Tohu Paerua Mātauranga WhakawhanaketangaMaster of Development Studies—MDevStud

My research is about achieving radical social transformation in and through the social institutions that shape contemporary life. I am particularly interested in examining sectors with claims to altruistic underpinnings, understanding what happens when altruism shifts into oppression or control, and working collaboratively to do things better. In line with critical development geographies, my research investigates the developmental sector's inadvertent damages to communities and environments while attempting to alleviate poverty and inequality. These issues often intersect with colonial legacies, capitalist practices, and global politics. Such patterns of harm are not just confined to development, thus my research has also explored contexts of health care, education, and regional economic development in Australia.

I conduct this work through community engaged action research projects across the Asia-Pacific region. My approach is informed by feminist economic geographies, particularly Diverse Economies and Community Economies. This approach not only seeks to deepen our understanding of the harms brought by the efforts of social institutions that purport to better the world. I use action research methods to engage professionals and community members in doing the work differently and, most importantly, finding creative and care-full paths forward that step outside the established practices of institutions.

My central research interests are in equity and justice. I approach them through an intersectional feminist lens, which is attentive to subjectivity, place and power. I'm curious about ethics, solidarities and how positive change can challenge injustice and discrimination to create more place-based and intercultural connection and equity.

I have published extensively about methodologies and methods as key means to democratise knowledge production, engage different worldviews, and recognise people as experts in their own lives. This work has focused primarily on theorising Participatory Action Research (PAR) and participatory development, participatory video, and creative methods like drawing, arpilleras and embodied movement. 

Most of my empirical research is cross- or intercultural and seeks to be decolonising. I've worked in partnership with Indigenous women and men in Bali, Indonesia, with some members of Te Iwi o Ngāti Hauiti in Aotearoa, and learnt from young activists across the Pacific challenging climate change. More recently I've collaborated with Hutt City Council to involve diverse residents in the co-design of new amenities in my home suburb, Naenae in ways that also reflect the cultural narrative of the area's history.

In addition since 2005, I've lead a number of collaborations with former refugees (primarily young people) living in Aotearoa New Zealand in participatory research about their priorities for better resettlement outcomes. A key focus continues to be mobilising research to inform educational equity for refugee-background tertiary learners. I"m also working with the Afghan Learning Hub to understand their community-led approach to heritage language maintenance and place-based integration, and with colleagues in Applied Linguistics and Information Management, we're exploring the residence decisions of Ukraine Special Visa holders.

Key interests therefore include: Refugee resettlement, place, forced migration, participatory

My research interest is located in the intersection between Development Studies, Human Geography and Political Ecology, with special emphasis on migrants issues.

Current research grant:

Sowing and sewing Latin Americans’ place and Te Tiriti futures in Aotearoa: Exploring Latin American communities’ engagement with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Ministry of Ethnic Communities. 2025.

With co-PI Lorena de la Torre Parra (Massey University)

urban nature, healthy cities, urban liveability, urban mobilities, urban heat, parent-centred urbanism, urban morphology, spatial analysis, urban modelling, GIS, decision-support tools for urban planning, integrated land use and transport modelling

Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geographic Information Science, Usability, eGovernment, Public Participation GIS, Crowdsourcing, Virtual Reality, Tactile and immersive cartography, resilient communities, natural hazards, Transport modelling, Cartography, Pedagogy, and Capability Building