Towards a New Legal Pluralism:

Developing a Systematic, Interdisciplinary Approach to Law Reform and Development in Plural Legal Regimes

Concentration on State law at the expense of Indigenous legal systems has doomed many reform initiatives throughout the world to failure. This research will evaluate the past and current positions on ‘legal pluralism’ (where different legal systems operate in the same social sphere) from an interdisciplinary perspective. Legal pluralism is not confined to developing nations, which adds to the significance of exploring innovative approaches to law reform that takes account of law which does not emanate from the State. This more responsive approach to legal development will assist in reform on economic, environmental, human rights, and social and cultural issues.

This research is funded by the Australian Research Council's Future Fellowship scheme (project number FT120100642).