German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

DEEN

PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

Senior Research Fellow

PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

  • Short CV

    • 04/2021 - 01/2024: Spokesperson of the Research Team “Democratic Institutions”, RP1 “Accountability and Participation”

    • 10/2011 - 09/2013: Substitute professor for political science at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

    • Since 09/2012: Coeditor of the Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs

    • 2010 - 10/2011: Coordinator of the GIGA Doctoral Programme

    • 2010: Habilitation at the University of Hamburg in Political Science with a thesis on the Malaysian party system

    • Since 2000: Research Fellow at the GIGA Institute of Asian Studies; Lecturer at University of Hamburg (Political Science and Indonesian Studies)

    • Political Science at Free University of Berlin (1988-1994); MA in Political Science, University of Berlin; Ph.D., University of Hamburg, Faculty for Political Science: April 2000 "Power Configuration and Democratization in Indonesia (1965-1999)"

    Current Research

    • Democratisation in Indonesia and Malaysia

    • Anti-Fake News Laws in Indonesia and Malaysia

    • Political parties in Southeast Asia

    • Populism in Southeast Asia

    • Civil society in Indonesia and Malaysia

    • Foreign policy of Indonesia

     

    Countries and Regions

    • Southeast Asia

    • Indonesia

    • Malaysia

     

    Memberships

    • American Political Science Association, Membership in discipline-specific association or network, since 2021
    • European Association for Southeast Asian Studies, Membership in region-specific association or network, since 2021
    • German Association for Asian Studies, Membership in region-specific association or network, since 2021

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    Senior Research Fellow

    T. +49 40 428874-32[email protected]

    Publications

    Other Chapter Contribution | 08/2024

    Nationalism and Party System Formation in Southeast Asia

    Because the party literature is dominated by approaches with references to Western party systems, it tends to neglect the specific circumstances of party system formation in colonial and postcolonial settings. This includes the role of agency, especially by foreign and Indigenous elites.

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    Senior Research Fellow

    New Comparative Politics | 08/2024

    Lost in Translation?: Redemocratization and Mass–Elite Discrepancy in Indonesian Politics

    This chapter examines the unique rootedness of Indonesian political parties after national independence and the surprising ideological congruence of voters and politicians. Mass–elite discrepancies were low against the backdrop of a politicized electorate and parties responding to voters’ demands.

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    Senior Research Fellow

    Chapter in Edited Volume | 04/2024

    Prabowo’s Populism in Indonesia: Primary Concept and Secondary Ideas

    The case of Prabowo Subianto serves to exemplify the ideational approach of populism. This captures key elements of the political discourse, but only if a primary concept (a “thin ideology”) and secondary ideological components are clearly distinguished.

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    Senior Research Fellow

    GIGA Focus Global | 1/2024

    Repression by Legal Means: Governments’ Anti-Fake News Lawfare

    Anti-fake news lawfare is deepening government control over civil society, undermining information integrity and civil society’s democratic rights. Patterns to this legal repression and related pushback strategies in South and Southeast Asia are examined, as the forerunners of global developments.

    Dr. Sangeeta Mahapatra

    Dr. Janjira Sombatpoonsiri

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    GIGA Focus Asia | 1/2024

    The Rise of Digital Repression in Indonesia under Joko Widodo

    Indonesia’s government strives to confine civic spaces with the help of surveillance, Internet shutdowns, digital attacks, lawfare, as well as online manipulation by so-called buzzers. This is alarming because right-wing populist Prabowo Subianto could win the presidency in 2024.

