Institute for Democracy and Human Rights

The Institute for Democracy and Human Rights (IDHR) is a major new venture at the University of Sydney. It was launched in mid-2012 and aims to develop pioneering research, postgraduate training and public outreach initiatives that will have a long-term positive impact on academic and public life in Australia, the wider Asia and Pacific region and beyond. Building on the University's scholarly reputation and public profile for excellence in the social sciences, IDHR aspires to recognised leadership in research, postgraduate training and public policy discussion and intervention in all matters concerning the past, present and future of democracy and human rights, generously defined. Read more..

Latest News

  • Iranian elections: true legitimacy, or the country’s Achilles' heel?

    Iranian elections have often been the country’s Achilles heel, or as Iranians say, pashneye achil. Since the Islamic Republic of Iran’s inception in 1979, the ruling clergy has incorporated electoral procedures to add another layer of legitimacy to their proclaimed divine sovereignty.

  • Remembering Tiananmen: The Future of Chinese Democracy

    It’s 24 years since the Tiananmen Square uprising. In an interview with John Keane, democracy activist Chin Jin says the day remains important to anyone with a political conscience.

  • Hanson wants your vote (again). Please explain

    She's ba-aack. Again.

    Love her or loathe her, you can't deny Pauline Hanson's tenacity. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to gain office since 1998 - two NSW state elections (2003 and 2011), one Queensland state election (2009), and four federal elections (1998, 2001, 2004 and 2007) - but who's counting? - Hanson has once again thrown her hat into the ring, announcing that she will run for a seat in the NSW Senate in September's federal election.

  • Racism, bigotry and debate, Australian-style

    There is a very Australian way to have a racism controversy. Whenever bigotry, prejudice or discrimination is revealed on the national stage, all of us can agree: Yes, it's horrible and we would never dream of endorsing it. We can all say, hand on heart, that racism is abhorrent and warrants our condemnation.

  • The Hansard Monologues: A Matter of Public Importance

    The Seymour Centre is delighted to be co-producing a new verbatim theatre event to be performed during the winter parliamentary recess in July 2013.

  • Dr Tim Soutphommasane wins NSW Premier's Literary Award

    Dr Tim Soutphommasane has been awarded the prestigious NSW Premier's Literary Award (Community Relations Commission Award) for his book on multi-culturalism in Australia, Don't Go Back to Where You Came From.

  • Berlin Summer School: Linking Theory and Empirical Research

    The 3rd Berlin Summer School in Social Sciences aims at promoting young researchers by strengthening their methodological understanding in linking theory and empirical research. The two weeks program also creates an excellent basis for the advancement of their current research designs.