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Tan Netina, Associate Professor | University Scholar, 2021-2025

photo of Netina Tan

Netina Tan

Associate Professor | University Scholar, 2021-2025

Faculty
Department of Political Science

Members
Institute on Globalization & the Human Condition

Faculty
Master of Public Policy Program

Area(s) of Interest:

Biography

Netina Tan is a University Scholar and Associate Professor of Political Science from McMaster University, Canada. Her research focuses on authoritarian resilience, political representation and digital democracy in Asia and globally. Since 2013, she has published more than 40 journal articles, book chapters and commentaries on these themes. She has also edited five special sections/journal issues and co-edited two books on Electoral Malpractice in Asia: Bending the Rules (Lynne Rienner, 2023) and Handbook of Women’s Political Rights (Palgrave, 2019). Her current book projects include "Putting Women Up" (ISEAS) funded by IDRC and a Handbook of Autocratization in Southeast Asia (Routledge). Besides being a co-investigator on a SSHRC funded research project on A Global Study of Ethnic Quotas, she is also leading a project on COVID-19 pandemic surveillance technologies. In McMaster, she has co-founded Asian Research Working Group and Digital Democracy Research Hub to advance research Asia and the impact of digital technology on democratic practices. 

Research Interests

Comparative Authoritarianism, Democratization, Electoral and Party Politics, Representation of Women and Ethnic Minorities, Digital Technology, Governance, East and Southeast Asia

Supervision and Current Ph.D. Students

  • Joseph Antwi-Bosiako: "Smart Cities and Governance in Sub-Sahara Africa"
  • Aye Lei Tun: "Community Resistance under Authoritarianism in Myanmar and Thailand" 
  • Michael Desormeaux: "Propaganda and Remaking China’s International Image"
  • Rebecca Denyer: "Youth Digital Activism in Southeast Asia"
  • Cassandra Preece: “Indigenous Rights and Representation: Language Policies in Asia Pacific”
  • Helen Beny: "Digital Repression in East Africa"
  • Garima Sarkar: “Dynasties and Wealth: Women's Political Underrepresentation in India”

Reference Letters

Students requesting reference letter, please refer to my guidelines. 

Research Groups and Projects

Honours and Awards

  • 2022: Global Scholar-in-Community Fellow, McMaster University
  • 2021-25: University Scholar, McMaster University 
  • 2018: Nominees, with Tony Porter, for the Best Paper Award for European Group for Public Administration Conference, Lausanne, Switzerland, 5-7 Sep 
  • 2018: Co-Founder, Digital Democracy Research Hub
  • 2017: Shortlisted, William L. Holland Prize for the most outstanding journal article published in Pacific Affairs for 2016
  • 2013: Founder, Asian Research Working Group
  • 2011: Winner, Vincent Lemieux Prize for Best Dissertation Submitted in a Canadian University in 2009-2010
  • 2011-12: Social Science and Humanities Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Toronto
  • 2011: Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office Graduate Fellowship
  • 2007: Dissertation Fellowship, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, Taiwan
  • 2007: Visiting Research Associate, S. Rajaratnam School of Int Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Selected Funding

