LawPod: Recent Episodes
Queen's University - School of Law
In this deeply moving testimonial, author Marie Therese Rogers, whose memoir The Sins of the Mother chronicles her life story, reflects on a childhood shaped by adoption, institutional care, secrecy, and a lifelong search for answers.Born in the early 1950s to an unmarried mother in County Donegal, Marie Therese was separated from her family shortly after birth. After a brief placement with an adoptive family, she was returned to institutional care and spent most of her childhood in Nazareth House, Belfast, where she became known not by her name, but by a number: 51.Marie Therese describes growing up in a world of strict discipline, silence, and emotional deprivation. She recalls the daily routines, the lack of affection, limited education, and the psychological impact of never knowing who she was or where she came from. Her testimony offers a powerful personal insight into the experience of many children raised in religious institutions across Ireland during the twentieth century.As an adult, Marie Therese embarked on a decades-long journey to uncover the truth about her origins. Through persistent requests for records, conversations with former staff, and her own investigative efforts, she gradually pieced together fragments of her family history. Along the way, she discovered unknown siblings, met members of her birth family, and uncovered evidence that challenged what she had previously been told about her adoption.Her story speaks directly to many of the themes explored in our episodes on Adoptee Rights and Access to Records, including:* The importance of access to birth and adoption records. * The lifelong impact of institutionalisation and family separation. * The barriers adoptees often face when seeking information about their origins. * The emotional consequences of secrecy and withheld records. * The need for recognition, accountability, and support for those affected by historical adoption practices.
Despite repeated setbacks, Marie Therese's determination to uncover her past ultimately led her to write The Sins of the Mother, ensuring that her experiences—and those of many others—would not be forgotten.Related LawPod Episodes Adoptee Rights and Access to Records in Northern Irelandhttps://lawpod.org/podcast/adoptee-rights-and-access-to-records-in-northern-ireland/ * Adoptee Rights and Access to Records – Part II*https://lawpod.org/podcast/adoptee-rights-and-access-to-records-part-ii/
Further ReadingMarie Therese Rogers Moloney, The Sins of the MotherA memoir detailing Marie Therese's experiences of adoption, institutional care, and her search for identity and belonging.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sins-Mother-Marie-Therese-Rogers-Moloney/dp/1780730659Content NoteThis episode contains personal accounts relating to adoption, family separation, institutional care, emotional and physical abuse, and trauma. Some listeners may find the content distressing. Support is available through adoption and counselling services for anyone affected by the themes discussed.
LawPod host Dr Lauren Dempster speaks with Oran Finegan, director of Forensic Action International, about his 25+ years as a forensic specialist in humanitarian and human rights work across 50+ global contexts with agencies including the United Nations (UN), The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).Finegan describes beginning in Bosnia in 1998, where documenting mass atrocities underscored both the worst of humanity and the drive to return identities to the dead and support accountability. He emphasises building domestic forensic capacity, culturally and religiously sensitive practice, and trust-building through communication with families and communities, including collaboration with Islamic law scholars on field concerns like autopsy.The discussion covers applications beyond conflict, migration and climate disasters, along with risks, underfunding, and political will. Finegan outlines humanitarian forensics as integrating dignity, system strengthening, and accountability, and shares his current work on planned recovery and analysis at Tuam in Ireland following findings linked to 796 deaths and commingled infant remains.
What happens when the law meets a general-purpose cultural machine?In this episode, hosts Matteo Iuorio and Sofia Debernardi sit down with intellectual property expert Professor Giancarlo Frosio to unpack the massive legal battleground surrounding generative AI. We start with the immediate legal technicalities—separating the liability of tech companies training models from the liability of users prompting them—before sliding into the gripping, high-stakes philosophical landscape of what happens to human labor, law, and purpose as we race toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and superintelligence.Key Takeaways The Two Legal Battlegrounds:Copyright issues with AI are split into two distinct phases: theTraining Stage(ingesting data to extract patterns) and theOutput Stage(whether an AI-generated result is "substantially similar" to a protected work). * Strict Liability & The Neutral Tool Dilemma:Copyright is a strict liability offense. Professor Frosio shares his perspective that AI labs are placing "neutral, general-purpose tools" on the market. Therefore, legal liability for an infringing output should ideally sit with the user prompting it—provided the developer implemented standard safeguards. * The Geopolitical AI Arms Race:Stricter text and data-mining copyright regulations in regions like Europe can function as a bottleneck for local tech development, inadvertently pushing the dominance of the AI "arms race" exclusively toward the US and China. * The Looming Threat to Purpose:*As the operational capabilities of AI shift from narrow tasks to holistic human replication (AGI) and beyond (superintelligence), society faces a massive conundrum: if artificial entities can outperform human intellectual labor completely, what is left for humanity's sense of purpose?
Terminology Glossary
LLM (Large Language Model): Note: Mentioned contextually as "LMS" during the interview recording. These are AI programs trained on vast amounts of text data to understand, summarize, generate, and predict new content.Substantial Similarity: A fundamental legal doctrine used by courts to determine if an unauthorized reproduction has taken too much protectable expression from an original copyrighted work.AGI vs. Superintelligence: Narrow AI handles specific single tasks. Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) can holistically apply knowledge to any task like a human. Superintelligence refers to a theoretical future entity whose collective intellect far surpasses the capacity of the human brain.
References & Links to Explore* Learn more about Professor Frosio's work and research at theGlobal Intellectual Property and Technology Centre (GIP Tech). * Check out the landmark pending litigation referenced in the episode:Getty Images v. Stability AIin the UK. * Learn about the European Union's framework discussed by reading the official documentation on theEU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). * To explore the philosophical warnings mentioned by the "Godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton on AGI and systemic alignment risks, check out hisNobel Prize lecturesand recent AI safety advocacy. * Read up on the historic sci-fi themes referenced at the end of the episode via Isaac Asimov’s classicFoundation Series.
In this episode of LawPod, Dr Alessandro Corda is joined by Professor Joshua Page (University of Minnesota) for an in‑depth conversation tracing his intellectual journey through the sociology of punishment and the politics of criminal justice in the United States.
The discussion is structured around Page’s three major books: The Toughest Beat, which examines the political power of prison officer unions in California; Breaking the Pendulum, which challenges simple narratives of cyclical change in criminal justice policy; and his most recent work, Legal Plunder, co‑authored with Joe Soss, which explores the predatory extraction of resources through the modern criminal justice system.
Across the episode, they explore how penal policy develops over time, the role of organised interests and policy feedback, the limits of reform, and the ongoing struggles that shape punishment at federal, state, and local levels. The conversation also turns to contemporary debates over bail reform, fiscal pressures on local government, and the broader political economy of criminal justice.
In the final part of the episode, Professor Page reflects on living in Minneapolis since the murder of George Floyd, discussing how community mobilisation, public trust, and resistance to state power continue to shape the city’s political and social landscape.
What does the law expect us to do when another person is in immediate danger? And what happens when someone steps in to help — but is injured in the process?In this episode of LawPod, Dr Rosie Cowan and student host Eva Richards speak with Eoin Campbell, a Queen’s graduate and lecturer in legal English in Lyon, France. Eoin shares a powerful and deeply personal account of intervening during a violent attack in a residential car park in France, where he and another passer-by helped save a young woman’s life.The episode uses Eoin’s experience to explore the legal and moral questions surrounding the duty to assist: a concept recognised in French criminal law, but approached very differently in UK and common law systems.
Content noteThis episode includes discussion of a violent assault, strangulation, serious injury, trauma, post-traumatic stress, and the aftermath of criminal proceedings. Listener discretion is advised.
About the episodeIn UK law, there is generally no broad criminal duty to rescue or intervene simply because another person is in danger. Duties to act usually arise only in particular situations — for example, where there is a special relationship, professional responsibility, assumption of care, or where a person has created a danger.French law takes a different approach (Article 223-6 of the French Penal Code). It recognises a more general obligation to assist a person in danger, provided that assistance can be given without serious risk to the rescuer or others. This principle is often discussed in terms of non-assistance à personne en danger — broadly, failure to assist a person in danger.Eoin’s story brings this legal idea into sharp focus. His intervention was not abstract or theoretical. It happened in seconds, under pressure, and with serious consequences. The episode asks not only whether people should help, but also what support should exist for those who do.
Key themes1. The duty to assist in French lawThe conversation introduces the French idea that a person may have a legal duty to help someone in serious danger. That does not necessarily mean physically intervening in every case. Assistance might include calling emergency services, alerting others, or using available safety equipment.Eoin gives the example of seeing someone in difficulty in the sea. A bystander may not be required to swim out and risk their own life, but they may be expected to call for help or throw a life ring if one is available.This distinction matters: the law may encourage assistance, but it does not generally require a person to take unreasonable risks.
- The limits of legal duties in moments of crisisOne of the most striking parts of the episode is the gap between legal theory and real-life decision-making. As Eoin explains, when he saw the attack unfold, he was not weighing legal obligations or statutory wording. He saw someone in immediate danger and acted.That raises a difficult question: if the law says a person should help “if they can”, how realistic is it to expect someone to assess risk calmly in the middle of a violent emergency?The episode explores this tension between:* legal duty;
- moral instinct;
- personal safety;
- public expectations; and
- the reality of split-second decisions.
- The UK and common law contrastRosie places the discussion in its wider legal context by contrasting the French approach with the UK position. In common law systems, criminal liability is usually more cautious about punishing omissions — that is, failures to act.This does not mean that UK law is indifferent to people in danger. Rather, it tends to impose duties to act only in defined circumstances, such as where someone has responsibility for a child, patient, employee, or person in their care.The episode therefore raises a broader philosophical question: should law require solidarity between strangers, or should intervention remain primarily a matter of personal conscience?
- Public messaging and state responsibilityA central issue in the episode is whether public authorities can encourage people to intervene without also providing clear protection or support for those who are injured as a result.Eoin reflects on public campaigns urging people to challenge harassment, violence, and threatening behaviour. He does not reject the moral value behind those campaigns. Instead, he asks what should happen afterwards if someone does step in and suffers physical, psychological, or financial harm.This is one of the episode’s most important questions:
If the state encourages people to protect others, what duty does the state owe to the people who do the protecting?
