Dr Hamish McDougall

Dr Hamish McDougall

PhD Alumnus

Department of International History

Connect with me

Languages
English
Key Expertise
Britain, Europe, European Integration, New Zealand, British Empire

About me

Hamish’s PhD research looked at Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community in 1973 and the Anglo-New Zealand relationship. He holds a Masters in International History at LSE (distinction), where his dissertation about international politics and the 1981 South Africa rugby tour of New Zealand jointly won the Medlicott Prize for highest mark. He also has a Post Graduate Certificate in Historical Studies (distinction) from University of Oxford, BA Hons (first class) from Victoria University of Wellington and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Massey University. Outside the academy he has a successful communications career, most recently leading marketing, PR and internal communications for the opening of He Tohu, a permanent exhibition of New Zealand’s constitutional documents at the National Library of New Zealand. 

Thesis

"Staying Alive: New Zealand, Britain and European Integration, 1960-85"

His thesis examines Britain and New Zealand’s relationship, 1960-1985, as the former joined the European Economic Community (EEC). It assesses New Zealand’s influence in Britain and Europe during the negotiations and the effect this had on the terms of Britain’s entry. It also looks at the extent that Britain’s entry into Europe accelerated New Zealand’s cultural, economic and political decolonisation, using New Zealand as a case study to better understand the relationship between Britain and its former colonies in the second half of the twentieth century.

Expertise Details

Britain; Europe; European Integration; 20th century; New Zealand; decolonisation; politics; trade; culture; British Empire; security; identity

Publications

Conference papers

  • New Zealand and the negotiations for European Economic Community enlargement, 1970-71, Gerda Henkel Workshop, Villa Vigoni, Italy, June 2018
  • The 1981 Springbok Tour as international history, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, September 2018
  • ‘New Zealand and negotiations for British accession to the European Communities,’ Contemporary British History Seminar, Institute of Historical Research, London, March 2019
  • ‘Buttering up: New Zealand, Britain and European enlargement, 1960-73,’ British International History Annual Conference, Lancaster, September 2019
  • ‘A black letter day? Britain, New Zealand and the Treaty of Accession 1972,’ LSE International History Seminar, London, November 2019
  • ‘Shock and Betrayal? New Zealand as a decolonial case study in the 1970s,’ New Directions in Commonwealth History Conference, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, London, May 2020
  • ‘Decolonisation at speed? Britain, New Zealand and European Community enlargement in the 1970s,’ CIVICA Summer School for Doctoral Researchers, EUI, Florence, September 2021 (forthcoming)

Honours and awards

  • Vibeke Sørensen Grant for research at the Historical Archives of the EU in Florence, Italy, 2019
  • LSE PhD Studentship, 2017-21
  • Joint winner of the Medlicott Prize for highest dissertation mark in the International History Department, LSE, 2015

My research