Dr. Steven Zech

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Steven Zech is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Monash University, where he serves as the Deputy Director of the Master of International Relations program. His academic expertise encompasses international relations and comparative politics, with key research interests including political violence, terrorism, militias, contentious politics, civility, and network analysis. His recent scholarly work particularly focuses on 'bottom-up' policy solutions to security challenges faced by countries such as the Philippines, Peru, and the United States. Zech has a notable publication record featuring numerous articles in reputable academic journals addressing topics like terrorism, counterinsurgency, and human rights implications of political violence. He previously held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, where he researched nonviolent action in violent settings. Zech has conducted extensive fieldwork across various regions in Peru from 2011 to 2022, contributing to a robust understanding of civilian self-defense forces within internal armed conflicts. His current book project critiques patterns of civilian resistance and seeks to elucidate the dynamics of nonviolent political change across contexts.

Research Interests

Experience

Senior Lecturer

2016-01-01 — Present

Monash University • Melbourne, Australia

Teaching and researching topics in international relations and comparative politics.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

2014-01-01 — 2016-01-01

Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver • Denver, USA

Conducted research on nonviolent action in violent settings.

Awards

#

Doctoral Dissertation Prize

Requirements for Monash University

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:12
Reading
Required:13
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:18
Total
Required:79
Prerequisites
Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in a related field
Application Checklist
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Proof of English Proficiency
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Copy of Passport
Specialization Notes

Requirements are standardized across the Faculty of Information Technology for most Master's programs including Computer Science and Data Science.