Ross Tapsell

Ross Tapsell is an Associate Professor at the Australian National University’s College of Asia and the Pacific and Director of the ANU Malaysia Institute. His research focuses on digital technologies, media, and politics in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. He has authored Media Power in Indonesia: Oligarchs, Citizens and the Digital Revolution and co-edited From Grassroots Activism to Disinformation: Social Media in Southeast Asia. His work examines disinformation, social media’s impact on elections, and democratic processes in the region.

He has held visiting fellowships at Indiana University, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (Paris), and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (Singapore). He serves on the editorial board of Asiascape: Digital Asia. At ANU, he advises the Philippines Institute and contributes to the Indonesia Project and Indonesia Institute.

His research interests include information societies in Southeast Asia, electoral dynamics, and the role of digital platforms in political campaigning. Recent work analyzes video campaigning in Malaysia’s 2022 election and gendered disinformation strategies. He has contributed to major journals like Indonesia, Pacific Affairs, and Georgetown Journal of International Affairs.

He leads projects such as Countering an Infodemic in Southeast Asia and collaborates on initiatives like the Indonesia Project Phase V. His work bridges academia and public discourse through media contributions to The New York Times, The Guardian, and VICE.