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Picked Up By Major International Journal

Bachelor of Laws, Class of 2018 University Medalist*

In the summer of 2020, School of Law & Justice (SLJ) graduate Lyn Ellison, along with former SLJ academic Dr Natalia Szablewska, redrafted Lyn’s law Honours paper and submitted the paper to leading international journal in legal semiotics: International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique, hoping for some good feedback.

Ms Ellison, (now working in the Southern Cross Univeristy Legal Office), said not only did they achieve positive feedback, but subject to some revisions, the paper was accepted and published in May, 2020.

“I was surprised, but delighted, that our paper was accepted, particularly as this was our first submission,” Ms Ellison said.

“The paper, a critical discourse analysis of court material relating to the high-profile cases of two women perpetrators of international crimes, indicated that personal social, cultural and situational factors might influence women’s agency and propensity to engage in violence,” Ms Ellison said.

“We concluded that the achievement of gender justice requires these factors be considered where women are accused of committing violent crimes to ensure that law’s gender neutrality does not amount to gender blindness,” Ms Ellison said.

“I want to sincerely thank Dean of Law and Head of School Professor William MacNeil, Deputy Head of the Law School (Research), Professor John Page, Associate Professor Jennifer Nielsen, and Dr Alex Pelizzon, for their encouragement and support during my Honours year, Ms Ellison said.

“In the midst of so much awful news surrounding COVID-19, it was so good to be able share some better news.”

Professor John Page (SLJ) said Lyn’s publication success is testament to the rigour and quality of the SLJ’s embedded Honours program.

Turning an Honours thesis into a peer-reviewed international journal article speaks volumes not only to Lyn, but also to the extraordinary calibre of our Honours students, their SLJ supervisors, and the leadership of Dr Alessandro Pelizzon, the then Honours coordinator’.

*University Medals are awarded to candidates who have completed the requirements of a Bachelor degree with first class honours and who at all times have demonstrated a very high standard of academic achievement.

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