Warwick Murray (born 1972) is a BritishâÂÂNew Zealand academic, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, known for his research in human geography and development studies, and for his musical recordings with The Fabulous Murray Brothers, Funky Jandal, and as a solo artist.
Murray was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham and raised in Hereford, England, where he completed his secondary education. He studied at the University of Birmingham, graduating in 1993 and completing a doctorate there in 1997.
Murray held academic posts at the University of the South Pacific and Brunel University in the UK. He joined Victoria University of Wellington (VUW), New Zealand, in 2001 and was appointed Professor of Human Geography and Development Studies in 2010. He retired in October 2023. Since November 2023, he has taught human geography at Durham University, UK.
Murray has held visiting posts at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
In 2006 he received a New Zealand National Tertiary Teaching Award for Sustained Excellence. In 2007 he received the NZGS PresidentâÂÂs Award for Teaching Excellence and, in 2015, the PresidentâÂÂs Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision. In 2019 he was awarded the Distinguished New Zealand Geographer Medal.
Editor-in-chief of Asia Pacific Viewpoint (2002âÂÂ2010, 2016âÂÂ2020). Founder of Victoria Institute for Links with Latin America (2007). Vice-President (2017âÂÂ19) and President (2020âÂÂ21) of NZGS.
Contributor to TVNZ and RNZ on international development and Latin American affairs. RNZ programmes include Summer Nights and Nights.
MurrayâÂÂs research focuses on development, rural and economic geography, with emphasis on Latin America, Pacific Islands, AsiaâÂÂPacific, and New Zealand. Key works include *Geographies of Globalization* and *Aid and Development* (co-authored with John Overton).
Warwick MurrayâÂÂs academic work spans economic geography, development studies, globalisation, aid, and political economy.
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His show The Singing Geographer aired on RNZ 2012âÂÂ13.
Warwick Murray has released a number of albums and EPs both as a solo artist and as a member of various bands, several of which have charted on the Official Aotearoa Albums Chart, the Independent Music NZ Top 20 Albums Chart, and Apple Music Blues charts internationally.
Murray lived in Wellington, New Zealand until October 2023 and now resides near Cambridge, UK.