Melinda Rankin

Dr. Melinda Rankin is a current Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland. Previously, she held roles as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UQ, Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Global Constitutionalism (WZB, Berlin), and Lecturer at the University of Sydney.

• Bachelor of International Relations, Deakin University
• Masters (Coursework), Monash University
• Doctor of Philosophy, La Trobe University

Her research focuses on International Criminal and Humanitarian Law, exploring De Facto International Prosecutors—non-state actors and foreign officials adopting prosecutorial practices in the absence of international tribunals. She also investigates New Wars & Cosmopolitan Law Enforcement, Political Violence, and the International Legal Orders shaped by universal jurisdiction and historical legal precedents like the Nuremberg Trials.

Her research trends highlight the role of non-state actors in legal accountability for core international crimes, particularly in Syria and Iraq. She has led the Nuremberg Effect project (supported by Gerda Henkel Stiftung) to analyze how historical legal frameworks influence modern prosecutions.

Scientific Awards include the Gerda Henkel Stiftung Grant (2022) and the Berlin Fellowship Award (2018).

She has contributed policy articles to institutions like the Global Public Policy Institute (Berlin), WZB Social Science Centre Berlin, and Lowy Institute for International Policy (Sydney). Her media engagement includes commentary for SBS World News on Iran-US relations.