Jack Butcher

Jack Butcher

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

School of Social Sciences

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Jack Butcher is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Adelaide. Jack is currently researching the emergence of strategic partnerships in East Asia from 2006-2023 through the case studies of the US, China, Japan, ASEAN, and Australia. His research interests include the international politics of Northeast and Southeast Asia, international relations and security studies theory, Global (non-western) approaches to international relations and security, regionalism, order-building, multilateralism, minilateralism, alliances, strategic partnerships and inter-state diplomacy in East Asia.

Jack holds a Master of International Security and a Bachelor of International Studies with minors in Asian and Chinese Studies from the University of Adelaide.

Jack's doctoral thesis focuses on how a complex interplay between power, interest and norms have influenced the emergence and functions of strategic partnerships as a new security practice in East Asia through five case studies of the US, China, ASEAN, Japan and Australia. Adopting a pragmatist ethos that seeks to engage theory and policy practice, Jack's thesis makes use of process tracing methodologies through analysis of critical junctures at the regional and unit-levels (state) to explain how risks, threats, interests and norms have interacted to produce strategic partnerships in each entity's strategic doctrines in the Asia-Pacific. 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2024 - ongoing Japan-Australia Dialogue & Exchange for the Next Generation (JADE) Fellow Japan Foundation & the United States Studies Centre, the University of Sydney
    2024 - ongoing Lecturer & Course Co-convenor The University of Adelaide
    2023 - 2024 Teaching Assistant The University of Adelaide
    2022 - 2023 Research Assistant The University of Adelaide
    2022 - 2022 Indo-Pacific Fellow Young Australians in International Affairs

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    Chinese (Mandarin) Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    Japanese Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
    Korean Can read and write

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2022 - 2025 The University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science
    2020 - 2021 The University of Adelaide Australia Master of International Security
    2017 - 2018 Tsinghua University China Bachelor of International Studies (Academic Exchange)
    2017 - 2017 Kim Hyong-jik University of Education Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Diploma in Korean
    2016 - 2018 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of International Studies, Minors in Asian and Chinese Studies

  • Certifications
    Date Title Institution name Country
    2019 HSK Level 6 汉语水平考试六级 Hanban/Confucius Institute China
    2018 Certificate IV in TESOL Teach International Australia

  • Research Interests
    Asian Cultural Studies Asian History Australian Government and Politics Comparative Government and Politics International Relations Strategic, Defence & Security Studies Studies of Asian Society
Year         Grant Name Amount   Awarding Institution
2024 Adelaide Graduate Research School (AGRS) Travel Grant $2,500 The University of Adelaide
2023 China Studies Centre Research Grant $5,000 The University of Sydney
2022 Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend $32,000 p.a. Department of Education, Australian Government
2017 New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant $3,000 Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade
2017 Westpac Bicentennial Asian Exchange Scholarship $12,000 Westpac Bank

Lecturer & Course Co-convenor:

Course Code   Course Title   Year 
POLIS 7026 International Security     Semester 1, 2025
POLIS 7026           International Security                                                Semester 1, 2024      

 

Teaching Assistant:

Course Code     Course Title                                                              Year                          
POLIS 7026          International Security                                  Semester 1  2023
POLIS 2140 Australia's Foreign Policy in the Indo-Pacific     Semester 1  2023

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2017 - ongoing Member Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA) Australia

  • Event Participation
    Date Event Name Event Type Institution Country
    2023 - 2023 The Great Decoupling: A New Global (Dis)order? Symposium The University of South Australia & The University of Sydney Australia
    2022 - 2022 12th Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) Symposium Australia-China Youth Dialogue Australia
    2021 - 2021 Different Histories Shared Futures: Can Australia and China learn anything from each other? Symposium The University of Adelaide Australia
    2021 - ongoing US-Australia Alliance Next Generation Leaders Symposium Symposium University of Western Australia/University of Adelaide Australia

  • Presentation
    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2024 - 2024 Unidentified Political Objects? Eclecticism & Strategic Partnerships in East Asia: Reflections from China, Japan & ASEAN CEEISA-ISA Joint International Conference University of Rijeka Croatia
    2021 - ongoing Mainstream depictions of Australia in mainland China: A lens through “we-media” Different Histories, Shared Futures: Can Australia and China Learn Anything from Each Other? University of Adelaide Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles