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Associate Professor Gerhard Hoffstaedter
Associate Professor

Gerhard Hoffstaedter

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 51211

Overview

Background

I am a social anthropologist specialising in migration, refugee protection, and religious politics in Southeast Asia, with particular expertise in Malaysia's treatment of displaced populations and Muslim identity formation. My research combines ethnographic fieldwork with policy analysis to understand how states, communities, and individuals navigate questions of belonging, protection, and cultural identity.

Academic Background I hold a PhD in anthropology and sociology from La Trobe University, with previous degrees in Social Anthropology and Politics/International Relations from the University of Kent. I was an Australian Research Council DECRA research fellow (2014-2017) and the Lee Kong Chian NUS-Stanford Fellow on Contemporary Southeast Asia (2023-2024), spending time at the National University of Singapore and Stanford University's Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center.

Research Focus My work spans political anthropology, development studies and migration studies, with particular focus on:

  • Refugee and immigration policy in Southeast Asia
  • Religion-state relations and Muslim identity politics
  • Urban refugee experiences and protection frameworks
  • Faith and spirituality in the modern world
  • Participant observation methodology in sensitive research contexts

Publications and Engagement I am author of Modern Muslim Identities: Negotiating Religion and Ethnicity in Malaysia (NIAS Press) and co-editor of volumes on human security and urban refugees published by Allen & Unwin/Routledge. As a regular media commentator and course director for UQ's MOOC "World101x: Anthropology of Current World Issues," I translate academic research for broader audiences through traditional and digital platforms.

Availability

Associate Professor Gerhard Hoffstaedter is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts, University of Kent
  • Masters (Coursework), University of Kent
  • Doctor of Philosophy, La Trobe University

Research impacts

Policy Influence and Community Support My research on refugee protection and Muslim identity politics directly shapes policy discussions and community responses to critical issues in Southeast Asia. Through regular media appearances and volunteer work with refugee organisations, I translate academic findings into actionable insights that inform advocacy efforts and improve service delivery for vulnerable populations. My fieldwork with Rohingya and other refugee communities provides evidence-based research that NGOs and policymakers use to push for improved protection frameworks.

Democratizing Knowledge and Education As co-founder of the Melbourne Free University and contributor to the Brisbane Free University, I champion accessible education beyond traditional academic boundaries. My free Massive Open Online Course on anthropology of current world issues has reached thousands of global learners, while my free Introduction to Social Sciences, YouTube interview series with anthropologists and panel discussions with UQ anthropologists make specialist knowledge accessible to broader audiences. These platforms demonstrate measurable impact in breaking down barriers to higher education.

Shaping Academic Practice and Public Understanding My methodological contributions, particularly on participant observation in religious studies, influence how researchers approach sensitive fieldwork across multiple disciplines. Through sustained public engagement via radio, television, and digital platforms, I help non-academic audiences understand complex issues around migration, identity, and religious politics in contemporary Southeast Asia, fostering informed public discourse on critical regional challenges.

Works

Search Professor Gerhard Hoffstaedter’s works on UQ eSpace

123 works between 2008 and 2025

1 - 20 of 123 works

Featured

2024

Journal Article

Graves beyond the waves: enforced strandedness and the impossibility of place-making in the Andaman Sea

Hoffstaedter, Gerhard and Missbach, Antje (2024). Graves beyond the waves: enforced strandedness and the impossibility of place-making in the Andaman Sea. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 50 (8), 2063-2077. doi: 10.1080/1369183x.2022.2110457

Graves beyond the waves: enforced strandedness and the impossibility of place-making in the Andaman Sea

Featured

2023

Book

Introduction to the Social Sciences

Staines, Zoe, Hoffstaedter, Gerhard and Binnie, Ned (2023). Introduction to the Social Sciences. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/3e239ee

Introduction to the Social Sciences

Featured

2020

Other Outputs

“There we are nothing, here we are nothing!”: the enduring effects of Rohingya persecution and genocide in Myanmar and on lives in the diaspora

O’Brien, Melanie and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2020, 12 16). “There we are nothing, here we are nothing!”: the enduring effects of Rohingya persecution and genocide in Myanmar and on lives in the diaspora The Andaman Sea Crisis: 5 years on

“There we are nothing, here we are nothing!”: the enduring effects of Rohingya persecution and genocide in Myanmar and on lives in the diaspora

