2003 issues
In the French Corner, we have exciting new ideological convulsions
amidst France's extensive array of extreme left parties, plus some
extra-terrestrial ambitions on the part of the alter-mondialistes;
back in the world of Treatyology, we discover a rich seam of academic
writing on the subject of tribalism in contemporary New Zealand lurking
in a French electronic journal; Andrew Sharp's contribution is
particularly recommended. (25 November
2003)
Some thoughts about the
proposed European Constitution; some further thoughts
about the axing of appeals from New Zealand to the
Privy Council; some even further reflections on
referenda and whether minorities have the right to
secede in the face of majority steam-rollers; and a
cautionary tale of fiscal profligacy from
France. (15 October 2003)
A lengthy rumination about just what Europeans might (and then again might not) be on about when
they raise environmental issues in the context of trade liberalisation; but first, some notes on the
fall-out from France's summer heatwave. (17 September 2003)
Preserving French cultural exceptionalism in the new European Constitution;
cancelling arts festivals as an exceptional new way of promoting culture; re-opening the
Hundred Years' War 550 years down the line; challenges to the French Republic by
Islamic fundamentalists and Corsican nationalists - and some
reflections on what lessons each may hold for New
Zealand; and finally, a change of heart by the City of Paris on the cultural merit of its
€200,000 parrot.(17 July 2003)
Some
antipodean reflections on France's springtime orgy of strikes;
and more on the vexed issue of treatyology and New Zealand
history. (8 June 2003)
Some
ruminations on military and trading battlefields in France
in the wake of the Prime Minister's visit, Peter
Walker's fascinating story of Ngatau Omahuru/William Fox
and Elizabeth Rata's sternly Kantian retort to post-modernists
run amuck in our teacher education colleges.(7 May
2003)
Ambivalence about
who the French would like to see win the war
in Iraq, facts and figures on the cradle of
civilisation as it stands today, some robust
Australian views on rat bag fishing on the high seas,
some slightly less robust Australian views on how it sees
itself in the world (The White Paper on Foreign &
Trade Policy), and a treatyological footnote to the Battle
of Jutland (1916) (3 April
2003).
A contrarian French view on Iraq from Bernard Kouchner;
taking culinary standards seriously or Life and Death in the
French Kitchen; some extracts from upton-on-line's address to
the recent Knowledge Wave Conference in Auckland:
keeping New Zealand's tent flaps open and a call for a
re-think on how we teach history; and finally a note on plans
to manufacture leaders. (16
March 2003)
Upton-on-line comments briefly on the scarcity of morality when it comes to interpreting national positions on
Iraq; French politics as a mirror image of New Zealand politics; how they call wayward leaders to account in
Togo; and some absolutely essential reading for any New Zealanders wanting to understand the (or at least one) leading edge of treatyological discourse -
Histories, Power & Loss, the remarkable book edited by Andrew Sharpe and Paul McHugh. And finally, an announcement for those of you who just can't put the
Resource Management Act down. (5
February 2003)
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