IN THE MEANTIME - Adapting to a more tribal, less rational world
Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative
Tuesday, 14 April 2026 5:30pm
Nelson
Pastorius Waller Theatre, Suter Art Gallery, Bridge Street, Nelson
In today's world, we face five interconnected crises:
- eroding trust in institutions;
- decay at the institutional core;
- a civilisation so materially comfortable it had become complacent about the conditions sustaining it;
- a retreat from reason masquerading as wisdom;
- and a hollowing of Western self-confidence.
We must adapt to this more tribal, less rational world.
Unfortunately, this is not a forecast of what might happen. It describes the world we already inhabit.
Dr Oliver Hartwich is the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative, an independent public policy think tank based in Wellington. Born in Germany, he holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Economics and a PhD in Law from the University of Bochum.
Before joining the Initiative in 2012, Oliver worked as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney and as Chief Economist at the London-based think tank Policy Exchange. He has also held roles at the UK House of Lords and the University of Bonn.
At The New Zealand Initiative, Oliver leads research and commentary across a range of public policy areas, including economic policy, housing, education, and local government. He is a regular media commentator and the author of numerous articles, reports, and policy papers.
His research interests include housing affordability, urban economics, and international affairs. He has written and co-authored several books, including A Global Perspective on Localism, Why Europe Failed, and Quiet Achievers: The New Zealand Path to Reform.
In addition to his role at the Initiative, Oliver is a columnist for The Australian, Newsroom, and Quadrant.
In today's world, we face five interconnected crises:
- eroding trust in institutions;
- decay at the institutional core;
- a civilisation so materially comfortable it had become complacent about the conditions sustaining it;
- a retreat from reason masquerading as wisdom;
- and a hollowing of Western self-confidence.
We must adapt to this more tribal, less rational world.
Unfortunately, this is not a forecast of what might happen. It describes the world we already inhabit.
Dr Oliver Hartwich is the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative, an independent public policy think tank based in Wellington. Born in Germany, he holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Economics and a PhD in Law from the University of Bochum.
Before joining the Initiative in 2012, Oliver worked as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney and as Chief Economist at the London-based think tank Policy Exchange. He has also held roles at the UK House of Lords and the University of Bonn.
At The New Zealand Initiative, Oliver leads research and commentary across a range of public policy areas, including economic policy, housing, education, and local government. He is a regular media commentator and the author of numerous articles, reports, and policy papers.
His research interests include housing affordability, urban economics, and international affairs. He has written and co-authored several books, including A Global Perspective on Localism, Why Europe Failed, and Quiet Achievers: The New Zealand Path to Reform.
In addition to his role at the Initiative, Oliver is a columnist for The Australian, Newsroom, and Quadrant.
Membership
NZIIA membership is open to anyone interested in understanding the importance of global affairs to the political and economic well-being of New Zealand.