
Overview
Background
Associate Professor 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
- Associate Professor 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
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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?
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Migration and Security
• Forms of irregular migration and security and their 'securitisation' by the state • Securitisation theory and its application in non-democratic contexts
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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.
Works
Search Professor Melissa Curley’s works on UQ eSpace
2008
Book Chapter
New Threats to Security: Unregulated migration, pandemics and disease
Curley, Melissa G. (2008). New Threats to Security: Unregulated migration, pandemics and disease. Australian Foreign Policy in the Age of Terror. (pp. 133-156) edited by Ungerer, Carl J.. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
2008
Book Chapter
Conclusion: Undocumented migration and the state/human security nexus in Asia
Curley, Melissa G. and Wong, Sui-lun (2008). Conclusion: Undocumented migration and the state/human security nexus in Asia. Security and Migration in Asia: The Dynamics of Securitisation. (pp. 179-184) edited by Melissa Curle and Sui-lun Wong. London & New York: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780203934722
2007
Book
Advancing East Asian Regionalism
Melissa G. Curley and Nicholas Thomas eds. (2007). Advancing East Asian Regionalism. Politics in Asia series, London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780203023303
2007
Book Chapter
An Introduction
Curley, M. and Thomas, N. (2007). An Introduction. Advancing East Asian Regionalism. (pp. 1-25) edited by Melissa G. Curley and Nicholas Thomas. London: Routledge.
2007
Book Chapter
The role of civil society in East Asian region-building
Curley, M. (2007). The role of civil society in East Asian region-building. Advancing East Asian regionalism. (pp. 179-201) edited by Melissa G. Curley and Nick Thomas. London, U.K.: Routledge.
2006
Book Chapter
An Avian Flu Pandemic in the Asia-Pacific: Lessons on Regional Cooperation from the 2003 SARS Outbreak
Curley, M (2006). An Avian Flu Pandemic in the Asia-Pacific: Lessons on Regional Cooperation from the 2003 SARS Outbreak. An Avian Flu Pandemic: What Would It Mean and What Can We Do?. (pp. 37-44) edited by Michael Birt and Claire Topal. Seattle, USA: The National Bureau of Asian Research.
2004
Journal Article
Human Security and Public Health in Southeast Asia: The SARS Outbreak
Curley, Melissa and Thomas, Nick (2004). Human Security and Public Health in Southeast Asia: The SARS Outbreak. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 58 (1), 17-32. doi: 10.1080/1035771032000184737
2004
Conference Publication
The Role of the Non-profit sector in Transitional Asian Economies. The Case of Cambodia
Curley, M.G. (2004). The Role of the Non-profit sector in Transitional Asian Economies. The Case of Cambodia. 15th Biennial Conference of the ASAA, National Convention Centre, Canberra, 29 June- 2 July, 2004.
2004
Book Chapter
Poverty and Non-Traditional Security: Experiences of China’s Partnership with Multilateral Donor Institutions on Poverty Alleviation
Curley, Melissa and Wang, Qingxin K. (2004). Poverty and Non-Traditional Security: Experiences of China’s Partnership with Multilateral Donor Institutions on Poverty Alleviation. Broadening Asia's security discourse and agenda : political, social, and environmental perspectives. (pp. 72-96) edited by Ramesh Thakur and Edward Newman. Tokyo: United Nations University Press.
2002
Journal Article
Security and illegal migration in Northeast Asia
Curley, Melissa (2002). Security and illegal migration in Northeast Asia. Center for East Asian Studies Monterey Institute of International Studies
2002
Journal Article
NGOs in China: The Role of International Organizations and South-South Cooperation
Curley, Melissa (2002). NGOs in China: The Role of International Organizations and South-South Cooperation. Asian Perspective - Special Addition on China-ASEAN Relations, 26 (4), 171-200.
2000
Journal Article
Exploring complex security realities: NGOs, community and state development partnerships in Laos
Curley, M.G. (2000). Exploring complex security realities: NGOs, community and state development partnerships in Laos. Asian Perspectives, 24 (1), 187-216.
1999
Book
Changing security agendas and the third world
Curley, Melissa and Pettiford, Lloyd (1999). Changing security agendas and the third world. London: Pinter Publishers.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Melissa Curley is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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The role of civil society groups in Environmental Governance (Indo-Pacific)
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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?
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The role of civil society groups in Environmental Governance (Indo-Pacific)
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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
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Doctor Philosophy
Dynamic Responses of Southeast Asian States to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Phillips
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Doctor Philosophy
Become Worthy or Remain Neglected: A Gendered Analysis of the United Kingdom and Australia's Regulation of ISIS Women Returnees
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Nicole George
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Completed supervision
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
China's Rising Influence in Cambodia: Local Contestation and State Responses
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Shahar Hameiri
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Indonesia's Anti-Trafficking Policy, 2000-2019: Governing Labour Trafficking in West Kalimantan
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Frank Mols
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Beyond the Law: Understanding the Political Dynamics of Grassroots Democracy in Vietnam
Principal Advisor
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Civil Society and Governance in Vietnam's One Party System
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Roland Bleiker
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
The localisation of the right to asylum norm in ASEAN: Assessing ASEAN Response during the Refugee Crisis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Bellamy
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Emotions and Everyday Practices of Protection for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Indonesia
Associate Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Southeast Asian Regional Governance and the Domestic Politics of Portfolio Investment Liberalization: The Case of Indonesia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Shahar Hameiri
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Policy innovations and agency under the one-party system of Vietnam: the study of primary education decision-making
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alastair Stark
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Indonesia's Criminal Justice Response to the Smuggling of Migrants
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andreas Schloenhardt
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
The Use of the Death Penalty for Drug Offences in Southeast Asia: Sovereignty, Deterrence, Retribution and Proportionality
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Roland Bleiker
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Rice, politics and power: the political economy of food insecurity in East Asia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Lawrence
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Health systems strengthening in global and national contexts
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Western
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
The Responsibility to Protect and Responsible Power: Explaining China's Acquiescence to International Intervention to Protect Libyan Populations in 2011
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Bellamy
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2012
Doctor Philosophy
Government-Business Relations and ASEAN Economic Integration in Trade in Services after the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis: Case Studies of Thailand and Malaysia
Associate Advisor
Media
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