Ky Gentry

Ky Gentry is a Lecturer in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Western Australia's School of Social Sciences. He joined UWA in July 2016 after roles as a Lecturer and Post-Doctoral Fellow at ANU, and as a Political Research Fellow at Ruskin College, Oxford. His research bridges heritage studies, history, and politics, focusing on cultural rights, historic preservation, and the socio-political dimensions of heritage.

Research Interests:

• Human rights (particularly cultural rights)
• Historic preservation and its political implications
• Decolonization and indigenous heritage
• Digital pedagogy in higher education

Current Projects:

• "The Presence of the Past": Examines Australia’s historic preservation growth from 1960-2010 and its impact on community identity.
• "Cultural Rights, Human Rights": Addresses marginalized cultural rights within international frameworks, with case studies in the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania.
• "Keeping Places": Explores Australian heritage politics from colonization to the 20th century.

Grants and Funding:

• Australian Research Council DECRA (2015-2018)
• CASS Postdoctoral Fellowship (ANU, 2011-2014)

Labs/Teams: Collaborates on the National Industry PhD Program’s project on First Nations cultural heritage in energy transitions.