Matthew Galway

Matthew Galway is a Senior Lecturer in Chinese History at the Australian National University's School of Culture, History & Language. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia (2017), an M.A. from the University of Ottawa (2010), and a BA (Hons) in History from the same institution (2008). His research focuses on 20th-century Chinese history, global Maoism, Cambodian and Peruvian communist movements, and the history of the Chinese Communist Party. Notable works include The Emergence of Global Maoism: China’s Red Evangelism and the Cambodian Communist Movement, 1949-1979 (2022) and edited volumes like Experiments with Marxism-Leninism in Cold War Southeast Asia (2022). His studies explore transnational communist movements, Cold War dynamics, and the ideological foundations of authoritarian regimes like Hun Sen’s Cambodia. Galway has contributed over 45 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and translations, often analyzing political legitimacy, charisma in autocracy, and historical memory. His op-eds and media appearances address contemporary issues such as Cambodia’s political landscape and China’s global influence. Galway’s work bridges historical scholarship with contemporary geopolitical analysis, emphasizing the interplay between ideology, power, and transnational networks.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. (2017) – History – University of British Columbia
  • M.A. (2010) – History – University of Ottawa
  • BA Hons (2008) – History – University of Ottawa

Research Interests: Twentieth-century Chinese history, Chinese intellectual history, history of the Chinese Communist Party, global Maoism, Cambodian and Peruvian communist movements, urban history of Indochina, political legitimacy, and Cold War international history.

Publications Highlights: Over 45 peer-reviewed articles, including seminal works on Hun Sen’s autocratic legitimation, Sino-Cambodian communist ties, and Maoist transnationalism. His 2022 book The Emergence of Global Maoism examines China’s ideological influence in Cold War Southeast Asia.

Media Contributions: Interviews with PBS, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and podcasts such as Ear to Asia, discussing Cambodian politics, Hun Sen’s regime, and China’s geopolitical role.