- Compensation, recognition, and procedural uncertaintyEoin also discusses the aftermath of the incident, including his hand injury, later diagnosis of PTSD, loss of earnings, and attempts to obtain recognition or compensation.His experience highlights the complexity of being neither the original target of the attack nor a conventional complainant, but someone injured while helping another person. The episode does not present this as a simple legal answer. Instead, it uses Eoin’s experience to expose a possible gap between public expectations of bystander intervention and the systems available to support interveners afterwards.The discussion also touches on the importance of clear information for people involved in traumatic incidents: what to report, whether to seek medical evidence, how to preserve legal options, and where to find advice.
Why this episode mattersThis episode is about more than one act of bravery. It asks how law understands responsibility between strangers.Most people would hope that if they were attacked, someone nearby would help. But the law has to answer harder questions. How much help can be expected? What if helping is dangerous? Does the answer change depending on a person’s age, strength, training, or professional background? And if someone is injured while assisting, should they be treated as a victim too?Eoin’s account makes these questions immediate and human. It shows that legal duties are not just rules in books. They operate — or fail to operate — in moments of fear, confusion, violence, and uncertainty.
Questions explored in the episode* Is there a legal duty to help a stranger in danger? * How does French law differ from UK and common law approaches? * What does “assistance” actually require? * Does the law expect physical intervention, or can calling for help be enough? * How should the law account for personal risk? * Should someone injured while helping another person be entitled to compensation? * What responsibilities do public authorities have when they encourage bystander intervention? * Can law reflect moral solidarity without placing unrealistic burdens on individuals?
Legal noteThis episode discusses legal concepts in general terms and through the personal experience of the guest. It is not legal advice. The legal position may depend on jurisdiction, factual context, procedural rules, and the specific wording of relevant legislation. Listeners facing similar issues should seek advice from a qualified legal professional in the relevant jurisdiction.Privacy and sensitivity noteThe episode discusses a real incident involving serious violence. Names and identifying details of private individuals involved in the attack are not used. The focus of the discussion is on the legal, ethical, and policy questions arising from the event.
Learning, Trauma, and Truth: A Student Perspective on Digital InvestigationsWhat does it mean to learn law by documenting real harm in real time?In Part 2 of this two‑episode LawPod series, host Eva Richards is joined by Kenzie Brodie and Briana Mallon, postgraduate students at Queen's University Belfast, to explore the Digital Investigations Lab from the inside. This episode centres the student experience: how it feels to learn open source investigation techniques while working with traumatic material, contested narratives, and the very real lives behind the data.Rather than theory or institutional design, this conversation focuses on practice, the tools students actually use, the cases that stayed with them, the skills they didn't expect to develop, and how doing this work has reshaped the way they think about law, evidence, and responsibility.It is a frank, reflective discussion about learning by doing, and about the emotional and ethical dimensions of researching war crimes from a distance.
Open Source Investigations, AI, and Accountability in ConflictWhat happens when war crimes are filmed in real time — but truth itself becomes contested?In this episode of LawPod, host Eva Richards is joined by Professor Luke Moffett and PhD researcher Lydia Millar, manager of QUB Law’s Digital Investigation Lab, for a deep dive into the fast‑evolving world of open source investigations and their growing importance for law, justice, and accountability.Together, they unpack how publicly available information; from social media videos and satellite imagery to online records, is transforming how lawyers, academics, journalists, and civil society document conflict‑related harms. But they also confront the darker side of this digital revolution: disinformation, AI‑generated fakes, evidentiary scepticism in courtrooms, and widening global inequalities in who gets to investigate who's suffering.This conversation moves from theory to practice, revealing how Queen’s Digital Investigation Lab has supported real‑world litigation and accountability efforts related to Gaza, Syria, Ukraine, and Sudan, and asks what comes next for this powerful and precarious field.
Dr Alice Diver hosts a follow‑up LawPod conversation with Sharon, Maeve, and Brigid from Adopt NI, continuing the discussion on adoptee rights, truth recovery, and Northern Ireland’s forthcoming redress legislation. Building on Episode 1, the guests analyse how the draft bill fails to reflect the human rights framework promised in earlier reports and how lived experience has been overlooked in policymaking.They describe the gap between the Truth Recovery Report's human‑rights‑based recommendations and the bill now emerging: the exclusion of workhouse survivors; the omission of practices such as coercion, systemic separation of mothers and babies, and cross‑border adoption pathways; and the absence of a statutory right to personal records. Participants recount their frustration at being positioned as consultees only in appearance, with little genuine influence, and their exhaustion at repeatedly providing testimony that appears unread or unacted upon.The conversation highlights the lifelong impacts of forced separation, trauma, loss of identity, intergenerational effects, and the emotional labour required to obtain fragmented or redacted records. They stress the need for a victims’ commissioner, mandatory access to archives, accountability for institutions (including state, church, and medical actors), and investment in research, education, and non‑repetition measures. Despite the barriers, the group emphasises the strength of peer support through Adopt NI and the ongoing commitment to advocacy and truth-telling.There is one more episode forthcoming in this series.Further Informationhttps://www.assemblyresearchmatters.org/2025/11/24/inquiry-mother-and-baby-institutions-magdalene-laundries-and-workhouses-and-redress-scheme-bill-a-brief-overview/https://truthrecoverystrategy.com/reports/Alliance for the Study of Adoption & Culture2026 Conference — Alliance for the Study of Adoption & CultureAdoptNIAdoption UK CharityGenetic Stigma in Law and Literature: Orphanhood, Adoption, and the Right to Reunion (Palgrave, 2024) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-46246-7
Dr Nora Burns speaks with PhD students and long-serving Student Skills Assistants (SSAs) Seanin Little and Aislinn Fanning about the Student Skills Assistants Programme at Queen's University Belfast Law School, launched in November 2021 as a COVID-19 response to support undergraduates' transition to university.The programme expanded from supporting first years to include second and third-year students. Over 20 postgraduates have worked as SSAs, delivering student-led educational workshops (e.g., problem questions, critical reading, referencing, using feedback) and community-building events and trips (e.g., cinema, Crumlin Road Jail, courts), as well as one-to-one support.They discuss moving from online to in-person delivery, scheduling around timetables and cost-of-living concerns, exam-prep blog/podcast for take-home exams, teamwork and time management alongside PhDs, collaboration with student societies (Women in Law and Walkie Talkie Girlies/Project Pink), supporting diverse students, and tips emphasising listening to students, wellbeing, and strong mentorship.This episode was recorded summer 2025. The Skills Assistant Programme was managed by Dr Norah Burns until summer 2025.
In this International Women's Day special, LLM student Sofia Debernardi speaks with Dr Evelyn Collins CBE, former Chief Executive of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and Honorary Professor at Queen's University Belfast. Across a remarkable career spanning more than 30 years, Dr Collins has been a central figure in shaping equality law, mainstreaming duties, and policy across Northern Ireland, the UK, and Europe.In conversation with Sofia, she reflects on:* her early ambition to become Northern Ireland’s first female judge; * studying criminology in Toronto and discovering feminism; * her unexpected path into equality law; * leading the newly merged Equality Commission for NI; * influencing European policy, including work on sexual harassment, positive action, and equality bodies; * her role in shaping Section 75, the Good Friday Agreement, and Article 2 of the Windsor Framework; * and her guidance for young people pursuing socially impactful careers in law today.
This episode offers an inspiring insight into how one woman’s commitment to justice and opportunity helped transform equality legislation at home and abroad.
In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, LawPod host Justine Van Essen speaks with Sonya McMullan, who has worked with Women’s Aid for almost 30 years, combining frontline expertise with sustained policy advocacy to influence major legislative change in Northern Ireland.
The episode explores how lived experience, frontline services, and strategic lobbying intersect to shape laws that protect victims and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. Sonya charts the evolution of Women’s Aid’s work: from the development of the first 24/7 domestic abuse helpline in the mid‑1990s, to the introduction of landmark legislation such as the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (NI), the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking) Act, and the non-fatal strangulation offence.
She also sheds light on persistent challenges: under-resourcing, gaps in police training, complex legislative delays, barriers to legal aid, and the urgent need for better protection orders. But the conversation also showcases promising developments including the Domestic Abuse Court pilot, new prevention programmes in schools, and initiatives supporting medical, nursing, social work, and law students to recognise and respond to domestic abuse.
https://www.womensaidni.org/
Dr Alice Diver hosts LawPod with fellow adult adoptees Anita, Richard/Michael, and Michelle to discuss adoptee rights amid Northern Ireland law reform and truth recovery processes.They describe meeting through an Adopt NI peer support group and how reports on institutional abuse prompted them to seek their own histories. The conversation focuses on barriers to accessing adoption, institutional, court, trust, and medical records despite Northern Ireland being an open records jurisdiction, including redactions, missing or destroyed files, inconsistent disclosure, and records held by churches and other gatekeepers.They emphasise the emotional harm, distrust, and "gaps" adoptees face; the need for accountable systems and legislation that ensure complete, reliable access; and the reality that receiving records is only the start, with reunions and identity integration continuing afterwards. They highlight peer support and mentoring through Adopt NI and invite adoptees to seek help.Further InformationAlliance for the Study of Adoption & Culture2026 Conference — Alliance for the Study of Adoption & CultureAdoptNIAdoption UK CharityGenetic Stigma in Law and Literature: Orphanhood, Adoption, and the Right to Reunion (Palgrave, 2024) https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-46246-7
In this episode, Mae Thompson speaks with Prof Luke Moffett, Dr Jessica Dorsey, and Chris Rogers about how artificial intelligence is already reshaping military decision making and what that means for civilian harm, accountability, and redress.The guests distinguish AI‑enabled decision support from lethal autonomy, unpack the cognitive risks of automation bias, anchoring, and de‑skilling, and consider how AI might responsibly support civilian‑harm tracking and investigations through data fusion and triage. They discuss the “triple black box” of accountability (model opacity, military secrecy, and diffused responsibility), the importance of lawful‑by‑design guardrails across the AI lifecycle, and why NGOs must pair new tools with people‑centred documentation. Looking ahead, they reflect on opportunities for a UK statutory redress scheme to deliver prompt acknowledgement, amends, and mitigation—keeping accountability pace with capability while centring affected communities.Prof Luke Moffett — Chair of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, Queen’s University Belfast; author of Algorithms of War: The Human Cost of AI and Conflict (forthcoming, Bristol University Press).Dr Jessica Dorsey — Assistant Professor of International Law, Utrecht University; Director of the Realities of Algorithmic Warfare; expert member of the Global Commission on Responsible AI in the Military Domain; Ambassador for the Lawful by Design initiative; Executive Board Member at Airwars.Chris Rogers — Senior Fellow at the Reiss (Reese) Center on Law and Security, New York University School of Law; former Branch Chief and Law & Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Defense’s Civilian Protection Center of Excellence.This podcast is the sixth in a series of episodes on Civilian Harm in Conflict – hosted by Mae Thompson, advocacy officer at Ceasefire. The podcast is an output of the AHRC‑funded ‘Reparations during Armed Conflict’ project with Queen's University Belfast, University College London and Ceasefire, led by Professor Luke Moffett.
