Murdoch Stephens Explained

Murdoch Stephens (born 1981) is a New Zealand author, researcher and refugee advocate. He is founding editor of Lawrence & Gibson publishing and previously wrote under the name Richard Meros.[1] In 2013 he founded the Double the Refugee Quota campaign that led to the doubling of New Zealand's refugee quota in 2020.[2] [3]

Stephens was raised in South Otago[4] and attended South Otago High School,[5] before studying at the University of Otago.[6]

Advocacy and academic work

After living in Syria, prior to the Civil War, and finding a series of photos of Afghan refugees, Stephens began the Double the Quota campaign in 2013.[3] [7]

By the time of the 2017 election, the campaign had gained prominence with civil society, media and political parties.[8] His experience of the campaign was published as a book by Bridget Williams Books in 2018.[9] [10] Stephens also campaigned against race-based restrictions in New Zealand's refugee quota,[11] which were removed in late 2019.[12]

Stephens completed a PhD, which was published as an academic book in 2018.[13] He lectured at Massey University[12] before becoming a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Auckland's Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies (CAPRS).

Fiction

As Richard Meros

Richard Meros is a pseudonym used by Stephens, as well as appearing as a character in another of his novels, released under the name Nestor Notabilis.[14] Prior to the revelation of his identity, it had been speculated that Meros' real persona was either Stephens, actor Arthur Meek or one of the other members of Lawrence & Gibson publishing.[15]

First published in 2005, On the Conditions and Possibilities of Helen Clark Taking Me as Her Young Lover, received favourable reviews in New Zealand[16] and international press.[17] The book, often shortened to OTC&POHCTMAHYL, asked why Helen Clark, the Prime Minister at the time would want a young lover and then why the young lover would be Meros. The book is a work of metafiction as it concludes that the greatest likelihood of Meros being taken as a young lover would be if he wrote a book on the conditions and possibilities of being taken as a young lover.[18] The Guardian described it as 'decidedly lascivious' and the NZ Listener called it a 'mock philosophical treatise' before praising it as 'the underground publishing hit of the decade'.

The book was reissued and adapted into a play of the same name in 2007,[19] touring nationally and was nominated for theatrical performance of the year.[20] For his role as Meros, Arthur Meek was awarded the most promising male newcomer of 2008 at the Chapman Tripp Awards.[21] In 2015, the book was once again adapted into a play that substitutes Hillary Clinton for Helen Clark.[22]

In total, Stephens has released eight books under the Meros pseudonym through Lawrence & Gibson in New Zealand, including novels and political/cultural satire, though none have achieved the success of On the conditions and possibilities of Helen Clark taking me as her Young Lover.[23] [24] These other books include two adapted for theatre, both of which toured widely:

As Meros he has also written for a wide range of publications in New Zealand from current affairs magazine NZ Listener[31] and daily newspaper the Dominion Post to arts publications White Fungus[32] and Pantograph Punch.[33] In 2015, he was a recipient of Eleanor Catton's Horoeka Grant. In response he wrote the essay 'New Bourgeoizealand'.[34]

As Murdoch Stephens

In 2020, he released his first novel under his own name, Rat King Landlord, with Lawrence & Gibson.[35] The book was well received featuring on best of the year lists[36] and was subsequently praised as "last year's surprise literary hit".[37] The novel led to some public commentary on the problems with New Zealand's housing market,[38] [39] and a 2023 partnership with Renters United to re-release ten thousand copies of the novel in tabloid format with launches and events around the county.[40] [41]

In 2022 he released Down from Upland, which was long-listed for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction, Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2023.[42] [43] Writing in Landfall, Craig Cliff, said:In addition to being an author he maintains his role of an editor at Lawrence & Gibson publishing[44] and regularly writes for a range of news media including the Spinoff[45] and Stuff.[46]

Selected publications

Novels

As Murdoch Stephens:

As Richard Meros:

