Associate Professor Brian Roper, Our people, Politics

Brian Roper 2019 Image MA (Cant), PhD (Griff)

Associate Professor Roper's research interests include: New Zealand politics; public policy; political economy; social inequality; gender and feminism; classical and contemporary Marxism; history and major theories of democracy.

He has co-edited two books: State and Economy in New Zealand (1993) and The Political Economy of New Zealand (1997). His book Prosperity for All? Economic, Social and Political Change in New Zealand since 1935 was published in 2005. His second authored book is The History of Democracy, originally published by Pluto Press in 2013, with translated editions due to appear in China, Germany and Turkey. It is described by David McNally, Professor of Political Science at York University, as a “stunning and panoramic book”, which “sheds light on the theory and practice of democracy across the ages”.

According to reviewers, The History of Democracy provides: "an excellent exploration of the history of democracy and the struggle to extend it" (Socialist Review (UK)); “an excellent text for anyone seeking to understand a socialist perspective on democracy, historically rooted, and then read on further” (London Socialist Historians Group); an “ambitious project of cutting-edge relevance for the Arab region and the world” (Jordan Times).

He has been a political activist for more than twenty years, and has been involved in a wide variety of progressive struggles and campaigns.

Teaching

POLS 102 Aotearoa New Zealand Politics – Introduction
POLS 208 Democracy
POLS 323 Marxism: Classical and Contemporary
POLS 520 New Zealand Government and Politics
POLS 521 Politics and Society

Contact details

Room 4N2, 4th floor, Arts (Burns) Building
Tel +64 3 479 8667
Emailbrian.roper@otago.ac.nz
Research days – Monday morning, Friday

Publications

Roper, B. S. (2026). The Covid-19 pandemic and its continuing impact on New Zealand politics. Counterfutures, 17, 98-139. doi: 10.11157/cf.v17.274 Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. (2025, November). The sixth National Government's neoliberal fiscal austerity and tertiary education policies. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA)/Te Kāhui Tātai Tōngorapū o Aotearoa (TKTToA) Biennial Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. S. (2024). Neoliberalism’s war on New Zealand’s universities: A critical analysis and evaluation of tertiary educational policy-making from 2017 to 2024. Proceedings of the Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand (SAANZ) Conference: The Sociology to Come. Retrieved from https://www.saanz.net/saanz2024/ Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Roper, B. S. (2024). Making sense of neoliberalism in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A response to Nicholls, Duncan, Neilson, and Foucauldian governmentality. Supplementary note 1 and 2: The neoliberal policy regime: A brief overview. New Zealand Sociology, 39(Suppl.). Journal - Research Other

Roper, B. S. (2024). Making sense of neoliberalism in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A response to Nicholls, Duncan, Neilson, and Foucauldian governmentality. New Zealand Sociology, 39(1), 39-59. Journal - Research Article

2026

Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. S. (2026). The Covid-19 pandemic and its continuing impact on New Zealand politics. Counterfutures, 17, 98-139. doi: 10.11157/cf.v17.274

2025

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

2024

Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. S. (2024). Making sense of neoliberalism in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A response to Nicholls, Duncan, Neilson, and Foucauldian governmentality. New Zealand Sociology, 39(1), 39-59.

Roper, B. S. (2024). China’s rise and the United States’ response: Implications for the global order and New Zealand/Aotearoa. Part I: Using uneven and combined development theory to explain China’s rise. Kōtuitui, 19(4), 456-471. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2024.2328532

Journal - Research Other

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

2023

Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. S. (2023). The climate change policies of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand: An eco-socialist analysis and critical evaluation. New Zealand Sociology, 38(2), 17-34. doi: 10.3316/informit.068166688079937

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. (2023, June). The rise, entrenchment, and modification of a neoliberal policy regime in Aotearoa New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the Proceedings of the 25th Annual Conference of the Association for Heterodox Economics (AHE): Bringing together heterodox approaches to economic challenges, Cambridge, UK.

