Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law
CPICL Hosted Official Launch of Suri Ratnapala’s New Book: Philosophy, Law and Culture of Liberal Democracy and the Authoritarian Challenge
On 18 September 2024, CPICL proudly hosted the official launch of Philosophy, Law and Culture of Liberal Democracy and the Authoritarian Challenge, the latest work by renowned legal scholar Emeritus Professor Suri Ratnapala. The event, presented by Professor Ann Black, featured an introduction and launch by The Hon Margaret White AO, adding prestige and insight to the occasion. Academics, students, and CPICL members gathered to engage in this critical discussion on defending liberal democracy amidst the rise of authoritarianism.
Professor Ratnapala’s book offers a compelling argument for why defending liberal democracy is not just a political choice, but a moral imperative. Tracing its Enlightenment roots, the book emphasises liberal democracy’s pivotal role in reducing global poverty, improving life expectancy, and enhancing wellbeing. It also underscores the external threats posed by totalitarian regimes and internal pressures from ideological extremes on both the left and the right.
The event highlighted the importance of understanding the foundational principles, cultural underpinnings, and institutional frameworks of liberal democracy in order to combat the threats it faces today. Attendees were urged to reflect on the need to protect these values in the current global context.
For more information about Suri Ratnapala's book launch, click here.
About the Centre
Established in September 2003, the Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law (CPICL) is committed to advancing research and fostering interdiscipinary collaboration. The Centre actively engages in scholarly exchanges both within University and with other like-minded research organisations around the world.
The Centre offers robust support for doctoral research and currently 15 doctoral students work with the supervision of the Fellows of the Centre. Our Fellows and members also significantly contrinute to the graduate program of the School of Law by the conduct of courses in its research areas. View our management and members.
The Centre brings together a large group of faculty members and doctoral students who are actively engaged in research and teaching across the following areas:
Public law
- constitutional law
- administrative law
- domestic human rights law
- law of institutions, including educational, religious and professional institutions.
International law
- public international law
- international human rights law
- international criminal and humanitarian law
- the law of international organisations
- private international law
Comparative law
Analysis and comparison of:
- law in nations of Asia and the South Pacific
- legal systems, other than the common law, including civil, chthonic, socialist and Syariah legal systems
- role of legal institutions in different nations and legal systems
- legal pluralism
- inter- and intra-legal pluralism in Australia.
Legal theory
Philosophical, economic, social and historical perspectives on law.
CPICL also disseminates its research through public seminars and conferences and publications. From 2004-2020, the Centre published the LAWSASIA Journal in partnership with LAWASIA and The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific. Since 2017, the Centre has also published the Australian Journal of International Law, under the editorship of our Centre Director, Professor Anthony Cassimatis.
CPICL has established links with relevant government and public institutions and offers consultancy services in its area of expertise.
CPICL is currently running eight research programs:
- The Legal Pluralism Program
- Cultural Heritage Law Program
- International and Comparative Competition Law and Policy Program
- The Korean Law Program
- Disability Human Rights Program
- Indonesian Law Program
- Federalism and Multilevel Governance Program
- Law and Religion in the Asia-Pacific
Contact
The Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law (CPICL) offers a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment designed to foster expansion of knowledge, challenge established conventions and facilitate meaningful contributions to the fields of public, international and comparative law. We warmly welcome inquiries from prospective students, scholars from Australia and abroad, and professionals engaged in these legal disciplines. For further information abour our research areas, seminars, or organisational activities, please do not hesistate to contact our Centre Management:
Professor Anthony Cassimatis
Centre Director, Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law
Email: cpicl@law.uq.edu.au
Telephone: +61733652446
Darul Mahdi
Digital Content Manager, Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law
Email: d.mahdi@uq.edu.au
T.C. Beirne School of Law
The University of Queensland
Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia
Featured publication
Philosophy, Law and Culture of Liberal Democracy and the Authoritarian Challenge by Suri Ratnapala
Defending liberal democracy against rising authoritarianism is a moral imperative in our time!
Liberal democracy is the great legacy of the Enlightenment; it has reduced world poverty, increased life expectancy, enriched lives by every measure of wellbeing and enlarged our moral compass. Yet, external threats to liberal democracy are posed by totalitarian regimes and their allies seeking to remake the world in their image, and internal pressures arise from opposition to liberal principles from the extremities of the ideological spectrum: radicalism on the left and nativist populism on the right. The defence of liberal democracy requires understanding of its foundational principles, epistemological norms, institutional framework, cultural underpinnings and economic settings.
In Philosophy, Law and Culture of Liberal Democracy and the Authoritarian Challenge, acclaimed author and legal scholar Emeritus Professor Suri Ratnapala provides combines extensive legal analysis with the history and philosophy of liberal constitutionalism, institutional economics and ethical reasoning. It engages with opposing schools of thought, including radical critical theory and authoritarian ideologies of the right. This book is not just an academic exercise; it is a call to action. It is highly instructive on matters of administrative and constitutional law, the epistemology and ethics of political liberalism, and the pressing threats to fundamental rights and freedoms.
Join us for the official book launch and discover why defending liberal democracy is not just a political choice, but a moral duty. Don't miss this opportunity to engage with one of the most important discussions of our time.
Featured scholar
Dr Renato Costa - Outstanding CPICL Fellow and Lecturer at UQ School of Law
Renato Costa is a Lecturer at T.C. Beirne School of Law, the University of Queensland, and serves as the Associate Editor of the University of Queensland Law Journal. He holds a PhD and an LLM from the University of Queensland. Before undertaking his studies at the University of Queensland, he practised as a lawyer in one of Brazil's most prominent law firms. Renato graduated with honours (equivalent) from Universidade Católica de Pernambuco and completed a Postgraduate Specialisation in Public Law at Universidade Anhanguera-Uniderp.
Renato's main research area is public law, including constitutional, administrative, and comparative law. His research focus is constitutional theory and specific aspects of the Australian constitutional system, including but not limited to the rule of law, federalism, constitutional history, religious freedom and human rights, responsible government, political and legal theology, and jurisprudence. Renato has recently published in the Journal of Legal Philosophy and Revus - The Journal for Philosophy of Law and Constitutional Theory. He has authored a book entitled Public Law: Great Themes. His second book will be launched in January 2025. It will be the first publication in Brazil about the Australian constitutional system—a project supported by a grant from the Australian Embassy in Brazil. Renato is also editing a book with Professor Nicholas Aroney entitled Federalism in a Turbulent Era.
Renato is a member of the Australian Association of Constitutional Law (AACL), the International Society of Public Law (ICON-S), and the UQ Centre of Public, International and Comparative Law (CPICL). He has constantly participated in national and international conferences, presenting papers on comparative constitutional law (such as this recent one on Brazil's constitutional history) and the broader theme of constitutional theory. For an updated list of his publications and seminars, please refer to his Law School or SSRN profiles. You can also watch him teach constitutional law on his YouTube channel.
For a full list of Dr Costa's publications see his UQ Experts profile.
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