Dr. Ella S. Prihatini

Graduated from Universitas Gadjah Mada (Bachelor in International Relations in 2004), the University of Queensland (Master in Development Practice in 2010), and the University of Western Australia (Ph.D. in political science and international relations in 2019). My master's degree was funded by the Australian Development Scholarships (ADS), and I was an Endeavour scholar for my PhD studies. I was named one of Australia’s Top 40 Researchers in a special ‘Stars of Research’ report published by The Australian in September 2019. 

Previously, I served as a visiting researcher at Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional/BRIN) and a 2023 Indo-Pacific fellow at Perth USAsia Centre. In 2017-2019, I was a teaching fellow at the University of Western Australia (UWA).

My research interests include women’s political representation, digital diplomacy, young voters, comparative studies, and electoral politics in Indonesia. I developed the Indonesian Ambassadors Dataset which provides data including gender and background.

I have published in both prominent journals (Contemporary Politics, Women’s Studies International Forum, Politics and Gender, Parliamentary Affairs) and the popular press, including The Jakarta Post, South China Morning Post, SBS Australia, and The Conversation. 

In a book chapter published by Routledge in 2022, I explain the progress of women's substantive representation in Indonesian national parliament (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat/DPR) following the fall of Suharto's authoritarianism regime. In another book chapter titled Women in Politics (Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung/KAS) I examine gender inequality in political institutions, particularly in Asian countries.

My latest publication was published by ISEAS in December 2023. It delves into the progress of women's representation in Indonesian politics as legislators, ministers, and ambassadors during Reformasi.