UNSW Law & Justice recently turned the spotlight on Dr Mulder, a Laureate postdoctoral fellow at the Kaldor Centre's Evacuations Research Hub whose current work explore how different regimes of international law interact to ensure the protection of individuals.
What project are you working on that excites you?
I'm working with Regina Jefferies on an article that maps out the international law of evacuations, and I’m really excited about it. This is the first project I’m taking on at the Evacuations Research Hub, which just started in July 2024. Our goal is to map the various rules and principles of international law that apply to evacuations. I think this is important to do because evacuations are often overlooked in international law, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t laws governing them. Mapping this out is a big task, but what makes it so interesting is that we get to explore a range of areas like human rights law, international disaster law, international humanitarian law, and refugee law. Plus, it’s exciting that we’re the first ones to dive into this topic in such detail.
What do you hope to achieve with your research and engagement in the next year?
In the next year, I hope that as a Hub we can put evacuations on the map as a significant research topic in international law. It’s an area that hasn’t received much attention, but there are many interesting questions to explore, both conceptual and doctrinal. Personally, I’m particularly interested in examining how international law protects people affected by evacuations and identifying the gaps it leaves. With my background in international disaster law, I find it fascinating to explore how protection can be provided to those most in need during emergencies. I’d like to start by looking into the rights of evacuees and those who stay behind, as well as the corresponding responsibilities and obligations of states. Even though our project is just getting underway, I hope that we can raise some of these key questions and start a meaningful conversation around them.
What research and engagement achievement are you most proud of and why?
Honestly, I’m pretty proud of writing an article from scratch in Term 1 while also teaching two courses, one of which was new to me. I managed to finish the article in the last week of teaching, sent it off, and then took a well-deserved holiday before the marking started. It was peak productivity! The article is set to be published early next year.
Do you have a regular research practice that you can share?
I’ve discovered through trial and error that the Pomodoro Technique has been really effective in keeping me productive during busy periods. For those who aren’t familiar with it, it’s basically a time management method where you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. I use an app to track this, and the combination of the app and a healthy amount of inner guilt helps me put my phone away and focus on work. The only downside is that I’ve developed a Pavlovian reaction to the sound of the app going off!
Are there any research and engagement questions or problems you need help with? Is there a particular topic you would like to connect with other scholars on?
Yes, I’m definitely interested in collaborating with colleagues on cross-cutting topics related to evacuations. Once you start paying attention, you realise how interconnected evacuations are with other areas of law. There are the more obvious connections, like the impact of climate change or cross-border movements resulting from evacuations, as well as less obvious ones like information management and communication, and even criminal liability in unlawful evacuations. I’m hoping to work with colleagues and benefit from their expertise in exploring intersections like these.
Visit the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law website for more news and resources.