Australian Association for Pacific Studies Conference 2025
Tuesday 3 to Friday 6 June 2025
Warm Pacific Greetings! The Australian Association for Pacific Studies biennial conference is an opportunity to create and sustain critical conversations and collaborations across the transdisciplinary field of Pacific studies.
Hosted in 2025 by The University of Sydney, our gathering will focus on exploring and navigating the concepts of discourses and destinies, and how they relate to the Pacific, its people and places.
Much attention – locally, regionally and globally – continues to be placed on the Pacific. Whether it’s being contested through geopolitical endeavours, to being celebrated for its traditional cultures, the Pacific is no stranger to attention. However, who determines how the region is understood is key to this conversation. Is it the highest bidder for the natural resources that control these narratives, or the local communities that generally don’t benefit from such financial investments and exploitations? Is it the military power that exercises more diplomatic prowess, or Indigenous wisdoms from across the region? This conference strives to explore these various tensions, whilst also showcasing Pacific strengths and solutions in trying to make sense of the underlying discourses that determine the possible destinies of the Pacific region and beyond.
The conference will encourage an intersectional talanoa, provoking participants to be mindful of how their disciplinary perspectives and practices interact with the complexities of Pacific discourses and destinies. Sub-themes supporting these discussions will include panel presentations, papers and performances from the following areas:
We look forward to coming together to talanoa, providing a dynamic and inclusive space to create community to support a collegial, collaborative and collective approach.
About Epeli Hau’ofa
Dr Epeli Hau’ofa was a Tongan scholar, poet and artist, and founder and director of the Oceania Center for Arts and Culture at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. He lived and worked in many places across the Pacific, including Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Australia and Fiji. The AAPS Epeli Hau’ofa Annual Memorial Lecture was established by the Australian Association of Pacific Studies (AAPS) in 2015, with permission from Epeli’s wife Barbara Hau’ofa, to honour Epeli’s profound intellectual and creative legacy, and his ongoing impact on trans-disciplinary Pacific studies in and beyond Australia. In the years since, the lecture has showcased critical, creative, and compelling lectures by leading scholars and thinkers in the Pacific. We are honoured to announce the 2025 AAPS Epeli Hau’ofa Annual Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Reverend Dr Cliff Bird.
This presentation advances the position that both faith and Indigenous perspectives in Pasifika are rich repositories that have sustained multiple generations of Islanders, and these embody the experiences, knowledge and wisdom that can both challenge and enrich development narratives and practices in our time. This position is further elaborated in the following approach: firstly, by weaving what could be argued as a pan-Pasifika conceptualisation of sea-land-sky web of living with the concept of “home” (Greek “Oikos”) as a way to reconnect economics, ecology and ecumene (in terms of its human constituents); secondly, by bringing to mind the significant ways in which faith-based organisations and churches in Pasifika have engaged in development-related advocacy since the 1980s; and thirdly, by introducing the Reweaving the Ecological Mat (REM) Framework for Development, which is an alternative vision and framework for a more ecologically responsible, economically just and culturally sensitive approach to development as envisaged by the faith and academic community through the Pacific Conference of Churches, Pacific Theological College and the University of the South Pacific Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies.
Reverend Dr Cliff Bird is one of Oceania’s leading theologians, a critical interdisciplinary thinker, a highly regarded regional and community leader, and a sought-after voice on social, economic, and ecological justice. Cliff is passionate about the intersectionalities of theology and faith with broader developmental issues and trends. He currently leads the Uniting Church’s response to the Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) program, and his most recent published work is Reweaving the Ecological Mat (2020) co-authored with Arnie Saiki and Meretui Ratunabuabua. Reverend Dr Bird has spent many years serving the church throughout Oceania, including as head of the Department of Theology and Ethics at Pacific Theological College, head of the Council for World Mission in Fiji, and Regional Coordinator of the Uniting World Pacific Office. Prior to that, he worked for the Solomon Islands Government, including as acting CEO of the National Provident Fund. In his current role he is responsible for resourcing the Uniting Church, including local churches and PALM scheme workers, to provide pastoral care and create genuine and inclusive communities. Cliff initially studied economics and politics at the University of the South Pacific, followed by theology at Pacific Theological College. He completed his doctorate at Charles Sturt University in Canberra with the thesis Pepesa - The Household of Life: A Theological Exploration of Land in the Context of Change in Solomon Islands.
