QUT Faculty of Law’s Dr Alex Deagon recently published an article in the prestigious Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy which considers whether religious arguments ought to have a place in modern politics. Alex responds to the common objection that religion should not contribute to law and public policy because it can be sectarian, divisive and exclusive.
Rather, Alex proposes that religious contributions are an expression of religious freedom and equality because religious perspectives play essentially the same role as non-religious perspectives in policy debate between citizens, and are often just as contested. More importantly, religious arguments can pursue the public good as least as much as secular ones and so are essential resources for the democratic formulation of policy.
Alex is investigating further research on how religious contributions to public policy might enhance freedom and equality in our modern democracy. This will include an analysis of the US and the UK for insights on how they balance religious freedom with equality which Australia can use in its unique legal and political context.
See Alex’s track record to find out more about his research interests and achievements.
