Every year, students in COMS420 “Public Diplomacy” course (coordinator: Professor Natalia Chaban) work in small group to design public diplomacy campaigns for different embassies posted to New Zealand. In 2015, the Embassy of Germany to New Zealand invited our students to design a sports diplomacy campaign. A team of diplomatic jurors selected a winning team: […]
Read more →Warm congratulations to Dr Rosemary Baird on being named a debut author on the longlist for non-fiction in the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, for her richly illustrated book The Middle of Nowhere: Stories of working on the Manapouri hydro project (Canterbury University Press, 2025). Rosemary is an alumna in History who completed all her […]
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Media and Communication PhD candidate Mia Angeline to publish her paper “Local Wisdom and Pre-bunking Strategies: Building Digital Resilience Against Misinformation in Indonesia” in a Q1 journal Media and Communication (2026, vol 14). This paper is part of the Special Issue “Digital Resilience Within a Hypermediated Polycrisis”. In this article, informed by her PhD research, […]
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Media and Communication PhD candidate Shalabh Chopra was awarded an Austrian research fellowship—the OeAD Ernst Mach Grant. This grant allows PhD scholars worldwide to propose and work on a four-month research project in an institute based in Austria. Shalabh has been undertaking his fellowship at the Vienna Diplomatic Academy. Shalabh’ fellowship focused on the US-India […]
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UC Media and Communication PhD students Sam Brett, Georgia Williams, Niuscha Hansel, Yuanita Safriti and Deborah Parker presented their papers at the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Communication Association (AANZCA) (University of Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 26-28 November, 2025). Masters student Hermione Bowles attended as part of an AANZCA travel grant/scholarship, for which she co-wrote socials/blog content […]
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UC Department of Media and Communication runs its annual post-graduate conferences discussing research undertaken by our PhDs, all Masters, and Honours. On December 12, 2025, the Media and Communication Post-Graduate Conference featured 25 papers by the students, with the panels chaired by the Debarment’s academics. The conference was organised and run by the Post-Graduate Conference […]
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HE Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia and New Zealand, visited the UC and the Department of Media and Communication for the second time on January 23, 2025. UC Media & Comms hosted a public event where the Ambassador met with students and academics to discuss the “battle of narratives” in the increasingly geopolitical […]
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UC Media and Communication PhD students Mia Angeline, Shalabh Chopra, and Dmitry Romanenko, and UC Media and Communication alumni Dr Daniela Grimberg and MStratCom Francesca Harrison published their research on Global South media framing of Ukraine’s cultural and historical heritage at times of war in the peer-reviewed European Foreign Affairs Review (2025, 3 (4), with […]
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Christchurch singer Naomi Ferguson will headline the Mitre 10 Sparks concert in Hagley Park on Saturday for her third appearance at the much-loved annual event. Featuring the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and dazzling fireworks, you don’t want to miss it! When: Saturday 14 February 2026, 6.25pm to 9.40pm Where: Entertainment Triangle, North Hagley Park, Park Terrace, […]
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On 15 January 2026 the Teece & Arts Centre team hosted the opening of the Bricks of Olympus exhibition. Activity in the Great Hall included opportunities for kids to assemble a giant mosaic, and do some fun Maths Crafts supported by colleagues and students from the Department of Maths & Stats. In the Teece, 250,000 Lego […]
Read more →The Arts Digital Lab invites applications for the 2026 Faculty of Arts Digital Research Seed Fund. Successful applications will receive: Funding for up to 200 hours of research assistant time (made up of 10 hours of project scoping, 180 hours of work directed by the project leader, and 10 hours of project reporting), which may […]
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Dr Lin Mussell, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), has won the University’s Early and Emerging Career Researcher Award for 2025. The award is recognition of her outstanding national and international contributions to public policy relating to criminalisation, […]
