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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Come back ‘with your shield or on it’: A case for Spartan Women

Women in ancient Greece were purely domestic beings. Cloistered and confined to the Oikos (home), each woman was trapped in her Odyssean hellscape …

Perhaps food is the ultimate weapon?

Anyone see a preoccupation here? I think I need to do some of my own research on these lines. But in the meantime: From Nelson's apple to beef wellington: how war changes the way we eat. Zoe Williams, The Guardian 27 February 2020

Useful or nah?

Stephen Winter's research is undoubtedly useful. When asked about how he became interested in his research on abuse, he answered because of its relevance. His research is immediately useful for the whole world. It is a live political issue, as there are still post...

L.U.V’s but a fading memory!

  Why retell a story that is already in the confines of a fading memory? The reasoning behind the retelling of young Americans gaining the right to vote was discussed in our most recent seminar delivered by Jenifer Frost. Jenifer's current work on her book, 'Let...

Violent Video Games? Conflict (or lack thereof) in the Grand Strategy genre.

The Australian outback: unexplored, uninhabited, dangerous. You’re an explorer setting out for the first time across the new frontier.

The Mediterranean and the Internet: How Similar Are They?

In his lecture, Jeremy Armstrong made an interesting connection between the Mediterranean sea and the internet. As someone spending a lot of time on the internet recently I thought it would be interesting to break down this comparison and ultimately see why this...

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...

Art’s Appeal to Humanity

Humans, as a species, are a peculiar one at that. A species overly aware of their own mortality and place in the universe, consequently bent upon obsessive overthinking, and because of this we’ve found ways to fabricate our own reality in a harsh world. We’re...

The Misconception of Maori Christanity

Week 3’s lecture changed my perception of Maori Christianity. There was the question of whether Maori could be Christian and remain loyal to their identity? I am interested in the relationship between religion and conflict and how it shapes political thought.  

Christian philosophy had a significant influence on Maori political thinking during the New Zealand Land Wars. It formed the backbone of their nationhood, as imperialist ideals were reshaped into the first form of Maori nationalism. Previous generations of tribal politics dissolved as the image of a universal moral community became a component of their nationhood and identity as a single, unified race. The King movement saw the abandonment of tribal division as it was a call to unity, backed by New Testament teachings that Maori society could be advanced in terms of equality. 

Serve Them Chocolate Hobnob

Reflecting on Stephan Winter's research readdressing historic abuse in Aotearoa, one question stood out to me, (or maybe it was the very appealing image of the biscuit on the slide) What biscuit to serve? When research is built around such sensitive topic, it can be...

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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