Dr Gavan Butler

Dr Butler is one of the founders of the innovative program in Political Economy which began within the Discipline in 1975. He has been on the editorial committee of the Journal of Australian Political Economy published within the Department, since its first appearance in 1977 and has contributed to the Encyclopedia of Political Economy published in the UK and the USA in 1999. Dr Butler was re-elected in 1999 by the academic staff of the University as a member of the Senate of the University and previously served for many years as a staff-elected member of the Academic Board.

Dr Butler’s primary research interest is in the development of the state, economic policy and human resource development in the countries of Southeast Asia. He has had a long association with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore and with academics and organisations in the region. He was invited to teach in the English-language Bachelor of Economics program at Thammasat University in Thailand in 1999. Other research interests include industry development policies in Australia.