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Dr Mely Caballero-Anthony

Professor of International Relations
Associate Dean (International Engagement); Head of Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies; President’s Chair in International Relations and Security Studies
Education
BA Hons; MA (UP); PhD (HKU)
: [email protected]
: +65 6790 5886
: RSIS / NTS Centre

View the NTU Academic Profile here
Emerging Biosecurity Landscape in Southeast Asia
Policy Reports

Dr Mely Caballero-Anthony

Professor of International Relations
Associate Dean (International Engagement); Head of Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies; President’s Chair in International Relations and Security Studies
Education
BA Hons; MA (UP); PhD (HKU)
: [email protected]
: +65 6790 5886
: RSIS / NTS Centre

View the NTU Academic Profile here

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Biography

Mely Caballero-Anthony is Professor of International Relations at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, and holds the President’s Chair for International Relations and Security Studies. She is also the Head of the RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies and Associate Dean (International Engagement). Other key appointments include Adjunct Professor, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, and Member of the Advisory Board, NTU Academic Council.

Prof. Anthony’s research interests include regionalism and multilateralism in Asia-Pacific, human security and non-traditional security, nuclear security, conflict prevention and global governance. She has published extensively on a broad range of security issues in Asia-Pacific in peer-reviewed journals and international academic press. Her latest books, both single-authored and co-edited, include: Human Security and Empowerment in Asia: Beyond the Pandemic (London and New York: Routledge, 2024 ), Covid -19 and Atrocity Prevention in East Asia (London: Routledge 2022), Nuclear Governance in the Asia-Pacific (London: Routledge, 2022) and Negotiating Governance on Non-Traditional Security in Southeast Asia and Beyond (New York: Columbia University Press, 2018).

Prof. Anthony has led a number of global and regional research projects on international security and global governance. She is currently the Lead of the research cluster on Biosecurity and International Security in the Effective Giving Multidisciplinary Project Grant in the establishment of Asian Centre for Health Security in Singapore. She has served as the Secretary-General of the Consortium on Non-Traditional Security Studies in Asia since 2008 and is a member of the International Climate Security Expert Network. Prof Anthony is also member of the Global Health Diplomacy Institutional Network (2024 – present) and Adviser to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Human Security Research Institute’s project on Human Security (2019 – present). She was Vice President at-large of the Governing Council of the International Studies Association (ISA) and was member of the ISA’s Global South Task Force from 2018-2021.  From 2013-2017, Prof Anthony was a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (ABDM) and served as its chairperson in 2016. She is also a member of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network on Nuclear Non-Proliferation (APLN).  She was Director of External Relations at the ASEAN Secretariat from 2011-2012.

Recent Publications

Books

Journal Articles

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Areas of Expertise

  • Regionalism and Regional Security in the Asia-Pacific
  • Non-Traditional Security
  • Human Security, Comparative Politics and International Relations in Southeast Asia
  • Conflict Prevention and Management, Human Rights, Democracy
  • Human Security
  • Migration and Protection of Civilian
  • Responsibility to Protect

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Professional Activities

Other Appointments

  • Adjunct Professor, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore
  • Member, Advisory Board, NTU Academic Council, (2021 – present)
  • Chair, School Review Committee on Promotion and Tenure (SRCPT)
  • Visiting Fellow, Elliott School of International Relations, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA (August–October 2015)
  • Director, External Relations, ASEAN Political and Security Community Department, ASEAN Secretariat (on secondment from RSIS, NTU), (2011 – 2012)