  • 2023: BIRMAC Project and Ideas Fund (with Dr. Jonathan Fisher, University of Birmingham)
  • 2023: IIMF Award for "Digital Authoritarianism in Comparative Perspectives" project ($5,000)
  • 2022: McMaster VPR Incentive Fund ($4,000)
  • 2020-23: McMaster COVID-19 Research Grant (co-investigator with Drs. Tony Porter and Sara Bannerman) ($42,772)
  • 2020: IDRC Grant for “EMRef-McMaster Myanmar Publications Project” ($39,923)
  • 2020: McMaster Faculty of Social Sciences COVID-19 Catalyst Grant ($5,000)
  • 2019: McMaster Arts Research Board (ARB) Conference Award, “Quotas, Reserved Seats and Ethnic Representations in Asia.” ($1,593)
  • 2018-19: IGHC Seed Grant for "Digital Democracy" Research project (co-applicant with Drs. Tony Porter and Sara Bannerman) ($2,000)
  • 2018-22: SSHRC Insight Grant, "Ethnic Quotas and Political Representation: A Global Study" (co-applicant with Dr. Karen Bird) ($355,314)
  • 2018-19: SSHRC Connection Grant,"Comparing Mechanisms for Substantive Representation of Ethnic Minorities and Indigenous Peoples" Conference (co-applicant with Dr. Karen Bird) ($24,947)
  • 2018-20: IDRC Research Capacity Building Grant, "Gender Equality and Decentralization in Myanmar" ($400,000)
  • 2016-18: SSHRC Insight Development Grant, "Electoral Integrity in East and Southeast Asia" ($59,910)
  • 2016: IQ2 Seed Fund, "Electoral Integrity and Digital Innovation in East and Southeast Asia" ($5,000)
  • 2015: IIMF Award for "Electoral Integrity and Digital Innovation in East Asia" project ($3,750) 
  • 2014: McMaster ARB Grant for "Social Media and Opposition Mobilization in Electoral Authoritarian Regimes" project ($4,900)
  • 2013-4: Forward With Integrity Grant and Deans of Social Sciences, Humanities, Health Sciences and Business for Asia-Canada: Transnational Collaborative Research Conference, 4 Apr 2014, McMaster University ($7,000)
  • 2013: American Council of Learned Societies and Chiang Ching-kuo for International Scholarly Exchange and McMaster Provost Office and VP Research Office for Political Representation of Women in Asia Workshop, 3-5 Oct 2013, McMaster University ($15,000)

 

 

Education

Ph.D., Political Science, University of British Columbia

M.A., Political Science, University of Regina

M.A., Southeast Asian Studies, National University of Singapore

B.A., Political Science and Sociology, National University of Singapore

Teaching

  • Poli Sci 3H03: Honours Issues in Comparative Politics: Digital Authoritarianism* (NEW)
  • Poli Sci 3LC3: Southeast Asian Politics
  • Poli Sci 4KC3: Comparative Democratization
  • Poli Sci 740: Theories of Comparative Politics
  • Poli Sci 716: Comparative Authoritarianism
  • Poli Sci 765: Digital Threats to Democracy (co-taught with Dr. Tony Porter and Global Affairs Canada)
  • MPP-DS 708: Digital Democracy: Threats and Challenges (co-taught with Dr. Tony Porter)
  • Poli Sci 765: Elections, Electoral System and Representation (co-taught with Dr. Karen Bird)
  • Poli Sci 765: Gender and Politics of Representation (co-taught with Dr. Karen Bird)

See my personal website for course syllabus and teaching evaluation scores.

Research

Book 

.   

  1. 2023. Tan, Netina, and Kharis Templeman, eds. Electoral Malpractice in Asia: Bending the Rules. 1st ed. U.S.: Lynne Rienner. 
  2. 2019. Francheschet, Susan, Mona Lena Krook and Netina Tan, eds. The Palgrave Handbook of Women’s Political Rights. Palgrave MacMillan. DOI: 10.1057/978-1-137-59074-9.

Guest Editor of Special Journal Issues and Sections

        

  1. Forthcoming. Kasuya, Yuko and Netina Tan. Eds. Special Issue on “Democratic Regression in Asia”, Asian Journal of Comparative Politics.
  2. 2022. Tan, Netina. Editor. Special Issue on "Quotas, Parties and Electoral Design: Mechanisms and Effects of Ethnic Representation in Diverse Societies”, Representation 58 (3): 140 pp.
  3. 2016. Tan, Netina. Editor. Special Section on "", Pacific Affairs 89(2): 84 pp.
  4. 2015. Tan, Netina. Editor. "Critical Perspectives on “Quotas and Non-Quota Strategies in East Asia.” Politics and Gender 11(01): 46 pp.

