Acknowledgements

This edited volume arose out of a three-day event ‘Theorizing Gender and Political Leadership from Asia and the Pacific: Lessons for a more diverse political landscape in Australia’ held at The Australian National University on 13–15 July 2022. It was a partnership between the School of Culture, History and Language (CHL) in the College of Asia and the Pacific, the ANU Gender Institute, The Australian National University’s Global Institute for Women’s Leadership and the ANU Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership. With appreciation to Fiona Jenkins, Natalie Barr and Jieh-Yung Lo for intellectual guidance and logistical and financial support.

Dr Elena Williams, a former PhD candidate at The Australian National University, was critical to the success of this event. She took a major role in organising the workshop-cum-conference from the beginning and was there each step of the way sharing the workload and emotional load. Without Ele, there would be no event, and no edited volume. The editors are grateful for this foundational work.

The event would have fallen apart were it not for Lea Collins from the CHL Professional team. Her time and experience to ensure the workshop ran smoothly, taking the stress away from the organising team, were greatly appreciated. Gouri Banerji and Stella Diao (CHL) provided marketing and administrative support, and Ricky Vuckovic and his team in the College of Asia and the Pacific ensured IT ran smoothly. Student volunteers also provided valuable assistance during the event.

The event was preceded by a workshop, ‘Generating Change by Generations of Women in Oceania: A Pacific dialogue’, organised by Margaret Jolly. Our thanks to the organising team for putting together such a fabulous event. Thank you to the participants who joined both the workshop and the broader event either in person or online, and especially to those who have contributed to either of the volumes.

Kathryn Allan provided wonderful assistance at various stages of this volume. She was a most committed volunteer at the workshop and has helped with administrative tasks and editing of draft chapters. Thank you also to Frank Bongiorno and the rest of ANU Press Social Sciences Editorial Board for your support of this project. We are grateful for the encouragement and feedback from two anonymous reviewers of the volume, and for the careful reading and feedback by Marian Sawer.

Tanya Jakimow was able to devote time to the event and consequent edited volume while on an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT190100247). Parts of the introduction and afterword were written while a British Academy Visiting Scholar at the University of Birmingham (UoB) in the International Development Department (VF2\100361). I am grateful for the support of Professor David Hudson for facilitating that visit and to colleagues at UoB for many conversations about this volume and related areas of research. Working with Sonia, Ramona and Margaret has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career and personally enriching. Thank you for your support and contributions to the event and for being the most wonderful, generous and inspiring co-editors and friends.

Margaret Jolly acknowledges the long-term support for her work on gender in the Pacific from the Australian Research Council, most recently for ‘Engendering Climate Change, Reframing Futures in Oceania’ (DP 180104224). I also warmly acknowledge the continuing support for my research in retirement as an Emerita Professor from Simon Haberle, Director of the School of Culture, History and Language, and the efficiency and grace of CHL administrative staff, including Joanna Cousins, Stella Diao and Jialing Sun. Several colleagues who offered helpful comments on my chapter are acknowledged here. I am especially grateful to Tanya Jakimow for inspiration and conscientious dedication to this project and to co-editors Ramona Vijeyarasa and Sonia Palmieri in what has truly been a ‘Dream Team’.

Sonia Palmieri acknowledges the International Women’s Development Agency and its project on Women’s Leadership Pathways funded by the Government of the Netherlands from 2017 to 2020, which first introduced her to wonderful colleagues Camilla Batalibasi, Chandy Eng, Donna Makini, Melissa MacLean and Geraldine Valei. I have delighted in working with Vani Nailumu thanks to two Australian Government–funded programs: the Pacific Research Program, both Phase I (2017–21) and Phase II (2022–26), and ‘Balance of Power’. Thanks also to colleagues in the Department of Pacific Affairs for unfailing support. Finally, a profound note of thanks to Tanya for inviting me to share her dream, to Margaret for being my role model of feminist Pacific inquiry and to Ramona for bringing cool, calm and compassionate consideration to every discussion.

Ramona Vijeyarasa thanks the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia (Trawalla Foundation) for its generous support in providing a Research Fellowship (2022–25) that has enabled her to be a part of this project, and a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Aus4Skills grant in Vietnam in 2023 (with the Centre for Gender Studies and Women’s Leadership) that has also shaped her perspectives as a contributor to this project. Thanks are also owed to my wonderful colleagues in the Faculty of Law at University of Technology Sydney. I first met Tanya at the Women in Asia Conference at the University of Western Australia in 2017. I will forever be grateful for that fortuitous opportunity to meet a kindred spirit and to the collaborations to which it has since given rise. My enormous thanks to Margaret, Sonia and Tanya for the rewarding journey and the unexpected friendship along the way.

Finally, to fellow members of the ‘Dream Team’: ours was a collaboration based on a shared vision, equal effort, mutual respect and collegiality. The work never felt like a burden; it was joyful and enriching. It has been a privilege to work with such inspiring and impressive women.