Professor Tony Ballantyne talks about his new book on Captain Cook
Tony – who is a Distinguished Chair Poutoko Taiea in History at Otago – says Cook has always been a contested figure, especially in places where the legacies of imperial violence and dispossession weigh most heavily.
“I wrote this book to demonstrate how images and interpretations of Captain Cook were shaped by local histories and how they evolved over time.”
Listen to his RNZ interview here: The unsettled afterlife of Captain Cook | RNZ
Mirjana Moffat - O Ye of Great Wealth & Poor Health: Medici Family, Part 3, end of the line.
Otago Medical School Alumni Association
Presented by Mirjana Moffat, the final part in the series about the Medici family covers lives, health and diseases of the last five Grand Dukes of Tuscany.
The family line died with Gian Gastone, but it was his sister, Anna Maria Luisa who will be forever remembered by the Florentines. What was the relationship between brother and sister? Did the family line end due to STD? What was the most common disease in the 17th century?
The talk provides many interesting facts about the emergence of modern diseases, the “novel” treatment methods, and the legacy of Anna Maria Luisa.
May 2026 - Mirjana Moffat - O Ye of Great Wealth & Poor Health: Medici Family Pt3, end of the line.
Songs bearing the hallmarks of Central Otago
In this RNZ Music podcast, Otago alumnus and lecturer Ian Chapman chooses songs reflecting the connection with nature experienced by the people who live in Central Otago
Music: The scent and allure of Central Otago | RNZ
Beliefs and expectations: the psychology of recovery after injury and illness.
Deborah is a clinician scientist with a background in clinical psychology and neuropsychology. Much of her clinical and research career has focused on improving rehabilitation outcomes for people living with musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, especially the psychological and psychosocial factors that influence those outcomes.
Listen to her Inaugural Professorial Lecture here:
IPL Professor Deborah Snell Inaugural Professorial Lecture – Professor Deborah Snell