Non Fiction books

Essays

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Catherall . Sarah . 2022-08-05 . Inventing a new name helped author Murdoch Stephens with writer's block . 2023-02-21 . Stuff . en.
  2. News: Australian Associated Press . 2018-09-19 . New Zealand to raise refugee quota in 2020 . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-02-21 . 0261-3077.
  3. Web site: Lang . Sarah . 2015-09-14 . What drives refugee campaigner Murdoch Stephens? . 2023-02-21 . Stuff . en.
  4. Web site: Stephens . Murdoch . 2021-12-28 . Murdoch Stephens essay: Just a couple of Haybales, all summer long . 2023-02-21 . Stuff . en.
  5. Web site: Stephens . Murdoch . 2022-06-07 . Reads like teen spirit: Murdoch Stephens introduces his new novel . 2023-02-21 . The Spinoff . en.
  6. Web site: Francis . Oscar . 2023-05-06 . Book highlights renting horrors . 2023-06-10 . Otago Daily Times Online News . en.
  7. Web site: Murdoch Stephens: Fate of refugees shouldn't be a lottery . 2023-02-21 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  8. Web site: Political Roundup: Increasing the refugee quota to 60,000 . 2023-02-21 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  9. News: Mulligan . Jesse . 2019-08-09 . Double the Quota: How to campaign . Radio New Zealand . 2023-02-23.
  10. Book: Stephens, Murdoch . Doing Our Bit: The Campaign to Double the Refugee Quota . . 2018 . 9781988545233 . Wellington, New Zealand . 10.7810/9781988545233.
  11. Web site: Stephens . Murdoch . 2019-05-28 . A short history of New Zealand's racist refugee policy . 2023-02-21 . The Spinoff . en.
  12. News: Graham-McLay . Charlotte . 2019-10-04 . Under Pressure, New Zealand Ends a Refugee Policy Branded Racist . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-02-21 . 0362-4331.
  13. Book: Stephens, Murdoch . Critical Environmental Communication: How Does Critique Respond to the Urgency of Climate Change? . . 2018 . 978-1-4985-7087-9 . USA.
  14. Web site: Stephens. Murdoch. 2020-07-14. Meros is dead. Long live Murdoch. 2020-07-14. The Spinoff.
  15. Web site: 16 November 2012 . Playing Favourites with Richard Meros . 24 November 2014 . Radio New Zealand.
  16. Somerset, Guy (2005) "Review" Dominion Post, August
  17. Web site: Shortcuts. The Guardian. 21 June 2005. 24 November 2014.
  18. Web site: Mystery man – Uncategorized – The Listener. Listener.co.nz. 24 November 2014.
  19. Laurie Atkinson (2008) Slick, wicked poke at politics, Dominion Post(reprint in Theatreview.co.nz), 17 January
  20. Web site: New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews . Theatreview.org.nz. 24 November 2014.
  21. Web site: Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards – 2008. Chapmantripptheatreawards.org.nz. 24 November 2014.
  22. Web site: Exploring possibilities. Otago Daily Times. 25 May 2015. 24 August 2015.
  23. Web site: lawrence and gibson publishing collective . 24 November 2014 . lLawrenceandgibson.co.nz.
  24. Web site: Landfall Review Online: Generation Xperimental . 24 November 2014 . landfallreview.com.
  25. Web site: Free-entry 'Play' earns theatre awards. Otago Daily Times. 12 December 2012. 24 November 2014.
  26. Web site: New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews . Theatreview.org.nz. 24 November 2014.
  27. Web site: lawrence and gibson publishing collective: Richard Meros. Lawrenceandgibson.co.nz. 24 November 2014.
  28. Web site: Privatising Parts by Richard Meros and Getting Under Sail by Brannavan Gnanalingam review – Books – The Listener. Listener.co.nz. 24 November 2014.
  29. Burgess, Malcolm (2011) 'Small and Cheekily Formed' Dominion Post, 11 May.
  30. Web site: New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews . Theatreview.org.nz. 24 November 2014.
  31. Web site: 'Give me back my sandals' – Travel – The Listener. Listener.co.nz. 24 November 2014.
  32. Web site: A stone's throw from Afghanistan. Stuff. 8 December 2010. 24 November 2014.
  33. Web site: Stephens . Murdoch . Writing on the Wall? Fascism and Antifa Presence on the Streets of Eastern Europe. . 2023-06-10 . Pantograph Punch.
  34. Web site: 'New Bourgeoizealand' by Richard Meros | the Lancewood Foundation .
  35. Web site: Adams . Josie . 2020-08-16 . My flatmate, the rat . 2023-02-21 . The Spinoff . en.
  36. Web site: 2021-01-26 . Book review - Best of 2020 - New Zealand books . 2023-02-22 . RNZ . en-nz.
  37. Web site: Newton . Dileepa Fonseka and Kate . 2021-01-26 . Rents soar after Covid-19 freeze ends . 2023-02-22 . Stuff . en.
  38. Web site: 2021-01-28 . Rent spike after Covid-19 freeze lifted . 2023-02-21 . RNZ . en-nz.
  39. Web site: Borissenko . Sasha . New Zealand: The struggle to find a 'decent home' . 2023-02-21 . www.aljazeera.com . en.
  40. Web site: Books . The Spinoff Review of . 2023-02-16 . Rat King Landlord: Why Renters United is releasing a free edition of the cult novel . 2023-02-21 . The Spinoff . en.
  41. Web site: Stephens . Murdoch . 2023-06-07 . Taking the Rat King on tour . 2023-06-10 . Overland literary journal . en-US.
  42. Web site: Mabey . Claire . 2023-02-02 . Behold: The longest Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist... ever! . 2023-06-10 . The Spinoff . en.
  43. Web site: 2022-06-02 . Sexual harassment, the novel . 2023-06-10 . Newsroom . en-AU.
  44. Web site: 2016-02-28 . Murdoch Stevens - Behind the Scenes of a Publishing House . 2023-02-21 . RNZ . en-nz.
  45. Web site: Stephens . Murdoch . Murdoch Stephens . 2023-02-21 . The Spinoff . en.
  46. Web site: 2022-05-03 . How I write: Murdoch Stephens and the soundtracks to his books . 2023-02-21 . Stuff . en.
  47. Web site: On the birth of TEZA. 21 November 2013. Letting Space. 24 August 2015.
  48. Web site: New Bourgeoizealand. 5 August 2015. Horoeka Reading. 23 August 2015.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Murdoch Stephens".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.