He is married to Reverend Siera Bird, is a keen and knowledgeable fisherman, and belongs to Marovo Lagoon of Solomon Islands.
| 3-day conference attendance 4–6 June, including Epeli Hau’ofa Memorial Lecture Tuesday, June 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| General Admission rate | $500 | Register |
| Australian Association for Pacific Studies (AAPS) Member rate | $450 | Register |
| Student rate | $300 | Register |
| AAPS Student Member rate | $270 | Register |
| Unwaged General Admission rate | $220 | Register |
| Fee-free optional events (registration required) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Epeli Hau’ofa Annual Memorial Lecture | Tuesday 3 June, 5-8pm | Free | Register |
| Project Banaba | Katerina Teaiwa – Exhibition and Cocktail Event Chau Chak Wing Museum | Wednesday 4 June, 5.30-7pm |
Free | Register |
All conference registration fees listed on this page are per person and include 10% GST.
To be eligible for the student rate you must be currently completing a PhD, Master of Philosophy, or master's degree by coursework.
To be eligible for the unwaged rate you must be currently unemployed.
AAPS Membership options can be viewed at http://pacificstudies.org.au/join/.
The Epeli Hau’ofa Annual Memorial Lecture is a free public event open to everyone. You must register using the link above if you wish to attend.
The Project Banaba Exhibition and Cocktail Event is included in the conference fees. Attendance at this after-hours event also requires separate registration using the link above.
If you are interested in attending only one or two days of the conference, you should register using the relevant link/s below.
While there are no “official conference hotels” we can certainly suggest the following hotels as starting points:
Located at: 9 Missenden Road, Camperdown
Recently refurbished rooms include ensuite bathroom, LCD TV, FREE wireless Internet access, tea and coffee-making facilities. Walk to Newtown’s lively King Street for restaurants and night life. 15-20-minute walk to the University of Sydney conference location. Visit their website.
Located at: Goulburn Street, Surry Hills
One, two and three bedroom apartments. Apartments include a balcony or courtyard, a fully equipped kitchen, laundry, air conditioning, wifi and modern appliances throughout. Stylish cultural and café scene at your doorstep. Short 20-minute bus ride to the University of Sydney conference location. Visit their website.
Located at: 74-80 Ivy Street, Chippendale
Recently refurbished rooms with a contemporary interior design and fit out. Features include a kitchen and laundry with plenty of room to make you feel comfortable in the space. Situated amongst Chippendale’s cool cafes and eateries, galleries and close to local retail outlets. 20-minute walk to the University of Sydney conference location. Visit their website.
Located at: 52-60 Enmore Road, Newtown NSW 2042
Boutique studios rooms based in Newtown, you’ll be a block from the Enmore Theatre and a hop, skip and jump away from the vibrant and entertaining King Street. Situated a 25-minute walk from the conference location or a short bus ride departing from King Street to City Road.
Email Maricris Bautista at gom@theurbannewtown.com.au for early bird rates until 15 April 2025 per below:
Use the promo code: APSSC0625 when booking directly on the website with a 5% discount valid until the 5 June 2025.
Or use the shortcut at: https://bit.ly/APPS2025, to be redirected to the website with the applied promotional code.
More generally, the University of Sydney is centrally located within Greater Sydney, and there will be plenty of hotel, Airbnb and Stayz options in nearby suburbs.
If you want to stay in a location a bit further away, the closest train station is Redfern station (between 10-15 minutes’ walk to the conference location). The conference location is also close to many bus routes. For travel planning, we recommend these official apps:
Some travel and tourism starting points
The conference gratefully acknowledges sponsorship support from:
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