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Melissa Castan

@drmcastan.bsky.social

1K followers 510 following 100 posts

Professor of Law~ proper work in Australian Constitutional Law, Legal Education, Human Rights Law. See Case in Point (+Just Cases) podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/case-in-point/id1774138689

Videos

Law 53%

Political science 23%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Melissa Castan

Jane McAdam @profjmcadam.bsky.social · Jul 29

Get your tickets now! The 2025 Kaldor Centre Conference will focus on 'Building bridges: Advancing refugee protection in a divided world'. Now more than ever, we need to pause, reflect and forge new paths forward - together conference.unsw.edu.au/en/2025-kald...

2025 Kaldor Centre Conference | UNSW Sydney

conference.unsw.edu.au

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Reposted by Melissa Castan

Dr Joe McIntyre @drjoemcintyre.bsky.social · Jul 29

Really excited to see this one out in print:

"Pseudolaw and the illusion of legal meaning" in the wonderful Alternative Law Journal
@altlj.bsky.social

An accessible overview of the phenomenon of pseudolaw, with an exploration of some of the overlap with GenAI
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Pseudolaw and the illusion of legal meaning - Joe McIntyre, 2025

This article is an overview of the contemporary phenomenon of pseudolaw and argues that, at its heart, it involves a mistaking of the form of legal argumentatio...

journals.sagepub.com

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Reposted by Melissa Castan

Castan Centre for Human Rights Law @castancentre.bsky.social · Apr 20

Registrations for The Annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference open this Wednesday 23 April. join us at one of Australia’s leading human rights events, 25 July, in Melbourne Details @ our conference website: bit.ly/HumanRights25.

Image of Hugh de Kretzer and details of conference

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Apr 11

Ping @djag2.bsky.social ICYMI 🐧

Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Apr 11

Thanks for sharing this Joe, it’s a fascinating and frustrating area of (un)law!

Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Apr 6

Do corporations have beliefs? A look back at the Hobby Lobby case with Dr Steve Kourabas at Monash Law. podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/c... #Law #CorporationsLaw

Do corporations have beliefs?

Podcast Episode · Case In Point · 01/04/2025 · 31m

podcasts.apple.com

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Mar 22

It’s a mad world…

a silhouette of a man standing on top of a rock with his arms in the air .

Alt: a silhouette of a man standing on top of a rock with his arms in the air .

media.tenor.com

Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Mar 19

Here’s the link!

podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/c...

Is it a crime to attempt to murder a corpse?

Podcast Episode · Case In Point · 18/03/2025 · 30m

podcasts.apple.com

Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Mar 19

Is it a crime to attempt to murder a corpse? Today’s episode of Case in Point discusses a bizarre murder case in recent Australian legal history, mirroring one of Agatha Christie’s most famous novels.
Dr Natalia Antolak-Saper, criminal law scholar unpacks the story of R v Darrington [2016] link 👇🏽

Is it a crime to attempt to murder a corpse?

Podcast Episode · Case In Point · 18/03/2025 · 30m

podcasts.apple.com

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Mar 6

Maybe you just need a distraction from the Cyclone, the (nearly) Election, the geo-political crises or the climate catastrophe? Try Case In Point, a lively, chatty podcast about legal curiosities and culture. Wherever you listen to your pods.

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Reposted by Olivier Klein, Nathan Nunn, Andrea Baker , and 4 more Olivier Klein, Nathan Nunn, Andrea Baker, Robert McLeman, David H. Price, Melissa Castan, Aurélien Eyquem

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · Mar 6

“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back into a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”

Finland ends homelessness and provides shelter for all in need - scoop.me

In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Why? The country applies the "Housing First" concept agains homelessness.

thebetter.news

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Mar 4

Is drug testing in sport fair and effective at detecting cheats? Doping in Sport - the Shayna Jack case podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/c...

Doping in Sport: The Shayna Jack case

Podcast Episode · Case In Point · 04/03/2025 · 40m

podcasts.apple.com

Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Mar 4

Season 2 of Case in Point is coming your way! Follow here (or wherever you get your pods) Tomorrow’s episode will test your sports knowledge podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/c...

Case In Point

History Podcast · 2 Seasons · Updated Fortnightly

podcasts.apple.com

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Feb 26

Hurrah! The annual Australasian Law Academics Association (ALAA) Conference is on Wed 2 July to Friday 4 July 2025 at UQ Brisbane!

Welcome legal academics, practitioners & policymakers to discussions on the evolving landscape of legal education & research

Submit abstracts here; bit.ly/ALAA2025

Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Feb 18

Ever wondered what’s up in the Chagos Archipelago? We were curious, so we asked @djag2.bsky.social to explain it all - on Case in Point podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/c...

