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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A New Perspective on the War on Drugs

        A lot of people think the war on drugs is an example of structural racism. They’re not wrong. Crack and cocaine are, chemically, virtually the same substance. However, crack is, due to its low price, used predominantly by black communities. Possession, the...

This article seemed to touch on some things from our Monday Session!

“Working Together Is What Humans Are Built to Do”: Social Trust Is Key to Stemming the Coronavirus Crisis Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 2 April 2020.

Musicals! What are they good for?

When most people think of musicals, their first reaction is either ‘Oh God no’ or something much more positive. Neither of which is ‘wow this is my favourite medium to take in historical facts’. So, why are there so many musicals based on our history - specifically on...

The Bible and The Great War

God is on our side… right?

Knock, knock! Who’s there?

Sometimes before you can start a conversation with someone you have to knock before entering, and man is one of the most nerve-wracking things to do. Nicole’s words of reflexivity resonated with me, acknowledging that when you start your research you can either be...

How a Nickelodeon Show Contextualised War and Conflicts for Youths

I experienced war, similarly to many of my generational peers through Avatar: The Last Airbender - a Nickelodeon show made for children alongside Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer. Avatar: The Last Airbender is an animated series set in an Asiatic world. In...

Non-Historians Give Historiography a Go

In addition to conflict, this year, I have picked up on another overarching theme which seems to be intertwined with conflict and equally important to pick up on. This has been our exploration of historiography. I feel this theme has stretched throughout the course....

Don’t Get Too Attached Honey

Although I failed to attend the discussion session with Tracey McIntosh, Jemaima Tiatia-Seath, Nicole Perry and Carisa Showden, I managed to get some ideas off the lecture notes.  Carisa mentioned how much emotions we should invest in the process of research, and she...

The Western Gaze

The post-colonial perspective of Dr Patrick Thomsen, despite his position as a queer Pasifika man, reflects the importance of the researcher’s consideration of knowledge genealogy. Thomsen’s research seminar is a reminder of the Western gaze that is pushed upon us; of...

Conflicts in the Media

I always wondered how conflicts were shown in the media overseas. This is because I used to watch the news and think about why we only got to see a certain perspective of the conflict. It usually is seen to make your own country look really good or make them look like...

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...

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The Wicked Witch of the West

The Wicked Witch of the West

After Jeremy Armstrong’s lecture, something that stuck with me was his initial description of Eastern vs. Western war during his recorded lecture. From what I understand, this initial 10 minutes of his talk was a presentation of the ‘stereotypes’ that these terms...

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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...

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When does the war actually end?

When does the war actually end?

  It is easy to think of war as a past tense. While we aren’t exposed first hand to current situations like war in Afghanistan, we can recognize this horror across media and news updates. Then we can turn the tv off and look away. We don’t need to look any...

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The Call for Duty!

When looking at the various depictions of war that we’ve seen thus far – in art, literature, music and even sand -, there is a notable exception: the humble videogame. Ever since rising to prominence in the 1980s, videogames have been seen entertaining millions, but...

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