Kate Macfarlane

Dr. Kate Macfarlane is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Political Science at Charles Darwin University, affiliated with the College of Indigenous Futures, Education, and the Arts and the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research focuses on children and armed conflict, peacebuilding, human security, and gender studies, particularly in South Asia. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Sri Lanka and Nepal on child soldier reintegration. Macfarlane holds an ORCID identifier and has an h-index of 7. She is a former Fox Fellowship representative (2018-2019) and has received prestigious awards including the Australian Postgraduate Award and an Endeavour Fellowship.

Education and Background: Macfarlane earned her postgraduate qualifications with support from the Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) Scholarship and an Australian Government Endeavour Fellowship. She has worked in the development sector in Asia, including in Mandarin-speaking environments. Her expertise contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to peace, justice, and strong institutions.

Research Interests: Macfarlane’s work centers on the reintegration of child soldiers, analyzing governance structures and societal impacts in post-conflict regions. She explores how militarized governance affects rehabilitation programs and advocates for gender-sensitive approaches to peacebuilding. Her recent studies include examining Indonesian women’s roles in terrorism and the psychological dimensions of cyberterrorist profiling.

Grants and Projects: She leads the CVE: Countering Violent Extremism Research Project (2025-2026), focusing on policy and practice in Australia. This project addresses digital literacy, civil society engagement, and narratives countering extremism. Macfarlane has supervised two postgraduate theses, contributing to academic mentorship in her field.

Awards:

• 2018-2019 Fox Fellowship (Yale University ANU Representative)
• Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) Scholarship
• Australian Government Endeavour Fellowship (2018)

Labs and Collaboration: Macfarlane collaborates with institutions globally, including Yale University and through her CVE project. She is part of interdisciplinary teams analyzing conflict zones and cybersecurity challenges, reflecting her commitment to both academic rigor and real-world policy impact.