Journal Articles

  1. 2023. Porter, Tony, and Netina Tan. “An Integrated Complex Adaptive Governmental Policy Response to Cyberthreats.” Journal of Economic Policy Reform 26 (3): 283-297.
  2. 2022. Tan, Netina, and Cassandra Preece. “Democratic Backsliding in Illiberal Singapore.” Asian Journal of Comparative Politics, (Online Dec 2022) 20578911221141090. 
  3. 2021. Tan, Netina, and Cassandra Preece. "Ethnic Quotas, Political Representation and Equity in Asia Pacific." Representation: Journal of Representative Democracy, 58 (3): 347-371
  4. 2020. Tan, Netina. "Digital Learning and Extending Electoral Authoritarianism in Singapore." Democratization 27(6): 1-19. 
  5. 2020. Tan, Netina. “Electoral Management of Digital Campaigns and Disinformation in East and Southeast Asia.” Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy 19 (2). 
  6. 2020. Tan, Netina and Cassandra Preece. "Electoral System, Ethnic Parties, and Party System Stability in Myanmar", European Journal of Development Research, (Online First), 1-26.
  7. 2020. Tan, Netina. “Minimal Factionalism in Singapore’s People’s Action Party”, Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs 39 (1): 124–43.
  8. 2020. Allen Hicken and Netina Tan. “Factionalism in Southeast Asia: Types, Causes, and Effects”, Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs 39 (1): 187–204 (equal co-authorship). 
  9. 2019. Sara Bannerman, Tony Porter and Netina Tan, eds. “Regulating Fake News in Sub-Sahara Africa”, Digital Democracy: Transformation and Public Contestation, Institute of Globalization and Human Condition Working Paper Series: 19-24. 
  10. 2018. Tan, Netina and Bernie Grofman "Electoral Rules and Manufacturing Legislative Supermajority: Evidence from Singapore", Commonwealth and Comparative Politics (56:3):273-297.
  11. 2016. Tan, Netina. "Gender Reforms, Quotas and Women's Political Representation in Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore", Pacific Affairs(89:2):309-323
  12. 2016. Tan, Netina. "Why are Gender Reforms Adopted in Singapore? Party Pragmatism and Electoral Incentives", Pacific Affairs (89:2):369-393.  
  13. 2015. Tan, Netina. . “Party Quotas and Rising Women Politicians in Singapore.” Politics & Gender 11 (01): 196–207.
  14. 2014. Tan, Netina. "Ethnic Quotas and Unintended Effects on Women's Political Representation in Singapore." International Political Science Review, 35 (1): 27-40.
  15. 2013. Tan, Netina. "Manipulating Electoral Laws in Singapore.” Electoral Studies, 32 (4):632-643.

Introductions and Research Notes

  1. Tan, Netina. 2022. “Beyond Numbers: Deepening Gender Quota Scholarship on Asia.” APSA-CP: Newsletter of the American Political Science Association-Comparative Politics, Fall 2022. https://www.comparativepoliticsnewsletter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/APSA-CP_32_2_Dec_2022.pdf.
  2. Porter, Tony, and Netina Tan. 2022. “Introduction: Democracy and Digitization.” Globalizations 0 (0): 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2023.2156033.
  3. 2022. Tan, Netina. “Introduction: Quotas, Parties and Electoral Design – Mechanisms and Effects of Ethnic Representation in Diverse Societies.” Representation 58 (3): 339–46.
  4. 2019. Bannerman, Sara, Tony Porter and Netina Tan. “Introduction: Digitization and Challenges to Democracy” in Digital Democracy: Transformation and Public Contestations, IGHC Working Paper Series, eds., Bannerman, Sara, Tony Porter and Netina Tan, pp. 3-12. https://globalization.mcmaster.ca/research/publications/working-papers/2019/working-paper-oct-2019.pdf
  5. 2015. Tan, Netina. “Introduction: Quotas and Non-Quota Strategies in East Asia.” Politics & Gender 11 (01): 171–75.   
  6. 2014. Tan, Netina. “The General and Presidential Elections in Singapore 2011,” Electoral Studies 35: 374-8. (Research Note) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2014.02.001

