‘Atenisi Institute’s academic dean Dr Michael Horowitz has joined the Pacific Media Centre this month as visiting research fellow and the Tongan university plans to establish a media school on its second campus next year.

Dr Horowitz holds US postgraduate degrees in social science from the New School in New York and the College of Public Affairs at Oregon’s Portland State University.

His analyses of US politics and culture have appeared in the Village Voice, Playboy, and the Psychiatric Times, among other periodicals, while academic articles and reviews have been regionally published in Sites, Journal of Pacific History and Journal of Pacific Affairs.

This week he delivered a seminar with AUT’s Institute of Public Policy on the impact of businessman and reality television magnate Donald Trump being elected as US President-elect earlier this month on democracy in his home country.

Under the pen name V.O. Blum, he authored the speculative novella DownMind (2013), which was favourably reviewed by the Listener soon after publication by Steam Press in Wellington.

Since 2015, Dr Horowitz has directed the university at ‘Atenisi Institute in Tonga, which is planning to establish a media academy on its second campus in the ‘Isileli district of Nuku’alofa.

The academy would train journalists, cinematographers, and thespians, among other talent, for media careers in Western Polynesia.

Part of Dr Horowitz’ agenda at PMC is to recruit specialists here in New Zealand to serve on the academy’s board prior to its launch.

PMC director Professor David Robie, who is currently on sabbatical, welcomed Dr Horowitz, saying: “We are fortunate to have a Pacific academic of the calibre of Dr Horowitz with us and we look forward to working with ‘Atenisi in the future.”

Dr Horowitz will be at AUT’s PMC from the middle of this month until early February 2017.

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