“Spies and Villains, Heroes and Heroines: Russian Characters in Spy Thrillers from 1880-2000"
EarthDiverse is pleased to announce a new Literature course entitled “Spies and Villains, Heroes and Heroines: Russian Characters in Spy Thrillers from 1880-2000" with Jillene Bydder.
This course is a survey of spy thriller fiction published between 1880 and 2000. It sets the books in their historical context and shows how their depiction of Russian/Soviet characters as heroes or as villains reflects the politics of the time in which the books were published. Spy thrillers also document our own social history and reveal many important and/or quirky issues for us to think about. For instance, why were so few thrillers with Russian settings or characters published during the world wars when Russia/the Soviet Union was our ally?
This course is offered in-person at the EarthDiverse Centre in Hamilton, New Zealand on Wednesdays from 11:00am-1:00pm (NZ time) beginning 3 August, or on-line (live-streamed) via Zoom from anywhere in the world. Some representative time zone equivalents are:
• Honolulu, Hawai’i: 1:00-3:00pm, Tue 2 Aug
• US Pacific: 4:00-6:00pm, Tue 2 Aug
• US Eastern: 7:00-9:00pm, Wed 3 Aug
• London, UK: 12:00-2:00am, Wed 3 Aug
• Bangkok, Thailand: 6:00-8:00am, Wed 3 Aug
• Singapore: 7:00-9:00am, Wed 3 Aug
• Sydney, Australia: 9:00-11:00am, Wed 3 Aug
This course is offered weekly for 8 consecutive weeks.
Register now on our website and check out all of our other courses!
Got a Minute? Prove You’re the Smartest Neighbour!
What is it that when given one, you’ll have either two or none?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
.
Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
-
84% Yes
-
14.7% No
-
1.3% Other - I'll share below
What would you do if it was your job to fix Hamilton's CBD?
More alcohol restrictions, more lighting, busking rule changes and a whole lot of lobbying - these are some ways Hamilton leaders want to sort out the CBD.
Crime and anti-social behaviour in the area has been in the spotlight after recent news of a man defecating in the street near a city pub and another who flipped tables out the back of a bar after being found scrounging cigarette butts and asked to leave.
What would you do if it was your job to fix Hamilton's CBD? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).