Professional Memberships

  • Member, Global Health Diplomacy Institutional Network (2024 – present)
  • Member, Asia Pacific Leadership Network on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (APLN), (2019-present)
  • Adviser to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Human Security Research Institute’s project on Human Security (2019 – present)
  • Member, Technical Advisory Group of the ASEAN Public Health Emergency Coordination System (APHECS), (2021-2022)
  • Member, International Studies Association (ISA) Taskforce on Engaging the Global South, (2019- 2022)
  • Member of the International Experts Group on Climate Security (2018-2019), initiated by SIPRI to advice Sweden and Germany during their Presidency of the UN Security Council.
  • Member, United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament and Security (2013-2017); appointed as Chair of Advisory Board in 2016.
  • Member, Board of Trustees, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), (2013-2017)
  • Co-Chair, Second Murdoch Commission, Food Security in Asia, (2014-2016)
  • Member, UN Academic Advisory Council on Mediation, New York, USA, (2012 – 2017)

Research Grants

  • Effective Giving Research Grant: Establishment of Asian Centre for Health Security, (S$849,255), Co-PI and Team Lead for 3-year research project on Biosecurity Governance in Asia. (2023 – 2026)
  • NTU Social Science & Humanities Research (SSHR) 2025 Seed Grant, (S$10,440), Principal Investigator, 1-year research project on ‘The Future of Planetary Health: Lessons from a Global Pandemic’. (2022 – 2024)
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Research Grant (SGD 140,000) – Principal Investigator, 2-year research project on Digitalisation of Climate-smart Supply Chain in Farming Systems (Partners: ASEAN and India).(2022 – 2023)
  • Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) Research Grant (USD 30,000) – Principal Investigator, 1-year research project on ASEAN’s Utilisation of Digital Technology for Food Security. (2020 – 2021)
  • Ministry of Education (MOE) Academic Research Fund (AcRF) Tier 1 grant (SGD 67,410) – Principal Investigator, 2- year research project on Nuclear Governance in the Indo/Asia-Pacific: Building out from Southeast Asia. (2019 – 2022)
  • Ministry of Education (MOE) Academic Research Fund (AcRF) Tier 2 grant (SGD 438,328) – Co-principal Investigator, 3-year project on Enhancing Coordination in Humanitarian Operations in Asia. (2016 – 2019)
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RSIS Publications

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External Publications

Authored Books

Journal Articles

Edited Books / Special Issues

Chapters in Edited Books

Policy Reports

Working Papers

Op-Eds

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Talks

Selected Keynotes and Invited Presentations

2024

  • Keynote lecture, the ‘State of the Region’, Southeast Asia Research Group Summer Conference, the City University of Hong Kong, 1 – 3 July 2024
  • Panel Speaker, “Intersecting Crises and Joint Solutions” and “Ecological Security”, Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development 2024 organized by SIPRI, Stockholm, Sweden, 6 – 8 May 2024.
  • Paper Presenter, “Pandemics and International Order”, International Conference on China on the World Stage, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 11-13 April 2024.
  • Presenter, China on World Stage, Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Studies Institute, China Central Party School, Boston, 11 – 13 April 2024
  • ISA Conference 2024, San Francisco, 2 – 6 April 2024
  • Speaker, Invitation to Third Japan National Dialogue on Responsibility to Protect, Sophia University, Japan, 1 March 2024
  • Speaker, “Human Security and Empowerment in Asia: Beyond the Pandemic”, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines, 23 – 24 February 2024

2023

  • Paper presenter and Discussant, “International Workshop on Southeast Asia in U.S. China Policy”, Jointly organized by George Washington University & ISEAS, Singapore, 23-24 May 2023
  • Discussant at Research Workshop on “Big Power Transitions and Challenges to the Rules-based International Order”, TODA Peace Institute, Tokyo, Japan, 21-22 May 2023
  • Panel speaker, “Sustained Developmental Imperatives Against Geopolitical Challenges” at the Southeast Asia Regional Geopolitical Update, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, 30 Apr – 1 May 2023
  • Panel Speaker, “International Workshop on Southeast Asian Perspective of the U.S Presence and Strategy in the Region”, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore, 2-3 March 2023
  • Paper presenter, “Second Japan National Dialogue on R2P and Atrocities Prevention”, Tokyo, Japan, 17 February 2023
  • Panel Speaker, “Addressing Perception Gaps in China-US Relations: Regional Perspectives”, organized by Asia Pacific Leadership Network on Non-Proliferation, Seoul, Korea, 8-11 Feb 2023

