|
 | Biography |  |
Lecturer in International Relations, School of Political Science & International Studies Background:
Before specialising in international relations, Dr Durand was a translator for a French Publisher and a teacher of French at TAFE in Queensland and at CAE in Victoria. His personal encounter with the effects of war has led him to write a doctoral dissertation on the subject of peace in an attempt to explain the fragility of peace as an institution. Dr Durand has also worked as a lecturer in Humanities for the Queensland University of Technology. While undertaking his PhD he tutored in international relations and worked on a number of cognate research projects.
Research Interests:
- International Relations Theory Critical Theories and Constructivism. His interest in critical theories in general, and the politics of representation in particular, stems from his conviction that the more traditional theoretical approaches perpetuate a model of international relations that does not favour the conditions necessary to imagine a softer and more just world.
- International Law and International Institutions The same interest leads him to a reflection/ research concerning the relevance of articulating and institutionalising common rules and norms of appropriate behaviour by which the game of international politics could be played.
- The European Union as a social experiment The nature of the ongoing congeniality between the E.U. member states demands a mature examination of the philosophy that underpins its stability, success and civic model.
- The ongoing construction of cultures and identities Dr Durand personal relation with the history of modern France leads him to an ongoing interrogation of the importance of cultural identities, languages and historical representations, as they meet with the forces of google-isation.
- Ongoing research: Ethics and I.R - the Conversations of isms. The exploration of the possibility of dialogue across cultures and ontologies. The difficulties of engaging in meaningful dialogue starts with grasping the differences that separate Self from Other and understanding what the Other is saying. Dr. Durand explores some of the pathologies inherent to language and representation, as they are revealed in intercultural conversation. He posits that awareness of these limitations can be transformed into tools that can improve a dialogue of cultures.
|
