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Dr Melissa Curley
Dr

Melissa Curley

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 69054

Overview

Background

Senior Lecturer in International Relations. Her research and teaching interests include Southeast Asian politics and international relations, Cambodian politics and post-conflict reconstruction, and non-traditional security in East Asia (including trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling, pandemic disease and child protection issues). Dr. Curley co-facilitated the UQ Working Group on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling in the T.C Bernie School of Law (http://www.law.uq.edu.au/humantrafficking) from 2012-2016. She has published in internationally peer reviewed journals including: Review of International Studies, The Journal of Law and Society, Australian Journal of Human Rights, and Australian Journal of International Affairs, amongst others. Her most recent book is Migration and Security in Asia (Routledge 2008) with S.L. Wong. Before joining the School in January 2006, Dr. Curley was a researcher in the China-ASEAN project at the Centre of Asian Studies at the University of Hong Kong, where she also coordinated a consultancy project on Southeast Asian affairs for the Hong Kong Government's Central Policy Unit. She holds a Ph.D in International Relations from Nottingham Trent University in the UK, and BA(Hons) in Government from UQ.

In 2015, Dr Curley joined the Executive Advisory Board of Bravehearts, an Australian not-for profit organisation that aims to educate, empower and protect Australian children from sexual assault, and in 2016 was made a Paul Harris Fellow, in recognition of her services to The Rotary Foundation. In 2020 she gained Fellowship status with the Higher Education Academy (UK).

Availability

Dr Melissa Curley is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Arts, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Nottingham Trent University

Research interests

  • Non-traditional Security in the Asia Pacific

    Non-traditional security issue in International Relations are commonly understood to be transnational, multi-jurisdictional policy issues that impact multiple states and which cannot be solved via domestic (internal) policies alone, such as: trafficking in persons, migrant smuggling, public health and pandemic disease and drug and wildlife trafficking and child exploitation. My publications have appeared in a range of internationally peer-reviewed journals in Political Science, Asian Studies, International Relations and Law across these topics, often as lead author. Focus areas include: policy approaches to non-traditional security in state and institutional contexts; conceptual intersections between traditional and non-traditional security; infectious and pandemic diseases including SARS, H5N1 Bird Flu, COVID 19; and child trafficking and exploitation and relevant international legal frameworks.

  • Governance of civil society in authoritarian states

    The role of civil society under authoritarian rule. How do they navigate relations with the state and advocate for their agenda?

  • Migration and Security

    • Forms of irregular migration and security and their 'securitisation' by the state • Securitisation theory and its application in non-democratic contexts

Research impacts

In 2015, I was invited to join the Executive Advisory Board of Bravehearts, an Australian not-for profit organisation that aims to educate, empower and protect Australian children from sexual assault.

External recognition of my research and contribution to the field of International Relations is reflected by various (funded) invitations to speak at international and Australian conferences and forums associated with non-traditional security and policy related research.

o Australian Federal Police to speak at International Symposium on Child Sex Tourism in Bangkok in 2012, and Fiji in 2013.

o Nanyang University of Technology, to speak at Symposiums on Irregular Migration in 2012 and 2009.

o University of Western Australia, to speak at Conference on Regional Leadership and Norms: EU and Asia-Pacific Trajectories, 2012.

Works

Search Professor Melissa Curley’s works on UQ eSpace

52 works between 1999 and 2023

1 - 20 of 52 works

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Governing Civil Society in Cambodia: Implications of the NGO Law for the “Rule of Law”

Curley, Melissa (2018). Governing Civil Society in Cambodia: Implications of the NGO Law for the “Rule of Law”. Asian Studies Review, 42 (2), 247-267. doi: 10.1080/10357823.2018.1457624

Governing Civil Society in Cambodia: Implications of the NGO Law for the “Rule of Law”

Featured

2014

Journal Article

Combating child sex tourism in South-east Asia: law enforcement cooperation and civil society partnerships

Curley, Melissa (2014). Combating child sex tourism in South-east Asia: law enforcement cooperation and civil society partnerships. Journal of Law and Society, 41 (2), 283-314. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6478.2014.00667.x

Combating child sex tourism in South-east Asia: law enforcement cooperation and civil society partnerships

Featured

2012

Journal Article

Human security's future in regional cooperation and governance?

