Biography
Professor Damien Kingsbury was the Director of the Master of International and Community Development, held a Personal Chair and was Professor of International Politics until he retired from Deakin at the end of 2020.
Read more on Damien's profileBiography summary
- Damien is Deputy-Chair of the Balibo House Trust, a small NGO operating in Timor-Leste, where he has worked extensively since the mid-1990s, and was a board member with the Australia Myanmar Institute.
- Damien coordinated the largest international observer group to Timor-Leste’s 1999 ballot for independence, and to Timor-Leste’s elections in 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2018, and to Myanmar's elections in 2015.
- He was adviser to the Aceh peace talks, which ended three decades of separatist war with a democratic outcome
- Has advised the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on its recent peace agreement and in 2013 brokered a peace agreement between warring factions in the northeast of India.
- He has published more than two dozen books on political and security matters, more recently focusing on global issues.
- Damien is a regular national and international media commentator on international affairs, including his weekly ‘What in the World' on ABC Victoria.
Career highlights
Advisor to Helsinki peace talks which ended the three-decade old Aceh conflict. Led numerous election observer missions, including to the independence ballor in Timor-Leste, and to Myanmar's first democratic elections in more than five decades.
Research interests
In 2007 and 2012, Professor Kingsbury led the Australian NGO observer group to the East Timor presidential and parliamentary elections, following a similar task to the ballot on self-determination in 1999. In 2005, Professor Kingsbury was invited by the Crisis Management Initiative to advise the Free Aceh Movement in the Aceh peace talks being held in Helsinki. He has since advised a number of other regional organisations on methods of negotiating peaceful resolution to conflict.
Teaching interests
Knowledge areas
Politics, political transitions, democratisation, causes of conflict and conflict resolution.
Professional activities
twice Associate Head of School, Chair Academic Appeals Board, ARC reader, Deputy Chair, Balibo House Trust board, member Friends of Lolotoe.
Media appearances
Regular on ABC radio Victoria, previously 17 years as regular for ABC Melbourne.
Research groups
Centre for Citizenship, Development and Human Rights.
Projects
Decline of democracy.
Publications
Separatism and the state
Damien Kingsbury
(2021), London, Eng., A1
Timor-leste's challenged political process: 2016-17
D Kingsbury
(2018), Vol. 40, pp. 77-100, Contemporary Southeast Asia: a journal of international and strategic affairs, Singapore, C1
Politics in contemporary Southeast Asia : authority, democracy and political change
D Kingsbury
(2017), Abingdon, Eng., A1
D Kingsbury
(2017), pp. 444-462, Handbook of globalisation and development, Cheltenham, Eng., B1
Timing and sequencing peace in Aceh
D Kingsbury
(2016), pp. 375-392, Building sustainable peace: timing and sequencing of post-conflict reconstruction and peacebuilding, Oxford, Eng., B1
Western Sahara : international law, justice and natural resources
D Kingsbury
(2016), London, Eng., A7
Introduction: territorial separatism in context
D Kingsbury, C Laoutides
(2015), pp. 1-11, Territorial separatism in global politics : causes, outcomes and resolution, London, Eng., B1
C Laoutides, D Kingsbury
(2015), pp. 169-176, Territorial separatism in global politics : causes, outcomes and resolution, London, Eng., B1
Vertical distinction as civic failure: state-nation disjuncture
D Kingsbury
(2015), pp. 44-58, Territorial separatism in global politics : causes, outcomes and resolution, Abingdon, Eng., B1
The role of resources in the resolution of the Western Sahara issue
D Kingsbury
(2015), Vol. 27, pp. 253-262, Global change, peace and security, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Territorial separatism in global politics : causes, outcomes and resolution
D Kingsbury, C Laoutides
(2015), Abingdon, Eng., A7
Challenges of development in difficult sociopolitical contexts
D Kingsbury
(2014), pp. 48-67, Development in difficult sociopolitical contexts : fragile, failed, pariah, Basingstoke, Eng., B1-1
Recent trends in research literature on game-based approaches to teaching and coaching games
K Jarrett, S Harvey
(2014), pp. 87-102, Contemporary developments in games teaching, Abingdon, Eng., B1-1
Democratic consolidation in Timor-Leste: achievements, problems and prospects
D Kingsbury
(2014), Vol. 22, pp. 181-205, Asian journal of political science, Abingdon, England, C1
Political transition in Myanmar: prospects and problems
D Kingsbury
(2014), Vol. 6, pp. 351-373, Asian politics and policy, London, Eng., C1-1
The good governance-human rights nexus
D Kingsbury
(2013), pp. 90-103, Critical reflections on development, London, England, B1
Indonesia: arbitrary polity, unitary state
D Kingsbury
(2013), pp. 401-412, Routledge handbook of regionalism and federalism, Abingdon, Eng., B1
Reconceptualising development: the turn to civil society?
