Richard Shaw
Richard Shaw is a professor of politics at Massey University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Richard is a regular commentator on political issues and the author of a number of academic publications about government, parliament and politics in Aotearoa New Zealand. Richard is the author of two books which address stories “forgotten” among settler families in Aotearoa New Zealand – The Forgotten Coast (2021) and The Unsettled: Small Stories of Colonisation (2024), the second of which was shortlisted for this year’s Ockhams, both published by Massey University Press.
2025 festival sessions
The Unsettled
Richard Shaw in conversation with Jane Forrest Waghorn
10.45am-11.45am, Saturday 19 July, Anderson Theatre, ASB Theatre Marlborough, $25
In his first book, The Forgotten Coast, Richard Shaw explores his family’s history of settlement, including an ancestor who served in the Armed Constabulary during the Parihaka invasion and occupation, as well as the purchase of three farms on land confiscated from local Taranaki iwi in the 1860s. After the book’s publication, many New Zealanders of settler descent reached out to Richard, sharing their own stories about their family history and gaining new insights into how it continues to impact on people in the present day. It is these stories that are covered in his second book, The Unsettled. Richard writes about these matters with care for the emotions they may evoke to help lead an inclusive national conversation that he points out is far bigger than the policies of any single government.
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Conversation Starters
Damien Wilkins and Richard Shaw in conversation with Jane Forrest Waghorn
7:00pm-8:00pm, Saturday 19 July, Small Town Winery, $25
In his novels, Damien Wilkins often writes characters who are reflecting on what it means to be Pākehā in Aotearoa today. Meanwhile, Richard Shaw draws on real-life stories, writing about New Zealanders coming to terms with their settler heritage. Both writers have started conversations among their readers about the legacy of colonisation. Damien and Richard discuss the potential for fiction and nonfiction to make difficult subjects more accessible and to spark curiosity, connection, and meaningful change. They will also reflect on the emotional weight of long-unspoken histories and the ethics of centring Pākehā voices in decolonisation narratives.
Then and Now - Fresh perspectives on history telling
Monty Soutar, Peter Meihana, Richard Shaw in conversation with Liz Ward
9:30am-10.30am, Sunday 20 July, Whitehaven Room, ASB Theatre Marlborough
Whether it’s a knack for making the academic accessible or a talent for weaving real events through fiction, these writers are telling Aotearoa New Zealand history in fresh, engaging ways. Panel facilitator Marlborough Heritage Manager Liz Ward asks the writers about telling history in ways that resonate with today’s reader.