Contact details +6449793080
Dr Anna Powles PhD
Senior Lecturer in Security Studies
Doctoral Co-Supervisor School of People, Environment and PlanningDr Anna Powles is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Defence and Security Studies. Her research focusses on (1) the geopolitics, security and conflict in the Pacific Islands region; specifically, how state and non-state actors are shaping regional security, strategic competition and the intersection of geopolitics and local security dynamics; and (2) New Zealand foreign and defence policy in the Pacific. She is currently an investigator on several research projects analysing security dynamics in the Pacific including influence and interference activities in the Pacific; private security governance in the Pacific; the operation of the Australia-New Zealand alliance in the Pacific Islands; and mapping security cooperation in the Pacific.
She holds or has held fellowships and honourary positions at:
- Non-Resident Fellow, National Bureau for Asian Research (2022-2026).
- Expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University (2023-current).
- Associate Scholar, MacMillan Brown Center for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury. (2018-current).
- Visiting Scholar, East-West Center, Honolulu (2019).
- Visiting Scholar, DKI Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu, (2014.).
Anna has been commissioned to write and speak on Pacific security issues by leading global thinktanks including the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House), RUSI, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Hudson Institute, Wilton Park, United States Institute for Peace, and the Lowy Institute. She is a frequent speaker at international strategic dialogues and regularly briefs governments and media.
Anna sits on the advisory group to the International Code of Conduct Association (the governance and oversight mechanism of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers). She has previously been engaged by the United Nations Development Programme Pacific as a subject matter expert on private security sector governance in the Pacific and as a security sector reform specialist in Timor-Leste. Anna has also served on the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs Standing Committee, as the New Zealand representative on the NATO Core Group on Women, Peace and Security (2016-18), as a member of the Pacific Advisory Group (an independent advisory body to the New Zealand Government), and in 2014 founded the New Zealand chapter of Women In International Security.
Anna has worked extensively in conflict and humanitarian emergencies in Southeast Asia and the Pacific and has previously held positions with the International Crisis Group, the United Nations Development Programme, the Australian Civil-Military Centre, as well as with international humanitarian agencies including Oxfam, Action Aid, World Vision and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Anna holds a PhD from the Australian National University and is an alumni of the East West Center and the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu.
Dr Anna Powles is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Defence and Security Studies. Her research focusses on (1) the geopolitics, security and conflict in the Pacific Islands region; specifically, how state and non-state actors are shaping regional security, strategic competition and the intersection of geopolitics and local security dynamics; and (2) New Zealand foreign and defence policy in the Pacific.
Professional
Contact details
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Ph: +64 979 3080
Location: Block 7, Level D, Mt Cook
Campus: Wellington
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy - Australian National University (2010)
Certifications and Registrations
- Licence, Co-Supervisor, Massey University
Prizes and Awards
- 2017 Massey University Research Fund (MURF) Award of $12,000. 1.Terms of Engagement (Massey-Lead). This project seeks to ascertain the appropriateness and utility of academic / military engagement. Drawing on debates in Anthropology about the ethics of working with military forces, military sociological literature on civil-military relations, NGO and think tank guidelines on civil-military-police-NGO cooperation, and policy discussions on military roles, interagency and external engagements, this foundational project seeks to identify boundaries in and around academic engagement with militaries and vice versa. Outputs: -Working paper on issues raised in academic discourse about engagement. -Working paper on issues from military perspective. -Set of TOE for future projects between Massey researchers and NZDF. Likely contributors: Nina Harding (Anthropological debates on ethical issues and cultural view on organisations). B Greener and A Powles (civil-military relations, military sociology). Gerard Prinsen (Development Studies perspectives on harm). 2.Southern Katipo 2017 (NZDF Lead) Planning for next major military exercise in 2017. Academics to bring expertise to comment on / engage with military planners to note areas of concern, overlap, limitations, opportunities. Outputs: -Planning and execution of exercise itself. -Post exercise analysis by NZDF and academic team. -Publications on procedural and conceptual - Massey University (2017)
Research Expertise
Research Interests
Dr Anna Powles' research interests are::
- Geopolitics and strategic competition in the Pacific Islands
- Security sector governance and cooperation
- Private Military Security Companies
- Pacific Islands regional security, conflict and politics
- New Zealand defence and foreign policy
- Foreign interference
Thematics
21st Century Citizenship
Area of Expertise
Field of research codes
Defence Studies (160604):
International Relations (160607):
Political Science (160600):
Studies In Human Society (160000)
Keywords
- Pacific Islands security, politics and conflict
- Private military and security companies
- United Nations peace operations and peacekeeping; stabilisation operations
- New Zealand defence and foreign policy; New Zealand on the UN Security Council
- Regional peacekeeping
- Security Sector Governance
- Southeast Asia (Timor Leste, West Papua)
- Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325)
Research Projects
Summary of Research Projects
| Position | Current | Completed |
|---|---|---|
| Project Leader | 1 | 3 |
Research Outputs
Journal
[Journal article]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Journal article]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Journal article]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Journal article]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Journal article]Authored by: Powles, A.
