UQ Law researcher awarded ARC Future Fellowship

Research from The University of Queensland aimed at promoting institutional reform in neighbouring countries, has received $902,000 in this year’s round of Future Fellowships.

UQ’s TC Beirne School of Law researcher Professor Jennifer Corrin has received part of the $151.5 million awarded to Australian universities under the ARC Future Fellowships scheme.

Professor Corrin’s five-year international research project will examine legal pluralism in South Pacific countries and how Australia can play an important role in promoting reform.

Legal pluralism is the existence of multiple legal systems within one geographic area and is particularly prevalent in former colonies.

Professor Corrin said many South Pacific countries litigating in the State system have been unable to enforce judgments that were unacceptable to the traditional leaders operating within the Indigenous systems.

“In Fiji and Solomon Islands violent conflict can be linked to tensions between the different legal regimes and this is prone to bring the State system into disrepute,” Professor Corrin said.

Professor Corrin said the research would assist in ensuring the success of reform initiatives.

“The research aims to yield responsive and innovative approaches to law reform by analysing the past and current positions on legal pluralism,” she said.

“This will produce cohesive and transferable solutions to economic, environmental, human rights and social and cultural issues affecting the region.”

Professor Corrin’s research is entitled ‘Developing a systemic, interdisciplinary approach to law reform and development in plural legal regimes’.

Established by the Australian Government in 2008, the Future Fellowship scheme aims to promote research in areas of critical national importance by providing incentives to researchers to conduct their research in Australia.

Media information: Professor Jennifer Corrin, TC Beirne School of Law, 07 3365 2295, j.corrin@law.uq.edu.au, Carmen Buttery, TC Beirne School of Law, 07 3365 7178, c.buttery@law.uq.edu.au