Arts Scholars

Koi te hinengaro, koi te arero, koi te mahi!
Sharp of mind, tongue, and work!

Keep up with the latest discussions and thoughts from our Arts Scholars whānau

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The Problem with Perfect

Perfection. A myth. An unattainable goal. And yet, something so many of us strive for.   My first issue is the definition. In my opinion, every instance in which we deem something ‘perfect’, it’s a lie. The idea of perfection is completely unique within the mind...

Conflict, Disease and Community

As the article that Sara shared with us said, we should not turn coronavirus into an “imaginary war”. However, I do think the societal effects of disease and war bear some similarities. Siniša Malešević’s reading discussed how internal and external conflict are often...

It’s a cutthroat business

Yes I googled ‘CEO stock photos’ what about it?

State’s Rights and Statues — Bad Perceptions of History

Dr. Zizek's lecture on the history of revolutionary violence made me question some of the ways in which historical conflict is percieved. The killing of George Floyd, and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests have presented some interesting perceptions of history. I...

Technological… Advancements?

The Greater Good? Sally Angelson and Thomas Nash showed us that technological advancements have fuelled many conflicts in human history, as well as conveniences. It’s helped people protect their homes and the poor and vulnerable. It’s helped to provide food, water and...

Translation is Positional

Translation is a simple process, right? Take a word in one language, change it into the other language, repeat for the whole text. A tried and true method, except... obviously not, please don't translate things like that. Not even a closely related language, like...

Positionality and Polarisation in American Politics

I had never realised how vast the qualities used to define your identity could be until we talked about positionality in class. How certain experiences, family legacies, and interests are stacked upon one another and used to position ourselves in the world. Now...

Auckland Domain

I am interested in the Auckland Domain for several reasons. Personally, it is a place which holds many dear memories for me: Befriending the swans at the pond, visiting the memorial, the museum, Wintergarden, or just going out for drinks at Wintergarden’s Café. Before...

Reflections on Internal Conflict during COVID-19

As coronavirus ravages through the world, I feel odd basking in inner peace. Solitude, and time with my family have left me with hours to enjoy the simpler pleasures that life normally gets in the way of. Picking out tomorrow’s lunch recipe with my family the night...

Revising Rosie: The Myth that Encompasses the Riveter

She dominates our perception of female empowerment – the face of modern feminism. Unfortunately, Our perception of Rosie the Riveter is doused in myth, distorting our view of feminist history …

Gender and War

When we talk about war, so often it is in terms of the male soldier or male head-of-state. When women are mentioned, it is often in the lumped phrase ‘women and children’. As we’ve progressed through this term, it has left me wondering: where are the women?  Simply,...

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Hated in our Nations

Hated in our Nations

Spoilers  for episode 6 of season 3 of Black Mirror below.  Civilian casualties are as common as they are condemned. Numbers remind us that governments, be it democratic or authoritarian, kill large numbers of civilians as a military strategy. In his lecture, Thomas...

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Labels and Positionality

Labels and Positionality

Of all the sessions we had this year, one of the most impactful for me was Dr. Madhavi Manchi's session on research positionality. She answered a lot of the questions that I didn't know had been at the back of my mind since I started my Arts degree, the core of these...

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