Curriculum Vitae

Khoo Ying Hooi is the Head and Senior Lecturer at the Department of International and Strategic Studies, University of Malaya. She completed her PhD in Politics and Government examining social movements and democratization with a focus on Malaysia's Bersih movement. Her research interests include civil society, social movements, human rights and democratization with a regional focus on Southeast Asia and ASEAN, especially Malaysia and Timor-Leste.

She is the author of "The Bersih Movement and Democratization in Malaysia" (SIRD/ISEAS and Lexington Books, 2020) and “Seeds of Dissent” (2015). She is editor in Volume I and II of "Ini Bukan Klise" (2013 and 2015), a compilation of essays on political issues in Malaysia. She is also a co-editor of "Southeast Asia, Infected and Interrupted: Elevating Critical Voices on the State of Human Rights and Peace in the Time of Covid-19” (with Joel Mark Barredo, and Herlambang P. Wiratraman, 2021), "Exploring the Nexus Between Technologies and Human Rights: Opportunities and Challenges in Southeast Asia" (with Dr Deasy Simandjuntak, 2019) and "Social Movements in Malaysia: A Vehicle for Citizen's Action" (with Dr Denison Jayasooria, 2019). Ying Hooi is the convener of the course on social movements and democratization, she also teaches on international development and governance, human rights in international politics, introduction to politics and research methodology in strategic and defense studies. 

Currently, a columnist in a local Chinese newspaper, Sin Chew Jit Poh, Ying Hooi is the Editor-in-Chief of Malaysian Journal of International Relations (MJIR), and she sits in the Board of Editors with the Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, Journal of Southeast Asian Human Rights (JSEAHR) and Indonesian Law Review (ILREV). Ying Hooi is the regional consultant for the thematic study on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation in ASEAN and Malaysia's national focal point for the thematic study on the right to education: promotion of access to tertiary education in ASEAN under the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). She is also a convener and trainer for the module “Issues in World Politics” for the Timor-Leste Institute of Diplomatic Studies (IDS), under its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. She holds several other positions including, Scientific Member in Observatory of Political Alternatives in Southeast Asia (ALTERSEA), Secretary-General in the Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (PROHAM), Board Member in the Innovation of Change - East Asia Governance Circle (EAGC), EXCO Member in Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER), and EXCO Member in Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN), Vice-Chair in the Courage Fund Cambodia (CFC), Advisory Panel in the World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS) Monitor. She is also a member of the London School of Economics (LSE)-Southeast Asia Early Career Researcher Network, and Varieties of Peace Research Network.

Prior to her academic career, Ying Hooi worked at several corporate sectors and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) as the Head of International Issues and Cooperation. She was involved in the inclusion of an ASEAN human rights body (now AICHR) in the ASEAN Charter, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Malaysia in Geneva and the amendments to the SUHAKAM Amendment Bill 2009. She welcomes applications from students on subjects falling within the broad scope of her research interests particularly in Southeast Asia, ASEAN, Malaysia and Timor-Leste.