Dr Samuel Woldemariam
Lecturer
School of Law and Justice
- Email:samuel.woldemariam@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:4985 3118
Career Summary
Biography
Dr. Samuel Berhanu Woldemariam is a lawyer trained in civil and common law jurisdictions. Samuel was born and raised in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, a beautiful and rapidly growing city whose name literally translates to English as "New Flower". He completed his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree at Adama University, Ethiopia in 2012 and was awarded a gold medal for scoring the highest cumulative GPA from among students in the School of Humanities and Law. In 2015, Samuel received a scholarship to join a Master of Laws (LLM) program at the University of St. Thomas in downtown Minneapolis, USA. Upon completing the program, he received a further scholarship to join the JD program at the same university and studied various common law subjects for a semester before withdrawing to pursue a PhD research at the University of Newcastle Law School, Australia. Samuel completed his doctoral program in July 2021 and was appointed as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Newcastle.
Professional Experience
Between 2012-2015, Samuel worked as a diplomat and legal officer at the International Legal Affairs Directorate of the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry. The Directorate provided legal advice to the Ministry and other branches of the government on domestic and international legal issues. The professional experience at the Foreign Ministry consolidated Samuel's interest in public international law and international relations as it provided exposure and insights to the practical outworking of diplomacy, law, bureaucracy and politics. Among other activities, Samuel's role involved:
- Negotiating and drafting bilateral treaties and memoranda of understanding between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) and other States;
- Preparing explanatory notes on treaties and taking part in the ratification of treaties;
- Drafting legal memoranda on suits involving the FDRE before foreign national courts and international bodies such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights;
- Serving as a delegate to several international conventions, including a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and multiple African Union summits;
- Drafting Proclamations, Regulations, and Directives for the FDRE on International Treaties Making Procedure, Handling of Diplomatic and Consular Pouches, Foreign Service Employees Administration, Foreign Service Training Institute Establishment and the Appointment of Honorary Consulates;
- Providing legal opinions on various domestic and international law issues; and
- Taking part in the preparation of human rights reports and organizing seminars on international law topics.
Samuel also has an extensive experience in rendering research assistance to academics during the course of his Masters and PhD studies. He further provided casual teaching during his PhD candidature.
Research Expertise
Samuel's research interest focuses on public international law and international human right law issues. Current research projects include the evaluation of the principle of the exhaustion of local remedied in human rights litigation; diplomatic privileges and immunities; forced displacement and development; and refugees and United Nations system. Samuel's PhD research, titled "Forced Human Displacement, the State and International Law: A Critical Look from the South", evaluated the international legal framework governing forced displacement, a prominent challenge that the international community continues to face today. The unique contribution of the project relates to the approach it used to place the phenomenon of forced displacement in the context of North-South relations in the international community. The research consolidated knowledge from a broad range of disciplines to reveal the Eurocentric disposition of policies, laws and institutions adopted to deal with the phenomenon and implication these has had on Third World countries. The research argued that the lasting solution to the phenomenon of forced displacement is to be found in redirecting international effort towards a preventive engagement understood in the sense of addressing the root-causes of forced displacement as opposed to interfering with the movement displaced people.
Samuel writes comments and op-eds on topical issues in international law and international relations. These articles can be accessed at The Conversation and Australian Outlook.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy in Law, University of Newcastle
- Master of Laws, University of St. Thomas, USA
Keywords
- African Union
- International human rights law
- Public international law
- Refugee Law
- United Nations
Languages
- English (Fluent)
- Amharic (Mother)
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
480704 | Migration, asylum and refugee law | 30 |
480310 | Public international law | 40 |
480307 | International humanitarian and human rights law | 30 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|
Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Law and Justice Australia |
Professional appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
5/11/2012 - 30/10/2015 | Legal Officer | Ministry of Foreign Affairs International Legal Affairs Directorate General Ethiopia |
Awards
Award
Year | Award |
---|---|
2022 |
College Highly Commended Award College of Human and Social Futures |
2022 |
Best Thesis Award Newcastle Law School |
Thesis Examinations
Year | Level | Discipline | Thesis |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Honours | Social Sciences | The Amorphous Doctrine of Immunity for State Officials: A Schism in International Relations |
Teaching
Code | Course | Role | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS1021 |
Torts II Newcastle Law School | University of Newcastle |
Lecturer | 19/7/2021 - 29/10/2021 |
LAWS4012/6013 |
Public International Law Newcastle Law School | University of Newcastle |
Lecturer | 19/7/2021 - 29/10/2021 |
LAWS4012/6013 |
Public International Law Newcastle Law School | University of Newcastle |
Lecturer | 3/8/2020 - 13/11/2020 |
LAWS4012/6013 |
Public International Law Newcastle Law School | University of Newcastle |
Course coordinator and lecturer | 18/7/2022 - 22/11/2022 |
LAWS4012/6013 |
Public International Law Newcastle Law School | University of Newcastle |
Lecturer | 29/7/2019 - 29/11/2019 |
LEGL2002 |
Law of Business Organisations Newcastle Law School | University of Newcastle |
Course coordinator | 22/2/2021 - 4/6/2021 |
