Kerstin Steiner

Dr. Kerstin Steiner is an Associate Professor at the Law School, La Trobe University. She holds adjunct roles at the University of Melbourne's Asian Law Centre and Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society. Her leadership roles include Director of Research (2021), Acting Head of Law School (2019), and mentorship in promotions programs.

Education:

• PhD, Melbourne University
• LLM, Melbourne University
• LLB, University of Bielefeld, Germany
• Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, Monash University

Research Interests: Dr. Steiner specializes in comparative legal studies focusing on Southeast Asia, particularly intersections of law with politics, economics, and society, with a strong emphasis on Islam's role in judicial systems. She has conducted groundbreaking work on legal pluralism, religious governance, and anti-corruption frameworks in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Key Research Trends: Her recent work (2023-2025) highlights evolving legal challenges in Southeast Asia, including digital hate speech mitigation, Islamic financial systems, and constitutional reforms in pluralistic societies. Earlier research (2017-2020) centered on corruption dynamics (e.g., 1MDB scandal), Shariah court systems, and gender equity in legal frameworks.

• Awards: VC Cultural Quality Award (2024), Distinguished Scholar Award (PHISO, 2018), Multiple Research Excellence Awards (2017)
• Grants: $100k+ for international study tours; ARC Discovery Project (2016-2020) on Islam, Law, and the Philippine State
• Labs/Teams: La Trobe Asia Steering Committee, International Legal Studies Research Group (ILSRG), Working Group on Islamophobia