Ben Murtagh

Ben Murtagh is Reader in Indonesian and Malay at SOAS University of London. His research explores gender and sexuality representations in Indonesian cinema and literature, queer identities in Southeast Asian media, and HIV in popular culture. He supervises PhD projects on colonial infrastructure and language policies in Southeast Asia.

Leadership Roles: Former Head of School of Languages Cultures and Linguistics (2017-19, 2023-24); Head of Departments of South and South East Asia (2015-17); Chair of Centre for South East Asia Studies (2007-10). Co-Managing Editor of Indonesia and the Malay World journal.

PhD Supervision:

• Mapping English language policies and colonial education in Anglophone Southeast Asia
• Space, Society, and Colonial Infrastructure in 19th-20th Century Aceh