Louise Chappell

Scientia Professor Louise Chappell is Director of the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW Sydney's Law & Justice faculty, School of Global & Public Law. A Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and former Australian Research Council Future Fellow (2010-14), she is recognized as a leading expert in gender politics, women's rights, and comparative federalism. As a UNSW Sydney SHARP hire, she drives research excellence in human rights and gender justice.

Professor Chappell's educational background includes:

• PhD in Political Science, University of Sydney, Australia (1998)
• Bachelor Honours Degree (First Class), Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma in Political Science, University of New England, Australia (1990)

Her research focuses on women's rights from comparative and international perspectives, examining gender, politics and institutions, and comparative federalism and public policy. Professor Chappell investigates how gender justice is implemented within international institutions like the International Criminal Court, analyzing the complex interplay between formal rules and informal gendered practices. Her work explores how women's rights norms diffuse across national boundaries and how gender mainstreaming functions within different political contexts, with particular attention to the construction of informal institutions that either support or undermine gender equality initiatives.

Her recent publications demonstrate a clear evolution from theoretical feminist institutionalism toward practical applications in health policy and medical research. While maintaining her foundational work on gender justice at the International Criminal Court, she has expanded her research to address sex and gender analysis in Australian health and medical research, creating bridges between human rights frameworks and practical healthcare applications. This represents a strategic shift from theoretical political science toward actionable policy interventions that can directly impact women's lives and health outcomes.

Professor Chappell's significant scientific achievements include:

• Carole Pateman Award from the Australian Political Studies Association (2017) for best book in gender and politics
• Election as Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia (2016)
• American Political Science Association's Victoria Shuck Award (2002) for best book in women and politics

As a dedicated supervisor, Professor Chappell has mentored numerous PhD students including Josh Gibson, Allison Henry, Anna Hush, Angela Kintominas, Lenka Olejníková, Kavitha Suthanthiraj, and Sophie Yates. Her research has been supported by significant grants including an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (2010-14), an ARC Discovery Project on Combating sexual violence against women post-conflict, and an ARC Linkage Grant on Building gender equity in the Australian construction industry. She has also served as Partner Investigator on a European Research Council Senior Scholar Award focused on Gender and Institutional Change.

Professor Chappell co-directs the Feminist Institutionalism International Network based at Edinburgh University and serves on editorial boards for the Australian Journal of Political Science, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, and Politics, Groups and Interests. Her leadership extends to the Australian Human Rights Institute, where she shapes research agendas on gender justice and human rights protections, fostering collaborations across disciplines and institutions to advance human rights scholarship and practice.