Featured

2017

Journal Article

Refugees, Islam, and the State: the role of religion in providing sanctuary in Malaysia

Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2017). Refugees, Islam, and the State: the role of religion in providing sanctuary in Malaysia. Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies, 15 (3), 287-304. doi: 10.1080/15562948.2017.1302033

Refugees, Islam, and the State: the role of religion in providing sanctuary in Malaysia

Featured

2011

Book

Modern Muslim identities: Negotiating religion and ethnicity in Malaysia

Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2011). Modern Muslim identities: Negotiating religion and ethnicity in Malaysia. Copenhagen, Denmark: NIAS Press.

Modern Muslim identities: Negotiating religion and ethnicity in Malaysia

2025

Book Chapter

The (un)official refugee protection regimes in Malaysia: what is the way forward?

Hoffstaedter, Gerhard and Jalil, Aslam Abd (2025). The (un)official refugee protection regimes in Malaysia: what is the way forward?. Refugee protection in Southeast Asia: between humanitarianism and sovereignty. (pp. 159-182) New York, NY, United States: Berghahn Books. doi: 10.1515/9781805397823-012

The (un)official refugee protection regimes in Malaysia: what is the way forward?

2024

Book Chapter

Refugee protection in non-signatory states: activism for and by refugees in Malaysia and Indonesia

Missbach, Antje and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2024). Refugee protection in non-signatory states: activism for and by refugees in Malaysia and Indonesia. Handbook on Border Criminology. (pp. 354-368) Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781035307982.00034

Refugee protection in non-signatory states: activism for and by refugees in Malaysia and Indonesia

2024

Book Chapter

Survival and deferred place-making at sea: Onboard socialities of Vietnamese and Rohingya Boatpeople

Missbach, Antje and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2024). Survival and deferred place-making at sea: Onboard socialities of Vietnamese and Rohingya Boatpeople. (Un)Settling Place: Diverse and Divergent Place-Making of People on the Move. (pp. 154-174) Berghahn Books. doi: 10.1515/9781805398127-010

Survival and deferred place-making at sea: Onboard socialities of Vietnamese and Rohingya Boatpeople

2024

Other Outputs

The sea within

Bala, Mahen and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2024, 08 01). The sea within Mekong Review 30-30.

The sea within

2024

Book Chapter

Seeking justice beyond the platform economy: migrant workers navigating precarious lives

Riordan, Tyler, Robinson, Richard N.S. and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2024). Seeking justice beyond the platform economy: migrant workers navigating precarious lives. Tourism, Global Crises and Justice. (pp. 128-145) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003492610-10

Seeking justice beyond the platform economy: migrant workers navigating precarious lives

2024

Journal Article

Refugee Registration Schemes in Malaysia : Governing Refugees by Maintaining the Status Quo and Reinforcing Borders

Jalil, Aslam Abd and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2024). Refugee Registration Schemes in Malaysia : Governing Refugees by Maintaining the Status Quo and Reinforcing Borders. Migration and Society, 7 (1), 46-61. doi: 10.3167/arms.2024.070106

Refugee Registration Schemes in Malaysia : Governing Refugees by Maintaining the Status Quo and Reinforcing Borders

2024

Other Outputs

Humanising food delivery work in Australia: a toolkit

Riordan, Tyler, Robinson, Richard N.S. and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2024). Humanising food delivery work in Australia: a toolkit. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: UQ Business School.

Humanising food delivery work in Australia: a toolkit

2024

Journal Article

Neoliberal temporalities and expertise in migration governance

Riva, Sara, Altman, Tess and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2024). Neoliberal temporalities and expertise in migration governance. Migration and Society, 7 (1), 1-11. doi: 10.3167/ARMS.2024.070103

Neoliberal temporalities and expertise in migration governance

2023

Book Chapter

Seeking justice beyond the platform economy: migrant workers navigating precarious lives

Riordan, Tyler, Robinson, Richard N.S. and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2023). Seeking justice beyond the platform economy: migrant workers navigating precarious lives. A Sustainable Tourism Workforce. (pp. 92-109) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003435457-6

Seeking justice beyond the platform economy: migrant workers navigating precarious lives

2023

Book Chapter

People smuggling in Southeast Asia: Rohingya and Chin stories of agency, freedom, and power in cross-border movement

Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2023). People smuggling in Southeast Asia: Rohingya and Chin stories of agency, freedom, and power in cross-border movement. Global human smuggling: buying freedom in a retreating world. (pp. 290-307) edited by Luigi Achilli and David Kyle. Baltimore, MD, United States: Johns Hopkins University Press.