S Kenny
(2013), pp. 162-185, Critical reflections on development, Basingstoke, Eng., B1-1
Timor-Leste in 2012: The harsh reality of independence
D Kingsbury
(2013), Vol. 2013, pp. 305-322, Southeast Asian affairs, Pasir Panjang, Singapore, C1
Sri Lanka and the responsibility to protect : politics, ethnicity and genocide
D Kingsbury
(2012), London, England, A1
Mediated constitutionality as a solution to separatism
D Kingsbury
(2012), pp. 16-35, Autonomy and armed separatism in South and Southeast Asia, Singapore, B1
Introduction : East Timorese politics in transition
M Leach, D Kingsbury
(2012), pp. 1-24, The politics of Timor-Leste : democratic consolidation after intervention, Ithaca, N. Y., B1
The constitution : clarity without convention
D Kingsbury
(2012), pp. 69-84, The politics of Timor-Leste : democratic consolidation after intervention, Ithaca, N. Y., B1
D Kingsbury
(2012), pp. 259-274, The politics of Timor-Leste : democratic consolidation after intervention, Ithaca, N. Y., B1
D Kingsbury
(2012), pp. 573-575, Oxford companion to comparative politics, New York, N. Y., B1-1
Devotional Islam and democratic practice: the case of Aceh's qanun jinayat
D Kingsbury
(2012), pp. 168-178, Culture, religion and conflict in muslim Southeast Asia: negotiating tense pluralisms, Abingdon, England, B1-1
Challenges to Constructing Post-Colonial Unity : the case of Timor Leste
D Kingsbury
(2012), Vol. 4, pp. 15-32, Asian politics and policy, Manila, Philippines, C1
International development : issues and challenges
D Kingsbury, J McKay, J Hunt, M McGillivray, M Clarke
(2012), Basingstoke, England, A7
D Kingsbury
(2011), pp. 298-315, Responsibility to protect : the promise of stopping mass atrocities in our time, New York, N. Y., B1
Case study 4: separatism in Mindanao
D Kingsbury
(2011), pp. 471-474, The Ashgate research companion to secession, Surrey, Eng., B1
West Papua : secessionism and/or failed decolonization?