Book Chapters

  1. 2023. Templeman, Kharis, and Netina Tan. “Electoral Malpractice in Asia: Introduction.” In Electoral Malpractice in Asia: Bending the Rules, edited by Netina Tan and Kharis Templeman, 1st ed., 1–26. U.S.: Lynne Rienner. 
  2. 2023. Templeman, Kharis, and Netina Tan.“Conclusion: Electoral Malpractice in Asia.” In Electoral Malpractice in Asia: Bending the Rules, edited by Netina Tan and Kharis Templeman, 1st ed., 255–82. U.S.: Lynne Rienner.
  3. 2023. Tan, Netina. 2023. “Singapore: Tilting the Playing Field.” In Electoral Malpractice in Asia: Bending the Rules, edited by Netina Tan and Kharis Templeman, 1st ed., 107–26. U.S.: Lynne Rienner. 
  4. 2023. Netina Tan, and Rebecca Denyer. 2023. “Pandemic Disinformation: Practices and Interventions in Southeast Asia.” In Mobile Communication and Online Falsehoods: Trends, Impact and Practice. Edited by Carol Soon, Springer Series on Mobile Communications in Asia: Local Insights, Global Implication. 
  5. 2021. Tan, Netina. “Ethnicity, Gender and the Vote.” In Voting in a Time of Change: Singapore’s 2020 General Election, edited by Kevin YL Tan and Terence Lee, 227–46. Ethos Books.
  6. 2021. Tan, Netina. 2021. “Gender Quotas, Reserved Seats and Electoral Incentives in Asia.” In Women, Power, and Political Representation: Canadian and Comparative Perspectives, edited by Roosmajin de Geus, Erin Trolley, Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant, and Peter John Loewen, 108–18. Toronto, Canada: Toronto University Press.
  7. 2020. Tan, Netina. “Women and Politics in East and Southeast Asia.” In Oxford Bibliographies in Political Science, Ed. Sandy Maisel, Oxford University Press. 
  8. 2020. Tan, Netina. “Good Governance Without Liberal Democracy in Singapore.” In Governance and Democracy in the Asia Pacific: Political and Civil Society. Edited by Stephen McCarthy and Mark Thompson, 48-73, NY: Routledge.
  9. 2018. Tan, Netina. “Elected Women Politicians in Singapore’s Parliament: An Analysis of Socio-Demographic Profile,” in Women of Asia: Globalization, Development, and Social Change, edited by Linda Lindsey and Mehrangiz Najafizadeh, 198-211, Routledge.
  10. 2016. Tan, Netina. “Pre-Electoral Manipulation, Gerrymandering and Its Effects on Singapore’s 2015 GE,” in Voting in Change: Politics of Singapore's 2015 General Election, edited by Terence Lee and Kevin Tan, 169-190. Singapore: Ethos Book.  
  11. 2015. Tan, Netina. "Institutionalized Hegemonic Party Rule in Singapore." In Party Institutionalization in Asia: Democracies, Autocracies and the Shadows of the Past, edited by Erik Kuhonta and Allen Hicken, 49-73. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  12. 2014. Tan, Netina. "Embracing Uncertainty and Democratization in Singapore." In Democracy in Eastern Asia, edited by Edmund Fung and Steven Drakeley, 181-202. New York: Routledge.
  13. 2014. Tan, Netina. "Singapore." In Party Politics in Southeast Asia: Organization, Money and Influence, edited by Wolfgang Sachsenroder. CreateSpace Publishing: 261-285.
  14. 2004. Tan, Netina. "Human Security in Southeast Asia: A Gender and Constructivist Perspective." In Asia in the New Millennium: APISA First Congress 2003, edited by Amitav Acharya and Lee Lai To, 595-627. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Academic.

Policy Reports and Working Papers

  1. 2020. Minoletti, Paul, Netina Tan, Elin Bjarnegard, Michelle Dion, La Ring, Meredith Weiss and Aye Lei. “Gender and Political Participation in Myanmar” International Development Research Centre (IDRC)-Enlightenment Myanmar Research Foundation (EMRef) Synthesis Report, available here.
  2. 2020. Tan, Netina, Paul Minoletti, Elin Bjarnegard and Aye Lei. “Party Building and Candidate Selection: Promoting Gender Equality in Myanmar,” International Development Research Centre (IDRC)-EMRef Working Paper available here.
  3. 2020. Bannerman, Sara, Tony Porter and Netina Tan, “Digital Democracy: Transformation and Public Contestations.” Institute of Globalization and Human Condition Working Paper Series (equal parts in co-editing 15 papers). https://globalization.mcmaster.ca/research/publications/working-papers/2019/working-paper-oct-2019.pdf
  4. 2019. Tan, Netina. "Fake News in Singapore," policy report commissioned by UAE Ministry of Justice.
  5. 2012. Tan, Netina and Joseph Wong. “Brain Drain, Immigration and Integration in Singapore,”  Policy paper commissioned by CSIS and NSCS.

