History is the study of what happened in the past. It is also the study of how we can know what happened in the past. It therefore involves critical enquiry into the nature and status of historical evidence, and into the ways in which the past may be reconstructed. Historians study the past to understand the complexities of the present. Most New Zealanders are aware of the need to explore the hitherto "hidden history" which has been revealed in cases before the Waitangi Tribunal. Others seek information on the cultural and institutional backgrounds of their ancestors who migrated to New Zealand. The conflicts occurring in many parts of the globe cannot be explained or understood without an historical context. For all these reasons, there is currently an immense interest in the past, and our programme offerings aim to address that.

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