2022

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Roper, B. (2022). Understanding past and present to make the future: Socialism, democracy, and ecological sustainability beyond capitalism. Proceedings of the Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand (SAANZ) Conference: Now what? Reimagining hope, 'truth' and equality. Retrieved from https://www.saanz.net/saanz2022

Roper, B. S. (2022). China's rise and the US response: Implications for the Global Order and New Zealand. Proceedings of the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Annual Conference: Reclaiming Common Ground: A Key Challenge for Political Studies. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/waikato.ac.nz/nzpsa2022/home

Roper, B. (2022). The political economy of the covid-19 pandemic: Origins, spread, economic impact, policy responses. Proceedings of the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) 2021 Online Conference. Retrieved from https://nzpsa.com

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Ellis, L., Winter, C., Headley, J., Goldsmith, L., Patman, R., Roper, B., & Nel, P. (2022, August). World in crisis panel. Panel discussion at the Otago Politics Day School, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Roper, B. S. (2022, August). China's rise and the US response. Verbal presentation at the Otago Politics Day School, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Roper, B. (2022, August). The sixth Labour government's climate change policies: An eco-socialist analysis and critique. Verbal presentation at the Otago Politics Day School, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Roper, B. S. (2022, August). Political ideas: Neoliberalism vs social democracy? Verbal presentation at the Otago Politics Day School, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2019

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Roper, B. (2019). The climate change policy framework of the sixth (Ardern) Labour-led government: Description, explanation, critical evaluation. Proceedings of the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Conference. Retrieved from https://nzpsa2019.sched.com

2018

Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. (2018). Neoliberalism's war on New Zealand's universities. New Zealand Sociology, 33(2), 9-39.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. (2018, December). Neoliberalism's war on New Zealand universities. Verbal presentation at the Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand (SAANZ) Conference: The Future in the Past, Wellington, New Zealand.

2017

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (2017). The climate change policies of the Green Party of Aotearoa/New Zealand: An eco-socialist analysis and critique. Proceedings of the 19th Association for Heterodox Economics (AHE) Annual Conference: Economics for a Sustainable World. (pp. 385-424). Retrieved from https://hetecon.net/?page=ahe_conferences

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. (2017, November-December). The socialist debate about election 2017: Is it worth voting and voting left? Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Conference: (Dis)ordering politics: Exclusion, Resistance and Participation\n, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Roper, B. (2017, November-December). Neoliberalism and New Zealand politics from 1984 to the present: The rise, entrenchment, and modification of a neoliberal party regime. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Conference: (Dis)ordering politics: Exclusion, Resistance and Participation, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Other Research Output

Roper, B. (2017, September). Election 2017: Why vote, and why vote left? International Socialist Organisation. Retrieved from https://iso.org.nz/2017/09/14/election-2017-why-vote-and-why-vote-left/

2015

Authored Book - Other

Roper, B. (2015). 民主的历史：马克思主义解读 [Translation of The history of democracy: A Marxist interpretation]. Beijing, China: People's Daily Press, 358p.

Chapter in Book - Research

Roper, B. (2015). The importance of political theory. In J. Hayward (Ed.), New Zealand government and politics. (6th ed.) (pp. 72-73). Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.

Roper, B. (2015). New Zealand politics post-1984. In J. Hayward (Ed.), New Zealand government and politics. (6th ed.) (pp. 25-35). Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.

2014

Journal - Research Other

Roper, B. S. (2014). [Review of the book The democracy project: A history, a crisis, a movement]. New Socialist Webzine. Retrieved from http://www.newsocialist.org/760-the-democracy-project-a-review

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. (2014, December). New Zealand's political history from 1984 to 2014: Has it centrally involved the rise, entrenchment, and continued roll out of neoliberalism? Verbal presentation at the Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand (SAANZ) Conference: The Social Impact of the Canterbury Earthquakes, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Other Research Output

Roper, B. S. (2014, September). Are the Greens a left alternative? International Socialist Organisation of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Retrieved from https://iso.org.nz/2014/09/11/are-the-greens-a-left-alternative/

2013

Authored Book - Research

Roper, B. S. (2013). The history of democracy: A Marxist interpretation. London, UK: Pluto Press, 310p.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (2013). Democracy's past, present and future: Identifying the historical antecedents of socialist participatory democracy. Proceedings of the Association for Heterodox Economics. Retrieved from https://hetecon.net/?page=ahe_conferences&side=conference_papers&sub=2013_conference

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. (2013, June). Marxism and democracy. Verbal presentation at the Socialism Conference, Chicago, USA.

Roper, B. (2013, March). The history of democracy: A Marxist interpretation. Verbal presentation at the Marxism Conference: Ideas to Challenge the System, Melbourne, Australia.

