Research
Whataboutism and political argument
How states answer criticism by pointing at somebody else’s fault, studied at the United Nations Security Council between 2008 and 2024 through hand coding, interviews, and machine learning.
PhD in Politics, University of Otago (2024). Author of Whataboutisms in International Politics (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025), with articles in International Politics and the Sri Lanka Journal of International Relations and conference papers at the Rhetoric Society of America and the New Zealand Political Studies Association, among others. University teaching at Otago and the Free University, an ACE Teaching Standards Certificate of Achievement (2026) for adult education, founder of two public forums in Auckland, and formerly manager of a regional civic programme across five Central Asian countries. Publications
Research, teaching, and engagement
One question connects the three strands of my work: how communication can help people navigate disagreement, build understanding, and take part in public life. Each strand is set out in full on its own page.
Teaching
University and community teaching
International relations at the University of Otago, a course in argumentation, rhetoric, and persuasion that I designed and launched, and public speaking for adult learners from a wide range of backgrounds.
Community engagement
Walk & Talk and The Civic Room
Two public forums I founded in Auckland for structured, good-faith disagreement between strangers, where the conditions for constructive dialogue are tested in practice. Walk & Talk now has more than 5,000 members, and its events average 4.8 out of 5 across nearly 500 reviews.