Research Supervisor Connect
Dr Wilkins is an expert on Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific security affairs, focusing on Australian and Japanese strategic and foreign policies. His conceptual research is aimed at innovating our understanding of security architecture, including alliances, strategic partnerships, and other forms of alignment, as well as international power theorising – “middle powers” and “awkward powers”. He is also highly active in security policy debates, serving as a (non-resident) Senior Fellow for the Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA) and Regular Contributor to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation’s InternationalInformation Network Analysis (IINA).
Associate Professor Thomas Wilkins.
Government and International Relations, School of Social and Political Sciences (SSPS)
Research interests
Dr Wilkins has a broad range of research interests spanning International Relations (IR), Strategy and Security, and Foreign Policy. His regional interests are focused on Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific affairs, especially alliances, alignments and security architecture, as well as the foreign and security policies of Australia, Japan, and the US.
In terms of IR theory, his focus is on forms of security alignment – alliances, strategic partnerships and minilateralism – and the “Middle Power”/“Awkward Power” concepts.
Supervision
Dr Wilkins is available to supervise on topics related to: Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific Security or Strategy, including regional/state foreign/security policies, plus IR theory; especially alliances and multilateralism.
1. If you are interested in this research opportunity, you are encouraged to email the academic directly. To find the academic’s email address, follow the link provided to their profile page. Introduce yourself and provide some academic background. You may be asked for an academic transcript. Explain why you are interested in your area of research and, if appropriate, why you are interested in working with the recipient.
2. Write an initial research proposal. (Refer to How to write a research proposal for guidance.) In no more than 2000 words demonstrate how your research experience aligns with the supervisor’s and why you’re interested in this opportunity.
3. If you would like general advice in your subject area before submitting an application, contact an academic advisor listed here: https://www.sydney.edu.au/arts/study/postgraduate-research/postgraduate-research-contact.html
The opportunity ID for this research opportunity is 3220