2012

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (2012). Back to the future? The collapse of ancient Roman civilisation and the future of capitalism [Plenary panel discussion: Sociology and the future]. New Zealand Sociology, 27(1), (pp. 74-87). [Full Paper]

2011

Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. (2011). Reformism on a global scale? A critical examination of David Held's advocacy of cosmopolitan social democracy. Capital & Class, 35(2), 253-273.

Roper, B. S. (2011). The fire last time: The rise of class struggle and progressive social movements in Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1968 to 1977. Marxist Interventions, 3, 7-30.

Roper, B. (2011). The Fifth (Key) National Government's neoliberal policy agenda: Description, analysis and critical evaluation. New Zealand Sociology, 26(1), 12-40.

Journal - Research Other

Roper, B. (2011). Why is John Key so popular? Socialist Review, 36, 6-7.

Roper, B. S. (2011). [Extended review The transition of New Zealand Government and Politics]. Political Science, 63(2), 244-246.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Roper, B. S. (2011). The Fifth National Government's neoliberal policy agenda: Securing a brighter future? Proceedings of the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Conference. (pp. 5). Retrieved from http://nzpsa.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/nzpsa-2011-conference-abstracts.pdf

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Cremin, C., Jones, C., McIntosh, T., Nickel, T., Roper, B., & Trundle, C. (2011, December). Sociology and the future [Panel discussion]. Verbal presentation at the Sociological Association of Aotearoa, New Zealand (SAANZ) Annual Conference: Looking Forward: Trends, Horizons and Utopias, Wellington, New Zealand.

Roper, B. S. (2011, December). The Fifth National Government's neoliberal policy agenda: Securing a brighter future? Verbal presentation at the Sociological Association of Aotearoa, New Zealand (SAANZ) Annual Conference: Looking Forward: Trends, Horizons and Utopias, Wellington, New Zealand.

2010

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Laurie, A., Roper, B., Janeiwski, D., Taylor, D., Millar, G., Sleep, J., … Morse, V. (2010, October). Where to next? [Panel discussion]. Invited presentation at the Protest, Dissent, and Activism Symposium, Wellington, New Zealand.

Roper, B. (2010, October). The fire last time: The rise of class struggle and the new social movements. Invited presentation at the Protest, Dissent, and Activism Symposium, Wellington, New Zealand.

2008

Chapter in Book - Research

Roper, B. S. (2008). The welfare state: Origins, development, crisis, and redesign. In N. Lunt, M. O'Brien & R. Stephens (Eds.), New Zealand, new welfare. (1st ed.) (pp. 10-18). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. (2008, April). Cosmopolitan social democracy: A Marxist critique. Verbal presentation at the Historical Materialism: A Journal of Critical Marxist Research Inaugural North American Conference, Toronto, Canada.

Roper, B. S. (2008, July). Cosmopolitan social democracy: A Marxist critique. Verbal presentation at the 10th Anniversary Conference of the Association for Heterodox Economics, Cambridge, UK.

Roper, B. (2008, November). The American revolution and constitutional redefinition of democracy. Verbal presentation at the Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2007

Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. (2007). The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and the struggle against the Employment Contracts Act: Lessons for activists today. Red & Green, 6, 10-32.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (2007). Cosmopolitan social democracy: A Marxist appreciation and critique. Proceedings of the Australian Sociological Association (TASA) Conference: Public Sociologies: Lessons and Trans-Tasman Comparisons. Retrieved from http://www.tasa.org.au/conferences/conferencepapers07/

2006

Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. (2006). Business political activity in New Zealand from 1990 to 2005. Kōtuitui, 1(2), 161-183. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2006.9522417

Journal - Research Other

Roper, B. (2006). The reality of class inequality in Aotearoa. Socialist Review, 21, 8-11.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. (2006, August). Business political activity in New Zealand from 1990 to 2005. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Annual Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand.

2005

Authored Book - Research

Roper, B. S. (2005). Prosperity for all? Economic, social and political change in New Zealand since 1935. Victoria: Thomson, 302p.

