Thursday 7 July 2011

New Zealand Studies at Birkbeck - an introduction and upcoming events

New Zealand studies at Birkbeck has been established with the aim of raising the profile of New Zealand in the UK.

Professor Janet Wilson is exploring research collaborations between New Zealand and UK scholars with a focus on shared areas of interest. She currently aims to introduce New Zealand topics into some of the MA teaching provision at Birkbeck (e.g. postcolonial children’s literature, the knowledge society and the cultural economy; colonial and postcolonial studies). Further integration of New Zealand topics into the undergraduate curriculum may follow.

New Zealand studies at Birkbeck is associated with the New Zealand Studies Network (UK and Ireland). See http://nzstudies.wordpress.com/. The Network draws together professional people, scholars, students and the general public who are interested in, or experts on, aspects of New Zealand life. The Network organises meetings of general public interest which are addressed by an expert: their papers may be found on the website. It also presents film screenings, poetry readings, and musical events.

More specialised conferences, seminars and colloquia are intended to be held on the humanities, fine arts, sciences, social sciences, the law, architecture, business and management studies. It may also be expected that from time to time current events in the UK may call for comment from a New Zealand perspective.

Friday 8th July. 6.00 pm -8.30 pm - New Zealand Studies launch


Professor Andrew Sharp will discuss the reasoning behind the expansion of Maori rights to property, political power, and group expression in the last thirty years. He will reflect on what this could teach the British and Irish about the potential of a way of thinking that originated with them.

Saturday 9th July, 9am -1pm - Readings by New Zealand writers and poets

Fleur Adcock, Briar Wood, Robert Sullivan, Kirsty Gunn, Paula Morris, Mia Farland

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