Rod Nixon
It was with great sadness that I learnt this week of the death of Dr James Scambary.
I first heard of James following his ground-breaking 2006 work on gangs in Timor-Leste. Although I became familiar with his work (later reading every word of his PhD thesis), I had the privilege of sitting down for a good chat with James only a handful of times. This was in Dili a little over three years ago, in advance of the 2017 elections. And what a lovey bloke, what a sharp wit, and what an interesting character. Someone who excelled in academia with his incisive analysis of politics in Timor-Leste, who also managed an additional career as an expert welder. A guy who was clearly as at home on a construction site as he was at an academic symposium or in a Timorese village.
James’ passing is a great loss to the community of analysts and researchers working on governance in the region and beyond. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones at this time.
It was with great sadness that I learnt this week of the death of Dr James Scambary.
I first heard of James following his ground-breaking 2006 work on gangs in Timor-Leste. Although I became familiar with his work (later reading every word of his PhD thesis), I had the privilege of sitting down for a good chat with James only a handful of times. This was in Dili a little over three years ago, in advance of the 2017 elections. And what a lovey bloke, what a sharp wit, and what an interesting character. Someone who excelled in academia with his incisive analysis of politics in Timor-Leste, who also managed an additional career as an expert welder. A guy who was clearly as at home on a construction site as he was at an academic symposium or in a Timorese village.
James’ passing is a great loss to the community of analysts and researchers working on governance in the region and beyond. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones at this time.