Research themes

Find out about the key research themes being explored by our scholars.

Politics of citizenship

Researchers in this section examine issues of citizenship acquisition and deprivation, statelessness, and the rights associated with citizenship and residency, both in New Zealand and internationally.

Migration governance and policy

Researchers in this section investigate how immigration is regulated and governed at national, regional, and international levels. Our research projects examine the drivers and consequences of domestic immigration policy, and Aotearoa New Zealand’s participation in efforts to ‘manage’ migration at bilateral, regional and global levels.

Electoral politics of migration and diversity

Researchers in this section examine the many ways that migration and diversity intersect with electoral politics in different national contexts. Projects focus on the political participation (including voting behaviour) of immigrants, electoral rights of non-citizens, patterns and experiences of political representation among migrant-origin and minority ethnic communities, political party relationships with - and efforts to appeal to - migrant communities, and the role that ‘ethnic media’ play in the democratic process (including at election times).

Migration and citizenship in settler colonial contexts

Researchers in this section study the legacies of settler colonialism in contemporary migration and citizenship regimes. While its main focus is grounded in Aotearoa New Zealand, it also offers comparisons with other settler colonial settings such as Canada, Australia, and the USA. Section members engage with critical race theory, intersectionality, postcolonialism, decoloniality, nationalism, and white supremacism, among others.

Politics of forced migration

Researchers in this section explore the factors contributing to people having to leave their places of residence and, as a result, being uprooted from their homes. It critically analyses the politics of forced migration and examines efforts to ‘manage’ forced migration at regional and international levels.

Diaspora engagement and politics

Researchers in this section investigate various topics, including but not limited to: how and why states (both democratic and authoritarian) engage their diaspora populations; how diasporic identity and belonging are formed; the role of food and culture in diasporic identity; transnationalism and the political mobilisation of diasporic communities.