Awards season is underway at the Australian National University and many of our colleagues in the ANU College of Law have been recognised for the important contribution they make.
Professor Kim Rubenstein FAAL
Professor
BA (Mel) LLB Hons (Mel) LLM (Harvard)
ANU College of Law, Bld 7, Fellows Rd, Acton ACT 2601
ANU College of Law, 5 Fellows Rd, Acton ACT 2601
Research Centre
Research interests
Constitutional Law, Constitutional Courts, Constitutional History, Constitutional Reform, Constitutional Rights, Political Theory and Constitutional Law, Federalism, Gender and Constitutional Law, Parliamentary and Electoral Democracy, Separation of Powers, The Judicial System, Citizenship, Access to Government Information
Biography
Professor Rubenstein’s expertise in citizenship law, through her book, scholarly articles and book chapters is of significance to other academic scholarship, teaching, as well as public policy. Kim was appointed a consultant to the Commonwealth in its redrafting of Australian citizenship legislation, resulting in the 2007 Act and later was a member of the Independent Expert Committee set up to review the Australian Citizenship Test that reported in 2008. In 2012 she was appointed an ANU Public Policy Fellow and was named in the first batch of Westpac '100 Women of Influence' Australian Financial Review awards for her work in public policy. In October 2013 she was awarded the inaugural Edna Ryan award for 'leading feminist changes in the public sphere'.
Her present research involves engaging with concepts of active citizenship with the support of two Australian Research Council grants.
Her oral history Linkage Project on Trailblazing Women and the Law, with the National Library of Australia, the National Foundation for Australian Women, the Federal Court of Australia, the Family Court of Australia and the Australian Women Lawyers examines how the status of being a lawyer frames women’s capacity to be active citizens.
Her ARC Discovery Project on The Court as Archive examines the place of Superior Courts of Record within the context of public law and citizenship: Can current conceptualisations of the role of Chapter III courts be extended to deepen an understanding of their function as guardians and producers of the civic experience and expectations of the Australian litigants who come before them?
For the first semester of 2016 she is Acting Convenor of the ANU Gender Institute.
For a fuller biography of Professor Rubenstein see http://www.womenaustralia.info/leaders/biogs/WLE0613b.htm
Appointments
Convenor, ANU Gender Institute http://genderinstitute.anu.edu.au
Significant research publications
- JOHNSTONE, R. PATTERSON, J. AND RUBENSTEIN, K., Improving Feedback to Students on their Assessment in Law (1998, Cavendish)
- RUBENSTEIN, KIM (ed), Individual, Community, Nation: 50 years of Australian Citizenship. (2000, Australian Scholarly Publishing )
- RUBENSTEIN, KIM Australian Citizenship Law in Context. (2002, Lawbook Co – new edition being prepared for publication in 2016)
- BRONITT, S AND RUBENSTEIN, K (eds) Citizenship in a Post-National World: Australia and Europe Compared (Federation Press, Law and Policy No 29, 2008) iii-73
- FARRALL, J AND RUBENSTEIN, K (eds) Sanctions, Accountability and Governance in a Globalised World (Cambridge University Press, 2009)
- POGGE, T, RIMMER, M AND RUBENSTEIN K, (eds) Incentives for Global Public Health: Patent Law and Access to Essential Medicines (Cambridge University Press, 2010)
- JESSUP, B AND RUBENSTEIN K (eds) Environmental Discourses in Public and International law (Cambridge University Press, 2012)
- JENKINS, F, NOLAN, M and RUBENSTEIN K (eds) Allegiance and Identity in a Globalised World (Cambridge University Press, 2014)
- NASU, H and RUBENSTEIN, K (eds) Legal Perspectives on Security Institutions (Cambridge University Press, 2015)
- RUBENSTEIN, K and YOUNG, K (eds) The Public Law of Gender (Cambridge University Press, in press 2016)
View more publications on the ANU Researchers website
Curriculum vitae
Recent news
20
Nov
2017
With the latest Newspoll showing voters split on whether to amend section 44, there is no clear way to fix the citizenship fiasco constitutionally before the next election. It is therefore urgent to confront head-on the unravelling challenge it poses. Kim Rubenstein writes.
16
Jun
2017
As well as teaching and research, ANU Law’s tireless academics put their knowledge towards shaping law reform and public policy both in Australia and internationally.
06
Jun
2017
The Uluru statement can take Indigenous people beyond being subjects to their rightful place.
In the Media
22
Jan
2018
Kim Rubenstein quoted in Canberra Times
20
Nov
2017
Kim Rubenstein writes in The Australian
14
Nov
2017
Kim Rubenstein quoted in The New Daily
Upcoming events
17
May
2018
4.00PM to 5.00PM Law Week Roadshow
- Dr Dominique Dalla-Pozza, ANU College of Law
- Ms Kate Ogg, ANU College of Law
- Professor Kim Rubenstein, ANU College of Law
- Professor James Stellios, ANU College of Law
The global mobility of people, the security of the nation and questions of citizenship are issues at the forefront of public policy and debate in Australia and globally.
Past events
19
Apr
2018
9.00AM to 11.30AM Forum
- Professor Kim Rubenstein
Women working and studying at ANU are invited to a special forum on Thursday 19 April, to inspire more ANU women to engage with the media.
