Dr Elizabeth Buchanan, Senior Fellow at Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Dr Elizabeth Buchanan is an Australian polar geopolitics expert. She was most recently Head of Research for the Royal Australian Navy’s Sea Power Centre (Department of Defence). Dr Buchanan is co-director and founder of polar warfare studies at the Modern War Institute of the U.S West Point Military Academy. She is a Senior Fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and an Expert Associate of the National Security College at the Australian National University. Dr Buchanan is an Associate Researcher at the French Ministry of Armed Forces’ Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM).
Prior to joining the Defence Department, Dr Buchanan was Lecturer of Strategic Studies for the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Australian War College. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. in Russian Arctic Strategy and completed her post-doctoral studies as a Maritime Fellow at the NATO Defense College in Rome. She has published widely on geopolitics most recently with the Australian Foreign Affairs, International Affairs, The National Interest, War on the Rocks, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, The Australian, RUSI, The American Conservative.
Dr Buchanan has been a Visiting Scholar with The Brookings Institution and was an analyst with Royal Dutch Shell. Elizabeth has two published books: Russian Energy Strategy in Asia and Red Arctic: Russian Arctic Strategy under Putin. Books forthcoming include: How to Lose a Continent and Competitive Cooperation at the Ends of the Earth (with Yale University Press).
Event Details
In her talk, Dr. Liz Buchanan will redefine the strategic value of Australia's participation in the AUKUS initiative. Rather than focusing on the capabilities of nuclear submarines, Buchanan argues that the true strength lies in the strategic basing of these vessels in Australian territory. By positioning American and allied submarines closer to regional hotspots, Australia enhances its role in a sophisticated system of integrated deterrence led by the United States, providing critical depth and stability.
Buchanan contends that this arrangement offers significant security benefits, even, and notably, in the absence of domestically operated nuclear submarines. The geographical advantages of Australia allow it to leverage political influence and strengthen regional partnerships, making it an essential player in global security dynamics. Through "Pitstop Power," Buchanan illuminates how Australia's strategic geography and commitment to AUKUS can transform it into a pivotal hub for advanced deterrence, reshaping the landscape of international relations in the Indo-Pacific region.
