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
Contact details
Room 4N2, 4th floor, Arts (Burns) Building
Tel +64 3 479 8667
Email brian.roper@otago.ac.nz
Research days – Monday morning, Friday
Publications
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. (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
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.
Roper, B. (2018). Neoliberalism's war on New Zealand's universities. New Zealand Sociology, 33(2), 9-39.
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
Roper, B. S. (2013). The history of democracy: A Marxist interpretation. London, UK: Pluto Press, 310p.
Authored Book - Research
Roper, B. S. (2005). Prosperity for all? Economic, social and political change in New Zealand since 1935. Victoria: Thomson, 302p.
Authored Book - Research
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.
Authored Book - Other
Rudd, C., & Roper, B. S. (Eds.). (1997). The Political Economy of New Zealand. Auckland: Oxford University Press, 310p.
Edited Book - Research
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Chapter in Book - Research
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.
Chapter in Book - Research
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.
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.
Chapter in Book - Research
Roper, B. (2018). Neoliberalism's war on New Zealand's universities. New Zealand Sociology, 33(2), 9-39.
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.
Journal - Research Article
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 Article
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.
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.
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 Article
Roper, B. S. (2004). The globalisation of revolt and the critique of capitalism: Exploitation, agency, democracy. Red & Green, 3, 13-36.
Journal - Research Article
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
Journal - Research Other
Roper, B. (2011). Why is John Key so popular? Socialist Review, 36, 6-7.
Journal - Research Other
Roper, B. S. (2011). [Extended review The transition of New Zealand Government and Politics]. Political Science, 63(2), 244-246.
Journal - Research Other
Roper, B. (2006). The reality of class inequality in Aotearoa. Socialist Review, 21, 8-11.
Journal - Research Other
Roper, B. S. (2004). Working for families? Brian Roper reviews Budget 2004. Socialist Review, 18, 10.
Journal - Research Other
Roper, B. S. (2002). Green Politics: A New Radicalism? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 10, 22-24.
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.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (2002). United we stand? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 10, 27-28.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (2001). The movement against globalisation. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 5, 14-21.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (2000). A return to 'old Labour'? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 4, 10-11.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (2000). Big money backs the National Party. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 4, 13.
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.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (2000). Fiji coup. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 4, 7.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (2000). The democratic spirit of socialism from below. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 3, 24-25.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (2000). The new right in Aotearoa and the socialist critique. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 3, 10-15.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (2000). Where is New Zealand going? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 4, 3-6.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (1998). Democracy. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 2, 8-10.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (1998). The Dunedin Sound. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 2, 18.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (1998). Why you should be a socialist. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 2, 10.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (1997). Volatile cocktail. Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1, 3.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Roper, B. S. (1997). Why hasn't MMP changed anything? Socialist Review of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1(8-9), 14.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
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 - 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 - 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]
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/
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 - 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]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: 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]
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]
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]
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]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
