Dr Simpson is Senior Lecturer in International Studies within UniSA Justice & Society. He contributes Global Politics courses to the Law, Policy and Politics and History and Global Politics majors within the Bachelor of Arts.
His research covers environmental politics under authoritarian regimes, democratisation, military coups, genocide and civil conflict with a particular focus on Myanmar and Thailand.
He is the editor, along with Nicholas Farrelly, of the recently published Second Edition of the volume Myanmar: Politics, Economy and Society (Routledge, Open Access, 2024), which examines the upheavals in Myanmar since the 2021 military coup. Praise for the first edition includes, 'a must-read ... Read more
About me
Dr Simpson is Senior Lecturer in International Studies within UniSA Justice & Society. He contributes Global Politics courses to the Law, Policy and Politics and History and Global Politics majors within the Bachelor of Arts.
His research covers environmental politics under authoritarian regimes, democratisation, military coups, genocide and civil conflict with a particular focus on Myanmar and Thailand.
He is the editor, along with Nicholas Farrelly, of the recently published Second Edition of the volume Myanmar: Politics, Economy and Society (Routledge, Open Access, 2024), which examines the upheavals in Myanmar since the 2021 military coup. Praise for the first edition includes, 'a must-read for scholars on contemporary Myanmar and fascinating for anyone interested in broader processes of political and economic transformations', European Journal of East Asian Studies (2021).
He has also conducted fieldwork and research on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and he writes policy analysis of Australian climate politics. Some of his articles on all these topics can be found at:
Other recent editions of his books published by Routledge include:
Dr Simpson was founding Program Director for the University's Master of Communication and its nested suite of postgraduate programs, for which he taught the core course, Communication, Media and Creative Industries. He was also previously Program Director for the Master of Aboriginal Studies suite of programs and in 2013 was Inaugural Director of the Centre for Peace and Security in the Hawke Research Institute at UniSA. He is an Associate Member of the Barbara Hardy Institute. He is an Associate at the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, University of Sydney, and the Indo-Pacific Governance Research Centre (IPGRC), University of Adelaide, where he was formerly Associate Lecturer in International Politics.
Prior to academia he worked as an Analyst with several US and British investment banks in the City of London including Merrill Lynch (now Bank of America), Bankers Trust International (now Deutsche Bank) and NatWest Global Financial Markets (now Royal Bank of Scotland). He has travelled widely, particularly in the less affluent countries of the global South. This work and travel informs his research and results in a critical approach to international politics.
His research focuses particularly on environmental politics/security and development in Myanmar and Thailand. He has published in leading international journals such as Environmental Politics, Society and Natural Resources, Third World Quarterly and Pacific Review. His book, Energy, Governance and Security in Thailand and Myanmar, was the first monograph in Routledge's 'Transforming Environmental Politics and Policy' series. Together with the updated paperback edition by NIAS/NUS Press the book was reviewed 20 times in refereed academic journals.
A review of The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Myanmar (2018), for which Dr Simpson was lead editor, noted that 'throughout its 40 chapters, the book offers a much welcome and quite successful attempt at presenting academic research on all aspects of life in Myanmar. There is still so much to learn about the country, for foreigners and for the Burmese themselves alike. This book could only tackle its fair share of the task, but that it did. To anyone passionate about Myanmar, this book truly is a gold mine.'
Dr Simpson was Founding Co-Convenor of the Australian Political Studies Association Environmental Politics and Policy Research Group and was President of the Ecopolitics Association of Australasia.
Since 2013 he has been a Detailed Assessor for the Australian Research Council National Competitive Grants Program.
Policy Articles, Op Eds & Media
Dr Simpson regular contributes articles, particularly on politics relating to Myanmar, Thailand, Australia and the Ukraine conflict, to policy and news sites such as the Conversation. Conversation articles have been translated into French, Spanish and Indonesian for its international sites and are regularly re-published by news and policy sites such as ABC News, SBS News, 9News and the Mandarin in Australia, Stuff (New Zealand), Channel News Asia (Singapore), Asia Times (Hong Kong), Scroll (India) and Rappler (Philippines).
He is regularly interviewed by ABC News (e.g. expert comment on Thai politics for articles published in August 2024 can be found here, here, here, here and here)
He is also regularly interviewed in other media and podcasts including Counterpoint on ABC Radio National, SBS World News, South China Morning Post, Gizmodo, The Wire radio and The Conversation Weekly.