In this episode, Mae Thompson speaks with Dr Kaleigh Heard, Dr Haim Abraham, and Dr Conall Mallory about how the UK could strengthen its approach to civilian harm mitigation and redress at a moment of global uncertainty. Reflecting on the rollback of civilian protection measures in the US and emerging reforms in places like the Netherlands, the guests explore the potential for the UK to assume a leadership role. They discuss the limits of relying solely on litigation, the promise of tort law, the strategic and moral value of compensation and acknowledgement, and the need for a comprehensive, statutory, victim‑centred framework that aligns with international obligations while offering accessible, meaningful redress for affected communities. Despite the challenging geopolitical landscape, the conversation highlights genuine opportunities for constructive change in UK policy.Dr Kaleigh Heard — Lecturer, UCL Department of Political Science; Deputy Director of the MA Human Rights; Director of the APPG on Modern Conflict; advisor to the US DoD Center of Excellence on Civilian Protection.Dr Haim Abraham — Assistant Professor of Law, UCL; author of Tort Liability in Warfare: State Wrongs and Civilian Rights(OUP, 2024).Dr Conall Mallory — Senior Lecturer in Law, Queen’s University Belfast; Fellow of the Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.This podcast is the fifth in a series of episode on Civilian Harm in Conflict – hosted by Mae Thompson, advocacy officer at Ceasefire. The podcast is an output of the AHRC funded ‘Reparations during Armed Conflict‘ project with Queen’s University Belfast, University College London and Ceasefire, led by Professor Luke Moffett.
Host Dr Ciara Hackett, SWAN Champion at the School of Law, discusses corporate governance and board diversity with a focus on gender and sexuality. Special guests include Karen McShane, an experienced civil engineer and transport planner, and Dr Ciaràn O'Kelly, a scholar on accountability and governance infrastructures.The panel delves into the Equality Act 2010, recent legal rulings surrounding gender recognition, and their impacts on board diversity. Karen shares her experiences and insights on the role of diverse boards in driving organisational success, the importance of EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) policies, and the evolving landscape of corporate governance. The discussion underscores the significance of inclusive practices and forward planning in achieving long-term societal and organisational benefits.
In this episode, hosted by Mae Thompson from Ceasefire, panellists Dr Elizabeth Stubbins Bates, Mark Lattimer, Executive Director, Ceasefire and Dr Conall Mallory, Director, QUB Human Rights Centre, discuss the UK's approach to addressing civilian harm caused by military operations.They explore the gaps in current redress mechanisms, the importance of tracking and investigating civilian harm, and the potential for a UK civilian harm redress scheme. The conversation covers historical issues, political disincentives, and best practices from international examples, emphasising the need for more comprehensive and proactive investigations. Insights from legal and military experts underline the critical importance of transparency, accountability, and the recognition of civilian suffering.This podcast is the fourth in a series of episode on Civilian Harm in Conflict – hosted by Mae Thompson, advocacy officer at Ceasefire. The podcast is an output of the AHRC funded ‘Reparations during Armed Conflict‘ project with Queen’s University Belfast, University College London and Ceasefire, led by Professor Luke Moffett.
In this episode of Part 3, Julia Viebach speaks with Gina Cabarcas Maciá, co-founder and director of the Political and Criminal Justice Lab in Bogota, about the vital role of records in Colombia's transitional justice process. With over 50 years of armed conflict and multiple transitional justice mechanisms operating since 2006, Colombia has developed a complex approach to documenting human rights violations—from judicial records and physical artifacts to testimonies from perpetrators, victims, and communities.
The conversation explores how different types of records—including judicial files, testimonies, and digitalized archives—contribute to establishing truth, documenting gendered violence, and locating disappeared persons. Gina discusses the Colombian Truth Commission's groundbreaking decision to digitalize all testimonies and the challenges of coordinating between multiple mechanisms. She also highlights the ongoing challenge of securing collective accountability from state actors and the critical role civil society organizations play in preserving intelligence archives and documenting what has been silenced.
About: Gina Cabarcas Maciá is a lawyer and historian who serves as co-founder and director of the Political and Criminal Justice Lab in Bogota. She coordinates support projects for Colombia's Special Jurisdiction for Peace and leads the systematization and analysis of information across multiple transitional justice initiatives. Her work bridges criminal investigation with historical documentation, combining expertise in human rights violations documentation with decolonial approaches to transitional justice.
More information: Political and Criminal Justice Lab, Colombia's Truth Commission, Unit for the Search of Disappeared Persons, Special Jurisdiction for Peace
The 3-part series "Can the record be trusted?" explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queen's University Belfast in November 2024.
This episode introduces the accountability project ISIS Prisons Museum. In her conversation, Dagmar Hovestädt explores the origins and methodology of this long-term investigation with its co-director Amr Khito and web developer Alan Woo. The team behind the ISIS Prisons Museum, for short IPM, documents former prison sites and mass graves of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and turns them into 3D tours and online investigations for families, researchers, and prosecutors. Prisons were a central instrument of ISIS rule. Ordinary schools, churches, houses or even a stadium were turned into detention sites, and the IPM revealed systematic patterns of repression and crimes by documenting and analyzing more than 100 such places. The investigations combine spatial documentation and 3D modeling of former prison sites with left-behind administrative documents and hundreds of witness testimonies of former detainees. The project is rooted in Syrian journalists’ and ex-prisoners’ own experiences; trust comes from shared histories of imprisonment and exile, and from a deliberate choice to center survivors’ voices in how ISIS’s crimes are remembered. Few weeks after the recording of this episode, the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the country and the door to investigate the horrendous crimes in Syrian state prisons was opened. The Prisons Museum team launched its second project in September of 2025, the Syria Prisons Museum. ABOUT: Amr Khito is a Syrian journalist, former political prisoner, and co-director of the Prisons Museum. He began documenting the Syrian uprising in 2011 together with other journalists and filmmakers and later shifted to coordinate 3D recording of emptied prison buildings, hundreds of witness interviews and research with affected families. Alan Woo is a designer and web developer who works at the intersection of visual communication, data architecture, and social justice. Drawing on training in graphic design, he develops digital infrastructures and interfaces for the Prisons Museum, focusing on organizing large-scale visual and documentary evidence so it becomes searchable and meaningful for families, researchers, and investigators. More information: https://prisons.museum https://syria.prisons.museum https://isis.prisons.museum The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024.
What happens when the law meets the natural world? In this episode of LawPod, Dr Jocelyn Bosse joins Dr Ciarán O'Kelly to explore the fascinating intersection of intellectual property rights, biodiversity, and food security. Fresh from being awarded the prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, Dr Bosse shares insights from her ambitious research project, ‘A Century of Propertising Plants: examining the role of intellectual property law in protecting biodiversity and food security’, which examines how plant IP laws have influenced agriculture over the past hundred years—and what that means for the future.From the origins of plant patents in the 1930s to today’s debates on CRISPR gene editing, this conversation unpacks the tensions between innovation and biodiversity, the role of law in shaping science, and the global implications for food security. Whether you’re curious about how IP law affects what ends up on your plate or the ethical questions behind controlling nature, this episode offers a deep dive into one of the most overlooked areas of law.A PhD studentship funded by the Department for the Economy (DfE) is also available with Dr Bosse.https://law.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofLaw/news/qub-dfe-plants-biodiversity-food-security.html
In this opening episode of Part 3, Ulrike Lühe talks to Nataliia Gladkova about preserving digital evidence of human rights violations in Ukraine. Nataliia is the Ukrainian Archive Program Manager at Mnemonic, where she oversees the collection and verification of over 7.6 million open-source records—including satellite imagery and social media content, predominantly from Telegram—documenting the impact of Russia's invasion.
The conversation explores how digital tools have transformed documentation work, from automated collection systems to AI-assisted analysis, while maintaining rigorous verification standards. A key theme is balancing accessibility with protection: ensuring the Ukrainian people's right to know while addressing security concerns, privacy protections, and evidentiary requirements for legal accountability. Nataliia also discusses cross-archival collaborations with the Syrian Archive to examine patterns of Russian military actions across conflicts.
About: Nataliia Gladkova was the Ukraine Archive Program Manager at Mnemonic, overseeing the collection and preservation of over 7.6 million digital records documenting human rights violations in Ukraine. She coordinated confidential investigations for war crimes units and international justice actors, and participated in academic consortiums exploring AI applications in human rights documentation.
More information: Mnemonic, Ukrainian Archive, Syrian Archive
The 3-part series "Can the record be trusted?" explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queen's University Belfast in November 2024.
In this episode of LawPod, Professor Lydia Bleasdale from the University of Leeds joins Dr Norah Burns to share her journey and insights in the field of legal education.
Professor Bleasdale talks about her unexpected path to studying law, the impact of inspiring mentors, and her work as the Director of Community and Belonging at the Law School. She outlines her research on student resilience, the importance of understanding diverse student needs, and how to better support introverted students. The conversation also touches on the challenges and opportunities posed by AI in legal education and the Connecting Legal Education network's role in fostering innovative teaching practices.
Highlighting personal experiences and professional advice, this episode offers valuable perspectives for current and future legal educators.
This episode invites you to a conversation Ulrike Lühe has with Ahmed Abofoul, international human rights lawyer at the Palestinian NGO Al-Haq. Speaking from his deep experience documenting grave violations against Palestinians under Israeli occupation, Ahmed reveals the challenges and stakes of building an evidentiary record amid protracted conflict and state obstruction.
