The marginalisation of Māori academics

There is reason to be concerned about the future of the Māori (Indigenous people of New Zealand) academy in Aotearoa New Zealand. Qualitative research a decade ago pointed to issues of Māori being exploited and excluded by their universities. More recent quantitative research suggests some serious pay and role inequalities for Māori and particularly for Māori women. Between 2021 and 2024, we interviewed 33 Māori academics about how universities exclude and exploit them. In this article, we share one of five findings. The findings presented here suggests universities nudge Māori academics to the margins of their institutions. We offer future research directions. Specifically, we ask researchers to consider whether Māori academics are rendered active in the pursuit of university outcomes in the margins. We turn to the critical field of organisation studies to help us chart a path forward for scholarship. The value in this article lies in the empirical material produced in interviews with Māori academics.