You are here
Imelda Deinla
Dr Imelda Deinla
Qualifications
Bachelor of Political Science and Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of the Philippines; Masters in Law, University of New South Wales; PhD in Law, University of New South Wales

Dr Imelda Deinla is an Honorary Fellow in the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) and Director of the ANU Philippines Project. Her areas of research are on the relationship between politics and law, and on rule of law and democracy in Southeast Asia and ASEAN. She works on judicial politics in the Philippines. She is involved in projects relating to legal pluralism, hybrid justice and peacebuilding, as well as on civil society and military relations in Mindanao, Philippines.
Her doctoral thesis investigated the dynamics of regional integration that influence the development of rule of law in regional projects with a particular focus on ASEAN.
Until May 2012 Imelda worked on human rights capacity building in the Asia Pacific as International Programs Coordinator at the Diplomacy Training Program based in the Faculty of Law, UNSW. During this role, Imelda organized and managed the delivery of over ten regional training programs in East Timor, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, and Malaysia.
Imelda has also worked for many years as a corporate and litigation lawyer in the Philippines and was involved in research, advocacy, and litigation involving violence against women and children.
Research interests
Sociolegal studies; rule of law in ASEAN; justice; and women and community peacebuilding in the Philippines

COVID-19 tightens Duterte’s iron grip – Dr Imelda Deinla writes in East Asia Forum
Dr Imelda Deinla writes about how COVID-19 has exposed cracks in Duterte’s heavy-handed leadership in the Philippines.

'We Are Meant to Be a Cautionary Tale': The Chilling Implications of the Maria Ressa Verdict – Dr Imelda Deinla comments in Vice
Dr Imelda Deinla comments on the ruling that found journalist Maria Ressa guilty of cyber libel in the Philippines.

Dr Imelda Deinla listed in WorldRemit’s inaugural list of Influential Filipinos in the diaspora
The ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) is proud to announce that Dr Imelda Deinla

The Marawi siege and after: Managing NGO-military relations - Imelda Deinla writes in
Rosalie Hall and RegNet’s Imelda Deinla write about how harmonious and engaged civil society and military relationship are vital to securing peace and stability in Bangsamoro.

A travel notebook to Marawi City- Dr Imelda Deinla writes for The Interpreter
Dr Imelda Deinla talks about the suffering and desperation that has left the Philippines’ city of Marawi even more vulnerable following a brutal siege.

Engaging the Philippines
Caught between the rising clout of China and the proximity of Indonesia, the Philippines often gets overlooked.

Inspiring women of RegNet
To mark International Women’s Day this year we are celebrating some of the professional and academic staff who make our College a world-leading institution for research and teaching on Asia and the

ANU Philippines Project PhD Scholarship
A three-year full time PhD Scholarship within the ANU Philippines Project located in the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet).

A step closer to authoritarianism in the Philippines?- Dr Imelda Deinla interviewed by Sky News
Imelda Deinla, Director of the ANU Philippines Project, speaks to Sky News about President Duterte’s crackdown on critical media outlets in the Philippines.

Duterte and the insecurity of the Philippine middle class
It is widely believed that the middle class is an engine for social change. But they can also be the driving force for no change or regression.

Regulation and governance in the Philippines
The Philippines has undergone rapid policy change from the 1990s until today.

Rebuilding education and peace in Mindanao
The education sector in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) exists within a complex and multi-layered social, political, economic and conflict environment.

What is Australia’s Stake in Philippine Chaos?
It is in Australia’s interest for the Philippines to have an effective and accountable security sector and a stable well-functioning government that upholds the rule of law.
The 'punisher' takes on the Philippines presidency
Having generated a maelstrom of controversy during his campaign, Rodrigo Duterte has analysts scrambling to understand what his presidency will mean for the Philippines and the region, writes Imelda Deinla.

Imelda Deinla on the newly elected Filipino president
RegNet's Imelda Deinla was interviewed about Rodrigo Duterte on The Wire.

Building research capacity at the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
Building the research capacity of a government agency by training their personnel in conducting research and using this research for policy and advocacy was the key objective of this training-works
Pages
Current

Responsive rule of law
Since 1990 there has been an exponential increase in the number and type of professionals and organisations involved in law reform efforts in developing, post-conflict and fragile states worldwide.

The peacebuilding compared project
What are the kinds of interventions that create wars and make things worse for people? How can peacebuilding contribute to justice and development?
Completed

Philippines Project
The Philippines Project is a policy-engaged initiative to stimulate research collaboration between academics and policymakers on the Philippines.

Pluralist justice for women after violence: An experiment in building justice webs in the Philippines project
Using violence against women (VAW) as case study, the project traces how justice institutions develop after the peace process and regional autonomy in Mindanao.

Author(s): Imelda Deinla, Bjorn Dressel
Date of publications: 2019
Publication type: Book

Author(s): Imelda Deinla
Date of publications: 2019
Publication type: Journal article

Author(s): Imelda Deinla
Date of publications: 2018
Publication type: Book chapter

Author(s): Imelda Deinla
Date of publications: 2017
Publication type: Book

Author(s): Deinla, Imelda
Date of publications: 2014
Publication type: Journal article