The methodological rigor of Al-Haq’s evidence collection—including on-the-ground fieldwork, open-source investigations, and advanced digital tools employed in a joint project with Forensic Architecture—ensures their documentation is admissible in courts and withstands political pressure and scrutiny.
Ahmed reflects on the contextualising of discrete violations within broader patterns of occupation and apartheid is essential for understanding and legally characterising the situation. While digititilisation enhances accessibility and verification, he reminds us that it brings unique risks under occupation, requiring careful balance between transparency and the protection of sources and witnesses.
About: Ahmed Abofoul is a Gaza-born international lawyer and Senior Legal Researcher and Advocacy Officer at Al-Haq, a leading Palestinian human rights organisation based in Ramallah. Now based in The Hague, he specialises in documenting violations of international law and advocating before global accountability mechanisms. With extensive field and legal expertise, Abouful is recognised for his meticulous work supporting justice for Palestinians.
More Information: Al Haq home page / Forensic Architecture Investigation Unit / Forensic Architecture home page
The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024.
In this episode of Law Pod, host Kenneth Elo interviews Professor Warren Barr, the new head of the School of Law at Queen's University Belfast. Professor Barr shares insights into his career journey, which spans nearly three decades and includes leadership roles at major UK law schools such as Liverpool, Cardiff, and Birmingham.
He discusses his educational philosophy, the significance of soft skills in legal education, and his vision for the future of Queen's Law School.
The conversation also explores transformative experiences in legal education, the impact of generative AI, and the importance of striking a balance between ambition and a healthy work-life balance. Professor Barr emphasises the value of co-curricular activities and encourages students and staff to engage and collaborate openly.
The next episode in the series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024.
In this episode Dagmar Hovestadt talks to Marija Ristic about the cutting edge of digital evidence in contemporary human rights investigations. Marija is the head of Amnesty International’s Digital Evidence Lab. In the conversation she shares how multidisciplinary teams combine field research, satellite imagery, open-source intelligence, and digital communication to document complex crises such as Gaza and Iran.
Marija reflects on the fact that digital evidence now plays a central role in documenting human rights violations, especially in inaccessible or highly dangerous environments such as Gaza and Iran. While Amnesty International’s processes are rigorous, they constantly must adapt to different contexts, balancing authenticity, security, and privacy concerns in the collection and use of records.
A recent exciting initiative in this field is the Digital Verification Corps in which new generations of volunteers contribute to accountability efforts and document with digital tools, multiplying research capacity and supporting large-scale investigations.
About: Marija Ristic is a seasoned human rights investigator heading Amnesty International’s Digital Evidence Lab, focusing on crisis zones and digital documentation. She coordinates the Digital Verification Corps, mentoring global university teams in digital investigation and ethical verification practices. Marija draws on her background of reporting on post-Yugoslav war crimes, blending legal expertise with innovative research approaches.
More information:
Amnesty Evidence Lab
Digital Verification Corps
In this episode of LawPod, Dr Eithne Dowds, a senior lecturer in law at Queen’s University Belfast, is joined by Professor Julia Quilter from the University of Wollongong, Australia. They discuss Professor Quilter's research on rape law reform and intoxication evidence in rape trials and compare the legal landscapes in Northern Ireland and Australia. The conversation touches on historical and contemporary evolution of the laws, the impact of intoxication evidence, and the challenges of addressing rape myths within the courtroom.Dr Dowds and Professor Quilter explore the complex dynamics of legal reforms aiming to protect victims and improve the courtroom experience for complainants while ensuring a fair trial for defendants. Points of comparison between Northern Ireland and Australia highlight the ongoing struggle to bridge the gap between progressive legal reforms and real-world courtroom practice. The episode brings to light how these issues play out across different legal systems.
In this episode, Dr Ulrike Lühe speaks with Raji Abdul Salam, Chief Legal Data Archive Analyst at the Reckoning Project. In this conversation, Raji reveals how analysing thousands of testimonies uncovered the systematic genocide against Yazidi people—patterns invisible in individual cases. The conversation explores why "immutability" is sacred in digital evidence, how AI both accelerates and threatens documentation work, and a provocative question: with unlimited storage capacity, should we archive everything? "I always trust the archive that has a methodology," Raji argues. "But I don't trust the people who manage it."
About: Raji Abdul Salam is Chief Legal Data Archive Analyst at the Reckoning Project, with extensive experience documenting war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine, including building legal cases under universal jurisdiction.
More information: The Reckoning Project
The 3-part series "Can the record be trusted?" explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024.
The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024.
In this episode, Dagmar Hovestädt speaks with Robert Petit, a long-term prosecutor of international crimes - from the Rwanda Tribunal to Cambodia, Sierra Leone, and East Timor – and current head of the UN-mandated International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) dealing with crimes under International Law in Syria since March 2011. Only weeks after the recording of this conversation, the Assad regime fell, changing some aspects of the mechanism’s mandate but keeping its core untouched.
Created by the UN General Assembly in 2016 after repeated attempts to refer Syria to the ICC were vetoed, the IIIM has a unique mandate: to collect, consolidate, preserve, and analyze evidence of serious crimes under International Law committed in Syria since March 2011 – not for its own legal activities, but in the service of current and future legal accountability measures.
Robert explains how the IIIM uses criminal law standards, rigorous authentication protocols and complex information management systems to build a long-term repository. It sources its information from documents and data from civil society organizations and international bodies. The IIIM generates additional evidence through witness statements and the analysis of provided documentation, all of which is only accessible to competent jurisdictions. The material collected by the IIIM has already supported 210 distinct investigations across 16 jurisdictions.
About: Robert Petit is the head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM). He previously served as International Co-Prosecutor at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Senior Trial Attorney at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and began his international career at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 1996.
More information: IIIM
The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queen's University Belfast in November 2024.
In this episode, Dagmar Hovestädt speaks with Dr. Trudy Huskamp Peterson, international consultant on archives and human rights. With decades of experience—from the U.S. National Archives to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees—Trudy has worked with archives of truth commissions, international tribunals, and other conflict archives worldwide, including in Guatemala, South Africa, Honduras, Rwanda, Cambodia and Sierra Leone.
The conversation revolves around Trudy’s groundbreaking work on preserving truth commission records and explores the unresolved challenge of international tribunal archives. With multiple tribunals closing, questions about who will make access decisions and ensure long-term preservation remain desperately unresolved.
From her perspective, the current next generation of vast amounts of digital data in human rights violations - from electronic records to DNA samples in conflict contexts – is to be looked at through an archival lens: "Preservation is not a problem to be solved. It is a process to be managed."
About: Dr. Trudy Huskamp Peterson is an international consultant specializing in archives and human rights. She began her work at the U.S. National Archives and after 20 years embarked on an international journey in support of human rights and records. She has consulted for truth commissions, international tribunals, and the UN on archival issues worldwide. She is a longtime member of the International Council on Archives and a co-founder of its Section on Archives and Human Rights
More: Trudy Huskamp Peterson and International Council on Archives
The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024.
In this opening episode, Dr Julia Viebach speaks with Babacar Ndaye, former Senior Program Officer with the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL in Iraq (UNITAD). The conversation explores the immense challenge of managing millions of digital files retrieved from ISIS-controlled territories—from battlefield evidence on hard drives and drones to administrative documents detailing the organization's operations.
UNITAD partnered with Microsoft to deploy AI tools for processing this vast corpus of data, while maintaining forensic standards and chain of custody. Babcar reflects on critical questions about authentication, the role of civil society organizations as first responders, and the uncertain future of UNITAD's archive, now held in New York without a clear mandate for use.
About: Babacar Ndaye has worked with the United Nations for over 11 years as an information systems specialist, including serving as Senior Program Officer with UNITAD in Baghdad from 2018-2024.
More information: UNITAD
https://lawpod.org/can-the-record-be-trusted/
Mentioned in this episode:
Series Introduction
In the third episode of the mini-series on Civilian Harm in Conflict, host Mae Thompson is joined by Erin Bijl (PAX, Dutch NGO) and Major Steven van de Put (Royal Netherlands Air Force, former student) to explore the Dutch approach to accountability for civilian harm.
This episode delves into the evolution of the Dutch accountability framework, spotlighting the 2015 Hawija airstrike in Iraq, which killed over 80 civilians during a Dutch-led bombing of an ISIS factory. The discussion examines the role of civil law in holding the Dutch state accountable, recent transparency and compensation measures by the Dutch Defense Ministry, and the effectiveness of community-level responses. By contrasting the Dutch model with the UK's slower progress, the episode offers insights into how states can improve accountability practices.Resources
- PAX Report: Community-Level Responses to Harm: Lessons Learned from IraqLink: protectionofcivilians.org/report/community-level-responses-to-harm-lessons-learned-from-iraq/
- Civilian Protection MonitorLink: https://civilianprotectionmonitor.org
This podcast is the third in a series of episode on Civilian Harm in Conflict – hosted by Mae Thompson, advocacy officer at Ceasefire. The podcast is an output of the AHRC funded ‘Reparations during Armed Conflict‘ project with Queen’s University Belfast, University College London and Ceasefire, led by Professor Luke Moffett.
In this special episode Katie O’Doherty delves into the illegal waste dumping scandal at the Mobuoy dump near the River Faughan in Northern Ireland, a scandal described by Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir as a "sophisticated and deliberate environmental crime of unprecedented scale”.
It explores the background of this large scale environmental crime, discussing systemic failures and the roles of governmental agencies. Interviews with environmental activists James Orr from Friends of the Earth and Dean Blackwood from the River Faughan Anglers and The Environmental Gathering shed light on the significance of the recent sentencing of two company directors, the importance of the first “Victim Personal Statement” given by a river in Northern Ireland, and ongoing calls for a public inquiry.
The discussion also touches on the broader implications for environmental governance, the need for recognising the rights of nature, and the systemic issues impacting environmental protection in post-conflict societies.
