Courses

Remembering Nelson Mandela

Who was the man behind the myth? How can we understand the seeming contradiction of a man who was jailed for acts of terrorism to which he confessed, but who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? Who was this ‘giant of history’ (Barrack Obama)?
We seek to delve into the life and thoughts of a man whose name became one of the most well-known and respected names around the world in the twentieth century.

Otakaro Avon River: from source to estuary

Flowing through many images that capture the essence of Christchurch is the River Avon. From the springs at Avonhead to the outflow to the ocean by Rapanui Shag Rock, the Ōtākaro Avon River has contributed to the wellbeing of humans and wildlife for centuries. Since European settlement in the 1840s, history has been created and witnessed along the riverbanks. This series will be a visual delight as well as an historical exploration of the buildings and suburbs of our city of Christchurch as it has changed over time, and with the four seasons, along the banks of our iconic river.

Frieda Looser has an MA (Hons) in History and is the author of Fendall’s Legacy, a history of Fendalton and Northwest Christchurch. She was a Senior Tutor in the History Department at the University of Canterbury, tutoring and lecturing in a number of courses, and currently teaches in the UC Academic Skills Centre.

November Series

Diversity

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” Desmond Tutu

The Politics of Regional Relations: Understanding Our Own Neighbourhood

Genealogy

Genealogy? Family History? – It’s more than you think
Over the next five weeks we will discover that often what starts out to be simple, curious research leads one on to many unexpected and exciting pathways.

Exploring the Final Frontier – From Christchurch

November Series

Linguistics

This course is a follow-up to the popular linguistics course in 2019. It doesn’t have a single theme but is a course that looks at some of the ‘cool work’ that the linguistics staff at the University of Canterbury are doing in their research.

On Safari

Dr. Judith Coullie obtained her MA in English literature from Syracuse University (USA) and her PhD from the University of Natal. Before immigrating to New Zealand, she was Professor of English at the University Of KwaZulu-Natal. She is currently a learning advisor at the University of Canterbury.

In these five lectures, we trace the history of the safari movement from its origins in William Burchell’s recorded experiences of travel in southern Africa in the 1830’s through to some very recent (and some hair-raising!) accounts.