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 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...

How Victors Shape History – Napoleon’s Rise and Fall

A sweeping golden cloak, pristine military attire and commanding a white stallion while staring directly into the viewers eyes as he points his army towards victory. That is how Napoleon Bonaparte is portrayed in the famous, Napoleon Crossing the Alps painting. The...

Quiet Political Acts

What does it mean to be “of age” or to be deserving of political inclusion? Kiwis who are too young either to vote or to be taken seriously by adults often undertake actions which are quietly political anyway.  For example, climate-conscious teens have started...

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...

Having a yarn not having a yawn.

Ok, so I’m about to summarise some truth handed down from Patrick Thomsen. So this man rocks up onto the stage and immediately I’m enthralled. Was he talking about a data set vaguer than UoA’s marking schemes? No. He came onto the stage and started yarning, chewing...

Why it’s Important to Scrutinize the Outcomes of our Research

In reflection on the Youth Voting Rights and the 26th Amendment in the USA lecture, I appreciated that Dr. Jennifer Frost refused to accept the supposition that youth in the late 60's - early 70's America were disinterested in electoral voting. At their first...

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....

A tale of two histories

Set in the four walls of the museum lies the material evidence of worlds long gone. It is a temple what history wishes it was; artefacts, evidence, objectivity, truth. That material truth, woven in shields, parchment, uniforms, and polished war planes is a comfort to...

How to not contribute to ‘Orientalism’ and ‘othering’ in research?

Orientalism that Patrick consulted with in his research is really interesting to me. This bias toward Western knowledge in academia may often hide in plain sight. As he had noted that even his framing of the question, “Why Korean gay men do not come out?” is...

Cemetery Gates

I’m finding dealing with the global pandemic fallout difficult. The idea that I’m living through a challenging historical event repeats in my brain like The Smiths song 'Cemetery Gates'. These uncertain times have often made me anxious. I’m aware this is a global...

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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