Amanda H A Watson

Research Fellow

Qualifications

BA (Hons) (Macquarie), MISD (UNSW), Postgrad Cert in Higher Education (DWU, PNG), PhD (QUT)

Contact details
+61 2 6125 2677
Room: 2.259
Building: HC Coombs Building, #9

Dr. Amanda H A Watson is a Research Fellow at the Department of Pacific Affairs at Australian National University (ANU). She is also the department's Delegated Authority for Higher Degree Research.

Dr. Watson's research interests include digital technology in the Pacific, mobile phones in Papua New Guinea and strategic uses of information and communication technologies in development efforts.

Dr. Watson has published in various academic journals, including Mobile Media and Communication, Pacific Journalism Review, Media Asia, Australian Journalism Review and The Australian Journal of Emergency Management.

From January 2017 to August 2019, Dr. Watson was part of a small team of ANU academics based in Port Moresby, teaching courses in the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Business and Public Policy under the ANU-UPNG Partnership. Before that, she worked for several years as a researcher on the use of mobile phones in development. Her PhD thesis looked at the uptake and use of mobile phones during the earliest days of mobile phone adoption in PNG. Dr. Watson has also taught at Divine Word University, Macquarie University, Queensland University of Technology and TAFE NSW.

Selected publications

Refereed papers

Watson, A H A (2022), The limited communication cables for Pacific Island countries. Asia-Pacific Journal of Ocean Law and Policy, 7(151-155). https://brill.com/view/journals/apoc/7/1/article-p151_012.xml?ebody=pdf-…

Watson, A H A and Fox, R (2021), Digital divide: Mobile internet speeds in the Pacific. Pacific Journalism Review: Te Koakoa, 27(1 & 2), 215-231. https://doi.org/10.24135/pjr.v27i1and2.1168

Fox, R and Watson, A H A (2021), University of Papua New Guinea Students’ Internet Access during the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020–21, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2021/ 27. Available at https://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/8184…

Watson, A H A (2021), Undersea Internet Cables in the Pacific Part 1: Recent and Planned Expansion, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2021/19. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/8145/…

Watson, A H A (2021), Undersea Internet Cables in the Pacific Part 2: Cybersecurity, Geopolitics and Reliability, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2021/ 20. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/8146/…

Watson, A H A (2021), Telecommunication security in the Pacific region, Development Bulletin, 82, pp. 131-135. Available from https://crawford.anu.edu.au/rmap/devnet/dev-bulletin.php

Zhang, D and Watson, A H A (2020), China’s Media Strategy in the Pacific, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2020/29. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/7865/…

Watson, A H A, Miller, J and Schmidt, A (2020), Preparing for the Referendum: Research into the Bougainville Peace Agreement Telephone Information Hotline, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, Discussion Paper series, Discussion Paper 2020/2. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/7716/…

Watson, A H A (2020), Mobile phone registration in Papua New Guinea: Will the benefits outweigh the drawbacks? Pacific Journalism Review, 26(1), July, pp. 114-122. Available from https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/pacific-journalism-review/article/view/1094

Watson, A H A and Putt, J (2020), Emergency Toll-Free Telephone Services Part 1: Challenging Contexts, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2020/8. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/7532/…

Putt, J, Mararang, D and Watson, A H A (2020), Emergency Toll-Free Telephone Services Part 2: A Police Line in Papua New Guinea, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2020/9. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/7533/…

Watson, A H A, Crowdy, D, Jackson, C and Horst, H (2020), Local Music Sharing via Mobile Phones in Melanesia, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2020/7. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/7525/…

Watson, A H A and Ng Shiu, R (2019), Can Telephone Counselling Services Help in the Pacific?, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2019/17. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/7199/…

Watson, A H A and Wiltshire, C (2016), Reporting Corruption from within Papua New Guinea’s Public Financial Management System, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, Discussion Paper series, Discussion Paper 2016/5. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/4461/…

Watson, A H A and Duffield, L (2016), From garamut to mobile phone: Communication change in rural Papua New Guinea, Mobile Media and Communication, 4(2), May, pp. 270-287. Available from http://mmc.sagepub.com/content/4/2/270.abstract

