, ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Melbourne , ▁and ▁visit ing ▁professor ▁at ▁the ▁Asia - Europe ▁Institute , ▁University ▁of ▁Mal aya . ▁He ▁was ▁de an ▁of ▁Asian ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁Australian ▁National ▁University ▁( 1 9 9 6 – 2 0 0 5 ), ▁and ▁Bash am ▁Professor ▁of ▁Asian ▁History ▁( 1 9 2 4 - 2 0 1 3 ). ▁He ▁is ▁now ▁emer it us ▁professor ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁National ▁University . ▁ ▁Mil ner ▁has ▁been ▁concerned ▁with ▁the ▁historical ▁and ▁cultural ▁processes ▁that ▁shape ▁the ▁Asian ▁region , ▁and ▁which ▁also ▁influence ▁Australia ' s ▁opportun ities ▁and ▁security . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁last ▁few ▁years ▁he ▁has ▁been ▁focused ▁on ▁defining ▁S out heast ▁Asian ▁– ▁especially ▁Malays ian ▁– ▁approaches ▁to ▁international ▁relations ▁and ▁regional ism . ▁He ▁is ▁described , ▁sometimes ▁crit ically , ▁as ▁adopt ing ▁a ▁post - mod ern ▁approach . ▁Mil ner ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁strong ▁advoc ate ▁of ▁Track ▁II ▁diplom acy ▁– ▁arg uing ▁that ▁the ▁global ising ▁and ▁dem ocrat ising ▁of ▁international ▁relations ▁dem ands ▁an ▁en hanced ▁role ▁for ▁non - g overn ment ▁interaction . ▁ ▁Mil ner ▁is ▁co - ch air ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁for ▁Security ▁Co operation ▁in ▁the ▁Asia - P ac ific . ▁He ▁has ▁also ▁played ▁a ▁leading ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁' As ial ink ▁Con vers ations ', ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁an ▁Australia - New ▁Zealand ▁dialog ue