2022

  • Panel Speaker, “Addressing Emerging Health Threats in an Era of Geopolitical Rivalry”, 13th Council of Councils Regional Meeting, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta, 31 October, 2022.
  • Panel Speaker, “Nuclear Governance in the Asia-Pacific”, Nuclear Energy Experts Meeting, Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP), San Francisco, California, USA, 27 to 29 September 2022.
  • Keynote Speaker, Why Women Matter in Peace and Security”, Benilde School of Diplomacy and Governance, Manila, Philippines, 31 March 2022.
  • Panel Speaker, ISA 2022 Annual Convention Panel on “Engaging in the Security: Do the Global South and the Global North talk to each other?”, International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Convention, 29 March 2022.
  • Speaker, “Engaging Myanmar: Present problems, future possibilities”, International Conference on Myanmar: Next steps for the International Community”, Oxford House, United Kingdom, 22 March 2022.
  • Speaker, “Climate Security: Implications for Regional Stability and International Relations”, Climate Change and the Bay of Bengal, jointly organized by Clingendael Institute, and Institute for Peace and Conflict (India), 15 February 2022.

2021

  • Guest Speaker, “New and Emerging Security Challenges”, organized by NESA Centre for Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Washington, DC., 6 December 2021.
  • Speaker, “The Future of Regional Order”, CSIS Indonesia 50th Anniversary Foreign Policy Dialogue, CSIS, 16 September 2021.
  • Speaker, 3rd ASEAN-ICRC Joint Platform on “Adaption to the Evolving Riskscape in ASEAN and beyond”, Session II- Humanitarian Actions in Complex Emergencies, ICRC-ASEAN Secretariat, 24 June 2021.
  • Speaker, “Handling Threats to Global Health in a Multi-polar World” in International Conference on Global Health Threats: Current Issues, King’s College London, 22 June 2021.
  • Panel Speaker, Launch of the ESCAP 2021 Theme Study “Beyond the Pandemic: Building Back Better from Crises in Asia and the Pacific”, ESCAP, 20 April 2021.
  • Panel Speaker, “COVID-19 and Implications for Atrocities Prevention: Lessons from the Asia Pacific Region”, organized by the Asia Pacific Centre for Responsibility to Protect, 3 March 2021.
  • Panel Speaker, “Vaccine Diplomacy in Southeast Asia”, organized by the Stimson Center, Washington DC, 17 February 2021.

2020

  • Speaker, Webinar on “Navigating Covid-19 in Southeast Asia” by Brookings Webinar Series, 11 December 2020
  • Panel Speaker, Webinar on “ Meeting the Existential Threats of the Pandemic, Nuclear War, and Climate Change: Is Present Global and Regional Governance Fit for Purpose?” by APLN, 5-7 November 2020
  • Panel Discussion, ISEAS Webinar on “The 35th ASEAN Roundtable, the Covid-19 Crisis: Impact on ASEAN and the Way Forward” by ASEAN Studies Centre, 21 October 2020
  • Panel Speaker, Webinar on “Priorities and Expectations for ASEAN in 2021: Possible Deliverables for Brunei Darussalam’s ASEAN Chairmanship” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brunei, 17 August 2020
  • Panel Speaker, CIL e-Conference on “Covid-19 and Challenges to the International Legal Order.” by the Centre for International Law of the National University of Singapore, 20 May 2020
  • Paper Presenter,  International Conference on “Nuclear Security on Sustaining and Strengthening Efforts (ICONS 2020)” by IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 10-12 February 2020
  • Panel Speaker, Nuclear Energy Experts Group (NEEG) Meeting by Pacific Forum and S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, 5-7 February 2020
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