Universities, democracy and cultural shifts: A farewell to Dr James Kierstead

from The New Zealand Initiative · host The New Zealand Initiative

In this episode, Oliver talks to James Kierstead and Damien Grant about James's departure from New Zealand after 12 years, reflecting on his journey from academia to policy research and his observations of New Zealand's cultural and political shifts since 2013. They discuss the challenges facing New Zealand universities, including grade inflation and administrative bloat, alongside broader themes of democracy, academic freedom, and the tension between New Zealand's liberal traditions and parochial tendencies.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Nov 28, 2025

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Universities, democracy and cultural shifts: A farewell to Dr James Kierstead

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