Throughout the episode you will hear excerpts of the Victim Personal Statement on behalf of the river that was put to music by students from Lawpod – The statement was submitted as part of court proceedings prior to sentencing.
https://friendsoftheearth.uk/northern-ireland
https://www.faughan.org
https://www.ursulaburns.co.uk/post/13-riot-police-and-a-harp
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c365yn4d907o
https://youtu.be/RMj8w7Zbls4
Thanks to Lawpod Students Katie O’Doherty Presenter and Narrator
Eva Richards – Cello
Alexandra Elizabeth Morar – Violin
In the second episode of the mini-series on Civilian Harm in Conflict, host Mae Thompson from Ceasefire, the Center for Civilian Rights, explores the issues of civillian harm and reparations for victims of military actions in Yemen.
The discussion features insights from Bonyan Gamal, a lawyer based in Sana'a Yemen and Program Manager of the Yemeni Archive, Kristine Beckerle, Deputy Regional Director of Amnesty International for the Middle East and North Africa and co-investigator on the Reparations for Civilian Harm in Conflict project, and Professor Luke Moffett from Queen's University School of law. The guests explore the various harms experienced by Yemeni civilians, including psychological, economic, and direct physical impacts, and discuss the obstacles and potential solutions for obtaining reparations and accountability.
The conversation emphasises the need for a victim-centered approach, improved state policies, and the importance of international support and acknowledgment to address the long-standing grievances and ensure non-repetition of violations.
This podcast is the second in a series of episode on Civilian Harm in Conflict – hosted by Mae Thompson, advocacy officer at Ceasefire. The podcast is an output of the AHRC funded ‘Reparations during Armed Conflict‘ project with Queen’s University Belfast, University College London and Ceasefire, led by Professor Luke Moffett.
In this special episode of QUB LawPod, host Taylor Montgomery interviews Philip Armstrong, a solicitor, founder of Armstrong Solicitors and Chair of the Law Society of Northern Ireland's Conveyancing and Property Committee.Philip shares his journey from a non-legal family background to founding a successful high street law firm in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. He discusses his early career experiences, the importance of work experience in different types of firms, and his realisation that helping people is central to the legal profession. Philip also explains the unique culture of his firm, its innovative use of technology and social media, and his vision for the future of high street law firms in an evolving legal landscape.The episode highlights the challenges and rewards of running a law firm, the significance of client care, and the potential for new graduates in the field.
In this episode of LawPod, hosts Alessandro Corda and Teresa Degenhardt interview Professor Máximo Sozzo, a distinguished academic in criminology from The National University of the Littoral in Argentina.
Professor Sozzo discusses his educational background, influences, and extensive work in the fields of sociology of punishment and prison studies.
The conversation explores Argentina's political and penal history, the rise of punitive measures in Latin America, the need for decolonising criminology, and the challenges faced by academia in Argentina.
Sozzo also shares insights on his ongoing research projects, including a comprehensive study on Argentina's penal metamorphosis and a comparative project on prison transparency. Join us for an in-depth discussion on the nuances of criminology, both locally and globally.
Prof Sozzo gave the Queen's University Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice Annual Lecture 2025 - you can view the lecture here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WLq_xwUOwI
In this episode, clinical psychologist and forensic anthropologist Dr Shari Eppel discusses her work finding, exhuming and identifying the remains of the disappeared of Matabeleland, Zimbabwe. Dr Beatrice Canossi and Dr Lauren Dempster speak to Shari about how she became involved in efforts to recover the disappeared, her experience of training a local team in this, the importance of recovering the disappeared for families and communities, and the challenges encountered when trying to recover the disappeared.
Please note this episode contains discussion of death and mass violence, including torture and rape.
This was episode was recorded in March 2025 during a visit by Shari to Belfast [https://www.qub.ac.uk/Research/GRI/mitchell-institute/news/TransitionalJusticeClusterEvents.html]
You can learn more about Shari’s work in this area in the publications below:
Eppel, Shari, “How Shall We Talk of Bhalagwe? Remembering the Gukurahundi Era in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe”: in Wale, Kim, Pumla Goboda-Madikizela, Jeffrey Prager (Eds), Post-Conflict Hauntings: Transforming Memories of Historical Trauma, Palgrave MacMillan, Cham, Switzerland, 2020.
Eppel, Shari, “Healing the Dead in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: Combining Tradition with Science to Restore Personhood After Massacres”: in Benyera, Everisto (Ed), Indigenous, Traditional and Non-State Transitional Justice in Southern Africa: Zimbabwe and Namibia, Lexington Books, New York, 2019.
Eppel, Shari: “The Heroic and the Hidden Dead: Zimbabwe and Exhumations”: in Groen, W.J. Mike, Nicholas Marquez-Grant, Robert C. Janaway (Eds), Forensic Archaeology: A Global Perspective, Wiley Blackwell, Netherlands, 2015.
Eppel, Shari: “‘Bones in the Forest’ in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: exhumations as a tool to transformation”, International Journal of Transitional Justice, September 2014.
Eppel, Shari: “The silencing of the bones” Zimbabwe Update No 2: Solidarity Peace Trust, March 2011.
Can be accessed at: http://www.solidaritypeacetrust.org/author/shariep/
Eppel, Shari: “Healing the dead: exhumation and reburial as a route to truth telling and peace building in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe”: in Borer, Tristan Ann (editor) Telling the Truths: Truth telling and peace building in post conflict societies, Joan B Kroc Peace Institute, Notre Dame University Press, 2004. Can be accessed via http://www.solidaritypeacetrust.org/488/healing-the-dead/
Eppel, Shari: “Reburial Ceremonies for Health and Healing after State Terror”: in The Lancet, Vol 360 (issue 9336), 14th September, 2002.
LawPod host Maddy Kowalenko discusses the intricate relationship between sport and the law with Professor Jack Anderson.
A distinguished scholar in sports law, Professor Anderson explores topics such as safeguarding athletes, financial sustainability in professional sports, the rise of esports, gender equity, doping, and the integration of AI. Key legal issues discussed include match-fixing, proper concussion protocols, gender inclusion in sports governance, and the evolving framework for women's sports. This episode gives listeners a deep dive into the complex legal ecosystem surrounding the world of sports.
This podcast is the first in a series of episode on Civilian Harm in Conflict - hosted by Mae Thompson, advocacy officer at Ceasefire. The podcast is an output of the AHRC funded 'Reparations during Armed Conflict' project with Queen's University Belfast, University College London and Ceasefire, led by Professor Luke Moffett.
Mark Lattimer, Executive Director of Ceasefire joins the podcast. Ceasefire have written a number of reports on civilian harm, in particular on the case for the UK to adopt a reparation scheme for overseas military operations and more recently on arbitrary detention in Ukraine.
Professor Fionnuala ní Aólain has written extensively on the issue of counter-terrorism and in one of her final reports as UN Special Rapporteur highlighted the impact of new technologies on civilians.
Professor Luke Moffett has called for a harm based approach to reparations in the midst of ongoing hostilities, such as in Ukraine.
Our colleagues on the CIVCOM project have written this blog on EJILtalk on reparations for civilian harm.
In this episode of LawPod, your host Kenneth Elo sits down with three dynamic second-year law students at Queen’s University Belfast to explore the world of student ambassador programs—what they are, how to land one, and why they’re such a powerful addition to any law student’s journey.
Anjana Chengun, Usman Aslam, and Eva Livadaris share their experiences representing organizations like A&O Shearman, Legal Cheek, Legal Business Minds, and Barbri. From promoting legal opportunities on campus to building professional networks on LinkedIn, these ambassadors reveal what it takes to thrive in the role—and how it's shaped their confidence, skills, and future legal careers.
Whether you’re a student considering applying, or an employer thinking of launching or improving your own campus program, this episode is full of actionable advice, behind-the-scenes stories, and tips for success.
For access to student ambassador opportunities;
https://www.oncampuspromotions.co.uk/
Check out Kenneth Elo's supporting blog post - Representing More Than a Brand: The Real Impact of Student Ambassador Programs
This episode of LawPod, hosted by law student Alexandra Morar, marks the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Alexandra speaks with Brian Dooley, Senior Advisor at Human Rights First and Honorary Professor at Queen’s, who recently returned from Ukraine.
Brian shares his experiences investigating the killing of human rights defender Tigran Galustyan and providing first-hand accounts of the daily realities and human rights work in conflict zones like Kharkiv. He discusses the dangers and challenges faced by local volunteers rescuing civilians from the front lines, the impact of Russian attacks, and the ongoing efforts to document and promote the critical human rights work happening amid the conflict.
In this special International Women's Day episode of LawPod, host Ellie Blair sits down with Aisling Cannon and Shauna McKey, members of the Walkie Talkie Girlies society. Founded in November 2023 at Queen's University, the society aims to improve women's safety by organising group walks, particularly in response to unsettling experiences both women have had.
The discussion touches on the origins and inspiring growth of the society to over 500 members, its significant projects like Project Pink, and its collaborative work with government, local businesses and tech companies to ensure member safety.
Aisling and Shauna also talk about their future aspirations for the society, potential expansions, and how involvement in this initiative shapes their career goals. They emphasise the need for legislative reform and early education about healthy relationships as fundamental ways to protect women, both on the streets and in their homes.
In this special International Women's Day episode of LawPod, host Katie O'Doherty interviews Olivia Ferran and Jenna Mullan, co-chairs of Queen's University's Women in Law Society.
They discuss their society's mission to support female law students through informative events, mentoring programs, and promoting a positive well-being environment. The episode explores the importance of female-based societies, personal motivations for joining, challenges women face in the legal profession, combating imposter syndrome, and the critical role of women in legislating. They also talk about upcoming International Women's Day plans, including a panel discussion and their annual networking event.
In this episode, Dr. Yassin Brunger converses with Dr. Astrid Reisinger-Coracini (University of Vienna) about the challenges and implications surrounding the crime of aggression in international law.
Dr. Coracini, a member of the Austrian delegation at the International Criminal Court Assembly of State Parties in 2023, discusses the significant gaps and potential reforms in the legal frameworks governing the crime of aggression, drawing insights from historical contexts and current geopolitical conflicts, particularly the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They explore how the international community addresses such crimes and the essential pathways for justice and accountability.
In this special episode of LawPod, Dr. Yassin Brunger (Queen’s University Belfast) interviews Dr. Priya Pillai, Executive Director of the Asia Justice Coalition, on the challenges and prospects of international criminal justice in Asia.