Watson, A H A and Poima, R (2015), Healthy phoning: Papua New Guinea’s first ever health call centre, Australasian Psychiatry, special supplement edited by Ernest Hunter, Volume 23 Number 6 Supplement December, pp. 48-51. Available from http://apy.sagepub.com/content/23/6_suppl.toc

Watson, A H A, Sabumei, G, Mola, G and Iedema, R (2015), Maternal Health Phone Line: Saving Women in Papua New Guinea, Journal of Personalized Medicine, 5, pp. 120-139. Available from http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/5/2/120

van der Vlies, M and Watson, A H A (2014), Can mobile phones help reduce teacher absenteeism in Papua New Guinea?, refereed collection of conference proceedings, Australia New Zealand Communication Association (ANZCA) Conference, 9-11 July, Swinburne University, Melbourne. Available at https://www.anzca.net/conferences/past-conferences/2014-conf/p2.html

Watson, A H A (2014), Mobile phones and development in Papua New Guinea: Guiding principles, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, In Brief series, In Brief 2014/42. Available at http://bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/1321/mobi…

Watson, A H A (2013), Mobile phones and media use in Madang Province of Papua New Guinea, Pacific Journalism Review, 19(2), October, pp. 156-175. Available from https://pjreview.aut.ac.nz/articles/mobile-phones-and-media-use-madang-p…

Watson, A H A (2011), Early experience of mobile telephony: a comparison of two villages in Papua New Guinea, Media Asia, 38(3), pp. 170-180.

Watson, A H A (2010), ‘We would have saved her life’: mobile telephony in an island village in Papua New Guinea, eJournalist, 10(2).

Duffield, L, Papoutsaki, E and Watson, A H A (2008), Australian Broadcast Media Coverage of PNG: Not Nasty, But Not Enough…, Australian Journalism Review, 30(2), December, pp. 111-124.

Duffield, L, Watson, A H A and Hayes, M (2008), Media and communication capacities in the Pacific region, eJournalist, 8(1).

Book chapters

Watson, A H A (2022), Communication, information and the media, in Howes, S & Pillai, L (eds.) Papua New Guinea: Government, Economy and Society. ANU Press, pp. 223-259. ISBN (online) 9781760465032

Watson, A H A, Suwamaru, J K, Mow, I C, and Logan, S (2017), Mobile technology in Pacific Island Countries: the Potential for M-Government, in Cullen, R and Hassall, G (eds.) Achieving Sustainable E-government in Pacific Island States. Springer, Switzerland, pp. 117-137. ISBN 978-3-319-50970-9

Kaleebu, N, Gee, A, Watson, A H A, Jones, R, and Jauk, M (2017), SMS Story: a case study of a controlled trial in Papua New Guinea, in Murphy, A, Farley, H, Dyson, L & Jones, H (eds.) Mobile Learning in Higher Education in the Asia Pacific: Harnessing Trends and Challenging Orthodoxies. Springer, Singapore, pp. 623-645. ISBN 978-981-10-4943-9

Watson, A H A and Duffield, L (2016), Private mobile phones and public communication drums in rural Papua New Guinea, in Dyson, L E, Grant, S & Hendriks, M (eds.) Indigenous People and Mobile Technologies. Routledge Studies in New Media and Cyberculture, pp. 92-106.

Watson, A H A and Morgan, E (2015), M-government for courts systems: A data collection trial in Papua New Guinea, in Robertson, A. (ed.) Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2014/15. Cambridge: Nexus/Commonwealth Secretariat, pp. 34-36.

Ginau, M, Papoutsaki, E, Duffield, L and Watson, A H A (2012), Our neighbour’s view: Australian media coverage of Papua New Guinea, in Papoutsaki, E, McManus, M & Matbob, P (eds.) Communication, Culture and Society in Papua New Guinea: Yu tok wanem? DWU Press, Madang, pp. 62-72.

Watson, A H A (2012), Early experience of mobile telephony: a comparison of two villages in Papua New Guinea, in Papoutsaki, E, McManus, M & Matbob, P (eds.) Communication, Culture and Society in Papua New Guinea: Yu tok wanem? DWU Press, Madang, pp. 157-169.

