One of the first opportunities for an in-depth look at the results of the 1999 general election will take place at a joint conference of the Third Wellington Conference on World Affairs European Studies Association of New Zealand and the New Zealand Political Studies Association.

The conference hosted by Victoria University is entitled "New Perspectives for a New Millennium: Local, National, Regional and Global" and is part of the university's centennial programme. It is being held from December 1-3 at Victoria University's Law School in the Old Government Buildings, Wellington.

The joint conference will focus on innovative suggestions for analysing and understanding key issues in political science and international relations. Themes include social forces and movements; globalisation; local government and political and cultural relationships.

Speakers include Steve Smith, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Professor of International Relations at the University of Wales and co-editor of The Globilization of World Politics and Rob Walker, Professor of Political Science, University of Victoria, British Columbia. Walker's attendance is made possible by a grant from the Canadian Government to mark 60 years of Canadian /New Zealand relations.

Funding for the event has also been provided by the European Commission and from the Embassy of Belgium. The conference's first day will feature a roundtable of ambassadors from various European countries discussing the links between Europe and Asia and Australasia.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>