Inquiring Minds
A showcase of the high quality research and expertise at The University of Auckland, Inquiring Minds is a series of conversations between well-known broadcaster Kerre Woodham and six academics from the Faculty of Arts.
With topics that range from New Zealand’s political system and the relationship between Shakespeare and the Bible, to the challenges of carrying out fieldwork on a sinking Pacific island and the sociology of genocide, the interviews highlight the diverse fields of study within the Faculty. Take a minute to watch highlights of the interviews, then choose to either download the audio or watch the video.
Tom’s primary areas of research include the relationship between Shakespeare and the Bible, the "games" that are played both on and off stage in Shakespearean drama, and the challenges of translating ancient Latin poetry into verse that is relevant to contemporary audiences.
Lisa was recently involved in groundbreaking research proving that ancient Polynesian voyagers, not early Europeans, brought chickens to the Americas. The study is part of Lisa’s ongoing work into Pacific voyaging, in which she examines the ancient DNA of animals and humans to discover new truths about early explorations of the Pacific.
An ethnomusicologist, Richard has spent much of the past 13 years carrying out fieldwork on the sinking atoll of Takuu, a small island off Papua New Guinea. He talks about the challenges of working within a culture that has deliberately distanced itself from western influences, and the kind of future that lies ahead for the 500 residents of this threatened island.
Raymond discusses the intricacies of New Zealand’s political system, the changing faces of our political parties and the relationship between the media and politics in this country. He also reveals who he considers the best and worst Prime Minister in New Zealand’s political history.
An award-winning fiction writer as well as respected academic, Annamarie is perhaps best known for her work in lesbian/queer studies. She talks about her controversial research into orgasm and just how someone who never watched television as a child is now teaching TV at graduate level.
The daughter of a Maori mother and Pakeha family, Tracey was aware from an early age that different cultures responded differently to death and dying. Today, she is a leading researcher into the sociology of death, criminology and incarceration. Although she admits her areas of study "tend to the dark side" Tracey believes the interrogation of death provides the chance to examine and celebrate life.
Please note:
- You will need Adobe Flash Player installed to view the video versions of the interviews (you may need to download Flash Player)
- When you click on the picture, the video will start automatically in the player window.
Interviews produced by the Communications team with assistance from Arts IT and Multimedia and the University Media Productions team.
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