Meredith Ross-James

Biography

Meredith was born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand. She graduated with a philosophy and political science degree- from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington- at the top of her class. Her research focuses on the social construction of knowledge and belief among political extremists and conspiracy theorists. In this field, she has recieved the Political Theory Prize for her research on the ways contemporary political extremists celebrate the deaths of their victims online, and the Dame Margaret Clark prize for her original quantiative research on death threats made against polticians on fringe social media sites. Her philosophical research investigates the voluntariness of belief and our moral requirement for empathetic responses to individuals with fringe or extreme beliefs. Alongside her research, Meredith has worked in New Zealand's Parliament, and currently teaches critical thinking at Te Herenga Waka- Victoria University of Wellington. Meredith's research comes together with her fervent activism as she works to promote safety, harmony, and empathy in diverse communities.