They discuss the anniversary of Myanmar's military offensive against the Rohingya, the role of civil society in seeking justice, and the importance of regional collaboration in addressing mass atrocities.
Dr. Pillai emphasizes the need for international treaties on crimes against humanity and the significance of states’ commitment to prevent such crimes. They explore the complexities of achieving justice for survivors and the potential for international institutions to learn from grassroots and regional efforts.
In this episode of LawPod, hosts Kane Miller and Ella Murphy, both law students, interview Northern Ireland Commissioner Johanna Higgins and John Curtis, in-house counsel at the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).
They discuss their backgrounds and roles at the CCRC, explaining how the Commission investigates potential miscarriages of justice. Johanna and John elaborate on the CCRC's powers under the Criminal Appeal Act 1995, including obtaining information from public and private entities, and their ability to have cases re-examined by the courts. They highlight specific cases, the application process, challenges faced, and the importance of raising awareness about the CCRC's work, especially among legal professionals, students, and the general public.
In this episode of LawPod, Dr Alice Diver from the School of Law converses with Kyung-eun Lee, director of Human Rights Beyond Borders, about the multifaceted issues surrounding intercountry adoption.They discuss the truth recovery process in Northern Ireland, the historical and ongoing human rights violations associated with adoption practices worldwide, and the evolving landscape of adoptee activism.The conversation underscores the importance of rectifying past injustices, understanding the systemic nature of these abuses, and ensuring that the right to know one's origin is universally recognized. The discussion also touches upon the roles of governments, private agencies, and the broader international community in addressing these deep-rooted issues.Further Readinghttps://www.amazon.com/Global-Orphan-Adoption-System-Development/dp/8996879878https://www.theuniversalasian.com/post/books-the-global-orphan-adoption-system-by-dr-kyung-eun-leehttps://www.hrbb.org/https://www.hrbb.org/post/recent-adoption-related-lawsuits-in-korea
In this episode, Dr. Alessandro Corda and Dr. Elizabeth Agnew sit down with Dr. Clara Rigoni, Maître Assistante at the Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), to discuss her book Honour-Based Violence and Forced Marriages: Community and Restorative Practices in Europe (Routledge).
The book explores innovative approaches to addressing honour-based violence and forced marriages through alternative programs, presenting new empirical from case studies from the UK and Norway. Highlighting secular, community-based initiatives and multi-agency models, the conversation delves into how pluralism and the rule of law can be reconciled to improve women's access to justice, reduce secondary victimisation, and ensure more effective responses to these complex issues.
In this episode, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Professor of Law at Queen's University, Belfast, and former UN Special Rapporteur on Counterterrorism and Human Rights, interviews Mansoor Adayfi, a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay. They discuss Mansoor's experiences at Guantanamo, his work as an author and human rights advocate, and his memoir 'Don't Forget Us Here'. Mansoor shares stories about his writings, art, and his campaign to close Guantanamo. The conversation explores themes of resistance, the human spirit, and the ongoing struggles of former detainees. Mansoor emphasises the need for justice, accountability, and the closure of Guantanamo Bay.
You can find the discussed images on the LawPod Blog. https://lawpod.org/dont-forget-us-here-an-interview-with-mansoor-adayfi/
In the 2024 Seamus Deane lecture, acclaimed novelist Amitav Ghosh, hosted by Field Day, the Derry Playhouse, and the School of Law, explores themes from his book 'The Nutmeg's Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis.'
Ghosh places colonialism, the ecological, and cultural legacies of the West at the heart of understanding climate change, describing it as humanity's most profound cultural challenge. He intertwines Irish history with the story of the Banda Islands, highlighting the relentless exploitation and the resultant ecological crises, urging for a recognition of non-human agency and the political and moral urgency to address the climate catastrophe.
With an Introduction by Stephen Rea.
Thanks to Stephen Ray of Field Day, musician Neil Martin, Kevin Murphy of The Playhouse and his producer Gary McCrossan and the University of Notre Dame, Dublin
In this episode, host and PhD candidate, Niharika Salar discusses the challenges of buying concert tickets at face value in the digital age. Joined by PhD researcher Katherine Pittalis from Queen's Law School, the conversation explores ticketing bots, dynamic pricing, and the broader impacts on fans and the music industry.
They unpack the types of bots involved, the issues of transparency and enforcement in existing legislation, and explore potential solutions. The episode sheds light on the frustration felt by consumers and the need for technological and regulatory measures to create a fairer ticket purchasing environment.
In this compelling episode, Dr John Taggart from Queen's University Belfast interviews Dr. Shona Minson, a barrister-turned-criminologist, about her research journey and the critical issues at the intersection of law, punishment, and justice.Dr Minson discusses her background, her transition from legal practice to academia, and her ground-breaking research on maternal sentencing and the impact of imprisonment on children. She reflects on the ethical complexities of prison reform and abolition and shares insights from her paper delivered at the Irish North-South Criminology Conference.This episode was recorded during the North South Criminology Conference earlier in the year.
In this episode of LawPod, Dr Lauren Dempster talks with Brenda Mondragón Toledo, a recent PhD graduate from UCC, about her research on gender-based violence, particularly the political myth of state sexual violence in Mexico. The discussion covers historical instances dating back to the 20th century, focusing on major cases like Atenco and their impact on legal precedents. Brenda emphasizes the importance of using feminist approaches in research to recognize and resist systematic sexual violence. The conversation also explores the perception of police in Mexico and touches on international implications and parallels.https://autonomies.org/2021/03/rita-segato-reading-patriarchy/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5AAscy7qbIThis episode was recorded during the North South Criminology Conference earlier in the year.
In this episode of LawPod, Dr. Amanda Kramer and Professor Justin Piché discuss Piché's new book (co-authored with Rachel Herzing), 'How to Abolish Prisons: Lessons from the Movement Against Imprisonment.'The book examines the objectives and practices of abolitionist organizers in Canada and the United States, highlighting the tangible successes and challenges of the prison abolition movement. They delve into historical and contemporary reasons for imprisonment, the contradictions within the prison industrial complex, and the societal need to abolish prisons.Piché shares insights from his own activism, including campaigns against prison expansion, and outlines various strategies for achieving decarceral futures. The conversation underscores the importance of organising, building alternatives, and the broader revolutionary project required to dismantle oppressive structures like capitalism and colonialism.https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2212-how-to-abolish-prisonsThis episode was recorded during the North South Criminology Conference earlier in the year.
In this episode of LawPod, Dr. Lauren Dempster, alongside colleague Dr. Ethan Shattock, explore the nuances of misinformation law. They begin by distinguishing between misinformation and disinformation based on intent to mislead and discuss the political and academic uses of 'fake news'.Dr. Shattock outlines existing legislation on misinformation, including the UK Online Safety Act and the EU Digital Services Act, and highlights its emerging framework and effectiveness. The episode also explores the human rights implications, particularly the right to freedom of expression and the right to free and fair elections, examining real-world examples and case law that influence the regulation of misinformation.You can find Dr Shattock's articles on his profile page linked above.
In this roundtable podcast, Dr Alice Diver, Dr John Taggart, and Dr Liam Sunner from Queen's University School of Law, engage in a conversation with Mark Higgins, a barrister and head of faculty at BPP Law School. Higgins discusses his career journey, from working at the Bar to entering academia, and the challenges he faced as a blind professional. The discussion also explores his recent paper presented at UNESCO on AI and its implications for privacy and information accessibility. Additionally, Higgins shares his insights into the evolving role of AI in legal education and training, emphasising its limitations and potential uses. The episode offers valuable perspectives on balancing legal theory, practice, and technological advancements, while also touching on Higgins' future interests in medical law, ethics and family law.00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:42 Meet the Panelists02:25 Discussion on AI and Information Accessibility10:00 AI in Legal Education15:05 Mark's Career Journey and Challenges25:35 Advice for Aspiring Lawyers28:17 Future Endeavors and Closing RemarksPlease note this episode was remotely recorded.
In this episode, hosts Marion Hill and Mary O'Neill converse with Dr. Martin Reagan, a senior lecturer at Queen's University Belfast School of Law, to explore the intricate relationship between psychology, emotion, and the law.
Dr. Reagan discusses his journey from psychology to studying law and highlights how both fields fundamentally involve human behavior. He illustrates the substantive influence of emotion within legal contexts, such as jury reactions and witness testimonies, and advocates for understanding emotional intelligence in legal professionals. The conversation also covers the reliability of eyewitness testimonies, the influence of high-profile cases on public perception, and the potential impact of emotions on judicial behavior.
NILQ - Law and Emotions https://nilq.qub.ac.uk/index.php/nilq/issue/view/33
In this special edition of LawPod, hosts Peter Doran and Rosie Cowan interview Declan Lawn, writer of the acclaimed series Blue Lights. Declan shares his career trajectory from journalism to screenwriting, with a focus on his legal studies and their impact on his work.The discussion explores his early life in Northern Ireland, his initial interest in journalism while studying English at Trinity College Dublin, and his shift towards law influenced by his experiences as a journalist. Declan reflects on significant moments in his career, including investigative journalism on subprime mortgages that faced heavy legal pushback and his inspirational transition into screenwriting.The podcast highlights Declan's method of character-driven storytelling, the influence of police work on Blue Lights, and the interdisciplinary collaboration essential in screenwriting. The narrative also touches on his personal motivations, especially the loss of his father, driving his passion and decision to transition from journalism to creative writing.
