Charanpal Singh Bal, M.Soc.Sci., Ph.D

Charan Bal is Lecturer in International Relations at Binus University, Jakarta, where he also serves as the Head of Global Class. He holds a doctorate in Political Science from Murdoch University and a master in Sociology and Anthropology from the National University of Singapore. Charan’s research interests broadly lie in the areas of politics, governance, and development in Southeast Asia. He studies how economic development and political conflict influence the governance of transnational issues such as labour migration and climate change. His current research covers private climate governance in Southeast Asia and the political economy of climate change loss and damage governance. Charan has previously held positions at Universitas Katolik Parahyangan (Bandung), the University of Western Australia (Perth), and Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana (Salatiga). He is currently thematic editor (Political Economy and International Studies) for Asian Studies Review.

 

Research Interests:

Climate Governance, Labour Politics, Southeast Asia, Political Economy

 

Selected Publications:

Charanpal S. Bal, David Coen, Julia Kreienkamp, Paramitaningrum and Tom Pegram (2023) Explaining Transformative Policy Change in ASEAN and EU Climate Policy: Multilevel Problems, Policies and Politics. Cambridge University Press.

Charanpal S. Bal (2022) ‘Dealing with Deportability in a Pandemic-hit Labour Migration Regime’ in B.S.A. Yeoh, K. Wee and T. Lam (eds) Migrant Workers in Singapore: Lives and labour in a transient migration regime’. World Scientific: Singapore.

Rebecca Meckelburg and Charanpal S. Bal (2021) ‘Indonesia and COVID-19: Decentralization and social conflict’ in J. Nederveen, H. Lim and H. Khondker (eds) COVID-19 and Governance: Crisis reveals. Routledge: Abingdon.

Charanpal S. Bal and Wayne Palmer (2020) ‘Indonesia and Circular Labor Migration: Contested governance, the remittances-development nexus, and multidirectional flows.’ Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 29(1): 3-11.

Kelly Gerard and Charanpal S. Bal (2020) ‘Labour Migration in Southeast Asia: the political economy of poor and uneven governance’ in T. Carroll, S. Hameiri and L. Jones (eds) The Political Economy of Southeast Asia: Politics and uneven development under hyperglobalisation. Palgrave Macmillan: London.

Charanpal S. Bal and Kelly Gerard (2018) ‘ASEAN’s Governance of Migrant Worker Rights.’ Third World Quarterly, 39(4): 799-819.

Charanpal S. Bal (2017) ‘Myths about Migrant Workers and the Depoliticisation of Migrant Worker Struggles” in K.S. Loh, P.J. Thum and J. Chia (eds) Living with Myths in Singapore. Ethos Books: Singapore.

Charanpal S. Bal (2016) Production Politics and Migrant Labour Regimes: Guest Workers in Asia and the Gulf. Palgrave Macmillan: London.

Charanpal S. Bal (2015) ‘Dealing with Deportability: Deportation Laws and the Political Personhood of Temporary Migrant Workers in Singapore.’ Asian Journal of Law and Society, 2(2): 267-284.

Charanpal S. Bal (2015) ‘Production Politics and Migrant Labour Advocacy in Singapore.’ Journal of Contemporary Asia, 45(2): 219-242.

 

Awards:

2014 Asian Studies Association of Australia PhD Thesis Prize

2010 Asia Research Bursary, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Murdoch University

2008 Ananda Rajah Prize for best Master’s Thesis in Sociology/Anthropology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore

2002 Dean’s List – Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore

Research Grants

2023-2024 ‘Contesting Loss for Indonesian Communities in Climate Crisis’ KONEKSI Grant, BRIN and DFAT Australia, AUD$350,000.

2019-2022 ‘Global Governance and the European Union: Future trends and scenarios’ European Commission Horizon 2020 grant, €86,250.