Research Team

Associate Professor Karen Witten

Karen’s research interests centre on interactions between the physical characteristics of neighbourhoods and cities and the social relationships, health and sustainability -related practices of the people living in them. She is currently involved in studies investigating social impacts of scenarios to reduce household CO2 emissions, the meaning of social and recreational travel, neighbourhood determinants of walking and cycling and the health impacts of workplace travel plans. 

On behalf of the BRCSS Network (Building Capability in the Social Sciences) Karen has been involved in surveying the New Zealand social science research community about its research activities and outcomes, workforce capacity and capability building and the uptake of social science research within the policy sector.

Email: k.witten@massey.ac.nz


Publications  

Mavoa, S., Oliver, M., Witten, K., & Badland, H. (2011). Linking GPS and travel diary data using sequence alignment in a study of children’s independent mobility. International Journal of Health Geographics, 10(64), http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/10/11/64. A294

Lin, E.-Y., Witten, K., Casswell, S., & You, R. Q. (2011). Neighbourhood matters: Perceptions of neighbourhood cohesiveness and associations with alcohol, cannabis and tobacco use. Drug and Alcohol Review, Article first published online: 5 DEC, DOI: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2011.00385.x. A289

Oliver, M., Witten, K., Kearns, R., Mavoa, S., Badland, H., Carroll, P., . . . Ergler, C. (2011). Kids in the city study: research design and methodology. BMC Public Health, 11(587). A284

Witten, K., Abrahamse, W., & Stuart, K. (Eds.). (2011). Growth Misconduct? Avoiding Sprawl and Improving Urban Intensification in New Zealand. Wellington: New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities, University of Otago.

Witten, K., & Carroll, P. (2011). Intensification, housing affordability and families: Learning from the Auckland CBD. In K. Witten, W. Abrahamse & K. Stuart (Eds.), Growth Misconduct? Avoiding Sprawl and Improving Urban Intensification in New Zealand (pp. 79-89). Wellington: New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities, University of Otago. SB55

Witten, K., Huakau, J., & Mavoa, S. (2011). Social and recreational travel: the destinations, travel modes and CO2 emissions of New Zealand households. Social Policy Journal of New Zealand, 37, 1-13. A279

Badland, H., Opit, S., Witten, K., Kearns, R., & Mavoa, S. (2010). Can virtual streetscape audits reliably replace physical streetscape audits? Journal of Urban Health, Published online: 23 November 2010 doi:10.1007/s11524-11010-19505-x

Carroll, P., Witten, K., & Kearns, R. (2011). Housing Intensification in Auckland New Zealand: Implications for Children and Families. Housing Studies, 26 (3), 353-367. A278

Kearns R, Lewis N, McCreanor T and Witten K (2010). School closures as breaches in the fabric of rural welfare: community perspectives from New Zealand. In: Milbourne P ed. Welfare Reform in Rural Places: Comparative Perspectives.  Emerald Publishing Group, Bingley, UK, pp.219-236. SB54

Witten, K. 2010. Ways of walking: Ethnography and practice on foot [Review]. New Zealand Geographer, 66, 91-92. A260

Witten, K. & Hammond, K. 2010. What becomes of social science knowledge: New Zealand researchers’ experiences of knowledge transfer modes and audiences. Kotuitui, 5, 1-10. A258

Blewden, M., Carroll, P. & Witten, K. 2010. The use of social science research to inform policy development: case studies from recent immigration policy. Kotuitui, 5, 13-25. A257

Pearce J, Witten K. (eds) (2010) Geographies of Obesity: Environmental Understandings of the Obesity Epidemic. Ashgate, Aldershot

Witten K, Kearns R, McCreanor T, Penney L and Faalau F (2009). Connecting place and the everyday practices of parenting: insights from Auckland, New Zealand, Environment and Planning A 41, 2893-2910. A243

Rose E, Witten K, McCreanor T (2009) Transport Related Social Exclusion: New Zealand Evidence Kotuitui 4: 191-203. A241

Stevenson, A., Pearce, J., Blakely, T., Ivory, V., Witten, K. (2009). Neighbourhoods and health: A review of the New Zealand literature. New Zealand Geographer, 65, 211-221 A240

Badland, H., Schofield, G., Witten, K., Schluter, P., Mavoa, S., Kearns, R., Hinckson, E., Oliver, M., Kaiwai, H., Jensen, V., Ergler, C., McGrath, L. & McPhee, J. (2009) Understanding the Relationship between Activity and Neighbourhoods (URBAN) Study: research design and methodology. BMC Public Health 9 (224) doi:10.1186/1471-2458-9-224. A238

Kearns, R., Lewis, N., McCreanor, T., Witten, K. (2009) ‘The status quo is not an option’: Community impacts of school closure in South Taranaki, New Zealand. Journal of Rural Studies 25, 131-140. A226

