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This paper draws on recent debates about scale to approach the geography of labour markets from a dynamic perspective sensitive to the spatiality and scale of labour market restructuring. Its exploration of labour market reconfigurations after the collapse of a major firm (Ansett Airlines) raises questions about geography's faith in the inherently 'local' constitution of labour markets. Through an examination of the job reallocation process after redundancy, the paper suggests that multiple labour markets use and articulate scale in different ways. It argues that labour market rescaling processes are enacted at the critical moment of recruitment, where social networks, personal aspirations and employer preferences combine to shape workers' destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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'Intergenerational difference' has become a lens through which to view issues of identity, social connectedness, belonging and agency in migrant youth research, highlighting that differences in the aspirations of migrant youth and their parents shape young people's experiences. The article will present findings from a mixed methods study of social network participation among three migrant youth cohorts in two Australian cities to address a perceived 'gap' among migrant youth and parents' aspirations for social network formation and participation. The paper will first examine current theoretical approaches to intergenerational challenges in migrant youth research. It will then introduce 'intersectionality' as a concept offering a more nuanced understanding of the challenges and hopes of migrant youth for whom social networks can be a gateway towards belonging and connectedness. This, however, requires a negotiation of complex structural, social and cultural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people are a particularly vulnerable group. This paper examines the existing literature on this group of children and young people in and leaving out-of-home care in the UK and Australia, and compares and contrasts their experiences. Attention is drawn to legislation, policies and programmes which alternatively assist or hinder their successful transition to adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper provides an outline and analysis of the strategies with which the 'old' media empires of print and television have met the challenge of 'new' media in Australia, notably the internet. It places particular emphasis on the protection of or the gaining of access to, advertising revenue as a motivating factor in such corporate strategies since the early 1990s. In order to achieve some historical perspective and narrative continuity on this process, the discussion is divided into a rough periodisation. The first period saw the beginning of internet advertising and media organisations establishing a web presence, before the dot.com crash of 2000. A period of more cautious consolidation of positions then followed, and internet advertising became differentiated into categories of search, directories, classified and display, leading up to the corporate discovery of social networking in 2005. The paper concludes with some observations on the recent influx of private equity capital, particularly noting the agile response of 'old' media proprietors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth with complex communication needs (CCN) face increased barriers to their social participation due to limited communication abilities and opportunities. Youth today use the internet as a social tool and youth with CCN may also benefit from internet use to increase their social participation. Five youth between the ages of 10-18 with CCN who are unable to use speech for everyday communication and require augmentative and alternative communication were provided with assistive technology and a tailored I:I intervention at home to learn to use the internet for connecting with others. Pre and post assessments measured changes in performance on internet use goals, social networks, loneliness and self-concept. Multiple measures were used to examine the impact of internet use for social networking on a range of outcomes and to gather emerging evidence in this area. Results showed that the intervention was effective in increasing performance and satisfaction with goals for increasing internet use to connect with others and for increasing the number of online communication partners. There was no significant change in loneliness or self-concept. This study shows that the internet may be a viable tool in increasing the social participation of youth with CCN. However, some youth and their families required intensive support and technical assistance to gain confidence in internet use and in use for social purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muslims are often the target of those arguing that diversity threatens social cohesion. However, little research has focused on the settlement and integration of migrant Muslims. This article reports research comparing skilled Muslim refugees’ experiences of integration into the Australian employment market and the wider society with the experiences of skilled non-Muslim refugees. Quantitative data from the study indicates no relationship between religion and social exclusion as evidenced in negative employment outcomes, social networks, satisfaction with life or perceptions of discrimination, although qualitative data shows some skilled Muslim refugees and some employers see religion as a key facet of cultural difference disadvantaging Muslims. The influence of religion on other aspects of settlement, including social engagement, integration and well-being is also surprising, demonstrating that Muslims in the sample generally feel no more excluded than other refugees. The findings challenge the assumptions that skilled Muslim refugees find it more difficult than others to adapt to ‘western’ culture, and that religious difference threatens social cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Social movements, like every other aspect of life, have become increasingly reliant on the internet for networking, information sharing and coalition building. This is the case even for disadvantaged groups with few resources and less capacity for utilizing computers and the internet. Aboriginal activists in Townsville have been slow to exert their presence on the web, but are gradually becoming savvy in the use of electronic networking in furthering their cause. They rely on listservs, blogs and, more recently, social networking sites to make their struggle known to a wide audience. In addition to the use of Web 2.0 to supplement ‘offline’ activism, there is a new form of ‘virtual’ activism emerging. The rise in ‘push-button activism’ increases the opportunities for everyday engagement with the state by social movement participants. However, it also changes the notion of participation as marches and demonstrations give way to electronic petitions and Facebook fan pages. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]