Susannah Patton

Director, Southeast Asia Program
Areas of expertise

Indo-Pacific strategy; Australian foreign policy; Southeast Asia.

Susannah Patton
Biography
Publications
News and media

Susannah Patton is Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute and the Project Lead for the Asia Power Index, the Institute’s annual data-driven assessment that maps the changing distribution of power in the region. Her research on Southeast Asia is focused on strategic alignment dynamics and the roles of external powers including the United States, China and Australia.

Before joining the Lowy Institute, Susannah was a Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre. Her commentary and analysis have featured in Australian and international outlets, including The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Australian Financial Review and The Interpreter. Before leaving government, she worked in various Southeast Asia-focused positions in the Australian government, including as a Senior Analyst in the Southeast Asia Branch at the Office of National Intelligence, in the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit Taskforce in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and as a diplomat in the Australian Embassy in Bangkok. Susannah holds first class honours degrees in law and political science from the Australian National University.

China’s rise in Southeast Asia is bringing in a golden age for Australia
China’s rise in Southeast Asia is bringing in a golden age for Australia
Disquiet about Beijing’s growing presence is motivating countries across the region to seek deeper cooperation with Canberra.
International Education
Commentary
International Education
Originally published in Asia Society
Our new quiet security embrace as Jakarta hedges bets
Commentary
Our new quiet security embrace as Jakarta hedges bets
Originally published by The Australian Financial Review.
Trump 2.0
Data Snapshot
Trump 2.0
What Donald Trump’s return would mean for Australia and the world
Thailand loses a prime minister
Thailand loses a prime minister
Srettha Thavisin was not important, nor will his successor be.
Has Biden “checkmated” China?
Has Biden “checkmated” China?
The President is rightly proud of having bolstered US alliances. But claims of beating China are overreach.
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