In April of this year, the report, Bitter Legacy: State Impunity in the Northern Ireland Conflict, was published. Written by a panel of international human rights experts (The International Expert Panel on Impunity) convened by the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights at the request of the Committee on the Administration of Justice and the Pat Finucane Centre, the report documents “widespread, systematic and systemic” impunity for British state involvement in killings, torture and ill-treatment, and collusion. In this episode, Brian Dooley, Senior Advisor at Human Rights First and member of The International Expert Panel, joins Lauren Dempster and Kevin Hearty to discuss state violence in Northern Ireland, the report’s development and findings, and the impact of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 on efforts to address the legacy of the past. You can access the report here: https://www.jus.uio.no/smr/english/about/id/docs/bitter-legacy-29-april-24.pdf Please note that this episode was recorded on 3rd July 2024, one day before the UK General Election in which the Government that introduced the ‘Legacy and Reconciliation’ Act discussed in this episode lost power. The new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has since provided an update to parliament on the new Government’s approach to the Act: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/northern-ireland-troubles-legacy-reconciliation-act-2023#:~:text=It%20underlines%20the%20Government's%20absolute,and%20of%20victims%20and%20survivors
In this episode, we welcome Dr Fiona McGaughey from the University of Western Australia to discuss business and human rights and the 2018 Modern Slavery Act in Australia.Joined by Dr. Ciarán O'Kelly and Dr. Ciara Hackett, Dr McGaughey shares her journey into business and human rights research. The conversation delves into the evolution of business responsibilities toward human rights, the role of modern slavery legislation, and the importance of integrating human rights due diligence in business practices. They also explore the effectiveness of reporting laws, the role of SMEs, and the emerging significance of environmental considerations. Additionally, the discussion touches on the complexities of remedy for victims of corporate human rights abuses and the broader implications for climate change and community engagement.
Dr. Cheryl Lawther welcomes Dr. Brianne Mc Gonigle Leyh from Utrecht University to discuss her research on transitional justice in the United States.The conversation explores how transitional justice, typically associated with countries emerging from conflict or authoritarian regimes, applies to the US. Leyh's work highlights historical and contemporary examples of transitional justice measures at federal, state, and local levels.Key topics include the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, local truth commissions, reparations, the role of social movements, and the potential for a national approach to address historical injustices and promote social justice.
Join Dr Norah Burns as she speaks with Member of the European Parliament Frances Fitzgerald. MEP Fitzgerald is an Irish politician, she is a former Tánaiste, Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.In March 2024 she was the joint winner of the "European Values Champion of the Mandate" award at The Parliament Magazine's annual MEP Awards. In the EU Matrix ranking of the 100 most influential MEPs in the European Parliament for 2024, MEP Fitzgerald was named as the 8th most influential MEP in the Parliament. She has also been appointed to the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC) on behalf of the European Union.
In this episode, Niamh Rowan and Tolu Olaitan Agbede from Rainbow Refugees NI speak to Lauren Dempster about issues affecting LGBTQIA+ refugees and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland. Rainbow Refugees NI is a grassroots, volunteer-led organisation supporting LGBTQIA+ refugees and people seeking sanctuary. Niamh and Tolu tell us about the work of Rainbow Refugees NI, the challenges that LGBTQIA+ refugees can face, and they share the findings of their recent report on homophobia in asylum accommodation in Northern Ireland.To learn more about the work of Rainbow Refugees NI please visit their website https://www.rainbowrefugeesni.com/ and follow them on social media @rainbowrefugeesni on Instagram and @RainbowRefugeNI on X.
Join Dr Rosie Cowan as she talks to Professor Heather Conway and Barrister Sheena Grattan about how to die tidily with your affairs in order. Explore the pitfalls of dying without clear instructions left behind.
Do you have a will? If not, do you know who gets your property when you die? If you have a will, is it up-to-date? Are your personal documents in a mess, such that only you know where everything is? Do you have an enduring power of attorney (something that’s almost as important as a will)? In your household, is there one person who ‘wears the financial trousers’ (and no-one else knows anything about it)? Have you thought about your funeral choices? Have you discussed your funeral choices with your nearest and dearest; do they know what your wishes are?
This podcast probes these questions, and other legal issues connected to death. Released to coincide with Dying Matters Week, it encourages people to have difficult conversations and promotes the idea of ‘dying tidily’ with everything in order.
Join us for a riveting episode of LawPod, where we delve deep into the evolving field of criminology with distinguished guest Professor Katja Franko. Hosted by Dr. Alessandro Corda and Dr. Theresa Degenhardt, this special edition not only celebrates the ICCJ Annual Lecture 2024 but also offers a profound exploration of the global implications of criminological practices.The discussion traverses the impact of globalisation on criminal justice systems, the characteristics of the Scandinavian penal model, and the pressing issues surrounding migration and citizenship. This episode also explores Professor Franko and David R Goyes' insightful book on Pablo Escobar, "Victimhood, Memory, and Consumerism: Profiting from Pablo" which critically examined the commercial exploitation of Medellín's violent past, tracing how global media, notably Netflix, have transformed the city’s trauma into entertainment, elevating Pablo Escobar to a global brand while overshadowing the victims' narratives.The conversation offers a profound look at the intersections of law, society, and transnational influences, making it a must-listen for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the dynamics of law and criminology in a globalised world.
In this episode of LawPod, Lawpodders Victoria and Nick interview QUB School of Law's Dr Conall Mallory. They explore the effectiveness and challenges of international law, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict in Palestine.The discussion, which took place at the end of January, centres around the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which mandates Israel to take specific actions to prevent genocide, emphasising the limited enforcement capabilities of international law without a global policing entity.The conversation critically examines the role of international bodies like the UN in enforcing such rulings and the inherent political challenges. This case illustrates the broader limitations and potential of international legal mechanisms in real-world geopolitical conflicts, highlighting the need for both realistic expectations and innovative diplomatic efforts to achieve tangible outcomes.
In this episode, ESRC-NINE Post-doctoral Research Fellow Dr Nisan Alici speaks to Dr Lauren Dempster about her PhD research on victim mobilisation and transitional justice in Turkey's Kurdish conflict, focusing on the Saturday Mothers movement. Nisan also discusses her Post-Doctoral research, which compares the work of civil society in Turkey and Northern Ireland, and reflects on her experience applying for Post-Doctoral funding. Alici, N. (2023) ‘Imagining Transitional Justice in Turkey’s Ongoing Kurdish Conflict’ In Destrooper, T., Gissel, LE., and Carlson, KB. (eds.) Innovation and Consolidation in Transitional Justice. Learning from Aparadigmatic Contexts. RoutledgeAlici, N. ‘Complexities and Construction of Victimhood in the Kurdish Conflict’ In Sandal EÖ., Acar, YG., Uysal, MS, and Şen E. (2023) The Political Psychology of Kurds in Turkey: Critical Perspectives on Identity, Narratives, and Resistance. Palgrave Studies in Political Psychology seriesAlıcı, N. (2023) Linking Turkey's Kurdish Conflict to Transitional Justice: Grassroots Pursuit of Truth and Justice. Nottingham Law School Blog. Alıcı, N. (2021) The Saturday Mothers movement in Turkey: 26-year quest for justice and truth. LSE Women, Peace andSecurity Blog.
What is the reality of working as a solicitor within Private Practice in Northern Ireland?We feature two local solicitor's - Katherine McAuley (Joseph Magee & Co. Solicitors) who is in the early years of her career, and Simon Murray (MKM Solicitors) who is a long-serving practitioner. They reflect on what inspired them to pursue law, outline qualification pathways, and share what it’s like to work in private practice and the job satisfaction this provides.Thoughts are shared on why students should consider working in small legal firms/high-street practices, as opposed to working in large/multi-national companies, with a key benefit being the ability to see client cases from start to finish. They also talk about how they maintain their professional development and consider how Gen AI will impact the sector moving forward. Finally, based on their experiences of working on the front line, they offer advice to current law students how best to identify and shape their careers.
Organise, Prepare, Conquer. Sadie Sturgeon, alongside Student Skills Assistants Aisling and Adam, delve into the possibly daunting realm of exam preparation. They share a treasure trove of strategies, tips, and mental frameworks to help law students navigate and excel in their upcoming exams.
In this enlightening episode of LawPod, hosts Karen Wray and Sarah McMahon are joined by Dr John Taggart, a criminal law lecturer with a keen focus on the role of intermediaries in the criminal justice system.Dr Taggart, who transitioned from criminal defence practice to academia, shares his journey and the importance of intermediaries—professionals who facilitate communication between vulnerable individuals and the criminal justice system. Through a comprehensive discussion, the episode sheds light on the intermediary's role, their critical contribution to supporting vulnerable witnesses and defendants, and the evolving nature of their involvement across various stages of the legal process.The conversation delves into the challenges of identifying those in need of intermediary services, highlighting the diversity of vulnerabilities that necessitate such support. Dr. Taggart emphasises intermediaries' significant impact on enabling individuals to effectively participate in the justice system, regardless of their vulnerabilities. Additionally, the episode explores the future of legal accessibility, underscoring the need for the legal system to continue evolving to ensure fairness and comprehensibility for all.This episode of LawPod educates on the vital role of intermediaries and sparks a broader discussion on making the legal system more accessible and equitable for vulnerable groups within society.
Dr Amanda Kramer leads an insightful exploration into the complex legal and humanitarian issues facing Palestine, she is joined by PhD student Tamara Tamimi and Dr Munir Nuseibah to discuss the ongoing humanitarian crisis, international crimes, and the international community's response.
They explore the historical and legal context, emphasising the need for justice, accountability, and the role of international institutions like the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. The conversation also explores settler colonialism, apartheid, and the global solidarity movements supporting Palestinian rights.
Dr Munir Nuseibah:
Munir Nuseibah is a human rights lawyer and academic based in Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, Palestine. He is an assistant professor at Al-Quds University’s faculty of law; the director (and co-founder) of Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic, the first accredited clinical legal education program in the Arab World; and the director of the Community Action Center in Jerusalem. He holds a B.A. degree in Law from Al-Quds University; an LL.M in International Legal Studies from the Washington College of Law of the American University in Washington DC and a PhD degree from the University of Westminster in London, UK, which he acquired after successfully defending his thesis entitled: Forced Displacement in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, International Law, and Transitional Justice. Dr Nuseibah heads a number of research and services projects that focus on forced displacement, international law and Jerusalem.
Tamara Tamimi
Tamara Tamimi is a PhD researcher in Law at Queen’s University Belfast and scholar of the ESRC NINE Consortium. Tamara holds an MA in Human Rights Law from SOAS, University of London, where her MA thesis entitled “Destruction of Property and Unlawful Transfer in East Jerusalem: Reasonable Basis to Allege War Crimes” has received the Sarah Spells Prize for the best dissertation of the 2015/2016 academic year. Tamara’s research activity focuses on settler colonialism, transformative justice, forcible displacement, gender equality, and aid effectiveness of overseas development assistance. Tamara has also published extensively in peer reviewed journals and edited collections, including Development in Practice, Al-Shabaka- Palestinian Policy Network, University of Gottingen, E-International Relations, and Confluences Méditerranée.
