Research and Reason

What happens when sporting success comes at an environmental cost? The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest in history, with more teams, more matches and more fans travelling from around the world. Dr Chris McMillan from School of Social Sciences joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to explore the intersection of sport, commercialism and climate change. He discusses the climate impact of...

Dr Ritesh Shah specialises in education in conflict and disaster zones and the politics of foreign aid. He sits down with our media adviser Julianne Evans to discuss his work with the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies (CAPRS), including their latest project: giving voices to the teachers on the frontline in Gaza.    The research will help document the experiences of educators - including par...

Senior Lecturer Dr Simon Ingram discusses his new immersive installation that combines bird recordings, LiDAR scanning, mathematics, ecology and digital technology to recreate a living pre-colonial, native forest. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, he also explains how art can help people reconnect with the natural world. Read more about Vibrating World: Rotokare Forest here: h...

What can tiny fragments of ancient bird bones and DNA reveal about the past? Anthropology doctoral candidate Patricia Pillay's research uncovers how humans and wildlife in the Marquesas Islands have interacted over the past 700 years. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Patricia also shares how tiny bird bones and Indigenous knowledge tell big stories about history, culture...

Associate Professor Lisa Bailey explores how the medieval church in Western Europe filled the power vacuum after the collapse of the Roman Empire while simultaneously becoming the largest slave owner at the time. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Lisa shares how these early medieval ideas about slavery and practices of service exist in today's society, and the efforts it t...

Why does it feel like you are starring in a movie when you enter a Disney theme park? In this episode, Dr Gregory Camp, Senior Lecturer in Music, explains how Disney theme parks use movie music to create immersive and magical experiences. He joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to share his favourite Disney songs, what makes them good, and how Disney blends classic and new songs to appeal to mul...

Did you know Bing Crosby’s White Christmas is the best-selling single of all time? Ethnomusicologist Dr Kirsten Zemke explores Christmas music through the years, from the songs our grandparents and their parents played, the global pop stars who keep reinventing them, to Christmas movies that revived forgotten classics. Kirsten joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to explore how music connects ge...

How does immigration policy impact our peoples and society? Professor Francis Collins discusses how immigration policies has evolved in the last 40 years. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, he explores how “neutral” policies can still produce unequal outcomes, the precarity faced by temporary workers, and the opportunity to rethink Aotearoa New Zealand's immigration policy....

Where have all the coaches gone? In this episode, Dr Blake Bennett talks to our media adviser Julianne Evans to unpack the hidden pressures of volunteer sport coaching in New Zealand. From the decline in volunteer numbers to the toll on their wellbeing, Blake shares insights from his research and his experience of coaching the national kendo team. As participation in sports remains high, Blake bel...

Dr Claudia Rozas joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to unpack the past and present of secondary school qualifications in Aotearoa New Zealand and what the future could look like. With the government's proposal to replace NCEA, Claudia explores how education policy and curriculum design reflect deeper questions around equity, culture and national identity. 

Dr Alex McAuley joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to talk about the ancient queens and royal women of the Hellenistic period, including the seven Cleopatras. He examines the ways these women used power to intervene in politics and support their family, and often with dramatic effects. He also shares his upcoming project, which looks at how pop culture, film and television have shifted in thei...

Associate Professor Danping Wang joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to discuss how AI is reshaping the landscape of language learning and teaching. Danping shares how she incorporates AI in course design to support students at different levels, and explains why human agency remains essential when working with AI. 

Associate Professor and Head of School Fiona Jack joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to chat about the history of Elam and how it's adapted for today's students' needs. Fiona also shares how she started her creative journey and how Elam shapes the next generation of Aotearoa's artists and creatives.    Find out more about Bachelor of Fine Arts here:  https://www.auckland.ac.nz/...

Professor Ngarino Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou) joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to reflect on her 12-year collaboration with Professor Deidre Brown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) and the late art historian Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (1943-2014) on their award-winning book, Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art.   Ngarino also shares insight on how art can weave together different generations and...

Dr Aleisha Ward from the School of Music joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to explore how jazz first arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand during World War One. She shares fascinating stories of the jazz scene in the 1920s, and what life was like for musicians and music lovers during this era. If you're new to jazz and or interested in discovering more classic New Zealand jazz artists or songs,...

Dr Jean M Uasike Allen joins our media adviser Julianne Evans in conversation about her latest research on Pacific girl gamers. She explores how online gaming influences their wellbeing and relationships while they challenge negative stereotypes. Jean also highlights the importance of incorporating Pacific worldviews to understand these digital experiences and explore digital vā.   Read more about...

What would happen if a composer collaborated with artificial intelligence to produce new music?   Dr David Chisholm, head of the School of Music, put it to the test as part of a new project. He tells our media adviser Julianne Evans how he prompted AI to compose a musical suite and arrange it for a full orchestra. Hear snippets of the work and more in this incisive discussion on the future of musi...

Refugee families separated by conflict or persecution face a seven-year backlog to join their loved ones in New Zealand. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Professor Jay Marlowe lays out the immense pressures and the strategic changes needed to improve efficiency and fairness in family reunification.   Professor Jay Marlowe is the Head of School of Counselling, Human Services a...

*Content warning: this episode includes discussions related to sex and intimacy. Listener discretion is advised.   Dr Claire Meehan, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, joins our media adviser, Julianne Evans, to explore how we talk to young people about sex in the digital world. She also delves into her upcoming book on consent in the digital age, including the complexities of AI and deepfake technol...

*Content warning: this episode includes discussions of suicide that may be potentially triggering.  Professor Jemaima Tiatia-Siau is the University's first Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific, and a researcher with a focus on climate change and Pacific mental health. Jemaima shares her journey of becoming a professor, and discusses the importance of creating a sense of community to support people around u...

Netball has been the most popular game for girls and women in New Zealand for a century. As a fan and former player, Dr Margaret Henley researches the social history of netball and shares how she tracked down a rare film shot in 1932 .  Margaret also tells the stories of the sport's pioneers such as Jessie Knapp and the role it has in the intergenerational wellbeing of Aotearoa women.   Read more:...

Associate Professor Chris Ogden is the Programme Director of Global Studies at UoA and specialises in the dynamics of power and identity in Asia and the Indo-Pacific. He discusses how the pandemic revealed authoritarian tendencies in different countries. Using the social credit system in China as an example, he also talks about how technology could be used by regime, and how some degrees of a simi...

Professor Kim Phillips is a historian with a special interest in the history of gender, sexuality, and women in the medieval period. Kim’s latest project delves into women who lived in the Middle Ages and the four iconic archetypal images that surrounded them: mermaids, nursemaids, milkmaids, and hags. She discusses the meanings attached to the female body during that time, and how the ideals of b...

Honorary Associate Professor Avril Bell speaks to Julianne Evans about her latest project. Her book Becoming Tangata Tiriti: Working with Māori, Honouring the Treaty brings together 12 non-Māori voices who have engaged with te ao Māori and have attempted to bring te Tiriti to life in their work.    Avril hopes by sharing their wisdom of forging connections with te ao Māori, we could all explore ou...

Is Sherlock Holmes actually good at logic? Senior Lecturer Dr Patrick Girard is here to talk about logic. We use logic in everyday decision making and it helps to slow down our thoughts. Patrick discusses his own experience of using logic for a healthy pursuit of common goals, suggests how it might improve our interactions on social media, and whether Einstein's logical decision to write a let...