Greenaway, S., McCreanor, T. & Witten, K. (2008) Reducing CO2 emissions from domestic travel: exploring the social and health impacts. EcoHealth 5, 504-512. A233

Pearce, J., Hiscock, R., Blakely, T. & Witten, K. (2008) The contextual effects of neighbourhood access to supermarkets and convenience stores on individual fruit and vegetable consumption. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 62, 198-201. A230

Hiscock, R., Pearce, J., Blakely, T. & Witten, K. (2008) Is neighborhood access to health care provision associated with individual-level utilization and satisfaction? Health Services Research 43(6), 2183-2200. A227

Pearce, J., Witten, K., Hiscock, R. & Blakely, T. (2008) Regional and urban - rural variations in the association of neighbourhood deprivation with community resource access: a national study. Environment and Planning A 40:2469-2489. A223

Pearce, J., Hiscock, R., Blakely, T. & Witten, K. (2008) A national study of the association between neighbourhood access to fast food outlets and the diet and weight of local residents Health and Place, doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2008.04.003 A215

Witten, K., Hiscock, R. , Pearce, J. & Blakely, T. (2008) Neighbourhood access to open spaces and the physical activity of residents: A national study. Preventive Medicine, doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.04.010 A214

Pearce J, Day P, Witten K. 2008. Neighbourhood provision of food and alcohol retailing and social deprivation in urban New Zealand.  Urban Policy and Research 26 213-227 A213

Adams, J., Witten, K. and Conway, K. (2007) Evaluating complex public health community interventions: lessons from a New Zealand locality-based project. Community Development Journal Advance Access published November 16, 2007: doi:10.1093/cdj/bsm049. A203

Witten, K., McCreanor, T., Kearns, R. (2007) The place of schools in parents' community belonging. New Zealand Geographer 63 141-148. A202

Pearce, J., Blakely, T., Witten, K., Bartie, P. (2007) Neighborhood deprivation and access to fast-food retailing: a national study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 32(5): 375-382. A198

Pearce, J., Witten, K., Hiscock, R., Blakely, T. (2006) Are socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods deprived of health-related community resources? International Journal of Epidemiology 36 348-355. A195

McCreanor, T., Penney, L., Jensen, V., Witten, K., Kearns, R., Moewaka Barnes, H. (2006) 'This is like my comfort zone': Senses of place and belonging within Oruamo /Beachhaven New Zealand. New Zealand Geographer 62 196-207. A191

Witten K, Penney L, Faalau F, Jensen V, (2006) Neighbourhood environments that support families, Families Commission, Wellington

Kearns., R., McCrenaor, T., Witten, K. (2006) Healthy communities, in: Thompson-Fawcett, M. and Freeman, C. (eds.) Living Together: Towards Inclusive New Zealand Communities. Dunedin, Otago University Press, pp.241-257. SB42

Witten, K. (2006) Getting places in New Zealand neighbourhoods, in: Brebbia, C. and Dolezal, V. (eds.) Urban Transport XII: Urban Transport and the Environment in the 21st Century. Southhampton, Boston: WIT Press, pp. 567-578. SB38

Pearce, J., Witten, K., Bartie, P. (2006) Neighbourhoods and health: a GIS approach to measuring community resource accessibility. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 60, 389-395. A186

Greenaway, A. and Witten, K. (2006) Meta-analysing community action projects in Aotearoa New Zealand. Community Development Journal 41, 143-159. A173

Kearns, R., McCreanor, T., Witten, K. (2005) Linking health, place and healthy communities. Territoris 5, 189-203. A183

Field, A., Witten, K., Robinson, E., Pledger, M. (2004) Who gets to what? Access to community resources in two New Zealand cities. Urban Policy and Research, 22, 189-205. A160

Witten, K., McCreanor, T., Kearns, R. (2003) The place of neighbourhood in social cohesion: insights from Massey, West Auckland. Urban Policy and Research, 21, 321-338.

Witten, K., Kearns, R., Lewis, N., Coster, H. and McCreanor, T. (2003) Educational restructuring from a community view point: A case study of school closure from Invercargill New Zealand . Environment & Planning C: Government and Policy, 21, 203-223

Witten, K., Exeter, D. and Field, A. (2002) The quality of urban environments: Mapping variation in access to community resources. Urban Studies 40, 161-177

Witten , K., McCreanor, T., Kearns , R., Ramasubramanian, L. (2001)  The impacts of a school closure on neighbourhood social cohesion: narratives from Invercargill, New Zealand, Health & Place, 7, 307-317

Witten, K., Parkes, M. & Ramasubramanian, L. (2000) Participatory Environmental Health Research in Aotearoa/New Zealand Constraints and Opportunities.  Health Education & Behavior, 27, 371-384

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