Richard Shaw

Professor Richard Shaw serves as Professor of Politics in Massey University's School of People, Environment and Planning and directs the BA (External Connections) program, actively promoting the Bachelor of Arts to external stakeholders. His institutional affiliation spans both academic and administrative leadership roles within New Zealand's higher education sector.

His academic credentials include:

• Bachelor of Social Work (Honours), Massey University (1986)
• Master of Arts, Massey University (1997)
• Doctor of Philosophy, Massey University (2002)

Professor Shaw's research specializes in cabinet government systems with particular emphasis on political advisers' influence within ministers' offices, contributing to comparative governance studies. His teaching portfolio encompasses Turangawaewae: Identity and Belonging in Aotearoa New Zealand (a foundational BA paper), undergraduate New Zealand politics courses, and postgraduate comparative governance analysis between presidential and parliamentary systems. This dual focus bridges theoretical political science with practical applications in Aotearoa New Zealand's unique constitutional context.

As Director BA (External Connections), he actively engages with external communities to demonstrate the real-world relevance of humanities education, connecting academic work with professional outcomes while maintaining his core responsibilities in political science education and research supervision.