Watson, A H A (2012), Putting Development into Communication: a Curriculum Approach, in Papoutsaki, E, McManus, M & Matbob, P (eds.) Communication, Culture and Society in Papua New Guinea: Yu tok wanem? DWU Press, Madang, pp. 171-180.

Blog posts

Various blog posts available at http://www.devpolicy.org/author/amanda-watson/

Watson, A H A and Malungahu, G M (2022), Island Kingdom’s Communication Cable Repaired, Australian Outlook, Australian Institute of International Affairs, posted 16 March, accessible at https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/island-kingdom…

Watson, A H A and Malungahu, G M (2022), Volcano Cuts Communication With Island Kingdom, Australian Outlook, Australian Institute of International Affairs, posted 21 January, accessible at https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/volcano-cuts-c…

Watson, A H A (2021), Undersea internet cables connect Pacific islands to the world. But geopolitical tension is tugging at the wires, The Conversation, posted 20 September, accessible at https://theconversation.com/undersea-internet-cables-connect-pacific-isl…

Watson, A H A and Garrett, J (2021), Facebook’s monopoly danger in the Pacific, The Interpreter, The Lowy Institute, posted 26 March, accessible at https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/facebook-s-monopoly-danger…

Watson, A H A (2021), Are telecommunications in the Pacific at risk?, Policy Forum, Australian National University, posted 12 March, accessible at https://www.policyforum.net/are-telecommunications-in-the-pacific-at-risk/

Watson, A H A and Wall, J (2021), Australia should step up ahead of Pacific telco’s possible sale, The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, posted 27 January, accessible at https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-should-step-up-ahead-of-paci…

Zhang, D and Watson, A H A (2020), China’s media strategy in the Pacific, Policy Forum, Australian National University, posted 11 December, accessible at https://www.policyforum.net/chinas-media-strategy-in-the-pacific/

Watson, A H A, Miller, J and Schmidt, A (2020), Can mobile technology address the information challenges of the Pacific?, Policy Forum, Australian National University, posted 21 October, accessible at https://www.policyforum.net/can-mobile-technology-address-the-informatio…

Watson, A H A and Jorgensen, D (2015), Ringing in change: How mobile phones could aid drought response in PNG, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, posted 21 October, accessible at: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/ringing-change-how-mobile-…

Watson, A H A (2015), Are Smartphones Making SMS Projects Obsolete? ICTWorks, posted 21 September, accessible at: http://www.ictworks.org/2015/09/21/are-smartphones-making-sms-projects-o…

Watson, A H A (2015), Not Appy in Melanesia, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, posted 16 June, as part of a series called Digital Disruption, accessible at: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/not-appy-melanesia

Watson, A H A (2012), Mobile phones for development: Just a love affair?, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, posted 30 November, as part of a debate on the Digital Pacific, accessible at: https://archive.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/mobile-phones-developm…

ANU seminar presentations

Geopolitics, cybersecurity and sustainability: The case of undersea internet cables in the Pacific region, June 3, 2021: http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/news-events/podcasts/video/8044/geopoli…

Mobile telephones for public messaging: Did the referendum information hotline make a difference? With Jeremy Miller and Adriana Schmidt, October 27 2020: http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/news-events/podcasts/video/7846/mobile-…

Reporting corruption in Papua New Guinea’s public financial management system, with Colin Wiltshire, May 9 2016: https://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/news-events/podcasts/audio/3808/report…

Health phone services in Papua New Guinea: saving lives or just wasting money?, April 13 2015: https://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/news-events/events/2338/health-phone-s…

PhD thesis

Watson, A H A (2011), The mobile phone : the new communication drum of Papua New Guinea. Accessible from https://eprints.qut.edu.au/47170/

Book reviews

Watson, A H A (2022), Review of Hobbis, G. 2020. The digitizing family. Small States & Territories Journal, 5(1), pp. 235-236. Available at: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/94144

Watson, A H A (2019), Mobile phones in the Pacific: a book review, Devpolicy blog, Australian National University, posted 10 September, accessible at: https://www.devpolicy.org/mobile-phones-in-the-pacific-a-book-review-201…