D Kingsbury
(2011), pp. 491-493, Ashgate research companion to secession, Aldershot , England, B1
Post-colonial states, ethnic minorities and separatist conflicts : case studies from Southeast and South Asia
D Kingsbury
(2011), Vol. 34, pp. 762-778, Ethnic and racial studies, Abingdon, England, C1-1
Deconstructing Aceh's reconstruction
S Kenny, M Clarke, I Fanany, D Kingsbury
(2010), pp. 3-25, Post-disaster reconstruction : lessons from Aceh, London, England, B1
Political reconstruction in Aceh
D Kingsbury
(2010), pp. 61-78, Post-disaster reconstruction : lessons from Aceh, London, England, B1
Decentralisation and democratic engagement in Timor-Leste
D Kingsbury
(2010), pp. 33-41, Locating democracy : representation, elections and governance in Timor-Leste, Darwin, N.T., B1
D Kingsbury
(2010), pp. 135-154, Aceh : history, politics and culture, Singapore, B1
Policing, rule of law, state capacity and sustainable peace in Timor-Leste
D Kingsbury
(2010), Vol. 14, pp. 353-374, Journal of international peacekeeping, Leiden, Netherlands, C1
National identity in Timor-Leste: challenges and opportunities
D Kingsbury
(2010), Vol. 18, pp. 133-159, South East Asia research, London, England, C1
Timor-Leste : national building and lessons learned
D Kingsbury
(2009), World politics review, Washington, D.C., C1
East Timor in 2008 : year of reconstruction
D Kingsbury
(2009), Vol. 2009, pp. 357-370, Southeast Asian affairs, Pasir Panjang, Singapore, C1
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 127-151, International development : issues and challenges, Basingstoke, England, B1
D Kingsbury, C Fernandes
(2008), pp. 91-117, Hot spot : Asia and Oceania, Westport, Conn., B1
Secessionist legitimacy : a comparative analysis
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 101-115, On the way to statehood : secession and globalisation, Aldershot, England, B1
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 247-262, PSI Handbook of global security and intelligence : national approaches Volume I : the America and Asia, Westport, Conn., B1
East Timor's political crisis : origins and resolution
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 33-51, Democratic governance in Timor-Leste : reconciling the local and the national, Darwin, N.T., B1
Introduction : In Human rights in Asia : a reassessment of the Asian values debate
D Kingsbury, L Avonius
(2008), pp. 1-17, Human rights in Asia : a reassessment of the Asian values debate, New York, N. Y., B1
Universalism and exceptionalism in 'Asia'
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 19-39, Human rights in Asia, New York, N. Y., B1
Introduction : In International development : issues and challenges
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 1-19, International development : issues and challenges, Basingstoke, England, B1
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 199-221, International development : issues and challenges, Basingstoke, England, B1
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 222-244, International development : issues and challenges, New York, N.Y., B1
D Kingsbury
(2008), pp. 271-296, International development : issues and challenges, Basingstoke, England, B1
Indonesia in 2007: unmet expectations, despite improvement
D Kingsbury
(2008), Vol. 48, pp. 38-46, Asian survey, Berkeley, Calif., C1-1
Human rights in Asia: A reassessment of the Asian values debate
L Avonius, D Kingsbury
(2008), New York, N. Y., A7
International development : issues and challenges
M McGillivray, D Kingsbury, J Hunt, J McKay, M Clarke
(2008), Basingstoke, England, A7-1
D Kingsbury, M Leach
(2007), pp. 1-16, East Timor : beyond independence, Clayton, Vic., B1
D Kingsbury
(2007), pp. 19-27, East Timor: beyond independence, Clayton, Vic., B1
Timor-leste : the harsh reality after independence
D Kingsbury
(2007), pp. 363-377, Southeast Asian affairs 2007, Singapore, B1
D Kingsbury
(2007), pp. 87-95, East Timor: beyond independence, Clayton, Vic., B1
Southeast Asia: a community of diversity
D Kingsbury
(2007), Vol. 35, pp. 6-25, Politics & policy, London, UK, C1
Indonesia in 2006 : cautious reform
D Kingsbury
(2007), Vol. 47, pp. 155-161, Asian survey : a monthly review of contemporary Asian affairs, Berkeley, Calif., C1
The free Aceh movement : Islam and democratisation
D Kingsbury
(2007), Vol. 37, pp. 166-189, Journal of contemporary Asia, London, England, C1
Peace processes in Aceh and Sri Lanka: a comparative assessment
D Kingsbury
(2007), Vol. 3, pp. 93-112, Security challenges, Braddon, ACT, C1
