Professor John Borrows: 2023 James Merralls Visiting Fellowship in Law Public Lecture

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'The Resurgence of Indigenous Law’ was presented on Wednesday, November 22 2023 by Professor John Borrows, Loveland Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Toronto Law School, at the Melbourne Law School.

In this lecture, Professor Borrows discusses how Indigenous peoples’ legal principles can generate rich resources for decision-making in contemporary circumstances. They can be reinvigorated, revised or newly created to enhance governance and policy within Indigenous communities and beyond. This can develop community capacity, foster local, state and national leadership, develop business opportunities, and influence policy.

Revitalizing and newly developing Indigenous law can help develop well-being and economic success. Corporations and other commercial actors can also benefit from understanding, applying and incorporating Indigenous law in their agreements and activities with Indigenous peoples. When we see law as something people do, which invites participation, deliberation, persuasion, disagreement, discussion and agreement, this opens space for the revitalization of law and economic opportunities in broader ways.

John Borrows is a world-renowned law professor at the University of Victoria. He's Anishinabe/Ojibway and a member of the Chippewa of the Nawash First Nation in Ontario, Canada. Professor Borrows specializes in Indigenous legal rights and comparative constitutional law, he has written and spoken extensively on Indigenous legal rights and traditions, storytelling, treaties and land claims, and constitutional and environmental law.