Chapter in Book - Research

Roper, B. S. (2005). Globalization and the shift in policy-making from Keynesianism to Neoliberalism: The decline of national and state autonomy? In R. Patman & C. Rudd (Eds.), Sovereignty under siege? Globalization and New Zealand. (pp. 23-38). England: Ashgate.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (2005). Gender inequality in Aotearoa: A socialist-feminist analysis. Proceedings of the Australasian Political Studies Association Conference. [Full Paper]

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Roper, B. S. (2005, September). The fifth labour government: A third way beyond Keynesianism and Neoliberalism? Verbal presentation at the Australasian Political Studies Association Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Roper, B. S. (2005, November). The fifth Labour Government's Third Way: An explanation and critique. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Sociology Annual Conference, Tatadale, New Zealand.

2004

Journal - Research Article

Roper, B. S. (2004). The globalisation of revolt and the critique of capitalism: Exploitation, agency, democracy. Red & Green, 3, 13-36.

Journal - Research Other

Roper, B. S. (2004). Working for families? Brian Roper reviews Budget 2004. Socialist Review, 18, 10.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (2004). Power shifts on contested terrain: Business versus workers and social movements, 1968 to 2004. Proceedings of the New Zealand Sociology Annual Conference. [Full Paper]

Roper, B. S. (2004). The fire last time: The rise of class struggle and new social movements, 1968 to 1977. Proceedings of the Seventies in New Zealand Symposium: A decade of change. [Full Paper]

2002

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Roper, B. S. (2002). Troubled times at the degree factory. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 10, 16-17.

Roper, B. S. (2002). United we stand? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 10, 27-28.

Roper, B. S. (2002). Green Politics: A New Radicalism? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 10, 22-24.

2001

Chapter in Book - Research

Roper, B. S. (2001). Neo-liberalism in New Zealand: the radical critique. In R. Millar (Ed.), New Zealand Politics in Transition. (pp. 544-555). Auckland: Oxford University Press.

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Roper, B. S. (2001). The movement against globalisation. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 5, 14-21.

2000

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Roper, B. S. (2000). Can Labour and the Alliance bring real change? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 3, 4-5.

Roper, B. S. (2000). A return to 'old Labour'? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 4, 10-11.

Roper, B. S. (2000). Big money backs the National Party. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 4, 13.

Roper, B. S. (2000). Fiji coup. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 4, 7.

Roper, B. S. (2000). Where is New Zealand going? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 4, 3-6.

Roper, B. S. (2000). The democratic spirit of socialism from below. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 3, 24-25.

Roper, B. S. (2000). The new right in Aotearoa and the socialist critique. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 3, 10-15.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (2000). Democracy: Past, present, future. In S. Oakley, J. Pudsey, J. Henderson, D. King & R. Boyd (Eds.), Proceedings of the Sociological Association of Australia. CD ROM. Adelaide, Aust.: Flinders University. [Full Paper]

1998

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Roper, B. S. (1998). Democracy. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 2, 8-10.

Roper, B. S. (1998). The Dunedin Sound. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 2, 18.

Roper, B. S. (1998). Why you should be a socialist. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 2, 10.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (1998). The Long Struggle for Democracy: from Athenian Democracy to Feudal Absolutism. Proceedings of the Joint Conference of the Australasian Political Science Association and the European Union Studies Association of New Zealand. (pp. 534-548). [Full Paper]

1997

Edited Book - Research

Rudd, C., & Roper, B. S. (Eds.). (1997). The Political Economy of New Zealand. Auckland: Oxford University Press, 310p.

Chapter in Book - Research

Roper, B. S., & Rudd, C. (1997). Introduction: New Zealand's economy, civil society, and the state during the postwar era. In B. Roper & C. Rudd (Eds.), The Political Economy of New Zealand. (pp. v-x). Auckland: Oxford University Press.

Roper, B. S. (1997). New Zealand's economic history. In C. Rudd & B. Roper (Eds.), The Political Economy of New Zealand. (pp. 3-21). Auckland: Oxford University Press.

Roper, B. S. (1997). The changing class structure. In C. Rudd & B. Roper (Eds.), The Political Economy of New Zealand. (pp. 79-99). Auckland: Oxford University Press.

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Roper, B. S. (1997). Volatile cocktail. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1, 3.

Roper, B. S. (1997). Why hasn't MMP changed anything? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1(8-9), 14.

1996

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Roper, B. S. (1996). Leading from the rear? A theoretical analysis of the contingent bureaucratic conservatism of the NZCTU leadership. New Zealand Journal of Industrial Relations. 21(3), (pp. 257-275). [Full Paper]