Professor Partlett will discuss his new book, Why the Russian Constitution Matters: the Constitutional Dark Arts (Bloomsbury 2024). This book tells us a great deal about the system of governance that lies behind the person of President Vladimir Putin. This system helps shape Russian actions today on the world stage and will play a critical role in shaping a post-Putin Russia. It also demonstrates the role that the constitutions play in populist authoritarian systems around the world such as Hungary and Turkey.

Finally, it reveals that democratic constitutions are more fundamentally political texts that create a balanced state with political checks on the centralisation of political power. These checks and balances do not just limit state power and protect rights; they also enable the state to better understand and advance the general well-being of its citizens.

Q&A will be moderated by Professor Rouben Azizian, former Deputy Head of Mission at the Soviet Embassy in Wellington until 1994 and current NZIIA Auckland Branch Chair.

Event details

Wednesday 26 February 2025, 5:30-6:40pm, Online

Free for NZIIA 2025 members. Non Members $5 plus booking fee. Zoom link will be emailed to all registered members and guests one day prior.

While this event is free for members, a koha/donation would be appreciated to assist in costs of running the branch which enables us to keep the registration costs low for all members.

Terms and Conditions

-One ticket per person. Each ticket must contain your full first and surname, email address and phone number that matches your ID.

-NZIIA Wellington Branch reserves the right to refund your ticket if you have booked as a member but are found not to be.

-Q&A will be conducted using chat function of zoom and will be put to the Speaker by the Moderator.

Biography

William Partlett is an Associate Professor at Melbourne Law School. He writes and teaches in the field of public law. Before coming to Melbourne, Professor Partlett was an Assistant Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Columbia University Law School, and a Fellow at The Brookings Institution.

Professor Partlett holds a JD from Stanford Law School as well as a DPhil in Soviet History and MPhil in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Oxford (where he was a Clarendon Scholar). He also holds a bachelors degree in International Affairs and Public Policy from Princeton University and speaks Russian.

The book can be purchased here for $35.99 (a 20% discount) with the code "GLR BD8": https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/why-the-russian-constitution-matters-9781509972197/

University Profile: https://law.unimelb.edu.au/abo...

Russia Beyond Putin: The System Behind the Strongman

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NZIIA Member 2025 ticket

NZIIA Student Member 2025 (Must use university email) ticket

Non Member ($5 plus booking free) ticket

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