Tarcisius Kabutaulaka

Tarcisius Kabutaulaka is an Associate Professor at the Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he has served as Director from August 2018 to July 2021. A political scientist with a PhD from the Australian National University and undergraduate and MA degrees from the University of the South Pacific, he has extensive experience in teaching, research, and consultancy across the Pacific Islands region.

Education:

• PhD, Australian National University (2001)
• MA, University of the South Pacific
• Undergraduate degree, University of the South Pacific

Research Interests:

His research spans governance, natural resources, conflicts, post-conflict rehabilitation, peace-building, regionalism, and China's role in Oceania. He has extensively studied the Solomon Islands civil unrest and the Australian-led regional intervention, as well as issues related to land and economic development in the Pacific.

Publications and Scholarly Contributions:

Dr. Kabutaulaka is the editor of the Pacific Islands Monograph Series (PIMS) and the founding editor of Oceania Currents. He has authored or co-edited numerous books and articles, including Intervention and State-building in the Pacific: the Legitimacy of ‘Co-operative Intervention’ (2008, with Greg Fry). His work often explores the intersections of global capital, local ownership, and governance in the context of Solomon Islands and the broader Pacific Islands.

Advising and Consultancy:

He has provided consultancy services to governments, regional and international organizations, and NGOs in the Pacific Islands. He participated as a chief negotiator in the Townsville peace talks following the Solomon Islands conflicts in 2000 and is a regular commentator on Radio Australia.

Editorial Roles:

• Editor, Pacific Islands Monograph Series (PIMS)
• Founding Editor, Oceania Currents
• Member, Editorial Board of The Contemporary Pacific