Arts Scholars

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

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The Modern Erosion of the American Revolutionary Spirit

The spirit of the American Revolution was embodied in the Constitution and its amendments: tenets for the protection of individual liberty and limitation of governmental power. Yet while such ideals seemingly entrenched to the founding fathers, arguably, that liberal spirit has been eroded either by the isolation of citizenry from the original injustices or by the diminution of the original law. Analysing the recent murder of George Floyd, we see how the complexities of modernity inhibit individual intervention against the abuse of state powers.

Protected: Does War Innovate?

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Spinning yarns…

We talk about story telling through metaphors of handicrafts and war stories are no different. We often only associate knitting with women and the homefront, who waited and knitted and wept and waited and knitted some more - or so the stories go. Here is a story that...

The War of Ideology

The mid-20th century saw the Cold War rise out of the ashes of the most destructive armed conflict in history, the hasty alliance brokered between two titans crumbling a mere two years after the fall of Nazi Germany. Yet, as the East and West fought to expand their...

Co-Create! Don’t Hate!

Anthropology is fascinating. I love the way it makes the familiar strange and the strange familiar. However, whilst studying it I have often thought about the ethical nature of producing research on a culture that is not your own. As the written word holds great power...

What Can We Do About Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) World?

Sometimes I fall down the existential rabbit-hole. As a child, the world seemed relatively unproblematic. Politicians fought and made threats, but counteracting forces balanced them out. Scientists made new advances almost regularly. I always thought the world was...

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...

Revolution and Racism

I will be the first to admit that my knowledge of American history is sketchy at best. Joe Zizek’s lecture featuring the American Revolution truly brought this to light for me. Introduced to this Revolutionary War by the children’s book series, Judy Moody, Zizek’s...

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...

A Western World Paradigm

Dr Patrick Thomsen’s lecture was undoubtedly the most entertaining session I have witnessed so far. Thomsen fuelled his lecture with his past experiences, allowing us to understand his story. Building a research question from personal lived experiences was my key...

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...

read more