Legal Systems of the South Pacific

8 weeks: 25 November - 20 December 2019 and  20 January to 14 February 2020 (30 hours per week)

This project is concerned with the legal systems of small South Pacific States. The colonial history of these countries has resulted in complex regimes, where customary laws co-exist and sometimes intermingle with state laws. Production of a comprehensive account of these legal systems is well overdue (the last book on the topic having been published in 1993). This project will bring together indigenous legal scholars from the South Pacific to write about their legal systems.

The Summer Research Scholar will assist with the production of an edited book and will be required to:

• Conduct library-based research on South Pacific laws and legal systems;
• Check facts and law;
• Assist with editing tasks;
• Prepare and check footnotes in AGLC or other styles; and
• Assist with other legal and administrative tasks arising.

This work will be acknowledged in any resulting book publication, and there is a possibility of a publication on an aspect of the research.

This project has good potential for development as an HDR thesis.

The benefit to the School is that it will develop student research capacity and result in an edited book.

The project will provide capacity building for indigenous Pacific ECRs.

The project will be closely supervised by Professor Corrin, who is currently researching in this area. The project will provide an opportunity for a student to develop legal research skills, and gain a knowledge of legal pluralism and experience in comparative methodology. It will also expose the student to the editorial process. It will also provide the student with a cross-cultural experience.

This work will contribute to the publication of a book co-edited by the supervisor, and there is a possibility for the student to co-author a piece of work for publication.

This project is open to students with a background in law who have completed the first two years of the law degree. Completion of Comparative Law will be an advantage, but is not essential.

Professor Jennifer Corrin

Further information about this project can be obtained from Professor Jennifer Corrin: j.corrin@law.uq.edu.au.