Pauls business card looks, if anything, slightly over-crowded: a Bachelor of Arts (Calgary), a Bachelor of Theology (Flinders) (Yes, hes also a Priest! well get to that bit) - a Law Degree (Alberta), a Masters of Law (Melbourne) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Oxford.) There was an initial deviation into Pre-Med after school (Mr Hindmarsh, a seductively inspirational Australian Biology teacher led him astray....), and Paul sometimes laments a degree in Urban Planning might also be useful. Who wouldnt? Paul is obscenely passionate about his research. He feels a moral calling in his role as an academic to lead by example and demonstrate to students we can do better. He eats books for breakfast, choosing to read from dozens of viewpoints: Philosophy to Social Theory, from Historical Biographies to Jurisprudence. (His library card is a little on the tattered side.) Wide reading broadens Pauls knowledge and understanding about how what he researches fits with the rest of the world. He also practices what he preaches, particularly in relation to environmental law: he drives a Prius, pays to off-set carbon emissions when he flies, chases after his kids turning off the lights..... But Paul doesnt ever switch off from his research because to him, it is a way of life. He sees what he does as building on the shoulders of giants; connecting into the broader development of ideas and a way to influence government policy and incite change. His publication record proves hes no slacker in this department. As if all this werent enough, on his day off, instead of preaching at the lectern, Paul preaches at the pulpit. He is the Assistant Priest at Woodville and Wayville Ukranian Catholic churches where he gives homalies on Sundays. Paul sees religion as another way of ultimately understanding justice, for the equitable distribution of possessions has heavy religious influence. Paul established the Research Unit for the study of Society, Law and Religion at The University of Adelaide because he realised nationally there were a group of scholars all studying the role religion plays in the law. It made sense to bring these people together, to network ideas, present papers and collaboratively obtain research funding. Paul hopes to continue to broaden his research about the psychology of property and produce a set of data representative of Australia that supports his theories: Is it human nature to be selfish about property and not care about the impact on other people or the environment? Did the industrial revolution and capitalism create a more self-interested society? Can this somehow be rectified? The benefits of such research can actually be traced back to an individual level. If we have a society that allows an individual to prosper, to become wealthy via opportunity, how can we look at ways to sustain those opportunities for the future? How can we make things better so others dont lose out? If Paul could wish for anything it would be greater funding for his research, an administration fairy to handle the little stuff and the opportunity to dine with some dead folk. Hang on a minute. Say what? When asked about the three people Paul would most like to invite to dinner, he answers: 1: Learned Hand (no kidding, thats his name) US Second Circuit Court of Appeals judge, because of the affinity Paul feels with Learneds writing struggles. 2: Sociologist Talcott Parsons; Paul is fascinated by Talcotts attempt to develop a grand theory to explain the whole of social action. And 3: 1900s baseball player Ty Cobb who played for the Detroit Tigers and who possesses the highest batting average of all time. The last choice is rather fitting. Why did Paul pick Ty? Because Ty didnt just stand there and hit home runs. He was a strategist who worked his way through the options, who meticulously planned his next move, who never ever took his eyes off the ball....who examined all the choices. Funny bout that.
Words by Allayne Webster The Professions The University of Adelaide, AUSTRALIA 5005 Ph : +61 8 8313 0225 Fax : +61 8 8313 4843 e-mail: allayne.webster@adelaide.edu.au