Read more →The Teece Museum has been announced as the joint first place winner of the UMAC award for 2025. We are incredibly honoured to be recognised as joint first place winners alongside the University of Navarra. The Teece was recognised for the Accessibility Project, which expanded our efforts to diversify services and facilities for the Deaf […]
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Bring your family and friends to celebrate the launch of Bricks of Olympus with the UC Teece Museum and Maths Craft NZ! Join us for a day packed full of crafty brick fun for all ages. Challenge yourself to try all the fun Maths Craft activities and get crafty. Help to create a giant Roman […]
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On September 24, UC Media and Communication team: Dr Zita Joyce, Professor Natalia Chaban, Professor Donald Matheson, Conan Young, and Nohah Forde (with the help of an intern Elias Redpath) delivered for the second time a one-day practice-oriented course “Communication Matters” for engineers who aim to improve their techniques for effective interactions with government, business, […]
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Following the ongoing contacts between NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division and UC’s research centre Public Diplomacy and Political Communication Forum (directed by Professor Natalia Chaban), interdisciplinary team of students from COMS 420 Public Diplomacy represented the UC in a trans-national simulation Yonsei IP4 Hybrid Threat Simulation 2025 on October 11. The team led by Jacob Laudenslager […]
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The teams of students in the core Bachelor of Communication course, COMS 330 Communication in Context, presented their original social media campaign to the Embassy of France to communicate France’s major science diplomacy initiative in 2025 – the One Ocean science Congress (3 to 6 June 2025), which was organised within the 3rd United Nations […]
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Visit of the Ambassador of Spain to the University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury had the pleasure of welcoming on October 22nd His Excellency Luis Sánchez-Vellisco, Ambassador of Spain to New Zealand, and Mr George Forbes, Honorary Consul of Spain in Christchurch, to campus for a meeting that highlighted the strong and ongoing collaboration between […]
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The Latin America & Spain Film Festival (LASFF) is a vibrant cultural event showcasing contemporary films from across Latin America and Spain. Each year, the UC Spanish Programme, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in New Zealand and Viva la Vida Events and Projects, brings this festival to Christchurch, offering audiences an authentic window into the […]
Read more →On Tuesday October 21 at the University of Adelaide Associate Professor Patrick O’Sullivan (Classics) gave The Constantinos Moraïtis Annual Hellenic Public Lecture (sponsored by the Galatis Fund) on the following topic: “Greek Tragedy, the Emotions and Aeschylus’ Oresteia Reconfigured”. This invited lecture focused on the ancient reception of Aeschylus as a poet whose stylistic qualities of grandeur and ‘weight’ were crucial to the […]
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Associate Professor Chia-rong Wu (Chinese Programme; Global, Cultural and Language Studies; LSAP) has published a new co-edited volume titled The Southern Discourse in Sinophone Literature: Moving Borders (Routledge, 2025). The book gathers leading international scholars to offer a groundbreaking re-examination of culture and identity in the Chinese-speaking world. This collection challenges the long-standing northern-centric perspective in […]
Read more →Nick Smith published the article “Dependently Independent: Theorizing New Zealand’s ‘Independent’ Foreign Policy via a Neoclassical Realist Lens” in the Q1 journal Global Studies Quarterly. The article offers a theory of New Zealand foreign policy and grapples with the question of where our independent power aspiration best fits in a theoretical causal chain.
Link →Mike Grimshaw (Sociology) has a chapter “With/Out: The Theo/Politics of Exile” in Language and the World: Essays in Honor of Franson Manjali, Saitya Brata Das Editor, [Springer 2025] Franson Manjali was an Indian professsor of linguistics who worked on the philosophy of language in the continental philosophy tradition. The chapter draws upon the exilic position of […]
Read more →Mike Grimshaw (sociology) was on RNZ nights to discuss the impact of AI on questions of the purpose and value of tertiary education today Is it time to rethink education for the age of AI? | RNZ
Read more →Nick Smith published the article “Conceptualizing Utu as a Foreign Policy Doctrine for Aotearoa New Zealand” in the Q1 journal Global Policy. The article argues that the Māori concept of utu – broadly defined as the notion of balance through reciprocation – would provide a useful basis as a foreign policy doctrine.
