Writing

I write for academic audiences and public ones on women’s sport, gender equity, and the history behind both.

Books and book chapters

Shanks, A., & Taylor, C. (2026). Boots on the ground: What it is really like working in football during a FIFA Women’s World Cup. In A. Beissel, J. Brice, & V. Postlethwaite (Eds.), Critical perspectives on the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup: Events, issues, controversies (pp. 148–158). Routledge.
Shanks, A., Leberman, S., Shaw, S., & Watson, G. (2022). Symbolic equality in Aotearoa New Zealand sports organisations. In R. Kerr & D. Sturm (Eds.), Sport in Aotearoa New Zealand: Contested terrain (pp. 81–94). Routledge.

In progress:

Playing without power: Gendered governance in Aotearoa New Zealand football, 1975 to 1999. International Journal of the History of Sport, special issue on women’s football in a global era. Expected 2027.
Shifting the focus from diversity and inclusion to belonging and gender equity in Aotearoa New Zealand community football organisations. Thesis-derived, on the Te Poukapa framework. Targeting Sport Management Review.

Atkinson, N., Watters, S., & Shanks, A. (2023). Football. Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. teara.govt.nz/en/football
Shanks, A. (2023, 20 July). Women’s football timeline. NZHistory, Ministry for Culture and Heritage. nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/womens-football-timeline

Shanks, A. (2026). “No Payne, no gain”: New Zealand media sticks to traditional game plan. In M. Devlin, et al. (Eds.), World Cup Analysis 2026: Mega events, media, and the politics of sport. Early reflections from leading academics. The University of Texas at Austin.
Shanks, A., & Wall, L. (2026, 20 April). More than numbers: The equity gap in sport and recreation. LockerRoom.
Shanks, A. (2023, 9 December). Chloe Knott’s sudden resignation from Wellington Phoenix highlights problems with women’s sport in New Zealand. Stuff.
Thorpe, H., & Shanks, A. (2022, 12 April). The Black Ferns review shows, again, why real change in women’s high performance sport is urgently overdue. The Conversation.
Shanks, A. (2021, 18 December). Opinion: Move the focus from conflict to what brings us together. Stuff.

Transgender Inclusion in Community Sport Toolkit (2026). Lead author, developed in partnership with Women in Sport Aotearoa and InsideOUT Kōaro.
National gender equity assessment tool (2023). Developed, piloted and tested for Women in Sport Aotearoa.
Women who coach in high-performance sport (2021). Analysis of national survey findings, plus resource and infographic design, for High Performance Sport NZ.
Diversity and inclusion in regional sport (2021). Scoping of internal and regional practice, for Sport Manawatū.
Engaging with and including LGBTIQ+ people in community sport: a guide (2021). For Sport Manawatū.
The 1924 Invincibles tour (2021). Historical research for team culture practitioner Owen Eastwood.

Shanks, A. (2023). Shifting the focus from gender diversity and inclusion to belonging and gender equity in Aotearoa New Zealand community football organisations: How did we get here and where are we going? PhD thesis, Massey University. mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/18126