Confrontation and Collaboration: Security Force Dynamics in Papua New Guinea

Please note that this is a hybrid event. For online attendance please sign up to obtain the Zoom link. Access link will be delivered via email upon registration.

The research investigates the relationship between the Police and Defence Force of Papua New Guinea through the portal of several case studies, including the Black Wednesday Riots of 2024, the National General Election of 2022, and the Sandline Affair of 1997. Adopting a state-in-society perspective, Curtis' research deals with contested claims on the legitimate use of force by both state and non-state actors while engaging with concepts of interest, identity and legitimacy in order to inform a holistic view of the role of violence in Papua New Guinea society. This seminar is a Mid-Term Review and focuses primarily on recently completed field research.

Speaker

Curtis joined DPA as a PhD scholar in 2020. His PhD research is examining the dynamics of the relationship between police and military forces of Papua New Guinea. Curtis began his academic career as an officer cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy where he studied International Political Studies and Indonesian before finishing his Bachelor of Arts at UNSW Kensington. Following graduation Curtis returned to ADFA to complete his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) focusing on civil-military relations in Indonesia and Myanmar. For his work Curtis was awarded first class honours and the University Medal.