Read more →Nick Smith have published an article ‘State capacity, military modernisation, and balancing: A conditional model of state capacity neoclassical realism’ in the journal Review of International Studies
Read more →Mike Grimshaw (Sociology) has two articles in a new volume, nr 6, of Logic and Philosophy of Time , celebrating 70 years of tense-logic. These articles, drawing on extensive archival research, discuss the thought of noted philosopher Arthur Prior while he was teaching at Canterbury University College in the 1940s and 1950s, focussing on Prior […]
Read more →Michael-John Turp recently participated in a Human Robot Interaction podcast episode called “The One About Ethics”. Topics for discussion included ethics, robots and moral judgements, generative AI, creativity and moral psychology
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Emma has earnt a PHD in Indigenous Philosophy. Her thesis, ‘Voices Across a Century: Ngāi Tahu Indigenous agency in Letters to the Editor’, looks at the history of how Māori were portrayed in print media from 1850 – right through to the 1950s.
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We’re all very proud of one of this year’s Journalism majors within the Bachelor of Communication, Rosie Leishman, who is finishing her qualification through an exchange with the Danish School of Media and Journalism. She recently had a story published with RNZ where she interviewed Time’s Women of the Year 2022 recipient, Zahra Joya, about […]
Read more →Mike Grimshaw (Sociology) has published a chapter WAITING FOR WINSTON: THE 2023 ELECTION CARTOONS AS THEATRE OF THE ABSURD in the 2023 election book “Back on Track? The NZ General Election of 2023 edited by Stephen Levine (VUW) I discuss 84 cartoons, chosen form the hundreds I collected from 19 January 2023, when Arden stood […]
Read more →Nicholas Ross Smith and Lauren Bland from the National Centre for Research on Europe have published a discussion article in the Australian Journal of International Affairs on the topic of the AUKUS debate in New Zealand. Nick also talked to RNZ about the article in light of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting.
Read more →Nik Taylor (Human Services and Co-Director, NZCHAS) recently published “Intersectionality, feminist social work, animals and the politics of meat” in The Routledge International Handbook of Feminisms in Social Work, with Heather Fraser (Edited By Carolyn Noble, Shahana Rasool, Linda Harms-Smith, Gianinna Muñoz-Arce, Donna Baines). The abstract is below. In this chapter, we consider how animal […]
Read more →Cindy Zeiher (human services) has recently published an article in S: Journal of the Circle for Lacanian Ideology Critique. The issue, edited by Jean-Michel Rabaté and Sigi Jöttkandt is dedicated to readings of French feminist philosopher, Hélène Cixous. Cindy’s article, Écriture féminine: Spiel on Words: Reading ‘Portrait of Dora’’ closely and critically focuses on Cixous’s […]
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I enjoy meeting prospective students and their families at open days and information evenings and encouraging them to follow their interests in arts-based subjects. My message to them is, ‘Do what you love, and you’ll be surprised at the opportunities that will present themselves to you’. Arts and humanities subjects are often seen as opposite […]
Read more →Professor Bronwyn Hayward was invited to give the opening key note address to the UNFCCC SB60 Expert Dialogue on the Disproportionate Impacts of Climate Change on Children and Relevant Policy Solutions , 4 June 2024. This is a specially mandated session for the 60th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – Professor Hayward;s contribution was lfilmed and hybrid virtual to the World Conference Centre Bonn , in Germany, Hayward was asked to review the way Children had been treated in the last 10 years of climate research reports and draw on her own insight from leading research groups at UC for the UK Economic and Social Research Council funded Cycles programme (children and youth in cities life style evaluation) about how children an can be supported to flourish in low carbon ways in cities and insights from the Deep South Project about Indigenous Maori and Pacific children’s leadership and decision making in flooded communities here in Christchurch with Profs Steven Ratuva and Sacha McMeeking.
Link →Mike Grimshaw (Sociology): My thoughts on Free Speech and Academic Freedom having attended the Free Speech Union AGM and been on the Academic Freedom panel. Both Free Speech and Academic Freedom are too important to be left to the Left or the Right- or the Liberal Centre – politically. For all positions hold within them […]
Read more →Mike Grimshaw(Sociology) was interviewed by Dom George of REX Rural Exchange radio regarding on-line lectures, the state of the tertiary sector and wider societal issues of the broken social contract. This arose out his widely read article on the tertiary sector https://plainsight.nz/the-broken-system-and-broken-social-contract-of-tertiary-education-in-new-zealand/ that has been reposted across of number of on-line sites and forums.
Read more →Michael-John Turp published and article in the journal Sport, Ethics and Philosophy. The paper examines the relationship between meaning in life and morality through the case study of boxing. While sport is often pursued more for reasons of meaning than morality, philosophers have had far less to say about the former. How are the ends of […]
Read more →Mike Grimshaw (Sociology) has a chapter on AI & ethics in Technology, Users and Uses: Ethics and Human Interaction Through Technology and AI
The chapter is: Not thinking like a young, white, western, secular man: Some ethical questions of whose intelligence and what intelligence is being artificialized?
This chapter takes the form of a thought piece that raises some questions regarding issues of diversity in AI. Its starting point is that while there are myriad academic writings on this issue, most of the wider, educated, interested general public engage with the issues and wider questions of AI from non-academic sources. Therefore, this article, written from an interdisciplinary perspective and reading, engages primarily with these sources to consider how the issues of AI and diversity are presented, encountered and engaged with for such a general public. The argument proceeds by engaging with two main issues. Not only is there a noted lack of diversity in the tech industry, especially as engaged with by more journalistic sources, there are also ethical questions needing to be raised as to what constitutes the “intelligence” in AI. In this chapter questions of “intelligence” are engaged with from considering primarily non-academic source AI discussions as this is the wider public context for questions of AI. As such, this is a deliberately ‘provocative’ reading and discussion, taking as its basis that we could – or rather need to – say: non-white, non-male, non-western minds matter.
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UC Fine Arts Senior Lecturer Louise Palmer will be speaking on a panel discussion on art and Cass Biological Station: Exhibition Opening – Rita Angus: He Haereka ki Cass/ A Trip to Cass Thu 5 Mar 7:00pm – 8:00pm AutumnHeritageAdultsTeensTe-Ara-ĀteaRolleston Te Ara Ātea, 56 Tennyson Street, Rolleston 7614, New Zealand The tiny Selwyn township of Cass […]
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On Tuesday, 24th of February, 1-2pm, in Elsie Locke 611 or https://canterbury.zoom.us/j/92235999668 Mia Angeline will present her research which examines how Indonesia’s cultural values and communitybased initiatives build digital resilience against misinformation. Using stakeholder interviews and a quasi-experiment with women’s community group, this paper shows that pre-bunking strategies gain effectiveness when embedded in community networks. […]
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Thursday 26 Feb – 12 to 1pm – A3 lecture theatre UC French Programme and FRENCHSOC present: Our Place on the Western Front Discover episodes from NZ’s WW1 story, including the incredible liberation of the French town Le Quesnoy and a friendship that has spanned the globe ever since.
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UC Fine Arts alumni Claudia Long, is curating the first exhibition of the year for CoCA. CHOMP: The Paste-ups of Earwig Magazine, features original paste-up artwork from Earwig (1969-1973), an underground magazine created by John Milne. CHOMP: The Paste-ups of Earwig Magazine 21 February – 29 March ‘Prior to the introduction of the desktop computer, paste-ups were created […]
Read more →The Arts Digital Lab invites you to join us on Monday 9 February, 9.30 am – 12 pm in Meremere 105, for a celebration of Digital Research in the Faculty of Arts, at which recipients of the 2025 Arts Digital Seed Fund will present on their research. See https://artsdigitallab.canterbury.ac.nz/digital-research-symposium for abstracts.