Watson, A H A (2019), ‘A village goes mobile’: mobile phones and social change, Devpolicy blog, Australian National University, posted 29 January, accessible at: http://www.devpolicy.org/mobile-phones-and-social-change-20190129/

Watson, A H A (2010), Review of de Bruijn, M., F. Nyamnjoh and I. Brinkman (eds.). 2009. Mobile phones : the new talking drums of everyday Africa. Australian Journal of Communication, 37(2), pp. 123-126. Available at: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/40891/

Reports

Wiltshire, C, Watson, A H A, Lokinap, D and Currie, C (2020). Papua New Guinea’s Primary Health Care System: Views from the Front Line. Canberra and Port Moresby: ANU and UPNG. Available at http://dpa.bellschool.anu.edu.au/experts-publications/publications/7919/…

Highet, C, Nique, M, Watson, A H A and Wilson, A (2019). Digital Transformation: The Role of Mobile Technology in Papua New Guinea. London, United Kingdom: GSMA. Available at https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/resources/digital-transformati…

Watson, A H A (2014), Utilising Mobile Phones for Development in PNG: Lessons Learnt, PNG Economic and Public Sector Program, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Available at https://www.ahawatson.com/gp-resources

Kaleebu, N, Gee, A, Jones, R, Jauk, M and Watson, A H A (2013), SMS Story Impact Assessment Report, VSO, Papua New Guinea. Available at https://www.ahawatson.com/sms-story-resources

Watson, A H A and Morgan, E (2013), Mobile Phone Trial Project: Data from District Courts on Village Courts matters, PNG Economic and Public Sector Program, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Available at https://www.ahawatson.com/sms-data-resources

Watson, A H A and Sabumei, G (2013), Phase Two report: Childbirth Emergency Phone project in Milne Bay Province, PNG Economic and Public Sector Program, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Available at https://www.ahawatson.com/mh-resources

Watson, A H A and Sabumei, G (2013), Phase One report: Childbirth Emergency Phone project in Milne Bay Province, PNG Economic and Public Sector Program, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Available at https://www.ahawatson.com/mh-resources

Non-refereed journal articles

Watson, A H A and Highet, C (2020), Mobile phones in development: Reflections on a workshop series. Contemporary PNG Studies: DWU Research Journal, 32, pp. 1-19.

Watson, A H A (2015), Facilitating development through the use of mobile phones, Contemporary PNG Studies DWU Research Journal, Volume 22, May, pp. 141-151.

Yamo, H and Watson, A H A (2014), How to maximise value when utilising a Closed User Group mobile phone service in the Papua New Guinea context, IBS Journal of Business and Research, Volume 10, December, pp. 9-24.

Watson, A H A and Morgan, E (2014), Can mobile phones really be used for data collection? Results from a trial in Papua New Guinea, Contemporary PNG Studies DWU Research Journal, Volume 21, November, pp. 127-138.

van der Vlies, M and Watson, A H A (2014), Can mobile phones help reduce teacher absenteeism in Papua New Guinea?, IBS Journal of Business and Research, Volume 9, June, pp. 38-46.

Watson, A H A and Sabumei, G (2013), Maternal health phone line: Analysis of first phase results, Contemporary PNG Studies DWU Research Journal, Volume 19, November, pp. 23-35.

Kaleebu, N, Gee, A, Maybanks, N, Jones, R, Jauk M and Watson, A H A (2013), SMS Story: early results of an innovative education trial, Contemporary PNG Studies DWU Research Journal, Volume 19, November, pp. 50-62.

Watson, A H A (2012), Tsunami alert: the mobile phone difference, The Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 27(4), October, pp. 42-46.

Watson, A H A (2012), Could mobile telephony be harnessed for development in Papua New Guinea?, Contemporary PNG Studies DWU Research Journal, Volume 17, November, pp. 46-52.

Watson, A H A (2008), How educated PNG youth perceive Western power, Contemporary PNG Studies DWU Research Journal, Volume 8, May, pp. 104-118.

Watson, A H A (2006), Facilitating Training in Communication and Development in Papua New Guinea, Contemporary PNG Studies DWU Research Journal, Volume 4, May, pp. 31-46.

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