Patrick Thomsen

From Auckland, New Zealand, Patrick is of Samoan descent and is a dual citizen of both nations. He holds the matai or chiefly title of Seutaafili from the village of Tauese in Samoa. He received his BA in Political Science from the University of Auckland and his Master’s of International Studies from Seoul National University. Before joining the JSIS, he worked as a research fellow with the East Asia Institute, an international relations think-tank in Korea. Situated within local and transnational communities, Patrick’s research examines the power and process in which social norms govern the complex agency of intersectional minority groups.

Publications

• Thomsen, Patrick. “The Only Person I’m Fearful of is Trump.” Radio New Zealand, 6 Jan. 2018
• Thomsen, Patrick “In Defence of Pacific Sexual Minorities – Why Israel Folau is no Hero” The Pantograph Punch, 20 Sept 2017
• Thomsen, Patrick. “National’s Education Policy is about Wealth, Not Skills” Newshub, 20 April. 2017
• Humans of the Islands – Coconet TV Profile on Seuta’afili Patrick Saulmatino Thomsen
• Thomsen, Patrick. “Why Moana could Actually be Good for Us.” E-Tangata, 11 Dec. 2016
• Thomsen, Patrick. “The Racial Divide in our Education System.” E-Tangata, 6 Nov. 2016
• Thomsen, Patrick. “Hobgoblin Logic on Pacific Gay Rights Have Distinctly Western Roots.” The Spinoff, 26, Oct. 2016. 
• Thomsen, Patrick. “Rewriting History in South  Korea:In the name of security, the people of South Korea are losing a crucial element of their national identity.” The Diplomat. Nov 20, 2015. 
•  Sook-Jong Lee, Chaesung Chun, HyeeJung Suh, and Patrick Thomsen.  Middle Power in Action: The Evolving Nature of Diplomacy in the Age of Multilateralism. EAI Middle Power Diplomacy Initiative (MPDI). 2015. 
•  Patrick Thomsen · Benjamin Engel.  Blossoming Divisions?. EAI Asia Security Initiative Research Center. March 2015.
•  Patrick Thomsen.  [U.S.-China Relations Briefing] February 2015: A Complex Courting Process. EAI Asia Security Initiative Research Center. 2015.
•  Patrick Thomsen. [U.S.-China Relations Statement Factsheet] January 2015: Tunes from the Same Song Book; the New Year Brings Problems of Old. EAI Asia Security Initiative Research Center. 2015.

Grants & Fellowships

• UW Center for Human Rights Lisa Brown Fellow, 2017
• UW Center for Korea Studies Sochon Fellowship Recipient, 2017
• Ewha Woman’s University Alumni of Seattle Academic Excellence Fellowship, 2016.
• UW Graduate School Fund for Excellence and Innovation (GSFEI) travel grant, University of Washington, 2016.
• UW Top Scholar Award, University of Washington, 2015.
• Global Leadership Scholarship, Seoul National University, 2013-2014.
• Seoul National University Superior Academic Performance, 2012.
• Governors Prize for Teaching Excellence, Chungnam Office of Education, 2010.
• University of Auckland Top Student in Pacific History, University of Auckland, 2005.
• University of Auckland Access Award, University of Auckland, 2003.