Peace in Aceh: a personal account of the Aceh peace process
D Kingsbury
(2006), Jakarta, Indonesia, A1
D Kingsbury, L McCulloch
(2006), pp. 199-224, Verandah of violence : the background to the Aceh problem, Singapore, B1
Islam and political secularism: their convergence in an independence struggle
D Kingsbury
(2006), pp. 126-139, Political Islam and human security, Newcastle, U.K., B1
Analysis : Aceh's non-federation with Indonesia
D Kingsbury
(2006), Vol. 5, pp. 25-26, Federations, Ottawa, Canada, C1
D Kingsbury
(2005), pp. 1-8, Violence in between conflict and security in archipelagic Southeast Asia, Clayton, Vic. and Singapore, B1
Terrorism in archipelagic Southeast Asia
D Kingsbury, C Fernandes
(2005), pp. 9-52, Violence in between conflict and security in archipelagic Southeast Asia, Clayton, Vic. and Singapore, B1
Instability in archipelagic Southeast Asia
D Kingsbury
(2005), pp. 127-153, Violence in between conflict and security in archipelagic Southeast Asia, Clayton, Vic. and Singapore, B1
D Kingsbury
(2005), pp. 277-297, Violence in between conflict and security in archipelagic Southeast Asia, Clayton, Vic and Singapore, B1
A mechanism to end conflict in Aceh
D Kingsbury
(2005), Vol. 1, pp. 73-88, Security challenges, Braddon, A.C.T., C1
D Kingsbury
(2004), pp. 91-114, Key issues in development, New York, NY, B1
D Kingsbury
(2004), pp. 266-291, Key issues in development, New York, B1
D Kingsbury
(2003), pp. 99-114, Autonomy and disintegration in Indonesia, London, Eng., B1
The political economy of cross-border relations : the TNI and East Timor
D Kingsbury
(2003), Vol. 11, pp. 269-296, South East Asia research, London, England, C1
A Carter, G Stokes
(2002), pp. 1-19, Democratic theory today: challenges for the 21st century, Malden, MA, B1
D Kingsbury
(2001), pp. 97-118, Indonesia : the uncertain transition, Hindmarsh, South Australia, B1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Internal and External Sources of Political Instability in East Timor
Prof Damien Kingsbury, Dr Michael Leach
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2008: $41,629
- 2007: $39,559
After the crisis: Nation-building challenges in East Timor
Prof Damien Kingsbury, Dr Michael Leach
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2011: $26,486
- 2010: $11,870
- 2009: $23,830
Supervisions
Adele Katherine O'Connor
Thesis entitled: Indonesian President Joko Widodo (2014-2019): Populism and Oligarchy
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Andrew Marriott
Thesis entitled: Lawyers, Guns and Money : Advocacy and Politics in Post-conflict Development
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Kristie Louise Drucza
Thesis entitled: Social Inclusion and Social Protection in Nepal
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Badrus Sholeh
Thesis entitled: Democracy, Regional Autonomy and Peace in Aceh
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Alexandra Nicole Wake
Thesis entitled: Aiding journalism: Australian journalism educators working in post conflict states
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Robin Jan Hamilton-Coates
Thesis entitled: Blood Sweat and Tears: Documenting Thai Citizenship
Master of Arts, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Julian Spencer Roche
Thesis entitled: World Bank, UNCTAD and FAO Policy towards Agricultural Risk Management
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Say Sok
Thesis entitled: State building in Cambodia
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Terry Russell
Thesis entitled: Institution Building Problems in East Timor, 1999-2002
Doctor of Philosophy, School of International and Political Studies
Maria Schmidt
Thesis entitled: Small-scale Irrigators, Pastoral Livelihood Diversification and Poverty Alleviation in Kenya
Doctor of Philosophy, School of International and Political Studies
Clinton Fernandes
Thesis entitled: A Transformational Analysis of the National Interest
Doctor of Philosophy, School of International and Political Studies
Ronan Lee
Thesis entitled: Myanmar's Rohingya Genocide: Rohingya perspectives of history and identity
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Brad Anthony Watson
Thesis entitled: Child Sponsorship NGOs: Origins, Evolution and Motives for Change
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
. Selinaswati
Thesis entitled: Women in politics in matrilineal society (a case study of West Sumatra, Indonesia)
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences