Ms. Dinh Thi Hien Luong joined the Institute of Strategic Studies and Foreign Policy, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, a think-tank of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam since January 2000. Her major interest and background is on Chinese foreign policy and regionalism in East Asia. She had previously been a visiting research fellow at the Institute of International and Economics Studies, Reitaku University, Japan (2007-2008). She has a B.A. in international relations from Institute of International Relations, Vietnam and an International Master Degree in regional integration from Universiti Malaya and Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. She has written many articles and book reviews with special focus on the roles of regional major state actors.

Ideational leadership has increasingly been considered as important factors in shaping a state's foreign policy and behaviors. It refers to the importance of ideational factor that can generate the essentials needed for leader(s) to project their the power and legitimacy. Chinese ideational factors are arguably rooted in traditional culture and ancient thoughts. As China’s strength has steadily been on an upward trajectory, the questions of what ambitions China attempts to achieve in its global strategy, what kind of power the Chinese leaders believe to be conducive to the accomplishment of their goals, and ultimately how China behaves herself to the rest of the world have aroused growing attention from scholars and policy-makers worldwide.

The first purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of the Chinese ancient thoughts on the ideational framework of foreign policy. Secondly, this research aims to investigate the origins and implications of the ‘harmonious world’ concept in Chinese foreign policy in the 2002-2012 period under Hu Jintao's leadership. The key question of the research is “to what extent Chinese ancient thoughts can influence Chinese leaders in shaping China’s foreign policy?”

A PhD Candidate in the Centre for International Security Studies, Jennifer's research interests include Energy Security, Political Risk, and Regional (Arab Gulf) studies. In 2011, Ms Hunt was a visiting researcher at Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, Oman where she studied economic diversification and political transition strategies of the Sultanate. She also attended the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda meeting in Abu Dhabi and completed intensive Arabic language study at the Qasid Institute in Amman, Jordan.

Her forthcoming publication, That Late Unpleasantness investigates the impact of regional protests known as the ‘Arab Spring’ on Oman. Excerpts from her research on oil price volatility were presented at Cambridge University’s Gulf Research Council Meeting, and published as a book chapter in 2010. Jennifer earned her Master’s Degree in International Security from the University of Sydney, and her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill where she was captain of the Women's Sabre Fencing team. After university she worked in the IT industry in Baltimore before returning to academia.

An American, Jennifer holds a private pilot's license. She teaches in the School of Business, United States Studies Centre, and the Department of Government and International Relations.

As the regional centre of oil supplies, states in the Gulf have relied on hydrocarbon income "rents" for some decades to fund an extensive social contract which facilitates the exchange of political representation for economic benefits. This research investigates the contestation of this social contract, the metaphorical ties that bind citizen to state, and its rentier-style manifestation. Using a case study of a severely understudied member of the region, Oman, it examines progress in maintaining social and political stability in light of changing economic and political imperatives.

Erin came to the University of Sydney after nearly ten years of working within US politics in New York and Washington DC. Her main area of interest is the intersection between domestic politics and national security issues. Erin’s PhD thesis is focused on public support for war and will test key aspects of support through a comparative study of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

After receiving her undergraduate degree, Erin worked in a variety of legislative offices, advocacy organisations and political campaigns in New York State and in Washington DC. In 2005, Erin earned a Master of Public Administration (Concentration: National and International Security) from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and then went to work as a legislative affairs officer in the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization within the US Department of Defense. Since moving to Australia, Erin has worked as business consultant and as a sessional lecturer and tutor in US foreign policy and US politics.

Erin’s thesis will seek to answer the following question: What factor or set of factors explains the evolution of public support for war? Her thesis will test the dynamics of public support for war through a comparative study of the variation in US public support for the recent wars in Iraq in Afghanistan. Erin is particularly interested in investigating the potential for events to meaningfully influence support given the strength of individual values and political predispositions on policy preferences. This study will advance scholarship on support for war through a longitudinal approach (2001-2012) that considers mass political behaviour over the course of America’s longest wars and will include qualitative and quantitative analysis. 

Michael has a BSc in physics and mathematics, a BA in English literature and drama, and a MIntlSt. His early career was in designing electronics for use in animal behaviour research. After completing an arts degree, this was followed by a career in public radio broadcasting with roles including script editor, programme producer and news reader. More recently he has worked as a consultant in information technology, specialising in Enterprise Content Management and Business Process Management for the banking sector. Michael's research is in energy security and security theory, and his other research interests include energetics and biophysical economics.

An historical study seeking an explanation for changes observed in the major powers’ oil supply security practices during the 20th century in terms of material contextual factors, particularly geography and technology.