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Seminar: “I Hope this Helps: Comparing Emotional Content of Physician & Chatbot Responses to Health Queries” The Arts Digital Lab invites you to join us on Monday 16 February 2-3 pm in Logie 613, for a presentation from Danny Burns, University of Wyoming, “I Hope this Helps: Comparing Emotional Content of Physician & Chatbot Responses […]
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The Arts Digital Lab invites you to join us on Thursday 12 February 11 am – 12 pm in Logie 613, for a presentation from Jacq Jones (they/them), La Trobe University, “Leading by (sceptical) Example: Implementing a Consistent Approach to Generative AI in Teaching”. Link to https://artsdigitallab.canterbury.ac.nz/dhrn-seminar-leading-by-sceptical-example-implementing-a-consistent-approach-to-generative-ai-in-teaching
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You are cordially invited to the seminar: Can ChatGPT Speak the Language of Mental Health? 6-8pm 3 December, Undercroft 101 This seminar presents findings of a project conducted at the University of Canterbury by Dr Wei Teng (Chinese + Translation & Interpreting programmes, Global Cultural and Language Studies) and was funded through the Faculty of […]
Read more →Join the Arts Digital Lab for this rapid-fire series of short talks, in which our Research Alongsiders will reflect on the projects they’ve been working on this year. Coming from a wide range of disciplines, each RA has brought a unique perspective to the Lab. Their descriptions of interesting data they’ve come across, skills they’ve […]
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Created by LEGO® masterminds Jake Roos and Emily Fryer, (winner and runner up in Season One of LEGO® Masters New Zealand), this brick-shaped tribute to the gods will feature ancient myth as its story telling heart. Whether you are into building brick masterpieces, or are fascinated by the construction of ancient myth, this will be […]
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UC Fine Arts’ annual week-long event is back for 2025 in which incredible works are on display from our 3rd, 4th, HONs and MFA studio-artists. Opening event: Friday 21 November, 4pm – 7pm. Studios open daily 10am – 4pm, Sat 22 – Thu 27 November.
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Please join us 4:15pm on 3 October for our next Global Visions: Reo, Ahurea Research Seminar when Professor Jo Angouri (University of Warwick, Erskine Fellow) and Professor Meredith Marra (Linguistics, UC) present: “Navigating sociocultural boundaries: Advancing inclusion in the workplace”. Navigating sociocultural boundaries: Advancing inclusion in the workplace 4:15pm, 3 October, Elsie Locke 104A | […]
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Thinking about studying or doing research in Germany? Are you interested in pursuing a Master’s degree at a German university? Are you currently working on your PhD and considering a research stay in Germany? Or are you a postdoc looking for international research opportunities? Then this session is for you! Join Anne and Mareike from DAAD New Zealand for […]
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Bookish 25: Artists’ Books Day Ilam Campus Gallery, UC School of Fine Arts 10am-2pm Saturday 30 August 2025 You can find us on the map at this link: Ilam Campus Gallery. We’re really excited to invite you to join us for our 2025 Bookish event, an Artists’ Books Day exploring collections from the UC Macmillan […]
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Nau mai, tauti mai! Join us at the UCSA Foundry to celebrate 25 years of Te Tari Mātai Pāpāho Media and Communication at UC. Catch up with former classmates and lecturers old and new. Hear how we’ve grown to a centre of research and teaching across four degrees. Date: Sat 20 September 6pm to 11pm, […]
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Global Visions: Reo, Ahurea Research Seminar 4:15pm, Friday 15 August in Elsie Locke 104A Zoom ID: 967 1466 7728 Kleinberg, Wintermute, and Des Maladies Mentales: Reading Hallucinating Language Models with Graphs The usage of two terms, “hallucination” or “confabulation,” to describe the discrepancies in the output of generative AI suggests, based on these terms critical […]
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