Research Associates

Marinus La Rooij is an independent researcher with degrees in History and Religious Studies from Otago and Victoria Universities. Raised in Dunedin amidst a large Dutch-Catholic immigrant family, his post-graduate research focused on the rise of conspiracy theories and antisemitism in New Zealand during the 1930s.

For over thirty years, he has continued his research with a focus on exploring the process of radicalisation, including the influence of false information and manifestations of extremist thinking in New Zealand and Australia. Marinus has published in scholarly journals overseas and recently was a co-editor of Histories of Hate: The Radical Right in Aotearoa New Zealand (Otago University Press, 2023). Professionally, Marinus has worked as a public servant and consultant on transport and infrastructure matters. He also has worked for a decade as an official and researcher in the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process.