PTSD

songs about missionaries

Friday fun: so few hours, so much action.

Activity 1: people shouting over each other; arguing; saying that they disagreed with one another (and with me); having read stuff and commenting and critiquing it.

No, not a football-watching session at the local pub but, instead, my new class. I'm rather amused by this.

Best bit: "I did IR theory at [very big name uni] and we were never taught of ethics there". Huh. They still have those classes? How do you learn about IR theory without discussing ethics (and not Ethics but ethics)?

Activity 2: Watching someone else eat while whingeing about stuff is more fun than you'd think. Also, there being different levels of lies (but not having to resort to any).

Activity 3: Helping a student with their research proposal (which is going to matter for a a potential overseas research trip) and having them say "Oh, it really helps to talk about this". Yes, well, that's the point of all this, isn't it? At least, I reckon so.

It's still interesting to me to see how some people automatically gravitate towards certain ways of doing research. It's getting them to think about the implications of doing things in a certain way that is also fun.

Activity 4: Being fascinated by the (many many) secret servicemen (yes, well, they were all men) milling about at uni, in order to safeguard ImportantDiplomat. Standing outside the room and making a comment about how a box I was carrying (contents unknown at that point) might contain a bomb*.

Activity 5: Having a discussion about how mechanisms for young people joining environmental movements, gangs and terrorist organisations are all similar. Well, yes. But, in our field, that's a fairly radical claim.

And, finally for today, this: Maoists are now MPs in the Nepali parliament. Why gray uniforms, though? And all that talk about Nepal being a republic. There is still a King, yous know. He's probably plotting something nefarious (as people who are ousted from ruling/want to be in power usually tend to do--do watch Blackadder for further details).

The last line of the article says: "A prerequisite for the vote is peace, and, inch by inch, that is being consolidated" (emphasis added).

Here, "peace" is not something that just happens because of an absence of conflict (especially as its noted earlier in the article that conflicts are ongoing, especially in rural areas) but has to be constructed (and maintained).

That's all for now, folks. Go play with E's concert calendar.




* It had books on social science research methods. Why? I didn't order any (but am keeping them since it's not often I get free books given to me).

posted by Priya @ 5:52 PM