Shirley Veronica Scott

Shirley Scott is a Professor of International Law and International Relations in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra. Professor Scott's internationally-recognised research at the intersection of International Law and International Relations is especially relevant in light of current geopolitical and environmental challenges. One of her most significant contributions to scholarship has been her theory of international law as ideology. She has also contributed widely to scholarly understanding of theoretical questions arising in relation to the political operation of international law and of topics including the nature of US engagement with international law, the importance of international law to Australian security, Antarctic governance and non-militarization, international dispute resolution, and climate security governance. Professor Scott is contributing to contemporary analysis of threats to the international rules based order, how that order operated in the past, and the nature and significance of change to international law at a systemic level. She is also at the forefront of international debate regarding what constructive role the UN Security Council could play in addressing climate insecurity. Professor Scott has held visiting fellowships and appointments including at Beasley School of Law, China Foreign Affairs University and the University of Hamburg. In 2020 she was a Senior Visiting Fellow with the Berlin-Potsdam Research Group on International Law, Rise or Decline at the Freie Universität. In 2023 Professor Scott was an academic observer with the Australian delegation to the 45th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection. Professor Scott is co-chair of the Editorial Board of the Asian Journal of International Law and was President of the Asian Society of International Law from 2019-2021. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs and of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia. She has also made significant contributions to the International Law Section of the International Studies Association, including as Programme Chair and Section Chair. Research areas Politics of international law and the operation of the rules based global order, climate security governance and the scope for the UN Security Council to play a constructive role in addressing the climate and environmental crisis, Antarctic and ocean governance, Australia's foreign relations Postgraduate Research Supervision Professor Scott is available to supervise HDR candidates on a range of topics including those pertaining to the political operation of international law, national engagement with international law (on the part of the US, Australia, China, etc), international regimes and institutions, norms, the rules-based global order, Australia and international security, International Relations, Australia's foreign relations, Antarctica including its non-militarization, maritime security, and global climate governance. Teaching areas International Law and the Politics of international law; Cyberwar; Global governance and security; International Relations Politics of International law, international relations, international institutions, international security, diplomacy