Damien Kingsbury

Education

Kingsbury studied Journalism and Politics at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. In 1983, he was awarded the Australian News Correspondents Memorial Award as the Tony Joyce Scholar for his journalism from El Salvador, to undertake an MS in Journalism at Columbia University, New York. In 1989, Kingsbury commenced an MA in Development Studies at Monash University, completing in 1991. He then took up a PhD at Monash University, Cultural and Political Issues in Australian Reporting of Indonesia 1975-1993, graduating in 1997.

Journalism

After brief periods working for country and suburban newspapers, in 1979 Kingsbury began working as a journalist for Australian Associated Press. He left in 1980 to travel, during which, in 1981, he wrote articles on the civil war in El Salvador, which were published in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and the (London) Observer. Kingsbury returned to Melbourne in mid-1981 when he took up a position with The Age newspaper. In 1985, Kingsbury left The Age to join the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio News Division, moving after a year to Radio Australia, covering Asia and the South Pacific. While at Radio Australia, Kingsbury was awarded the Australian ASEAN Journalists Program in 1988. He left Radio Australia in 1989. Kingsbury has since contributed to a number of media outlets, including as 'World' commentator for ABC774 and as international affairs commentator for Crikey.com and is regularly quoted by Australian and international media for comment on regional political affairs.

Academia

Kingsbury initially lectured in Journalism at Deakin University (1989-1991), before leaving to complete his PhD studies. He returned to Monash University in 1998 as Coordinator of the MA in Asian Studies and Lecturer in Development Studies. While with Monash, in 1999, Kingsbury led the Australia East Timor International Volunteer Program monitoring mission to Timor-Leste's 'popular consultation'.

Upon expiry of his contract with Monash, Kingsbury was living in Timor-Leste when he was offered a position as a Senior Lecturer in International and Community Development with Deakin University. While with Deakin, in 2005 Kingsbury was adviser to the Free Aceh Movement in the Helsinki peace talks, which ended almost three decades of conflict in the western Indonesian province of Aceh. The mediator of these peace talks, former Finnish President Martti Ahtiisaari, was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in October 2008, 'for his efforts on several continents and over more than three decades', including playing a prominent role in resolving many conflicts in Namibia; Aceh, Indonesia; Kosovo and Iraq, among other areas'. Kingsbury has also advised on conflict resolution to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, West Papua Coalition for National Liberation and on separatist internecine conflict in Nagaland (India).

In 2006 Kingsbury was promoted to Associate Professor and in 2010 appointed to a Personal Chair as Professor. While at Deakin University, Kingsbury coordinated election observer missions to Timor-Leste in 2007, 2012 and 2017. In 2015, he was named Professor of International Politics. In November 2015 Kingsbury coordinated election observers to Myanmar's general elections.

Books

Kingsbury is the author or editor of numerous books, including:

Background

Kingsbury is married to Rae Kingsbury (née Perry), Honorary Consul for Timor-Leste in Victoria, and is father of two children, Alexandra and Cailan. He is Vice-President/Deputy Chair and a Director on the Board of the Balibo House Trust and formerly a Director on the Board of the East Timor Hearts Fund. He is also a founding Board member of the Australia Myanmar Institute.