People smuggling in Southeast Asia: Rohingya and Chin stories of agency, freedom, and power in cross-border movement

2023

Journal Article

How the hyper-securitisation of Muslims in Malaysia is dividing society

Hoffstaedter, Gerhard and Abd Jalil, Aslam (2023). How the hyper-securitisation of Muslims in Malaysia is dividing society. Melbourne Asia Review, 15. doi: 10.37839/mar2652-550x15.10

How the hyper-securitisation of Muslims in Malaysia is dividing society

2023

Journal Article

Malaysia at 60: the urgency of inclusion

Hoffstaedter, Gerhard, Saigaran, Nithiya Guna, Ilana, Nadira, Hooi, Khoo Ying and Abd Jalil, Aslam (2023, 07 06). Malaysia at 60: the urgency of inclusion New Mandala

Malaysia at 60: the urgency of inclusion

2023

Journal Article

The effects of COVID-19 on refugees in peninsular Malaysia: surveillance, securitization, and eviction

Abd Jalil, Aslam and Hoffstaedter, Gerhard (2023). The effects of COVID-19 on refugees in peninsular Malaysia: surveillance, securitization, and eviction. Advances in Southeast Asian Studies, 16 (1), 79-99. doi: 10.14764/10.ASEAS-0088

The effects of COVID-19 on refugees in peninsular Malaysia: surveillance, securitization, and eviction

2023

Other Outputs

Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) Snapshot Report 1

Povey, J., Burger, S-A., Marshall, D., Lee, R., Lattz, M., O'Donnell, K., Young, C., Hoffstaedter, G., San Martin Porter, M., Austerberry, S., Nuttall, G., Baxter, J. and McDaid, L. (2023). Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) Snapshot Report 1. Brisbane, Australia: Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland.

Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) Snapshot Report 1

2023

Conference Publication

Community Support Program (CSP) Findings Workshop: Snapshot 1

Povey, Jenny, Burger, Sarah-Ann, O'Donnell, Karlee, Young, Charlotte, San Martin Porter, Macarena, Marshall, David, Lee, Rennie, Lattz, Miguel, Hoffstaedter, Gerhard and Austerberry, Sophie (2023). Community Support Program (CSP) Findings Workshop: Snapshot 1. Findings Workshop for the Department of Home Affairs, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 22 March 2023. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.

Community Support Program (CSP) Findings Workshop: Snapshot 1

Funding

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2027
    Theorising (im)mobilities at sea: Challenging the terra firma bias in Refugee Studies through human maritime movements
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Being a Transnational Muslim in Australia in an Era of Hyper-Security (ARC Discovery Project led by Western Sydney University)
    Western Sydney University
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Evaluation of the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP)
    Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2017 - 2018
    The impact of transit migration for refugee resettlement, citizenship building and everyday life in an Australian multicultural city
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2017
    Lives in limbo: An anthropology of refugee experiences in Malaysia
    ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Multiculturalism in Malaysia and Fiji - a cross cultural study of negotiating mechanisms
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Associate Professor Gerhard Hoffstaedter is:
Available for supervision

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

Available projects

  • Refugees, statelessness and migration in Southeast Asia

  • Resettlement of refugees in Australia

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Master Philosophy

    Fighting and Fleeing: Resistance within the International Movement Regime

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Morgan Brigg

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Spiritual healing and its impact on mental health: A comparative analysis of Australia and the Solomon Islands

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jenny Munro

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Technologies of Presence: Practices of Mediation among Pentecostals in Queensland

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Ryan Williams, Associate Professor Tom Aechtner

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Religion and Spirituality in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Ryan Williams

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Gerhard Hoffstaedter directly for media enquiries about:

  • Chin
  • Development aid
  • identity politics
  • Immigration
  • Irregular migration
  • Islam
  • Malaysian politics
  • Political anthropology
  • Refugee politics
  • Refugees
  • Religion and development
  • Rohingya
  • Southeast Asian politics

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au