ʻATENISI INSTITUTE
An institute for critical education in the South Pacific
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Meʻelaufola (2008)
HUMANITIES
HST 201/202 – Introduction to Global History
The course not only traces the development of ancient Mediterranean empires but ancient Middle Eastern, North African, sub-Saharan African, Indian, Chinese, and native American civilisation as well. Within the ancient world, the Sumerian and Semitic-speaking civilisations of the Tigris/Euphrates Rivers, the Nile River, and the Levant are contrasted with the Indo-European speaking civilisations of Persia, Greece, and Rome, with the tension between tyranny, oligarchy and populism closely studied in the latter two. Medieval Islamic and Indian cultures are credited with preserving classical interest in philosophy and mathematics, enabling the European Renaissance. The hegemony of Anglophone capital and liberalism in the late second millennium is comprehensively detailed whilst the challenges of Spain, France and Germany – and later Russia, Italy and Japan – are as well analysed, with particular attention paid to Luther, Calvin, the Inquisition, the French Revolution, National Socialism, Leninism, and Islamism. The course concludes with a survey of rising economic power in China and India.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
ECON 202 – Introduction to Economic Thought
The economic perspective of ancient Greece – via Aristotle, and medieval Islam – via Ibn Khaldun, frames the ensuing Western European debate between mercantilism, physiocracy, and the basic capitalism proposed by Adam Smith. The course next considers the abuses of capitalism and catalysis of the Marxian critique.
PAC. STUD. 220 – Politics of the South Pacific
A comparative survey of the politics of the Anglophone-Pacific and ongoing colonialism of the Francophone-Pacific. Within the Francophone sector, Kanak and Tahitian insurgency in New Caledonia and French Polynesia is measured against support for continued French sponsorship. Within the Anglophone sector, the eclipsing authoritarianism of Fiji is contrasted with both Samoan localism and Tonga’s transition towards democracy.
POL ST. 250 – Diplomatic Communication
A concise history of diplomacy, ministries of foreign affairs, and foreign embassies, focusing on the missions of war and treaty, enforcement of international law and human rights, environmental regulation, commercial agreements, and both the procurement and donation of foreign assistance. The course next focuses on effective negotiation strategies for key political cultures in today’s world, including European, North American, South African, South Asian, and Pacific democracies; East Asian democracies; Latin American social democracies; authoritarian and democratic Islamic cultures; and authoritarian Russian and Chinese politics.
NATURAL SCIENCE
PHYS 290 – Introduction to Astronomy
The course launches with a history of the discipline. It next considers observational, spherical, and planetary astronomy, including supernovae, neutron stars, and black holes. Physical topics include gravitation, forces, optics, and radiation.
CREATIVE ARTS
E.L. 250 – Creative Writing
A toolkit for the aspiring poet, novelist, playwright, or screenwriter. Students are initially acquainted with various types of figurative language, including metaphors, similes, and personification. They are next trained to deploy descriptive imagery. The course concludes by focusing on the components of narration, including setting, characters, rising and falling action, climax, and resolution.
T.A. 210 – Fundamentals of Performance
The course imparts the requisite preparation for role presentation including an appreciation of the role of storytelling, as well as research – both academic and experiential – of story and character. Special attention is paid performance techniques such as the concentration/relaxation duality, sense memory, and emotional recall. The final component negotiates breathing, vocal, and movement training, including diction, projection (both subtle and bold), posture (both formal and informal), gesture, and effective positioning on camera or stage.