Sebastian Dettman

Dr. Sebastian Dettman is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Singapore Management University’s School of Social Sciences. He specializes in Southeast Asian politics, focusing on democratization, political parties, and electoral competition in Malaysia and Indonesia. Dettman holds a PhD and MA in Government from Cornell University (2018) and an MA in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Michigan (2012), with a BA from Pitzer College (2005).

• Education:
  • PhD & MA (Government), Cornell University, 2018
  • MA (Southeast Asian Studies), University of Michigan, 2012
  • BA, Pitzer College, 2005

His research examines political adaptation in power-sharing systems, voter behavior during democratization, and the role of patronage in political machines. Recent work highlights tensions between ethnic politics and democratic reform, opposition strategies under authoritarian regimes, and institutional innovations in the “New Malaysia.”

Dettman’s publications appear in Democratization, Journal of Contemporary Asia, and Electoral Studies. He previously served as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Contemporary Asia at Stanford University’s Shorenstein Center (2018-19) and teaches courses on democracy, political participation, and policy at SMU.