David Mickler

Dr David Mickler is a Senior Lecturer in Foreign Policy & International Relations in the discipline of Political Science & International Relations, based in the School of Social Sciences, where he is Program Coordinator for Postgraduate International Relations. David is also Director of the UWA Africa Research & Engagement Centre (AfREC). David is a Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), and a Fellow of the UWA Public Policy Institute.

Previously, David was Chair of the Political Science and International Relations discipline at UWA (2015-16); School of Social Sciences Postrgaduate Coursework Coordinator (2018-20); Co-Editor of the Australasian Review of African Studies (ARAS) (2015-16), Convenor of the 39th Annual Conference of the African Studies Association of Australasia and the Pacific (AFSAAP) (2016), Founding Coordinator of the UWA Africa Research Cluster (2015-18) and Founding Co-Chair of the Worldwide Universities Network Global Africa Group (2015-18). Prior to joining UWA, David was a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Melbourne (2010-14) and a Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (2013). He was also a Visiting Researcher with the African Union Commission in Ethiopia and South Africa (2017) and a Visiting Scholar with the Centre for Advancement of Schoalrship, University of Pretoria, South Africa (2019).

• Director, UWA Africa Research & Engagement Centre (AfREC)
• Program Coordinator, Postgraduate International Relations
• Steering Committee Member, Worldwide Universities Network Global Africa Group (WUN GAG)

Postgraduate supervision areas:

• Africa’s regional and international relations
• Security, conflict, politics, governance in Africa
• The African Union
• Australia-Africa relations, including the African diaspora in Australia

• Visiting Scholar, Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria, South Africa, 2019
• Visiting Researcher, Department of Political Affairs, African Union Commission, Ethiopia, 2017.
• Visiting Scholar, Institute for Peace and Security Studies, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, 2013.
• Lecturer in International Relations, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne, 2010-14.

Through the UWA Africa Research & Engagmenet Centre (AfREC) I work with a range of stakeholders, including from state and federal government, industry, and the NGO and community sectors on a number of research and engagement projects.

Unit Coordination 2014-19 at UWA (from):

• POLS1102 The Contemporary International System (UG Level 1)
• POLS2214 Strategy, Diplomacy and Conflict (UG Level 2)
• POLS3334 The International Politics of Africa (UG Level 3)
• POLS5671 Peace and Security in Africa (MIR, MID)
• POLS5641 International Security (MIR)
• POLS5682 Responding to International Crises (MIR)
• SOCS5105 International Collaborative Study Experience (Jakarta/Pretoria, MIR)

David’s research sits at the intersection of International Relations and African Studies. His research agenda has two main strands. The first examines the regional politics of security and governance in Africa, with a focus on the African Union. He is particularly interested in the role of African regional organisations in managing conflict and mitigating human insecurity on the continent. The second strand of his research explores the various dimensions of contemporary Australia-Africa engagement, particularly in terms of diplomatic relations, education and research collaboration, and people-to-people links. His current research projects include:

• "Development, Diplomacy and the Diaspora: Deepening Engagement between African-Australians, the Diplomatic Corps and the African Union's Agenda 2063" [funded by AAUN and DFAT, 2019-20].
• "The Transnational Political Economy of African Migration to Australia", with partners at UWA, University of Ghana, University of Nairobi, WA Office of Multicultural Interests (funded by UWA Research Collaboration Award].