Editorial Note
Welcome to Volume 4 of Contemporary PNG Studies: DWU Research Journal. This is a refereed journal that publishes research into aspects of modern day PNG. Articles are reviewed by two members of our distinguished panel of national and international researchers. They make recommendations which may include acceptance or the need for changes to be made, in which case the articles may be returned to the authors for further refinement. We are always most grateful for the assistance of the members of our Editorial Advisory Board.
The first three articles are concerned with the issue of development in PNG. Patrick Matbob explores challenges of the provincial governments system in PNG and the need for strengthening decentralization. Gisele Maisonneuve investigates women’s unequal participation in development, following an extensive two-year study. She has found strong support both theoretically and practically for the view that grassroots participation is a better option than the enforcement of existing policies. She argues that particular attention needs to be given to how participation and development are defined. Amanda Watson also grapples with the concept of development, but in the context of communication. Her article has arisen from her experience of teaching a unit called Communication and Development at DWU. She appreciates the irony of her situation, given that she is an Australian teaching development to Papua New Guineans who have real life experience of the issues surrounding development in their country.
The fourth and fifth articles deal with aspects of education. Joseph Lingawa reports on his study of questioning techniques used by pre-service teachers. The art of questioning is a vital part of teaching and learning, as all teachers and tutors know, so these further insights in the PNG context are a welcome contribution to the profession. Alphonse Aime discusses the challenges and dilemmas faced by educational leaders in PNG. There is criticism of how they are performing, but, he argues, insufficient attention has been given to the cultural context of PNG education.
Articles six and seven contribute to this Journal’s interest in HIV/AIDS as one of the most pressing issues facing the country. Zenon Szablowinski investigates the stigmatisation that is suffered by HIV/AIDS patients themselves, as well as by their relatives and carers. He argues that stigmatisation results from ignorance of how the disease is transmitted. He questions the use of the term “safe sex” and the promotion of the use of condoms as an effective measure to curb the spread of the disease. The condom controversy has escalated recently with Dr Puka Temu, Minister assisting the Prime Minister on HIV/AIDS, asking churches in PNG to support the Government’s position on their usage. Donatus Onyeke enters this debate with a paper that seeks to defend the Catholic church’s emphasis on a holistic approach to HIV/AIDS awareness, instead of the approach which sees condom usage as the single most effective solution to the problem. He would like to see behaviour change as a goal of all awareness campaigns. This Journal will be happy to receive research on such behaviour change and indeed on all issues concerned with HIV/AIDS awareness.
By publishing the eighth article together with a response to it we are indicating that we would like to test a new format. Rose Kuias, Donatus Onyeke and Daniel Stollenwerk have collaborated on a paper that seeks to articulate some possible comparisons between aspects of Amaki and Roman Catholic traditions. This is quite a challenging paper for people who are connected with either or both of these traditions. One such challenged person is Pat Gesch, who just couldn’t resist the opportunity to respond to some of the issues raised in the article. He offers further insights from a variety of other perspectives. So we are publishing both the original article and the response in this volume. If readers feel they would like to respond to any articles, or continue the discussion of issues raised in this Journal, you are encouraged to do so in the conventional scholarly way.
We hope that you, our readers, can find quiet time and space to enjoy the challenge of thoroughly examining these articles, as they are the fruit of considerable study and reflection. If you feel that you have some material that could be offered to this Journal, then you are encouraged to contact the editors who will be happy to advise you on its suitability for publication.
Michael McManus
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