Constitutional resilience in South Asian democracies. This project aims to find out whether constitutional design could, and should, be used to make constitutional democracies more resilient. Democratic constitutionalism is facing serious challenges, not only in new fragile democracies, but also older established ones. The project will investigate the role that the constitutional accommodation of salient ethnocultural and ideological groups, the autonomy of non-partisan constitutional watchdog i ....Constitutional resilience in South Asian democracies. This project aims to find out whether constitutional design could, and should, be used to make constitutional democracies more resilient. Democratic constitutionalism is facing serious challenges, not only in new fragile democracies, but also older established ones. The project will investigate the role that the constitutional accommodation of salient ethnocultural and ideological groups, the autonomy of non-partisan constitutional watchdog institutions, and the adaptability of the constitution to changing circumstances could play in securing its resilience against serious threats. Relying on conceptual and empirical methods, using case studies from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, to answer these questions, the project will produce a better understanding of constitutional resilience, and the features that promote it to allow constitution makers and reformers to better protect democracy, human rights and the rule of law. This will provide significant national benefit for Australia as it deepens its engagement with South Asia, and the world more generally.Read moreRead less
Regional governance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: the development of a legal framework and practical models to address discrimination and disadvantage. Many Indigenous people are of the view that the needs and aspirations of their communities may be more effectively negotiated and managed on a local or regional level. Government leaders and agencies have identified more localised decision-making by Indigenous communities as a policy priority. Despite this, there is littl ....Regional governance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: the development of a legal framework and practical models to address discrimination and disadvantage. Many Indigenous people are of the view that the needs and aspirations of their communities may be more effectively negotiated and managed on a local or regional level. Government leaders and agencies have identified more localised decision-making by Indigenous communities as a policy priority. Despite this, there is little comprehensive research regarding the legal and policy issues associated with regional governance for Indigenous people in Australia. This research project will redress the paucity of in-depth legal analysis in this area, and develop achievable and practical models of regional governance for Indigenous communities, to enhance their cultural, economic and social well-being.Read moreRead less
The Implementation of Agreements and Treaties with Indigenous and Local Peoples in Postcolonial States. This project involves a comparative study by an interdisciplinary team of the implementation of agreements with Indigenous and local peoples across selected Australian and international jurisdictions. Agreement making is now a major policy tool for governments, industry and Indigenous peoples. Using case studies, this project will address the critical need for research on implementation of agr ....The Implementation of Agreements and Treaties with Indigenous and Local Peoples in Postcolonial States. This project involves a comparative study by an interdisciplinary team of the implementation of agreements with Indigenous and local peoples across selected Australian and international jurisdictions. Agreement making is now a major policy tool for governments, industry and Indigenous peoples. Using case studies, this project will address the critical need for research on implementation of agreements and the factors promoting long-term sustainability. This will involve examination of legal, governance, economic development, land/heritage, and environmental management issues that arise in agreement implementation and investigation of the features of agreements that enhance social, cultural and economic outcomes for Indigenous communities.Read moreRead less