Dr Visakesa Chandrasekaram
Senior Lecturer
PhD, ANU
LLM, ANU
MA, English Literature, Macquarie University
MA, Mass Communication, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
LLB, University of Colombo
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Law & Justice
School of Law, Society & Criminology
Visakesa is an interdisciplinary researcher and practitioner, working in the areas of law, justice, human rights, and creative arts. In Sri Lanka, Visakesa worked as a human rights lawyer. Later, he worked in the community legal centre sector in Australia, applying arts-based methods to deliver community legal education to culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people with intellectual disabilities. Visakesa also worked in several NSW Government Departments including the Department of Justice and the NSW Police Force as a diversity and inclusion practitioner. In 2018, he joined the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, to work as a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Law. He was a Creative Fellow at Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre and ANU Humanities Research Centre in 2024. Visakesa has written several works of fiction and stage play scripts. He has directed three feature films: ‘Frangipani’ (2014); ‘Paangshu’ (2019); and ‘Munnel’ (2023). He has also developed the film-essay ‘Journey’ (2024) to present studies and stories of Sri Lanka’s state-sponsored violence during the conflict and post-conflict times.
E-mail
Location
Room 364
Level 3, Law Building
UNSW Law & Justice
UNSW SYDNEY 2052
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
- Gender Justice and Security GCRF HubÌýGrant for an applied arts project, using film and theatre-based innovative research methods (co-author).Ìý
- Law Society & Trust (Sri Lanka) grant to offer 15 documentary filmmaker fellowships on justice theme, targeting law undergraduates of government universities of Sri Lanka.Ìý
- Right to Life (Sri Lanka) grant to develop the documentary film titled '32' onÌýthe endemic nature of torture in police custody in Sri Lanka. ÌýÌý
- NSW Office of Women grant to deliver a traditional classical dance-based community education program on prevention of family violence, targeting South Asian communities in Western and South Western Sydney areas.
- NSW Law & Justice Foundation grant to develop and deliver a forum theatre-based community legal education program targeting migrant and refugee communities in South West Sydney areas.Ìý
- Tiger Jury Award of 2023 International Film Festival of Rotterdam forÌýMunnelÌýfeature filmÌý
- Best Film Award of 2023 Imagine India Film Festival forÌýMunnelÌýfeature film
- Special Jury Award of 2019 Religions Today International Film Festival forÌýPaangshuÌýfeature film
- Best Film (Humane category) of Indus Valley International Film Festival forÌýPaangshuÌýfeature film
- Best International Film Award of 2015 Rio LGBT Film Festival forÌýFrangipaniÌýfeature film
- Lester James Peiris Award for the Debut Filmmaker forÌýFrangipaniÌýfeature film
- Shortlisted for 2015 Fairway Literary Award forÌýThe King and the AssassinÌý(a fiction)
- NSW Premier’s Violence against Women Award of 2005 forÌýSongs of Anklets, a traditional classical dance-based education program on preventing violence against women in Western Sydney
- Gratiean Prize 1999 forÌýForbidden Area, a playscript
Visakesa uses traditional research/publication methodologies as well as artistic methods, including creative writing, performance arts, and filmmaking, to present his works to academic and non-academic audiences. His key research interests include confessional evidence, especially under counter-terrorism laws; innovative research methodologies, especially applying storytelling, theatre, and film-based methods in research; and the interface of human rights and criminal justice systems, with a special focus on criminalising consensual sex between adult LGBT+ people and criminalizing artistic expression.