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    Senior Research Fellow

    Research Projects

    Research Project | 01/02/2023 - 31/01/2025

    Mapping and Strengthening Civil Society Response to Disinformation

    Governments in autocratic and autocratizing contexts may use anti-fake news laws to discredit critical civil society actors as agents of “disinformation” and punish them. Through comparative and cross-learning insights derived from field studies, we seek to map civil society responses against the autocratic use of disinformation laws and strengthen policies for right to information and freedom of speech and expression.
    NED, 2023-2025

    Research Project | 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2024

    Strengthening Civil Society Against the Weaponization of Anti-Fake News Laws: A Comparison of Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Thailand

    In an age of proliferating disinformation, governments in South and Southeast Asia have come out with anti-fake news laws. However, the “weaponization" of such laws can lead governments to control online platforms and censor critics. Our project examines the patterns and processes of the weaponization of such laws against civic actors and countermeasures by the latter. We aim for academic and policy outcomes to improve disinformation regulation while safeguarding digital rights.
    Luminate, 2023-2024

    Research Project | 01/03/2021 - 31/08/2023

    The Belt and Road Initiative and Southeast Asian Countries: The Debt Curse Perspective; WP “Political Implications of the BRI in Malaysia”

    This is a collaborative research project of 11 researchers led by a research team at the University of Kyoto (Japan). It analyses the political and economic consequences of Chinese investments within the framework of the BRI and focuses on countries in Southeast Asia.
    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 2021-2023

    Research Project | 01/11/2017 - 28/02/2021

    Competing Regional Integrations in Southeast Asia (CRISEA)

    Southeast Asia is facing diverse institutional and geopolitical challenges. Of further concern are environmental and social issues as well as new economic dynamics. This interdisciplinary EU funded research project, coordinated by EFEO (France) investigates current developments in Southeast Asia, using a broad array of topics, perspectives and approaches.
    EC, Horizon 2020, 2017-2021

    Media Contributions

    Radio SRF 1 | Interview | 23/08/2024

    Massenproteste in Indonesien wegen Wahlrecht

    Interview zu den Massenprotesten in Indonesien im Umfeld der von der politischen Elite intendierten Wahlrechtsreformen.

    Radiowelt, BR2 | Interview | 14/11/2022

    Indonesien ist erstmals Gastgeber des G20-Gipfels

    Dr. Andreas Ufen, Wissenschaftler am GIGA Institute for Asian Studies im Interview mit Gabi Kautzmann zu Gastgeberrolle Indonesiens beim G20-Gipfel.

    The Asia Dialogue | Article | 01/08/2019

    The role of money in Southeast Asian politics

    Lectures

    German Institute for Global and Area Studies | 01/08/2024 - 02/08/2024

    The State of Indonesian Democracy

    Organiser: German Institute for Global and Area Studies PD Dr. Andreas Ufen (Panelist)

    Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University, Workshop on “The State of Indonesian Democracy”

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    Senior Research Fellow

    Workshop | 03/06/2024

    Capacity-Building Workshop on Anti-Fake News Lawfare, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 3 June 2024

    The interactive sessions of this workshop focused on knowledge sharing, discussions on cross-regional trends and collaboration, and strategies for countering anti-fake news lawfare.

    Dr. Sangeeta Mahapatra

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    Dr. Janjira Sombatpoonsiri

    Workshop | 23/05/2024

    Capacity-Building Workshop on Anti-Fake News Lawfare, Penang, Malaysia, 23 May 2024

    At this workshop, participants discussed patterns and trends of anti-fake news laws, digital/social media platforms and anti-fake news measures, ways of regulating mis/disinformation, and civil society pushback strategies.

    PD Dr. Andreas Ufen

    Dr. Sangeeta Mahapatra

    Dr. Janjira Sombatpoonsiri

    Teaching

    Teaching | GIGA Institute for Asian Studies | Accountability and Participation | 2024

    Dynamics of digital democracy in Southeast Asia: State repression, social media propaganda, and civil resistance

    Accountability and Participation Neuer Jungfernstieg 21 20354 Hamburg Germany

    International Online Summer Course, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang (Indonesia)

    Teaching | Faculty of Businesss, Economics and Social Scienes, Universität Hamburg | 2024

    Politische Systeme in Südost- und Ostasien

    Faculty of Businesss, Economics and Social Scienes, Universität Hamburg Hamburg Germany

    Teaching | Faculty of Businesss, Economics and Social Scienes, Universität Hamburg | 2023

    Zivilgesellschaft und Transition in Asien

    Faculty of Businesss, Economics and Social Scienes, Universität Hamburg Hamburg Germany

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