2009

The latest book by Emeritus Professor Jim Ife was recently published by Oxford University Press – Human Rights from Below: Achieving rights through community development.

Congratulations to Dr Riccardo Baldisonne on the successful completion of his Phd.

Lucy Fiske receives Pro Vice-Chancellor’s Award

Congratulations to Lucy Fiske, lecturer within the Centre for Human Rights Education (CHRE), and CASAAP Management Committee Member, as a recipient of a 2009 Pro Vice-Chancellor’s Award for her contribution to the research project: Building an integrated approach to refugee education, research, community engagement and advocacy. CHRE Director, Prof Linda Briskman, states that: “Lucy’s holistic approach to this cutting edge area of social policy concern makes a major contribution to student learning, the development of new knowledge through research, enhancement of community advocacy and grounded activism. These activities contribute policy change and improvements in the lives of asylum seekers and refugees who are one of the most vulnerable groups in Australia. This occurs through the Master of Human Rights program, through PhD and related research, publications, membership of refugee support organisations and submission writing on behalf of the CHRE. The way in which Lucy conducts these integrated measures is innovative and through them she is an ambassador for the University in advancing human rights”.

Human Rights Overboard wins prestigious award

Curtin University of Technology human rights expert Professor Linda Briskman has called on the Federal Government to “operate in an open, humanitarian and transparent way when dealing with asylum seekers.”

Human rights Overboard: Seeking asylum in Australia won the Australian Human Rights Commission’s award for literature (non-fiction) in 2009.

Professor Briskman, the Dr Haruhisa Chair of Human Rights Education, wrote the book with co-authors Susie Latham, an adjunct research associate at Curtin’s Centre for Human Rights Education, and Professor Chris Goddard, Director of Child Abuse Research Australia at Monash University

Professor Briskman said she was honoured to receive the award for Human Rights Overboard.

“This book captures the result of the People’s Inquiry into Detention, a three year citizen-driven inquiry that commenced in 2005 on Australian immigration-detention facilities,” Professor Briskman said.

“During the 10 hearings we heard many demoralising stories about asylum-seekers’ journeys to Australia, their refugee determination process, life in detention, and life after detention.

“I want this book to sound a warning to current and future policy makers that they can no longer keep immigration detention and the operations within detention centres shrouded in official secrecy,” she said.