LAWS6104 |
Human Rights and Climate Change-Induced Human Displacement Newcastle Law School | University of Newcastle |
Course coordinator and lecturer | 21/2/2022 - 17/6/2022 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Highlighted Publications
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 |
Woldemariam SB, Maguire A, Von Meding J, 'Forced Human Displacement, the Third World, and International Law: A TWAIL Perspective'', Melbourne Journal of International Law, 20 248-276 (2019) [C1]
|
Nova |
Journal article (3 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Woldemariam SB, Woldemariam S, 'Legislating recognition and protection of climate-displaced persons', Hong Kong Journal of Law and Public Affairs, 3 39-43 (2020) | ||||
2020 | Woldemariam S, Nega RA, 'Internally displaced persons in the IGAD region: The need for a legal regime', Journal of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL), 3 79-97 (2020) | ||||
2019 |
Woldemariam SB, Maguire A, Von Meding J, 'Forced Human Displacement, the Third World, and International Law: A TWAIL Perspective'', Melbourne Journal of International Law, 20 248-276 (2019) [C1]
|
Nova |
Review (2 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 |
Woldemariam S, 'International Law and the Politics of History (2022)
|
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2021 |
Woldemariam S, 'War and Peace: Alberico Gentili and the Early Modern Law of Nations (Review) (2021)
|
Other (8 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Woldemariam S, 'What if Governments Responded to Climate Change Like the COVID-19 Pandemic?', : Australian Institute of International Affairs (2022) | ||
2021 | Woldemariam SB, Toohey L, 'Australia Needs to Act Now for Compulsory Licencing of the COVID-19 Vaccine - Australian Outlook / Australian Institute of International Affairs', . Canberra: Australian Institute of International Affairs (2021) | ||
2021 | Woldemariam S, 'The Enduring Lesson from Afghanistan', : Australian Outlook / Australian Institute of International Affairs (2021) | ||
Show 5 more others |
Thesis / Dissertation (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Woldemariam S, Forced Human Displacement, the State and International Law: A Critical Look from the South, University of Newcastle Law School (2021) |
Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 4 |
---|---|
Total funding | $24,005 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20241 grants / $7,000
Co-designing Resources to Support the Legal Literacy of Refugees$7,000
Funding body: Anonymous
Funding body | Anonymous |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Alice Neikirk, Doctor Rachel Burke, Mirja Cadding-Moran, Miss Sushmita Choudhury, Doctor Jeannie Lee, Doctor Marie-Laure Vuaille-Barcan, Doctor Samuel Woldemariam |
Scheme | Research and Discovery Fund |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2024 |
Funding Finish | 2024 |
GNo | G2400029 |
Type Of Funding | Scheme excluded from IGS |
Category | EXCL |
UON | Y |
20232 grants / $14,997
A human rights evaluation of the health requirement under Australian migration law$9,997
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Samuel Berhanu Woldemariam (Lead) Amy Maguire (CoInvestigator) Donna McNamara (CoInvestigator) Shaun McCarthy (CoInvestigator) |
Scheme | CHSF - Pilot Research Scheme: Projects, Pivots, Partnerships |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2023 |
Funding Finish | 2023 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
CHSF New Start Grant 2023$5,000
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Scheme | CHSF - New Start Scheme |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2023 |
Funding Finish | 2023 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20221 grants / $2,008
CHSF Conference Travel Grant$2,008
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Scheme | CHSF - Conference Travel Scheme |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2022 |
Funding Finish | 2022 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | PhD | Using Ecosystem Approach to Assess the Effectiveness of Indian Regulatory System for Supporting Traditional Farming Communities’ Knowledge | PhD (Law), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2019 | PhD | NSW JPs in the 21st Century: The Voice of NSW Justices of the Peace, Reflections on the Experience and Perceptions on that Role | Law, Newcastle School of Law and Justice | Co-Supervisor |
Past Supervision
Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Masters | Pandemics and the International Legal Order: Between Sovereignty and Solidarity | Law, Newcastle Law School | University of Newcastle | Sole Supervisor |
Research Projects
A Human Rights Evaluation of the Health Requirement under Australian Migration Law 2023 -
Most visa applicants that wish to enter Australia are required to meet the migration health requirement. The requirement supposedly aims to protect the public from the spread of diseases, preserve limited health infrastructures and limit health spending. In this respect, immigration laws perceive the individual migrant’s health condition as a potential threat to the public and to the State. Meanwhile, international human rights law upholds the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the State’s obligation not to discriminate based on the health status of individuals. In the context of children, for example, human rights law requires public actors to make decisions in consideration of the best interest of the child. How would this obligation impact decisions where a child does not meet the migration health requirement due to a pre-existing medical condition or disability? By reviewing the administration of the health requirement and the contemporary discourse on the right to health and non-discrimination, this project seeks to evaluate whether Australian practice accords with human rights obligations.
Grants
A human rights evaluation of the health requirement under Australian migration law
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Scheme | CHSF - Pilot Research Scheme: Projects, Pivots, Partnerships |
Collaborators
Name | Organisation |
---|---|
Doctor Shaun Gerard McCarthy | University of Newcastle |
Associate Professor Amy Michelle Maguire | University of Newcastle |
Doctor Donna Marie McNamara | University of Newcastle |
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Dr Samuel Woldemariam
Position
Lecturer
School of Law and Justice
College of Human and Social Futures
Contact Details
samuel.woldemariam@newcastle.edu.au | |
Phone | 4985 3118 |
Office
Building | New Space Level 5 |
---|---|
Location | Newcastle City Campus , |