Maria Bargh is Professor of Politics and Māori Studies. She completed her PhD in Political Science and International Relations at the Australian National University.

Her research interests focus on Māori politics including constitutional change and Māori representation, voting in local and general elections, and Māori resource management economy including renewable energy, freshwater, mining and biodiversity. She has also written about hidden and diverse economies such as Māori in the private military industry.

Maria is a member of numerous Boards and has broad governance experience with academic, NGO and Crown entities.

She has supervised PhD and MA theses on topics including New Zealand politics, Māori land and environmental issues, Māori rights and identity and how Pākehā work as allies with Māori