Curley, Melissa (2012). Human security's future in regional cooperation and governance?. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 66 (5), 527-541. doi: 10.1080/10357718.2011.570242

Human security's future in regional cooperation and governance?

Featured

2011

Journal Article

The securitization of avian influenza: International discourses and domestic politics in Asia

Curley, Melissa G. and Herrington, Jonathan (2011). The securitization of avian influenza: International discourses and domestic politics in Asia. Review of International Studies, 37 (1), 141-166. doi: 10.1017/S0260210510000537

The securitization of avian influenza: International discourses and domestic politics in Asia

Featured

2008

Book

Security and migration in Asia : The dynamics of securitisation

Melissa Curley and Sui-lun Wong eds. (2008). Security and migration in Asia : The dynamics of securitisation. Politics in Asia series, New York, United States of America: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780203934722

Security and migration in Asia : The dynamics of securitisation

2023

Book Chapter

Governing the limits of civil society in Cambodia and Myanmar

Curley, Melissa and McCarthy, Stephen (2023). Governing the limits of civil society in Cambodia and Myanmar. Authoritarianism and civil society in Asia. (pp. 197-217) edited by Anthony J. Spires and Akihiro Ogawa. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003256809-16

Governing the limits of civil society in Cambodia and Myanmar

2022

Journal Article

Promoting compassionate responses to disclosures of sexual violence in university settings: exploring the impact of a social marketing campaign

Irvine-Collins, Emma, Moore, Emma, Cao, Kailun, Curley, Melissa, Ablaza, Christine and Heard, Emma (2022). Promoting compassionate responses to disclosures of sexual violence in university settings: exploring the impact of a social marketing campaign. Violence Against Women, 29 (9), 107780122211348-1852. doi: 10.1177/10778012221134822

Promoting compassionate responses to disclosures of sexual violence in university settings: exploring the impact of a social marketing campaign

2019

Book Chapter

Exporting harmful people: analysing Australia’s extraterritorial child sex tourism laws

Curley, Melissa (2019). Exporting harmful people: analysing Australia’s extraterritorial child sex tourism laws. The state and cosmopolitan responsibilities. (pp. 119-146) edited by Richard Beardsworth, Garrett Wallace Brown and Richard Shapcott. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/oso/9780198800613.003.0007

Exporting harmful people: analysing Australia’s extraterritorial child sex tourism laws

2018

Journal Article

Competing Visions of the Rule of Law in Southeast Asia: Power, Rhetoric and Governance

Curley, Melissa, Dressel, Björn and McCarthy, Stephen (2018). Competing Visions of the Rule of Law in Southeast Asia: Power, Rhetoric and Governance. Asian Studies Review, 42 (2), 192-209. doi: 10.1080/10357823.2018.1448753

Competing Visions of the Rule of Law in Southeast Asia: Power, Rhetoric and Governance

2016

Journal Article

Extraterritorial jurisdiction, criminal law and transnational crime: insights from the application of Australia's Child Sex Tourism Offences

Curley, Melissa and Stanley, Elizabeth (2016). Extraterritorial jurisdiction, criminal law and transnational crime: insights from the application of Australia's Child Sex Tourism Offences. Bond Law Review, 28 (2), 169-197.

Extraterritorial jurisdiction, criminal law and transnational crime: insights from the application of Australia's Child Sex Tourism Offences

2016

Journal Article

The securitisation of migrant smuggling in Australia and its consequences for the Bali Process

Curley, Melissa and Vandyk, Kahlia (2016). The securitisation of migrant smuggling in Australia and its consequences for the Bali Process. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 71 (1), 1-21. doi: 10.1080/10357718.2016.1181149

The securitisation of migrant smuggling in Australia and its consequences for the Bali Process

2016

Conference Publication

Cambodia’s health systems performance and the need for systems thinking approach

Macarayan, Erlyn, Western, Mark, Curley, Melissa and Gilks, Charles (2016). Cambodia’s health systems performance and the need for systems thinking approach. Prince Mahidol Award Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, 26-31 January 2016. Bangkok, Thailand: Prince Mahidol Award Conference.

