Patrick Thomsen

Patrick Thomsen is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the University of Auckland's School of Māori Studies and Pacific Studies. He holds a PhD from the University of Washington, an MA from Seoul National University, and a BA from the University of Auckland. His research focuses on social norms, intersectional minorities, and decolonization, particularly LGBTQ+ rights in the Pacific and Korea. Key achievements include being the first Samoan to earn Seoul National University's Salutatorian honor and the first Samoan/New Zealander in the Jackson School's PhD program. He has received multiple prestigious fellowships, including the Lisa Brown Fellow and Sochon Fellowship. Notable publications address Pacific LGBTQ+ advocacy, educational inequity, and Korean historical narratives. His work critiques Western-centric human rights frameworks and colonial legacies. Currently advising on decolonial research and teaching courses on Pacific identities.