Visiting Scholar Positions
In 2025 he will take up a Visiting Scholar position at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), Kyoto University, Japan. In 2016 he undertook a 6-month fully-funded Research Fellowship at Kyoto University.
In 2017 he was Visiting Scholar at SOAS, University of London.
In 2014 he was Visiting Research Fellow at Queen Mary, University of London.
In 2011 he was Visiting Lecturer at Keele University, UK.
About me
Membership of Professional Organisations:
About me
About me
Doctor of Philosophy University of Adelaide
Master of Environmental Studies University of Adelaide
Graduate Diploma of Education Southern Cross University
Bachelor of Economics University of Adelaide
Bachelor of Science (Maths and Computer Sciences) University of Adelaide
August-September 2025 (forthcoming) - Visiting Scholar, Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), Kyoto University, Japan
July-August 2017 - Visiting Scholar, SOAS, University of London
February-July 2016 - Fully-funded 6-month Research Fellowship, CSEAS, Kyoto University
March-April 2014 - Visiting Research Fellow, Queen Mary, University of London
April-May 2011 - Visiting Lecturer, Centre for the Study of Politics, International Relations and Environment, Keele University, UK
Research Areas:
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
Year | Output |
---|---|
2018 |
Open access
24
22
11
|
2018 |
5
21
|
2014 |
25
|
2013 |
17
15
|
2013 |
52
51
|
Year | Output |
---|---|
2023 |
Simpson, A & Farrelly, N 2023, Myanmar: politics, economy and society, Routledge, UK.
Open access
4
|
2020 |
Simpson, A & Farrelly, N 2020, Myanmar: Politics, Economy and Society, Taylor and Francis, UK.
177
|
2018 |
5
21
|
2014 |
25
|
Year | Output |
---|---|
2024 |
|
2023 |
Open access
1
|
2023 |
Open access
1
|
2023 |
Open access
|
2023 |
Open access
10
|
2023 |
Open access
|
2022 |
Open access
|
2021 |
Open access
18
|
2020 |
|
2020 |
Open access
|
2020 |
|
2020 |
Open access
|
2018 |
1
|
2018 |
11
|
2018 |
|
2018 |
|
2018 |
Open access
|
2018 |
2
|
2017 |
Open access
|
2017 |
|
2017 |
|
2017 |
Open access
4
|
2015 |
|
2015 |
4
|
2014 |
|
2013 |
12
6
|
2013 |
4
|
2012 |
1
|
2008 |
|
2008 |
6
|
Year | Output |
---|---|
2023 |
Open access
|
2023 |
Open access
|
2023 |
Open access
|
2022 |
Open access
|
2022 |
Open access
|
2021 |
Open access
|
2021 |
Simpson, A 2021, 'Myanmar's exile government signs up to ICC prosecutions', East Asia Forum, online.
Open access
|
2020 |
Simpson, A & Farrelly, N 2020, 'As the world watches, Myanmar votes', Inside Story, 30/10/2020.
Open access
|
2020 |
Open access
8
11
247
|
2020 |
Simpson, A 2020, 'The folly of Aung San Suu Kyi's 'bad apple' defence', East Asia Forum, pp. 1-4.
Open access
|
2019 |
Open access
|
2018 |
Open access
24
22
11
|
2017 |
Simpson, A 2017, 'Dark clouds over Rakhine State', East Asia Forum, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 1-5.
Open access
|
2013 |
17
15
|
2013 |
52
51
|
Year | Output |
---|---|
2014 |
Open access
|
2012 |
Open access
|
2011 |
|
2010 |
Open access
|
2010 |
Open access
|
2010 |
Open access
|
2010 |
Open access
|
2008 |
|
2008 |
|
An updated paperback edition of the 2014 book was published in 2017 by NUS Press:
Other Refereed Journal articles
Policy Articles, Op Eds & Media
Dr Simpson regular contributes articles, particularly on politics relating to Myanmar, Australia and the Ukraine conflict, to policy and news sites such as the Conversation. Conversation articles have been translated into French, Spanish and Indonesian for its international sites and are regularly re-published by news and policy sites such as ABC News, SBS News, 9News and the Mandarin in Australia, Stuff (New Zealand), Channel News Asia (Singapore), Asia Times (Hong Kong), Scroll (India) and Rappler (Philippines).
Links to Dr Simpson's policy articles on Myanmar and Australian politics are available for the following outlets:
He is regularly interviewed by ABC News (e.g. expert comment on Thai politics for articles published in August 2024 can be found here, here, here, here and here).
He is also regularly interviewed in other media and podcasts including Counterpoint on ABC Radio National, SBS World News, South China Morning Post, Gizmodo, The Wire radio and The Conversation Weekly.
Research
August-September 2025 (forthcoming) - Visiting Scholar, Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), Kyoto University, Japan
July-August 2017 - Visiting Scholar, SOAS, University of London
February-July 2016 - Fully-funded 6-month Research Fellowship, CSEAS, Kyoto University
March-April 2014 - Visiting Research Fellow, Queen Mary, University of London
April-May 2011 - Visiting Lecturer, Centre for the Study of Politics, International Relations and Environment, Keele University, UK
Research Areas:
External engagement & recognition
Organisation | Country |
---|---|
Australian National University | AUSTRALIA |
Chiang Mai University | THAILAND |
George Washington University | UNITED STATES |
International Crisis Group | BELGIUM |
University of Adelaide | AUSTRALIA |
University of Hong Kong | HONG KONG |
University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
University of Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
University of Tasmania | AUSTRALIA |
University of Wageningen | NETHERLANDS |
Utrecht University | NETHERLANDS |
Wageningen University and Research Centre | NETHERLANDS |
External engagement & recognition
Engagement/recognition | Year |
---|---|
AssessorAustralian Research Council (ARC) |
2020 |
Visiting ScholarCentre for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University |
2020 |
AssessorAustralian Research Council (ARC) |
2018 |
Invited EditorThe Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Myanmar |
2018 |
AssessorAustralian Research Council (ARC) |
2017 |
Founding Co-Convenor, Environmental Politics and Policy GroupAustralian Political Studies Association (APSA) |
2017 |
MemberInternational Political Science Association (IPSA) |
2017 |
MemberInternational Studies Association (ISA), Environmental Studies Section |
2017 |
Member, Environmental Politics Standing GroupEuropean Consortium of Political Research (ECPR) |
2017 |
Member, Human and Environmental Security ProgramIndian Ocean Research Group (IORG) |
2017 |
Member, International Political Economy Group and Environment Working GroupBritish International Studies Association (BISA) |
2017 |
Visiting ScholarSOAS, University of London |
2017 |
AssessorAustralian Research Council (ARC) |
2016 |
Founding Co-Convenor, Environmental Politics and Policy GroupAustralian Political Studies Association (APSA) |
2016 |
Research FellowshipCentre for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University |
2016 |
AssessorAustralian Research Council (ARC) |
2015 |
Founding Co-Convenor, Environmental Politics and Policy GroupAustralian Political Studies Association (APSA) |
2015 |
AssessorAustralian Research Council (ARC) |
2014 |
Founding Co-Convenor, Environmental Politics and Policy GroupAustralian Political Studies Association (APSA) |
2014 |
Pete Hay Environmental Politics PrizeThe Australian Political Studies Association (APSA) |
2014 |
Visiting Research FellowQueen Mary, University of London |
2014 |
AssessorAustralian Research Council (ARC) |
2013 |
Founding Co-Convenor, Environmental Politics and Policy GroupAustralian Political Studies Association (APSA) |
2013 |
Founding Co-Convenor, Environmental Politics and Policy GroupAustralian Political Studies Association (APSA) |
2012 |
Founding Co-Convenor, Environmental Politics and Policy GroupAustralian Political Studies Association (APSA) |
2011 |
Visiting LecturerCentre for the Study of Politics, International Relations and the Environment, Keele University |
2011 |
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
Thesis title | Student status |
---|---|
Impacts of technology development on earning social licence to operate in the context of mineral exploration | Current |
Can foreign aid be an instrument of counter-terrorism? exploring Australian aid to Indonesia | Completed |
Exploring narratives of place-belonging among settled Syrian refugees on the island of Newfoundland, Canada: "To have settlement feels like home and for you to have your place now" | Completed |
'More crop per drop' in Pakistan: development of an agricultural water accounting paradigm scale to guide policy responses | Completed |