Podcast on Myanmar’s Constitution in Context

The Indonesian Journal of International and Comparative Law has a new podcast series, hosted by the Institute for Migrant Rights in Cianjur, Indonesia.  A podcast on the nature of democracy in Myanmar’s military-state can be found here, alongside other podcasts by scholars addressing a range of issues concerning international and comparative law.

New Books Network podcast on Myanmar’s Constitution

The tail end of the twentieth century was a good time for constitutional lawyers. Leapfrogging around the globe, they offered advice on how to amend, write or rewrite one state constitution after the next following the collapse of the Soviet Union and with it, the communist bloc. Largely overlooked in the flurry of constitution draftingContinue reading “New Books Network podcast on Myanmar’s Constitution”

Why Myanmar’s Elections Will be Neither Free, Fair nor Safe

*This article was first published in The Interpreter by the Lowy Institute We all desperately wanted Myanmar to be a democratic success story, myself included. In 2015, I witnessed the historical national election when the Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party won enough seats to form government. Five years later, on 8 November, people in Myanmar willContinue reading “Why Myanmar’s Elections Will be Neither Free, Fair nor Safe”

Webinar: Constitutional Democracy in Southeast Asia

On 25 August 2020, the Asia Forum in New Zealand will host a webinar on ‘The Crisis of Constitutional Democracy in Southeast Asia’  Guest Speaker: Melissa Crouch, UNSW Law Event Date: Tuesday 25th August 2020 Event Time: 5:00 pm-6:00 pm Event Location: *ONLINE EVENT* | Zoom Meeting. Zoom Meeting hosted by Asia Forum, Wellington. Register in advance for this meeting:Continue reading “Webinar: Constitutional Democracy in Southeast Asia”

Southeast Asian democracies in declining health amid covid-19

*This piece first appeared in The Interpreter on 3 July 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic is impacting democracies in the Asia-Pacific region in ways that demand Australia’s attention.  The ability to weather a crisis of this magnitude depends upon partnerships and collaboration – economic, social and political – with key countries in the region. These partnerships are moreContinue reading “Southeast Asian democracies in declining health amid covid-19”

Webinar: Dominion Constitutionalism

Webinar: 7 July 2020 On 7 July 2020, a webinar will be held to launch the symposium on New Dominion Constitutionalism  for the  International Journal of Constitutional Law  (ICON) in issue 17:4, available here. The webinar will feature authors and editors of the symposium. This seminar will officially launch this symposium, introduce the concept and case studies of NewContinue reading “Webinar: Dominion Constitutionalism”

Asian Studies at the NLA

This week has been a low in government commitment to Asia literacy, with the National Library of Australia signalling it will make major cuts to its Asian Studies collection. See further details here: The Asia Society – Library Lockdown Edward Aspinall, Asia illiteracy, Inside Story Tessa Morris-Suzuki, Out of Asia Online petition Japan Foundation, Cuts to National Library of Australia AsiaContinue reading “Asian Studies at the NLA”

Covid-19 and Constitutionalism in Asia Webinar

Virtual Roundtables on Asian Law The first roundtable of the Centre for Asian Legal Studies at the National University of Singapore will be on “COVID-19 and Constitutionalism in Asia: Executive Power in A Time of Crisis” Date: May 27, 2020 10:00 AM in Singapore Speakers: 1) Kevin Tan, National University of Singapore 2) Yeh Jiunn-Rong, NationalContinue reading “Covid-19 and Constitutionalism in Asia Webinar”