Book
[Discussion Paper]Authored by: Azizian, R., Choi, S., Greener, B., Harding, N., Hoverd, W., Powles, A., Prinsen, J.Edited by: Greener, B.
[Chapter]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Chapter]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Chapter]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Chapter]Authored by: Powles, A.
Report
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Movono, A., Powles, A.Edited by: Greener, B.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Commissioned Report]Authored by: Powles, A.Contributed to by: Powles, A.
Conference
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Conference]Authored by: Powles, A.Contributed to by: Powles, A.Edited by: Powles, A.
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Greener, B., Powles, A.Contributed to by: Powles, A.
Other
[Working Paper]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Working Paper]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Working Paper]Authored by: Greener, B., Harding, N., Powles, A.
[Internet publication]Authored by: Powles, A.
[Working Paper]Authored by: Powles, A.
Consultancy and Languages
Consultancy
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Nov 2016 - Jan 2017
- United Nations Development Programme
Private Security Sector Governance in the Pacific Specialist -
Oct 2014
- Oxfam Australia
Reviewed Pacific Small Arms Action Group report on "Arms, Gender and Security in the Pacific" -
April-May 2013
- Kings College Humanitarian Future's Programme
Multi-country study into the role of the private sector in post-conflict recovery. Undertook Solomon Islands and Regional Assistance to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) country study. -
Aug 2011-Jan 2012
- Australian Civil Military Centre
Commissioned by the Australian Civil Military Centre to conduct lessons learned policy research analysing Australia’s engagement in Timor Leste in response to the 2006 crisis -
May 2011
- Oxfam Australia
Commissioned by Oxfam Australia to conduct research on conflict, security, and development trends in Timor Leste to inform Oxfam’s five-year strategic planning in Timor Leste. -
Nov 2010-Jan 2011
- United Nations Development Programme
Commissioned by UNDP to independently evaluate the European Union-funded United Nations Security Sector Review project in Timor Leste -
April-Sept 2009
- Norwegian Refugee Council
Member of independent evaluation team commissioned to evaluate the Norwegian Refugee Council’s emergency humanitarian response programs in Timor-Leste
Languages
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Tetum
Last used: 2013
Spoken ability: Average
Written ability: Average
Teaching and Supervision
Summary of Doctoral Supervision
| Position | Current | Completed |
|---|---|---|
| Co-supervisor | 4 | 2 |
Current Doctoral Supervision
Co-supervisor of:
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Gav Koroaha
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Doctor of Philosophy
An alliance for the twenty-first century: Understanding NATO’s durability in an age of chaos and new strategic competition? -
Steven MacBeth
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Doctor of Philosophy
New Wars-Old Platforms;Comparing AUSCANZ Defence Innovation in the Grey Zone 2000-2022 -
Amy Brosnan
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Doctor of Philosophy
NZ Army's Women in Combat -
Vanessa Bramwell
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Doctor of Philosophy
Child protection in armed conflict: Norm transfer in the UN
Completed Doctoral Supervision
Co-supervisor of:
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2023
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Hafza Tahira
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Doctor of Philosophy
Democratic Transition and Civil Military Relations in Pakistan A constructivist account of military’s political legitimacy -
2023
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Brian Nelson
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Doctor of Philosophy
Mass Atrocities and Military Intervention: A Ripeness-based Approach to the Decision Moment
Media and Links
Media
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26 Feb 2015 - Online
What is New Zealand's mission in Iraq?
Analysis of New Zealand's Building Partner Capacity non-combat deployment to Iraq published in the Lowy Interpreter -
24 Oct 2015 - Magazine
NZ gains UNSC seat but questions remain
Interview with the National Business Review on NZ's win at the United Nations Security Council -
19 Oct 2014 - Television
NZ gains seat on the UN Security Council
Interview with TV3 Three60 on New Zealand's successful win of a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council -
02 Mar 2105 - Radio
Iraq-bound troops given option to withdraw
Radio New Zealand Morning Report interview on New Zealand deployment to Iraq