Overview
Background
Sarah Percy arrived at UQ from the University of Western Australia in 2016. Prior to her appointment at UWA, Sarah was University Lecturer and Tutorial Fellow in International Relations at the University of Oxford (Merton College). At Oxford, Sarah was on the steering committee of the Oxford Programme on the Changing Character of War. Sarah did her M.Phil and D.Phil as a Commonwealth Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford.
Sarah has three main research areas. She has had a long-standing interest in unconventional combatants, and has published widely on mercenaries, private military companies, and pirates. Sarah is interested in issues of maritime security generally, including piracy and counter-piracy, maritime crime, and the role of navies as security actors. She also conducts research at the nexus between international relations and international law, and is interested in how and why the use of force is regulated, and the relationship between norms and international law.
Availability
- Associate Professor Sarah Percy is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford
Research interests
-
Piracy
-
Maritime security
-
International security
-
Mercenaries
-
Private military and security companies
Research impacts
Sarah's research projects have had considerable impact outside academia. Sarah has presented her research on mercenaries and private military companies at the United Nations; at policy-oriented events at Princeton University and New York University; and at the Royal United Services Institute (London) and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (London).
Sarah's research on piracy was featured in the production notes for the film "Captain Phillips", directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Tom Hanks. She has presented this research to the Royal Navy and at DFAT's Counter-Piracy Conference. Sarah has also presented on maritime security and strategy to the Royal Australian Navy, and at the RAN's Sea Power Conference in 2014, and to the Federal Court of Australia's Maritime and Admiralty Law group in 2015. Sarah is a non-resident fellow of the Royal Australian Navy's Sea Power Centre.
Sarah is an experienced media commentator. Her writing has appeared in the Guardian, USA Today, The Conversation, and The Lowy Interpreter. She has appeared on radio in the United States (National Public Radio) and in Australia (Radio National, multiple programs including Rear Vision and The World Today) and on Sky News.
Works
Search Professor Sarah Percy’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Book
Forgotten warriors: the long history of women on the front line
Percy, Sarah (2023). Forgotten warriors: the long history of women on the front line. London, United Kingdom: John Murray Press.
2022
Other Outputs
An object in time: The flag
Percy, Sarah (2022). An object in time: The flag. Sydney, NSW Australia: ABC Radio National.
2022
Other Outputs
An object in time: The jewel
Percy, Sarah (2022). An object in time: The jewel. Sydney, NSW, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2022
Other Outputs
An object in time: the ball
Percy, Sarah (2022). An object in time: the ball. Sydney, NSW Australia: ABC Radio National.
2022
Other Outputs
An object in time: the potato
Percy, Sarah (2022). An object in time: the potato. Australia: ABC Radio National.
2022
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Briefcase
Percy, Sarah (2022). An Object in Time: The Briefcase. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2022
Journal Article
Why norms rarely die
Percy, Sarah V. and Sandholtz, Wayne (2022). Why norms rarely die. European Journal of International Relations, 28 (4), 934-954. doi: 10.1177/13540661221126018
2021
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Whip
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object in Time: The Whip. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2021
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Ginger Beer
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object in Time: The Ginger Beer. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2021
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Envelope
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object in Time: The Envelope. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2021
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Cup of Tea
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object in Time: The Cup of Tea. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2021
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Ticker Tape
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object in Time: The Ticker Tape. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2021
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Train Carriage
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object in Time: The Train Carriage. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2021
Other Outputs
An Object In Time: The Telephone
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object In Time: The Telephone. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2021
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Pistol
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object in Time: The Pistol. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2021
Other Outputs
An Object in Time: The Umbrella
Percy, Sarah (2021). An Object in Time: The Umbrella. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2019
Other Outputs
Why the Cold War still matters - Episode 4: The year no one saw coming
Percy, Sarah (2019). Why the Cold War still matters - Episode 4: The year no one saw coming. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2019
Other Outputs
Why the Cold War still matters - Episode 3: The fall of an empire
Percy, Sarah (2019). Why the Cold War still matters - Episode 3: The fall of an empire. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2019
Other Outputs
Why the Cold War still matters - Episode 2: Repression and dissent
Percy, Sarah (2019). Why the Cold War still matters - Episode 2: Repression and dissent. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
2019
Other Outputs
Why the Cold War still matters - Episode1: The superpower standoff
Percy, Sarah (2019). Why the Cold War still matters - Episode1: The superpower standoff. Sydney, Australia: ABC Radio National.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Sarah Percy is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
The drivers of protracted armed conflicts: Why they cause protraction and how they develop throughout conflicts
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Bellamy, Associate Professor Suzanna Fay
-
Doctor Philosophy
Identity, Institutions and Policy: Ontological security and the Australian Defence Force
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt McDonald
-
Doctor Philosophy
Countering China? Reactions to Chinese Geostrategy in India, Japan, and South Korea
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Shahar Hameiri
-
Doctor Philosophy
What impact does men's use of parental leave have on women's experiences in paid employment?
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Gillian Whitehouse
-
Doctor Philosophy
Women and retirement
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Gillian Whitehouse
Completed supervision
-
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Free Speech, Counterspeech, and Constitutional Values on University Campuses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Katharine Gelber
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Harmful Speech and the Limits of Counterspeech
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Katharine Gelber
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
The Politics of International Legitimacy: Indonesia's and Sri Lanka's Justifications for the Use of Force
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt McDonald
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Sarah Percy directly for media enquiries about:
- Maritime security
- mercenaries
- Piracy
- pirates
- private military companies
- private security companies
- Royal Australian Navy
- women in combat
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: