Dennis Shoesmith

Biography

Professor Dennis Shoesmith specialises in the field of the comparative politics of Southeast Asia. His original research was concerned with Philippine politics but since 1999 he has focussed on the political development of Timor-Leste where his publications on issues of governance, state-building, political parties, electoral politics and the process of democratic transitions has attracted international recognition. He has been a consultant for the United Nations in Timor-Leste (2000-2001), an adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation there (2005) and a consultant and co-author of a report on Democratic Governance for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (2012). He was also commissioned by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to prepare a joint report on opportunities for trilateral cooperation between Australia, Indonesia and Timor-Leste in their shared sub-region. The three governments accepted the report in 2015. His current research is on challenges for decentralised district governance in eastern Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Professor Shoesmith contributes an undergraduate unit on the Comparative Politics of Southeast Asia. He has successfully supervised some sixteen PhD and Masters postgraduates and has served as an Associate Dean for Research and Post-Graduate Studies in the past.

Research Interest

Comparative politics of Southeast Asia.