Papers by Nicole Meyer Conner
Apartheid and the Ideas about God that Upheld It
This is a blog post that some may find of interest: The rise and fall of apartheid shows the soci... more This is a blog post that some may find of interest: The rise and fall of apartheid shows the social and political power of religious movements. God is often claimed and ordained by the various religious voices seeking to present their perspective as right and true. “God is on my side” is perhaps one of the most comforting and often deceptive notions of the religious faithful. Deceptive, especially when it propagates oppression, violence and discrimination against other people in the name of God, claiming their suffering is unavoidable and “for the greater good”.
Recent history has witnessed an increase in global conflict since the 1990s. This factor, along w... more Recent history has witnessed an increase in global conflict since the 1990s. This factor, along with natural disasters, has resulted in the number of displaced persons exceeding 50 million, unparalleled since World War II. As the world frantically seeks to adjust to this crisis of destitute and vulnerable people, Australia has taken an increasingly austere approach to those seeking asylum on its shores. This paper examines the harsh attitudes and policies from an ideological perspective. The ideologies that will be discussed includes banal nationalism built on British-Anglo ideals, racism built on fear of economic competition, national security ideals built on political tactics that labeled asylum seekers as a ‘threat’, and ideals formed through geographical insularity evidenced by a disengagement from global affairs. These ideologies have developed successfully since European settlement because they have resonated with society’s fear of the ‘others’ and been promoted through political rhetoric and mass media. These ideologies, formed amidst hardship and survival fears of European settlers, are so deeply entrenched that they often go unrecognised or are denied. In order for Australia to address the complexity and plight of traumatised asylum seekers from a responsible, global position, it has to start by addressing the ideologies that have shaped its current bellicose attitude and policies towards those seeking refuge.
Racism has been a major influence on the imaging of Australian nationalism from the days of colon... more Racism has been a major influence on the imaging of Australian nationalism from the days of colonisation and the making of the ‘White Australia’ policy to today’s debates surrounding asylum seekers and the stereotyping of ethnic minority groups. This paper will discuss the statement of Marxist historian, Humphrey McQueen, from his book, A New Britannia: An Argument Concerning the Social Origins of Australian Radicalism and Nationalism, in which he claimed that 'racism is the most important single component of Australian nationalism'. The discussion will include an examination of the ideology and background that informed McQueen’s writings, a review of the impact of racism on Australian nationalism, and a brief overview of some of the debates that the book and statement have attracted. The conclusion upholds McQueen’s argument that racism has been the single most important component in the imaging of Australian nationalism and identity, and that it remains deeply embedded in the contemporary national psyche.
The city of Melbourne, located in the state of Victoria, Australia, is one of cultural diversity.... more The city of Melbourne, located in the state of Victoria, Australia, is one of cultural diversity. This paper will examine some of the inner city monuments and landmarks that highlight this diversity and how they inform contemporary society of its multicultural history. The monuments and landmarks discussed will underscore Melbourne’s indigenous heritage, highlight the settler era by looking at the formation of clubs based on British ideals, and feature the ethnic heterogeneity that came as a result of immigration during the gold rush of the 1850’s. The paper is set out in a chronological timeframe from pre-Melbourne to this gold rush era.
This research paper explores the way an Australian bush site, that became the exhibit of a natura... more This research paper explores the way an Australian bush site, that became the exhibit of a naturalist’s love for the bush and the indigenous people expressed through clay sculptures, has been interpreted for the many national and international tourists that visit the site every year. In particular, the research will focus on the ideology and philosophy that undergirded William Ricketts’ art and how current interpretation has both highlighted and hindered his ideals. William Ricketts was a naturalist who was deeply concerned by the mass destruction of the environment and the disregard of the indigenous people; his protest and activism is mirrored in the faces and figures he created through clay. Ricketts’ philosophy is a vital intangible cultural heritage and this research will assess whether current interpretation remains faithful and authentic to the voice of protest that became the invisible backdrop to this site.
Books by Nicole Meyer Conner
My Tribute to Elie Wiesel
This is a short blog tribute to Elie Wiesel. His memoir and first book, Night (La Nuit), has beco... more This is a short blog tribute to Elie Wiesel. His memoir and first book, Night (La Nuit), has become one of the most critically acclaimed of all Holocaust literature. It affected me deeply.
Drafts by Nicole Meyer Conner
Ideologies that inform policies and procedures rarely remain static. As ideas progress they are v... more Ideologies that inform policies and procedures rarely remain static. As ideas progress they are verified in strategy and action. This paper examines the process of transformation that some concentration camps underwent which turned them into death or extermination camps. The discussion will focus on the camps of National Socialist Germany, the Gulag camps of the Soviet Union, and the camps established by the British in South Africa during the Boer War (1899 – 1902) to force an end to the guerilla campaign held by the Afrikaners. Most of these camps were originally created as a form of social control, to assist in the realisation of ideals of governmental powers and masterminds. Some, like the British camps in South Africa, were to act as a place of refuge for those dispossessed through war. However, as war intensified, situations became more desperate and hate was fuelled, these camps went through gruesome forms of metamorphism, which ensued the death of millions.
Women played a vital role in the spread of Christianity in the first and second century CE. This ... more Women played a vital role in the spread of Christianity in the first and second century CE. This paper will assess their contribution by examining the various functions and responsibilities held by women as described in the New Testament and Canonical Gospels. The assessment will commence with a brief description of the lives of women in the Greco-Roman world. This description of the cultural setting will serve as an introduction to Jesus’ attitude towards and interaction with women, who were among his first followers. Women continued to function in the early church in a variety of roles such as apostles, evangelists, prophets, teachers and house church leaders, using their skills to spread the message and further the impact of the fledgling religion. A close examination of these multifarious roles, drawing on the Canonical Gospels as primary source, will demonstrate the integral part women played in the dissemination of Christianity.
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Papers by Nicole Meyer Conner
Books by Nicole Meyer Conner
Drafts by Nicole Meyer Conner