Humanities Lectures

The Department of Theology and Religion presents lecture one of the 2014 Thomas Burns Memorial Lecture series. Given by Professor Richard Bauckham, Professor Emeritus, University of St Andrews, Scotland, this presentation covers the topic “The World of the Lake of Galilee”. 12 August 2014

The Department of Theology and Religion presents lecture one of the 2014 Thomas Burns Memorial Lecture series. Given by Professor Richard Bauckham, Professor Emeritus, University of St Andrews, Scotland, this presentation covers the topic “The World of the Lake of Galilee”. 12 August 2014

The Honorable Michael Kirby, AC CMG Australia, presents this talk on Human Rights in North Korea. He discusses a number of issues including the torture of prisoners and other violations of human rights. He also discusses the establishment of the Commission of Enquiry in May 2013 to investigate these issues. 5 August 2014

The Second World War blurred the distinction between civilians and combatants, thus eliminating one of the central planks of just war theory. Hiroshima reinforced this trend with indiscriminate slaughter of civilians on an industrial scale. Professor Kevin Clements, NCPACS, Dr Yuko Shibata, Languages & Cultures, Professor Robert Patman, Politics, Professor Richard Jackson, NCPACS and Ria Shibata, PhD candidate, NCPACS will explore ways in which innocent civilians have been intentionally and unintentionally targeted in all subsequent modern wars. The forum will discuss current conflicts in the context of Hiroshima. 5 August 2014

The Honorable Michael Kirby, AC CMG Australia, presents this talk on Human Rights in North Korea. He discusses a number of issues including the torture of prisoners and other violations of human rights. He also discusses the establishment of the Commission of Enquiry in May 2013 to investigate these issues. 5 August 2014

The Honorable Michael Kirby, AC CMG Australia, presents this talk on Human Rights in North Korea. He discusses a number of issues including the torture of prisoners and other violations of human rights. He also discusses the establishment of the Commission of Enquiry in May 2013 to investigate these issues. 5 August 2014

Professor Gerald Torres, Jane M.G. Foster Professor of Law at Cornell Law School delivers this talk on 'Litigating Climate Change'. Climate change cases are already being handled by the USA courts. The most prominent are the atmospheric trust cases currently being brought by youth and supported by James Hansen and other scientists. These cases are asking the courts to compel Government to take meaningful action to protect the atmosphere for current and future generations. There have also been liability suits suggested – and at least one filed – over the effects of climate change. Professor Torres discusses the range of cases being brought and suggested in the USA, focusing on the atmospheric trust litigation, and the public trust doctrine which underlies it. 30 July 2014

Professor Gerald Torres, Jane M.G. Foster Professor of Law at Cornell Law School delivers this talk on 'Litigating Climate Change'. Climate change cases are already being handled by the USA courts. The most prominent are the atmospheric trust cases currently being brought by youth and supported by James Hansen and other scientists. These cases are asking the courts to compel Government to take meaningful action to protect the atmosphere for current and future generations. There have also been liability suits suggested – and at least one filed – over the effects of climate change. Professor Torres discusses the range of cases being brought and suggested in the USA, focusing on the atmospheric trust litigation, and the public trust doctrine which underlies it. 30 July 2014

Professor Gerald Torres, Jane M.G. Foster Professor of Law at Cornell Law School delivers this talk on 'Litigating Climate Change'. Climate change cases are already being handled by the USA courts. The most prominent are the atmospheric trust cases currently being brought by youth and supported by James Hansen and other scientists. These cases are asking the courts to compel Government to take meaningful action to protect the atmosphere for current and future generations. There have also been liability suits suggested – and at least one filed – over the effects of climate change. Professor Torres discusses the range of cases being brought and suggested in the USA, focusing on the atmospheric trust litigation, and the public trust doctrine which underlies it. 30 July 2014

Guest Lecturer Mindy Chen-Wishart, a Reader in Contract Law, presents a case study of the transplant of an English doctrine into Singaporean law and explores why the Singaporean courts, while professing to follow it, have applied it to very divergent effect. She compares Western and Confucian value systems—hierarchy versus equality, the positional versus the personal, and collectivism versus individualism—and emphasises the importance of being more aware of the deeply entrenched assumptions of one's own legal system, and of those of other cultures. With the 'changing of the guard' on the world stage, from the West to the East, this is a particularly important time to engage with the Eastern perspective. 24 July 2014