Ann Black

Legal systems across Asia and the Pacific are shaped by diverse cultural, religious, and historical influences, yet mainstream legal education and policy often overlook this complexity. Professor Ann Black’s research addresses the critical need to understand and accommodate legal pluralism—where multiple legal systems coexist within a single jurisdiction. Her work focuses on how Islamic law, customary law, and state law interact in countries such as Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, and how these interactions affect legal practice, human rights, and governance. She also explores the challenges of integrating religious law into secular legal frameworks, particularly in multicultural societies like Australia. These issues are increasingly relevant in global legal discourse, especially as migration, religious diversity, and international human rights norms intersect with domestic legal systems.

Professor Black employs a comparative and interdisciplinary methodology, combining doctrinal legal analysis with socio-legal and cultural perspectives. Her work spans Islamic law, law and religion, and Asian legal systems, and she has co-authored foundational texts such as Law and Legal Institutions of Asia (CUP) and Modern Perspectives on Islamic Law (Edward Elgar). She leads the Legal Pluralism Program at UQ’s Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law, which includes projects on plural legal regimes in Asia and the South Pacific, Muslim-majority nations, and secular states. Her teaching innovations include comparative law courses that integrate primary Islamic legal sources and cross-cultural legal panels. Black’s approach fosters deep engagement with legal traditions and promotes mutual respect across jurisdictions. Her work is informed by field research, international collaborations, and participation in global legal forums, including recent engagements in South Korea and Mongolia.

Professor Black’s research has produced over 100 scholarly works, including books, journal articles, and encyclopedia entries. Her article “Good and Bad Sharia: Australia’s Mixed Response to Islamic Law” is widely cited and has shaped debates on legal recognition of religious norms. Her work on Brunei’s legal system has provided rare insights into the impact of ideology on law and dispute resolution, influencing comparative legal scholarship. She has contributed to international volumes on religious freedom and legal diversity, including Freedom of Religion and Religious Diversity: State Accommodation of Religious Minorities (Routledge, 2024). Black’s scholarship is used by academics, policymakers, and legal practitioners across Asia, Europe, and Australia, and has been cited in studies on constitutionalism, legal modernization, and multicultural governance.

The beneficiaries of Black’s research include legal educators, students, policymakers, and communities navigating plural legal systems. Her research has informed policy discussions in Australia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore, and contributed to international dialogues on religious freedom and legal pluralism. NGOs and human rights organizations use her work to advocate for culturally sensitive legal reforms. Her teaching and public engagement also benefit multicultural communities by promoting legal literacy and respect for diverse legal identities. Through her leadership in international programs and conferences, Black fosters cross-border collaboration and comparative legal understanding. Professor Black’s research impact is reflected in over 480 citations and an h-index of 12. Her books are used in law schools across Asia, Europe, and Australia, and her comparative legal analyses have been cited in academic and policy literature. These measurable outcomes underscore her role in advancing legal pluralism, cultural legal studies, and inclusive legal education.