The University is pleased to have recently welcomed Professor Christoph Antons to the Macquarie Law School. 

Christoph’s research is focused on intellectual property law, environmental law and human rights in Asia, but also with law and society in the region more broadly. He coordinates several international collaborative projects and holds appointments at prestigious institutions including the German Development Institute – one of the leading think tanks for development policy worldwide.

1. Something you’d like staff to know about
I am project lead on two ARC Discovery projects. One looks at the development of the Indonesian intellectual property system over the last 40 years and its economic, social and cultural impacts. The other project looks at food security and the way local agricultural knowledge is governed in India and Indonesia. 

2. A recent accomplishment 
Together with my ARC project colleagues from the University of Indonesia, I finalised a book chapter and a journal article based on our fieldwork with farming communities. The publications analyse challenges for farmers involved in plant breeding after important changes to the legislative framework for their activities were introduced in 2019.

3. Something people ask you when they find out what you do for a living
I used to get funny comments and questions when I said I was working on intellectual property in Asia, because of the poor reputation of Asian countries in this respect. But this is changing, with a more diverse intellectual property landscape in Asia and a more nuanced understanding here about the different impacts of these rights in different contexts and the challenges of introducing them.

4. What you need to do your best work
A peaceful mind and a pleasant environment.

5. Something you’ve read recently that has had an impact on you
James C. Scott’s book Seeing like a state: how certain schemes to improve the human condition have failed. It explores the tunnel vision that can sometimes be observed in state-led standardisation and development programs. Also, Eric R. Wolf’s Europe and the People Without History, on, in his own words, “the active histories of ‘primitives’, peasantries, laborers, immigrants, and besieged minorities”, who are too often overlooked in history books.

6. What you like about where you live
I’ve only recently joined Macquarie from the University of Newcastle, so I’, still staying in the Lower Hunter region until later in the year, when moving closer to Sydney will hopefully become easier again. I love the coastal and bush walks in this part of New South Wales and my long term goal is to do the Great North Walk in stages.

7. A favourite photo from your camera roll

This picture was taken at a farmers’ meeting in West Java, Indonesia, during fieldwork for our ARC project. It shows local knowledge in action ­– farmers exchanging information on rainfall patterns and suitable rice varieties under conditions of climate change.

8. A personal quality you value in others
Empathy – the ability to put yourself in the shoes of another person.

9. Something you’re trying to do differently in 2021
COVID-19 means that fieldwork plans had to be postponed for this year. I am planning to hold focus group discussions, webinars and online discussions instead.

10. You definition of success
Continuing to develop in what one is thinking and trying to do; not standing still.