Cambodia’s health systems performance and the need for systems thinking approach

2016

Book Chapter

Migration and the movements of people

Curley, Melissa (2016). Migration and the movements of people. An introduction to non-traditional security studies: a transnational approach. (pp. 193-209) edited by Mely Caballero-Anthony. London, United Kingdom: Sage.

Migration and the movements of people

2015

Conference Publication

Healthcare financing and outcomes in low and middle income countries

Macarayan, E. R. K., Western, M., Curley, M. and Gilks, C. (2015). Healthcare financing and outcomes in low and middle income countries. 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, Basel, Switzerland, 6-10 September 2015. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1111/tmi.12575

Healthcare financing and outcomes in low and middle income countries

2015

Conference Publication

Assessing health systems performance in low and middle income countries

Macarayan, E., Western, M. and Curley, M. (2015). Assessing health systems performance in low and middle income countries. 6th Annual CUGH Conference, Boston, MA United States, 26-28 March 2015. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.aogh.2015.02.942

Assessing health systems performance in low and middle income countries

2014

Journal Article

Beyond the Criminal Justice Orthodoxy? Australia’s overseas aid program and compliance with the trafficking protocol

Curley, Melissa and Holt, Bethany (2014). Beyond the Criminal Justice Orthodoxy? Australia’s overseas aid program and compliance with the trafficking protocol. Australian Journal of Human Rights, 20 (1), 129-161. doi: 10.1080/1323-238X.2014.11882143

Beyond the Criminal Justice Orthodoxy? Australia’s overseas aid program and compliance with the trafficking protocol

2014

Edited Outputs

Australian Journal of Politics and History

Australian Journal of Politics and History. (2014). 60 (2)

Australian Journal of Politics and History

2014

Book Chapter

Developments in Cambodian democracy: democratic consolidation or authoritarian durability?

Curley, Melissa (2014). Developments in Cambodian democracy: democratic consolidation or authoritarian durability?. Democracy in Eastern Asia: Issues, problems and challenges in a region of diversity. (pp. 138-158) edited by Edmund S. K. Fung and Steven Drakeley. Abingdon, Oxon, U.K.: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780203795088

Developments in Cambodian democracy: democratic consolidation or authoritarian durability?

2014

Conference Publication

Using principles of political psychology in health systems performance comparative case studies

Macarayan, E., Curley, M. and Western, M. (2014). Using principles of political psychology in health systems performance comparative case studies. Australasian Political Psychology Workshop, Monash University Law Chambers, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Using principles of political psychology in health systems performance comparative case studies

2014

Conference Publication

Is democracy needed for health systems performance assessments?

Macarayan, E, Curley, M and Western, M (2014). Is democracy needed for health systems performance assessments?. APSA 2014: Australian Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Sydney, Australia, 28 September - 04 October 2014.

Is democracy needed for health systems performance assessments?

Funding

Past funding

  • 2006 - 2007
    Governance, Sovereignty and Civil Society: The Emergence of Civil Society in Cambodia Post-UNTAC
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Melissa Curley is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • The role of civil society groups in Environmental Governance (Indo-Pacific)

  • Combating Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery in Southeast Asia

    How do states in Southeast Asia combatt trafficking in persons? This research agenda includes the governance of anti-trafficking iniatives within government and the implementation of domestic trafficking laws, in compliance with the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol (2000).

    How are NGOs and other faith-based organisations involved in anti-trafficking initiatives?

    How is trafficking in children and child exploitation related? What are the drivers of child exploitation in Southeast Asia (tourism industry, trafficking for domestic labour and sexual exploitaton) and how can they be reduced and/or eradicated?

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Dynamic Responses of Southeast Asian States to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Andrew Phillips

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Jihadi Brides, Race, and their Return: Examining Government Responses in the United States (U.S.), Malaysia, and Germany

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Nicole George

  • Doctor Philosophy

    State Formation and Self-Determination in post-Colonial Africa: The Case of Secessionists Movements in Sudan and Nigeria

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Alexander Bellamy

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The localization of the right to asylum norm in ASEAN: Assessing ASEAN Response during the Refugee Crisis

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Alexander Bellamy

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Melissa Curley's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au