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 Australia's Asia-Pacific engagement strategy from 2008-2023. His main research interests include Australian foreign and defence policy in the Asia-Pacific and the foreign and defence policies of China, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and ASEAN member states. His other research interests include international relations (IR) theory, security studies, Global (non-western) approaches to IR, strategic cultures, regionalism, multilateralism, diplomacy, strategic partnerships, and alliance formation and persistence.

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 identity have influenced the emergence of strategic partnerships in Australia's engagement strategy with its Asia-Pacific neighbours. 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 international structure and human agency have interacted to create change in Australia's engagement strategy with the Asia-Pacific from Federation until the present. 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2022 - ongoing Research Assistant University of Adelaide

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    Chinese (Mandarin) Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
    English Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
    Japanese Can read, write and speak
    Korean Can read, write and speak
    Spanish - Latin American Can read, write and speak

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2022 - 2025 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science
    2020 - 2021 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 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

Part-time Teaching Lecturer & Seminar Leader:

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
    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
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