoa/New Zealand, Victoria University of Wellington, 9 December 2011. New Zealand Sociology 27(1): 112-131. (Journal Article)
  • McManus, R. and Du Plessis, R. (2011) Death and dying. In J. Phillips (Ed.), Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Social Connections: Life Stages and Population: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/death-and-dying. Wellington: Ministry for Culture and Heritage. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/death-and-dying. (Chapter in Book)
  • Du Plessis, R. and Diggelman, C. (2011) Diverse families. In J. Phillips (Ed.), Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Social Connections: Family, Whānau and Households: Online. Wellington: Ministry for Culture and Heritage. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/diverse-families. (Chapter in Book)
  • Pool, I. and Du Plessis, R. (2011) Families: A history. In J. Phillips (Ed.), Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Social Connections: Family, Whānau and Households: Online. Wellington: Ministry for Culture and Heritage. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/families-a-history. (Chapter in Book)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2011) Love and romance. In J. Phillips (Ed.), Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Social Connections: Sexuality and Reproduction: Online. Wellington: Ministry for Culture and Heritage. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/love-and-romance/1. (Chapter in Book)
  • Stanley, T., Du Plessis, R. and Austrin, T. (2011) Making Networks Work: Social Work Action and Children 'At Risk'. Qualitative Social Work 10(1): 49-65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1473325010379629. (Journal Article)
  • Thorns, D.C., Fairbairn-Dunlop, T.P. and Du Plessis, R. (2010) Biculturalism, Cultural Diversity and Globalisation: Issues for Aotearoa New Zealand. Korean Social Science Journal 37(1): 93-122. (Journal Article)
  • Hindmarsh, R., Du Plessis, R. and Cronin, K. (Ed.) (2010) EASTS - East Asian Science, Technology and Society: An International Journal, 4(4). Special issue: Engaging Publics /Engaging Science in Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Taiwan: Springer. 125pp. http://easts.dukejournals.org/content/4/4.toc. (Edited Book)
  • Du Plessis, R., Hindmarsh, R. and Cronin, K. (2010) Engaging Across Boundaries - Emerging Practices in 'Technical Democracy'. East Asian Science, Technology and Society: An International Journal 4(4): 475-482. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12280-010-9157-7. (Journal Article)
  • Thorns, D., Fairbairn-Dunlop, P. and Du Plessis, R. (2009) Biculturalism, Cultural Identities and Globalisation: Issues for Aotearoa New Zealand. Bangkok, Thailand: AASSREC 2009, 26-28 Aug 2009. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2009) Practising Bioethics: The Challenges of Facilitating Public Discussion about Controversial Biotechnologies. Cambridge, England: The Science in Society Conference 2009, 5-7 Aug 2009. http://y09.cgpublisher.com/program-detail.html. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Hindmarsh, R. and Du Plessis, R. (2008) GMO regulation and civic participation at the "edge of the world": the case of Australia and New Zealand. New Genetics and Society 27(3): 181-199. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14636770802326869. (Journal Article)
  • Hindmarsh, R. and Du Plessis, R. (Ed.) (2008) New Genetics and Society, 27(3). Special issue: Life Sciences Governance: Civic Transitions and Trajectories. Abingdon: Routledge. 125pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14636770802326851. (Edited Book)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2008) Practising Participation: Deliberation about Pre-Birth Testing in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Barcelona, Spain: 1st ISA Forum of Sociology, 5-8 Sep 2008. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Hindmarsh, R. and Du Plessis, R. (2008) The new civic geography of life sciences governance: transitions and trajectories in Australia and New Zealand. New Genetics and Society 27(3): 175-180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14636770802326851. (Journal Article)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2007) 'Just Sex? The Cultural Scaffolding of Rape', by Nicola Gavey. London and New York: Routledge, 280pp. New Zealand Journal of Psychology 36(2): 109-110. Book Review. (Other)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2007) Participatory practices in the governance of GMOs in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A critical assessment. Vienna, Austria: The New Governance of Life: Challenges, Transformations, Innovations, 11-12 Jun 2007. http://www.univie.ac.at/LSG/paganini/pages_open/Conference.htm. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2005) Response to Judith Green's Professions and Community keynote address to the Sociological Association of Aoteoroa NZ Conference. New Zealand Sociology 20(1): 142-147. http://saanz.rsnz.org/Journal/index1.html. (Journal Article)
  • Du Plessis, R., Higgins, J. and Mortlock, B. (2004) Narratives, community organisations and pedagogy. In P. Chamberlayne, J. Bornat and U. Apitzsch (Ed.), Biographical Methods and Professional Practice: An International Perspective: 285-298. University of Bristol: The Policy Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2004) Queer, Queerer, Queerest? Feminisms, Heterosexualities and Queer Theory. In L. Alice and L. Star (Ed.), Queer in Aotearoa New Zealand: 103-114. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2003) Democracy, participation and 'scientific citizenship': New Zealand Initiatives. Bristol, UK: Policy and Politics in a Globalising World Conference, 24-26 Jul 2003. 16 pp. http://www.conversations.canterbury.ac.nz/resources/docs.htm. (Conference Contribution - Full conference paper)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2001) Changing Times, Shifting Contexts: Variations on cultural politics and 'the turn to culture'. New Zealand Sociology 16(2): 91-100. (Journal Article)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2001) Knowledge, Politics and Education (Editorial). Women's Studies Journal 17(2): 5-19. (Journal Article)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2001) The fathering debate. Forum: The Journal of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists 7(July 2001): 81-9. (Journal Article)
  • Du Plessis, R. (Ed.) (2001) Women's Studies Journal (Theme Issue - Knowledge, Politics and Education), 17, 2. Wellington: New Zealand Women's Studies Association. 161 p. (Edited Book)
  • Du Plessis, R. (2000) Work: Feminist Theories. In C. Kramarae and D. Spender (Ed.), The Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge: 2137-43 Vol. IV. London and New York: Routledge. (Chapter in Book)