Researcher biography
Dr Melinda Rankin is the author of De facto International Prosecutors in a Global Era: With My Own Eyes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022; and The Political Life of Mary Kaldor: Ideas and Action in International Relations. Boulder CO: Lynne Rienner Publishing.
Currently, she is Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland. Prior to this, she was Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Queensland; Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Global Constitutionalism, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB Social Science Centre Berlin); and Lecturer at The University of Sydney.
Rankin's current research program, titled Conceptualising De facto International Prosecutors in a Global Era, explores the role of 'de facto international prosecutors' as an emerging phenomenon. They are 'private' non-state actors (including witnesses and victims of core crimes), as well as state legal 'officials' in foreign courts, that adopt the practices of the offices of international prosecutors. The program examines the practices, innovations and strategies de facto international prosecutors adopt, and shows how witnesses and victims of core crimes emerge as key leaders in the accountability process. As a part of this broader program, Melinda also leads a project, titled 'The Nuremberg Effect,' supported by the Gerda Henkel Stiftung. This project investigates how non-state actors have historically drawn upon the Nuremberg Trials as a type of template to pursue those most responsible for core international crimes. In particular, it focuses on those non-state actors who pursue accountability in foreign courts exercising universal jurisdiction.
Rankin has published a range of refereed academic journal articles, as well as policy articles for Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), Berlin; the Center for Global Constitutionalism at WZB, Berlin; and Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney.
In 2022, Melinda was the recipient of a Gerda Henkel Stiftung grant for the project, titled The Nuremberg Effect; and in 2018, she was the recipient of the Berlin Fellowship Award for the research program, titled Conceptualising De facto International Prosecutors in a Global Era. In the past, she has provided comment for media, including on SBS World News on the subject of Iran and US relations.
Rankin is a Member of the International Society of Public Law (ICON-S), New York; British International Studies Association (BISA); American Society of International Law (ASIL); and International Studies Association (ISA).
Prior to her academic career, Dr Rankin worked in projects, business operations, strategy consultancy, data governance, and policy for groups such as (in London) JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of New York; (in Sydney) MLC, Westpac and Genworth; and (in Melbourne) ANZ and NAB.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Single Authored Books
Rankin, Melinda (2022) De facto International Prosecutors in a Global Era: With My Own Eyes, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Rankin, Melinda (2017) The Political Life of Mary Kaldor: Ideas and Action in International Relations, London and Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishing.
Refereed Journal Articles
Rankin, Melinda (2019) 'The 'responsibility to prosecute' core international crimes: German universal jurisdiction and suspected atrocities committed by the Syrian government.' Global Responsibility to Protect, 11 (4): 394-410.
Rankin, Melinda (2018) 'The future of international criminal evidence in New Wars: The Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA).' Journal of Genocide Research 20(3): 392-411.
Rankin, Melinda (2017) 'Investigating crimes against humanity in Syria and Iraq: The Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA).' Global Responsibility to Protect 9 (4): 395-421.
Essays and Commentary Journal Articles
Hale, Kip and Melinda Rankin (2019) 'ICC's Decision on Myanmar: Extending the 'system' of ICL.' Australian Journal of International Affairs 71 (3): 22-28.
Rankin, Melinda (2018) 'Australia's responsibility to prosecute? Bridging the international criminal law gap in Syria and Iraq.' Australian Journal of International Affairs 72 (4): 322-328.
Publically Engaged Scholarship, Policy Articles, & Podcasts
Rankin, Melinda, (2023) 'Russia in Ukraine: Accountability and global order on the precipice', The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 22 Feb.
Ireland-Piper, Danelle, and Melinda Rankin, (2022) Interview by Lauren Sanders: Universal Jurisdiction and Ukraine (University of Queensland Law and the Future of War podcast series): On Spotify , Brisbane, December.
Rankin, Melinda, (2022) 'From Pinochet to Anwar R.' Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law Perspective, Melbourne, 18 March.
Rankin, Melinda and Jacinta O'Hagan, (2020) 'Prosecution of alleged war crimes: need for Afghan voices in Australian judicial process', United Against Inhumanity, Lyon, 17 December.
Rankin, Melinda, (2019) 'The looming international law paradox between the US and Iran', The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 13 May.
Rankin, Melinda, (2019) 'Responsibility to Prosecute? The Case of German Universal Jurisdiction, CIJA, and the Arrest of Syrian Perpetrators.' LawLog, Center for Global Constitutionalism, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, WZB (Social Science Centre Berlin), Berlin. 13 March.
Rankin, Melinda, (2018) 'A road map for Germany: Negotiating a path to accountability with Assad.' PeaceLab, Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), Berlin, 19 December.
Rankin, Melinda, (2018) 'Jamal Khashoggi: Shifting law in a deadly turf war.' The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 29 October.
Rankin, Melinda, (2018) 'To Russia: A Plea of Caution on Syria.' The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 5 March.
Rankin, Melinda, (2018) 'Australia's Responsibility to Prosecute in Syria and Iraq,' Australian Outlook, Australian Institute for International Affairs, Sydney, 19 February.