Defending democracy
Advancing research and reform to safeguard democracy and constitutional governance.
In our Law & Justice 2030 strategy, we recognise defending democracy as a critical challenge for the legal profession and society.
The 2020s have seen a global trend of democratic backsliding, including the rise of populism, reduced government accountability, public misinformation, declining electoral integrity and attacks on judicial independence. These developments pose serious risks to democratic constitutionalism and legal institutions.
As these trends spread across jurisdictions, there is a responsibility on lawyers, scholars and educators to raise the alarm when constitutional norms are threatened. There is also a clear need for accurate community education, informed public debate and advocacy for institutional reform to safeguard democracy and the rule of law.
Our leadership
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Our scholars are internationally recognised for their work on constitutional design, judicial independence and democratic resilience.
Projects and collaborations include:
- ARC Future Fellowship led by Professor Melissa Crouch exploring the role of law in authoritarian regimes, with a focus on the military and constitutionalism in Asia.
- Scientia Professor and Sir Anthony Mason Professor Rosalind Dixon’s Constitutional Design & Democratic Resilience and Resilient Democracy Lab.
These initiatives not only advance academic knowledge but also help inform real-world reform efforts in fragile democracies.
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The Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at UNSW is a national leader in defending and deepening constitutional democracy through research, public engagement and education. The Centre’s annual Constitutional Law Conference brings together leading scholars, practitioners and policymakers to reflect on key legal developments and foster informed debate on pressing public law issues.
Learn more: Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law
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Whether through our Asia Law and Policy Forum, Global Law Cluster, or contributions to national debates on constitutional recognition and reform, UNSW Law & Justice is deeply engaged in the global struggle for democratic constitutionalism.
We are proud to be a faculty that not only studies democracy and constitutional law, but actively uses legal scholarship and expertise to help defend the foundations of a just and democratic society.
Our impact