Op-Eds and Commentaries

  1. 2020. Chng, Damien, Chong Ja Ian, Cherian George, Howard Lee and Netina Tan. “Political Parties Must Act Now to Assure Voters of Clean Online Campaigning.” Sg, 29 Jun. Available here: https://www.academia.sg/academic-views/clean-online-campaigning/
  2. 2020. Tan, Netina and Cassandra Preece. 2020. “How will Myanmar Ethnic Parties Perform in the Upcoming 2020 General Elections?”, PK Forum, May. In English and Burmese, available here: https://www.pkforum.org/home/categories/2020-elections
  3. 2018. Tan, Netina and Cassandra Preece. "How Cambodia's Prime Minister Rigged An Election." The Conversation, 14 Aug, with Cassandra Preece. Also featured on the National Post and McMaster’s Brighter World.
  4. 2018. Netina Tan and Cassandra Preece. "How Malaysian Voters Defied the Odds and Ousted Corruption." The Conversation, 15 May. Also featured on the National Post and McMaster’s Brighter World.
  5. 2018. Tan, Netina. "Anti-Fake News Remedies Worse than the Disease in Asia." Asia Global Online, 3 May. 
  6. 2018. Tan, Netina and Cassandra Preece. "Malaysia’s Dire Democratic Crisis." The Conversation, 25 Mar. Also featured on the National Post and McMaster's Brighter World.
  7. 2018. Tan, Netina and Marvin Mercado. "Why Did it Take So Long for Canada to Kill the Philippines Helicopter Sale?" The Conversation, 25 Feb.
  8. 2016. Tan, Netina "Are Gender Quotas Helping Female Politicians in Asia?" East Asia Forum, 24 Jun.
  9. 2015. Tan, Netina "PAP's Win Silences its Critics." East Asia Forum, 16 Sep.
  10. 2015. Tan, Netina."Singapore’s 2015 Election: Can the People’s Action Party Strengthen Its Mandate to Rule?" Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, 8 Sep.
  11. 2012. Tan, Netina. "Democracy in Southeast Asia: A New Generation's Take." New Mandala: New Perspectives on Mainland Southeast Asia, Section on Singapore, 26 Mar.
  12. 2011. Tan, Netina."Singapore's Divisive Seventh Presidential Election." Asia Pacific Memo 101, 15 Sep.
  13. 2011. Tan, Netina. "Fear No More: Singapore's Defining 2011 General Election." Friedrich Naumann Stiftung Current Affairs & Analysis No.1, 7 May.
  14. 2011. Tan, Netina. "Turn of Tide: Singapore's Watershed Election 2011." Asia Pacific Memo 82, 22 Feb.
  15. 2011. Tan, Netina. "Singapore Revs Up for Elections." Berita, Spring 2011, pp 13-15.
  16. 2011. Tan, Netina. "Singapore Clamps Down on Social Media." Asia Pacific Memo 58, 22 Feb.
  17. 2009. Tan, Netina. "Lee Kuan Yew's Legacy on Leadership Succession." The Online Citizen, 16 Sep.
  18. 2009. Tan, Netina. "Nominated Ministers' Idea: Don't Take the Road to Less Accountability." Straits Times, 15 Jun.
  19. 2009. Tan, Netina. "Gender Quota Versus GRC scheme: Conflicting Signals." Straits Times, 6 Jun.
  20. 2008. Tan, Netina. "My Fieldwork Experience in Singapore and Taiwan."  CCSEAS Newsletter 8.1, pp. 4-5
  21. 2007. Tan, Netina. "ASEAN Response to Myanmar: Coordinated Engagement as a Way Forward." Straits Times, 8 Oct.
  22. 2007. Tan, Netina. "Grant Single-Mums Maternity Leave Freely." Straits Times, 2 Feb.
  23. 2007. Tan, Netina. "Nurture the Smart Kids as Well as the Not-So-Smart." Straits Times, 25 Jan.
  24. 2003. Tan, Netina. "Have Interns Help MPs Research Policy Issues." Straight Times, 18 Mar.
  25. 2003. Tan, Netina. "Women Warriors: Singapore Military Still Largely a Man's Turf." Straits Times, 24 Jan.
  26. 2000. Tan, Netina. "More on the F word." Straits Times, 27 May.