Rate My Professor Michael Swanson

Michael Swanson is a doctoral candidate in the Politics programme at the University of Otago, part of the Division of Humanities. His PhD thesis, titled 'Old rules, new politics: parliamentary opposition in New Zealand,' submitted in fulfilment of the Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2025, explores the evolution and strategies of parliamentary opposition within New Zealand's political landscape. As a PhD candidate, Swanson has engaged deeply with topics central to New Zealand politics, including the role of opposition parties under the mixed-member proportional system, policy formulation processes, and electoral dynamics.

Swanson serves as a teaching fellow for POLS321: Public Policy in New Zealand, offered during Summer School, where he emphasizes the pervasive influence of public policy on daily life, from driving regulations to student loans. Drawing on his background working in government, he teaches students how to navigate and influence the policy process in political spaces. He also contributes as a tutor for POLS221: Elections and Political Parties in New Zealand. Beyond teaching, Swanson holds the position of Adviser in the Strategy, Analytics and Reporting Office within the Office of the Vice-Chancellor. He is an active public commentator, authoring opinion pieces for Newsroom, such as 'How to fill an empty promise' (13 June 2024), advocating for independent policy costing units to enhance democratic accountability; 'Where's the action on MMP?' (3 October 2023); 'A four-year term would strengthen our democracy' (12 December 2023); and analyses of deputy prime minister rotations and opposition effectiveness. His work appeared in the Otago Daily Times with 'Seymour’s turn in deputy PM tag team match' (11 June 2025). Swanson has featured in radio discussions and public panels, including the Politics public panel 'New Zealand in 2025 - Assessing the Sixth National Government' (18 September 2025), contributing insights on government reshuffles, policy implementation challenges, and the need for robust opposition to foster transparent governance and long-term political vision.