Melanie's research centres on Pacific migration and diaspora, with a specific focus on tagata Tokelau (indigenous people of Tokelau) communities. She is particularly interested in understanding processes of place-making, the maintenance of relationships across geographical distances, and the ways that these such processes shape nation-building projects. Melanie's work seeks to unpack indigenous solidarities and tensions particularly in the Realm of New Zealand, and the impact of ongoing imperialism in the wider Pacific.