08
Mar
2018
9.30AM to 11.30AM Panel discussion
- Professor Kim Rubenstein
On Thursday 8 March 2018, join the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brian P. Schmidt, and a panel of leading ANU women to discuss Changing the Culture of Gender at ANU. The discussion will be followed by morning tea.
04
Oct
2017
12.30PM to 2.00PM Seminar
- Professor Mary Jane Mossman, Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto
- Professor Margaret Thornton, ANU College of Law
‘Herculean Obstacles and Intrepid Complainants’: The Sex Discrimination Complaint at Osgoode Hall Law School, 1987–94.
This paper examines a legal challenge about systemic sex discrimination in an Ontario law school in the late 1980s in relation to the appointment of a new Dean.
09
Aug
2017
5.30PM to 7.00PM Launch and panel discussion
- Sarouche Razi, Kimberley Community Legal Service
- Professor Brian P. Schmidt AC, ANU Vice Chancellor
- Senator Patrick Dodson
This launch marks a new partnership between Kimberley Community Legal Services and the ANU through which KCLS aims to substantially innovate and extend civil law legal help for Aboriginal people in the Kimberley. The hope is that this will enable and position KCLS to manifest breakthrough legal service models based on long-term relationships with clients, working from client vantage points, in furtherance of client goals.
Please note, only a small selection of recent publications and activities are listed below.
View more publications on the ANU Researchers website
Research biography
Professor Rubenstein’s expertise in citizenship law, through her book, scholarly articles and book chapters is of significance to other academic scholarship, teaching, as well as public policy. Kim was appointed a consultant to the Commonwealth in its redrafting of Australian citizenship legislation, resulting in the 2007 Act and later was a member of the Independent Expert Committee set up to review the Australian Citizenship Test that reported in 2008.
Her present research involves engaging with concepts of active citizenship with the support of two Australian Research Council grants.
Her oral history Linkage Project on Trailblazing Women and the Law, with the National Library of Australia, the National Foundation for Australian Women, the Federal Court of Australia, the Family Court of Australia and the Australian Women Lawyers examines how the status of being a lawyer frames women’s capacity to be active citizens.
Her ARC Discovery Project on The Court as Archive examines the place of Superior Courts of Record within the context of public law and citizenship: Can current conceptualisations of the role of Chapter III courts be extended to deepen an understanding of their function as guardians and producers of the civic experience and expectations of the Australian litigants who come before them?
Research projects & collaborations
- See in Professor Rubenstein's researcher page.
Grants
- See in Professor Rubenstein's researcher page.
Consultancies
- See in Professor Rubenstein's researcher page.
Books & edited collections
- See in Professor Rubenstein's researcher's page.
Book chapters
- See in Professor Rubenstein's Researcher page.
Refereed journal articles
- See in Professor Rubenstein's Researcher page.
Conference papers & presentations
- See in Professor Rubenstein's Researcher page.
Commissioned reports
- See in Professor Rubenstein's Researcher page.
Government submissions
- See in Professor Rubenstein's Researcher page.
Committees
External Organisations
- See curriculum vitae
Internal ANU Committees
- See curriculum vitae
Case notes & book reviews
- See Researcher's page.
Other
- See Researcher's page.
Currently supervising
-
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
-
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)Topic: Australia and the aliens power: A history of the Commonwealth's power over 'aliens' in s 51(9) of the Constitution
Research interests
Constitutional Law, Constitutional Courts, Constitutional History, Constitutional Reform, Constitutional Rights, Political Theory and Constitutional Law, Federalism, Gender and Constitutional Law, Parliamentary and Electoral Democracy, Separation of Powers, The Judicial System, Citizenship, Access to Government Information
PhD supervision
I am willing to supervise in the areas: Citizenship, Citizenship and Nationality, Citizenship and Identity, Gender and Constitutional law,
I have previously supervised:
- All of the above
SJD supervision
I am willing to supervise in the areas:
- Same as above
I have previously supervised:
- Same as above
MPhil supervision
I am willing to supervise in the areas:
- Same as above
I have previously supervised:
- Same as above
LLM Masters thesis supervision
I am willing to supervise in the areas:
- Same as above
I have previously supervised:
- Same as above
Honours thesis supervision
I am willing to supervise in the areas:
- Same as above
I have previously supervised:
- Same as above
Internship supervision
I am willing to supervise in the areas:
- Same as above
I have previously supervised:
- Same as above
Current courses
| Year | Course code | Course name |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 |
LAWS8175 Class #1852 |
Citizenship Law in Context |
Previous courses
| Year | Course code | Course name |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 |
LAWS2201 Class #2941 |
Administrative Law |
| 2017 |
LAWS6201 Class #3717 |
Administrative Law |
| 2016 |
LAWS8175 Class #6798 |
Citizenship Law in Context |
| 2017 |
LAWS4262 Class #9970 |
Current Issues in Admin Law: Admin Law at the Coalface |
Philosophy & approach
I love teaching and my masters course is very interactive. I expect students to have read the material and to contribute in class!
Past courses
- I have taught and continue to teach Citizenship Law in Context, which is offered in the JD and Masters programs.
How my works connects with public policy
I am an ANU Public Policy Fellow, which recognises my contributions to Public policy.
This has been primariy in the context of citlzeship law and policy and in the area of gender and constitutional law.
My biography sets this out further.
