Associate Professor Michael Grimshaw is in the Philosophy Department at the University of Canterbury.
“My research interests arise from a critical engagement with the intersection of religious and cultural theory as applied to both New Zealand and a global context. In this I make use of Continental thought and theory, and in particular the ‘weak thought’ arising from the work of Gianni Vattimo. My focus is on radical theology and philosophy and in particular the social, cultural and philosophical impact of the death of God. This intersects with issues of A1 as I am very interested in the idea of “God’ being a type of A1.
My current research interests include reassessing the history and impact of the death of God in late modernity; New Zealand cultural nationalism and religion; Pakeha(NZ white settler) identity and post colonial society; religion and politics; the rise of the ‘necessary problem’ of neoliberalism [which is linked to the death of god); digital capitalism and society; religion and the cold war; and the broad field of New Zealand studies. My other interest is on the intersections of literature, art and theology in secular modernity.
My current area of focus is the thought and life of the NZ philosopher/logician Arthur Prior. I am also currently writing a book on “The necessary problem of neoliberalism: Left & Right”; and projects on the Charles Brasch, Landfall and spirituality; and the political theology of Lex Miller ( a mentor of Arthur Prior in the 1930s and 1940s); and the radical theology of John Findlay.”
• Sociology of Religion
• The rise of neoliberal society
• Christianity: history and culture
• New Zealand culture and religion
• Popular culture and religion
• Postmodernism/theory/Continental thought & theory
• Theology/post-Christianity-secularism
• Religion and multicultural society
• New Zealand Intellectual history
• Religion and modern history
• Theory of religion
For more about Michael’s research, please visit his University of Canterbury research page.