Exile & Empire in Paradise: The UK's Chagos scandal

Podcast Episode · Case In Point · 18/02/2025 · 49m

podcasts.apple.com

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Reposted by Melissa Castan

Thesiswhisperer @thesiswhisperer.bsky.social · Dec 24

New On The Reg podcast with @drjd.bsky.social is up for all your Christmas listening needs! onthereg.buzzsprout.com/1187141/epis...

Our technology stacks - what products we use for different problems (Kitchen Table episodes vol 2) - On the reg

Inger and Jason catch up at the kitchen table... in Casa Downs this time. The sound on this one is ok, considering we were in a huge open space downstairs!While Jack Downs washes Inger's new car, she ...

onthereg.buzzsprout.com

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Dec 20

Now get the dog, and yo are set for summer!

Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Dec 15

Need.

Jonathan Edward Durham @thisone0verhere.bsky.social · Dec 14

Trying to figure out the logistics of opening up a bookstore/cafe/flower shop/ceramics studio/crêperie/kitten rescue/food truck/wine bar/yarn depot/ boardgame outlet/bakery/thrift store/ puppy daycare. Who wants a piece of this sure thing?

Reposted by Melissa Castan

Alternative Law Journal @altlj.bsky.social · Dec 15

As we sink slowly into mid December… a reminder that we welcome your submissions on Australian legal issues. See our guidelines- shorter pieces and less footnotes are preferred. Got some summer writing planned? Give us a look 👇🏽👇🏻 #Auslaw #AccessToJustice #Law journals.sagepub.com/home/alj

Alternative Law Journal: Sage Journals

journals.sagepub.com

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Reposted by Alice Chik

Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Dec 14

“I keep meeting people who are extremely burned out. I meet them so often that I’m beginning to think burnout is something that exists by design”
@patrickfreyne.bsky.social on toxic productivity & the myths of meritocracy.

[hint: this is not a bug, it’s a feature]

Patrick Freyne @patrickfreyne.bsky.social · Dec 14

I'm launching a new career as a demotivational speaker (thanks to everyone who got in touch this morning - it's nice to hear it strikes a chord) www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

Patrick Freyne: I am becoming a demotivational speaker – let’s all have an averagely productive December

I keep meeting people who are extremely burned out. I meet them so often that I’m beginning to think burnout is something that exists by design

www.irishtimes.com

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Reposted by Melissa Castan

Jonathan Edward Durham @thisone0verhere.bsky.social · Dec 14

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Reposted by Máiréad Nic Craith, Claire Dupont, Alice Chik , and 1 more Máiréad Nic Craith, Claire Dupont, Alice Chik, Jackie Goode

Patrick Freyne @patrickfreyne.bsky.social · Dec 14

I'm launching a new career as a demotivational speaker (thanks to everyone who got in touch this morning - it's nice to hear it strikes a chord) www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

Patrick Freyne: I am becoming a demotivational speaker – let’s all have an averagely productive December

I keep meeting people who are extremely burned out. I meet them so often that I’m beginning to think burnout is something that exists by design

www.irishtimes.com

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Reposted by Melissa Castan

Dr Bruce Baer Arnold @baerarnold.bsky.social · Dec 14

excellent empirical piece on Australian pseudolaw by
@drjoemcintyre.bsky.social, Harry Hobbs et al - papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

The Rise of Pseudolaw in South Australia: An Empirical Analysis of the Emergence and Impact of Pseudolaw on South Australia's Courts

Pseudolaw refers to the phenomenon whereby adherents adopt the forms and structures of legal argumentation while substituting the substantive content and underl

papers.ssrn.com

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Dec 13

The Australian Legal Academic Starter Pack: ICYMI #AusLaw #Law #LegalEd

go.bsky.app/A9tXyKu

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Dec 11

In our latest Case in Point @lynetterussell.bsky.social takes us to 1839 Melbourne, a fledgling frontier town, rife with conflict.

The arrival of two Palawa men, Tunnerminnerwait & Maulboyheener, sparks a chain of events leading to a brutal execution. #AusLaw
podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/c...

Frontier Justice: An execution in Melbourne CBD

Podcast Episode · Case In Point · 10/12/2024 · 36m

podcasts.apple.com

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Melissa Castan @drmcastan.bsky.social · Dec 10

Welcome @drpetaspyrou.bsky.social!

a woman with white hair is standing in front of a door .

Alt: a woman with white hair is standing in front of a door, with the subtitle ‘I believe deep down there are worse places to be’

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Melissa Castan

Alternative Law Journal @altlj.bsky.social · Dec 10

Alternative Law Journal cerebrates 50 years as Australia's leading law reform journal. We publish critical scholarly articles on law, social justice, human rights, critique of the legal system, innovative & alternative practice & community legal education #Auslaw journals.sagepub.com/home/alj

Alternative Law Journal: Sage Journals

journals.sagepub.com