Further Reading:
Tamara Tamimi, Ahmad Amara, Osama Risheq, Munir Nuseibah, Alice Panepinto, Brendan Browne, and Triestino Marinello “(Mis)using Legal Pluralism in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to Advance Dispossession of Palestinians: Israeli Policies against Palestinian Bedouins in the Eastern Jerusalem Periphery” in Noorhaidi Hasan and Irene Schneider (eds) in International Law between Translation and Pluralism: Examples from Germany, Palestine and Indonesia.
Munir Nuseibah and Tamara Tamimi “The Impact of the Oslo Accords on the Territorial Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in Palestine” in Noorhaidi Hasan and Irene Schneider (eds) in International Law between Translation and Pluralism: Examples from Germany, Palestine and Indonesia.
Munir Nuseibah and Sari Harb, “What Does the ICJ Ruling Mean for Palestinians”: https://www.rosalux.de/en/news/id/51686/what-does-the-icj-ruling-mean-for-palestinians
Tamara Tamimi and Daniela Suarez Vargas, “Propaganda vs. Truth: Israeli Propaganda and Palestinian Demonisation”, E-International Relations: https://www.e-ir.info/2024/02/13/israeli-propaganda-and-palestinian-demonisation/
Osama Risheq, Tamara Tamimi, Raghad Adwan, Munir Nuseibah, “Depoliticised Humanitarianism Critiquing the Effectiveness of International Aid for the Bedouin Communities in the Jerusalem Periphery”, Development in Practice Special Issue on Conflict Sensitivity/ Do No Harm in Development, Humanitarian & Peacebuilding Practice.
International Law and Perceptions of Justice in Palestine, with Tamara Tamimi; LawPod: https://lawpod.org/podcast/international-law-and-perceptions-of-justice-in-palestine/
Activist Lawyer Podcast, with Tamara Tamimi: https://activistlawyer.podbean.com/e/ep-70-tamara-tamimi/
Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
Rashid Khalidi, The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917- 2017
This episode was recorded 15th February 2024
FemCon 3: Learning from transnational feminist struggle for constitutional change. In this episode the FemCon team talk with Luis Eslava and Amaya Alvez about recent experiences of feminist constitutional change in Chile and with Rachel Rebouche about her knowledge of the US, constitutionalism and feminism.What is the Feminist Constitutional Futures Project (FemCon)?https://lawpod.org/ireland-northern-ireland-feminist-constitutional-futures/
FemCon is brought to you by Máiréad Enright (Birmingham University Law School), Aoife O’Donoghue (Queen’s University Belfast Law School) and Catherine O’Rourke (Durham Law School).FemCon podcasts episodes were produced by Orla Higgins with sound editing by Andy Gaffney
FemCon 2: Imagining feminist constitutional futures through the arts and utopian fiction. In this episode the FemCon team talks with Ruth Houghton about feminist utopian literature and Jess Jones about her work as an artist in projects that cross law and feminism.What is the Feminist Constitutional Futures Project (FemCon)?https://lawpod.org/ireland-northern-ireland-feminist-constitutional-futures/
FemCon is brought to you by Máiréad Enright (Birmingham University Law School), Aoife O’Donoghue (Queen’s University Belfast Law School) and Catherine O’Rourke (Durham Law School).FemCon podcasts episodes were produced by Orla Higgins with sound editing by Andy Gaffney
FemCon 1: Introducing FemCon and asking new questions about constitutional change in Northern/Ireland. In this introductory episode the FemCon team talk with Ailbe Smyth and Joanna McMinn about their experience of feminist legal change in Ireland and Northern Ireland from an activist perspective.What is the Feminist Constitutional Futures Project (FemCon)?https://lawpod.org/ireland-northern-ireland-feminist-constitutional-futures/
FemCon is brought to you by Máiréad Enright (Birmingham University Law School), Aoife O’Donoghue (Queen’s University Belfast Law School) and Catherine O’Rourke (Durham Law School).FemCon podcasts episodes were produced by Orla Higgins with sound editing by Andy Gaffney
In this engaging episode, we delve into the lives of international law students at Queen's University Belfast. Hosted by Anjana and Tarra, social media assistants at the Law School, the episode features insightful conversations with Eleanor and Shay. They share their personal journeys, from choosing Queen's University for its prestigious law program to adapting to life in Belfast.
They discuss the academic rigour, the vibrant student life, the comprehensive support systems available for international students, and the myriad opportunities for personal and professional growth. From navigating the visa process and settling into new accommodations to engaging with clubs and societies and finding their footing in the academic world, their stories are a testament to the enriching experience Queen's University offers to its international community.
Whether you're considering studying abroad or just curious about the international student lifestyle, this episode provides valuable perspectives and tips for future law students.
In this thought-provoking episode of LawPod, Natalia Barbosa and Anshul Bajaj delve into the transformative role of generative AI in law and technology. Joined by Ed Sohn and Nimal Hemelge from Factor Law, they discuss the potential revolutionary effects that Generative AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and other LLM's (Large Language Models) are going to have in legal practice.
The conversation highlights the challenges and ethical considerations of AI integration, its disruptive potential in legal careers, and the hopeful future it heralds for legal work amidst technological advancement. An enlightening discussion offering insights into the dynamic interface of law and technology, imbued with a sense of optimism for the future.
BiographiesEdward Sohn, Global Head of Insights and Innovation and a member of the Executive Leadership at Factor. Ed is a prominent thought leader in the legal services innovation space and an attorney and computer scientist by training. As well as many years in practice, Ed has led product management at Thomson Reuters and global innovation and technology for EY Law globally, as well as pioneering the building of scaled legal delivery across a number of contexts. Ed now leads Factor’s AI insights and innovation function globally.
Nimal Hemelge, Head of Practice Operations and a Delivery Executive for Factor Law, is a commercial and contracts expert that has lead legal and contracts process and quality improvement across key critical national infrastructure contracts ensuring operational delivery. At Factor he oversees Legal and Contract Operations Delivery across a portfolio of global NYSE and FTSE100 clients. He is also an Accredited Assessor for the UK Government Commercial Function; and Non Executive Director and Trustee Board Member of the Education Development Trust
Holocaust Memorial Day 2024: Fragility of Freedom and the continued importance of memorialisation.Join Evie Cawte in conversation with Belfast's Jewish Society President Rheannon Platman to discuss Holocaust memorialisation, the fragility of freedom and why it is an important date to commemorate both in and outside the impacted communities.https://home.q-su.org/clubssocieties/jewish/
In this episode, join Áine McKenna in an insightful interview with Professor Aoife O’Donoghue on her remarkable career in the field of law. Aoife delves into her unconventional path into law and, eventually, her esteemed role as a Professor. The interview unfolds with a sweeping overview of Aoife’s diverse research interests, specifically Brexit and its implications on Northern Ireland, feminist international law and the tyranny. Aoife reflects upon her involvement in significant projects: co-authoring ‘Bordering Two Unions: Northern Ireland and Brexit’(https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/bordering-two-unions), the ‘Northern/Irish Feminist Judgments Project’ (https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/northern--irish-feminist-judgments-9781509908936/), her role as the feminist judge on the case of McGimpsey v Ireland [1990] IR 110, and as co-director of the Northern/Ireland Feminist Constitutions Project (http://www.feministconstitutions.com/index.php).The episode concludes with Aoife sharing her plans for future research and projects, providing an insight into her ongoing contributions to the discipline.ParticipantsÁine McKenna (Host/interviewer)Professor Aoife O’Donoghue (Interviewee)Sadie Sturgeon (researcher/editor)Rebecca McKimm (researcher/editor)
In this episode, Prof Anne-Marie McAlinden (Queen’s University Belfast), Dr Marie Keenan (University College Dublin), and Dr James Gallen (Dublin City University) discuss their ongoing research project, Transforming Justice: An All-Island Examination of Justice Responses to Historical/Non-recent Institutional Abuses. They speak to interviewer Dr Lauren Dempster (Queen’s University Belfast) about the background to this project and their methods and share their reflections on conducting research in this area. Prof McAlinden, Dr Keenan and Dr Gallen explore the justice responses that we have seen so far in the context of historical/non-recent institutional abuse on the island of Ireland, North and South, and provide an update on what is currently happening in terms of responding to institutional abuse. You can learn more about the project at https://transformingjusticeproject.org/ and read the team’s 2023 report, Non-recent Institutional Abuses and Inquiries: Truth, Acknowledgement, Accountability and Procedural Justice here: https://transformingjusticeproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Non-recent_Institutional_Abuses_And_Inquiries-1.pdf
We take our right to citizenship for granted, as an inalienable right, but is it?This episode focuses on the complex interplay between citizenship, human rights, and state powers in a post-9/11 world. The conversation features insights from Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin (United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms While Countering Terrorism) and Mohammed Tasnime Akunjee, who bring their extensive experience in human rights law and terrorism-related legal defense, respectively. Key topics include the evolution of citizenship concepts, challenges in maintaining human rights in the face of terrorism, and the impact of legal and ethical dilemmas in this context. The discussion also explores specific cases such as the Shamima Begum case and the broader implications for society and law.Hosted by Dr. Yasmin Brunger, the episode offers a deep dive into critical contemporary issues in legal and human rights domains.
This episode features a roundtable discussion with five Student Skills Assistants from the Law School, focusing on their top tips from last year's work with students.They share their collective thoughts on the importance of effective time management, critical thinking, confidence in one’s opinions, utilisation of available resources, and continuous learning.Each Skills Assistant's tips provide valuable insights into tackling common challenges faced by law students.Thanks to Gary, Mary-Jane, Ogaku, Aoife and Peter.
In the first in our Neurodivergence and the Law mini-series, Sarah McMahon and Dr Lauren Dempster interview Naomi Maxwell and Dr Amanda Kramer about their research on autism and policing in Northern Ireland.In the UK, more than one in 100 people are on the autism spectrum (National Autistic Society 2023). However, research shows that police can misunderstand or misinterpret the behaviour of autistic individuals, leading to suspicion, inappropriate responses, and rights violations. In this episode, Naomi and Amanda discuss the relationship between policing and autism, the methodology and findings of Naomi’s LLM Dissertation research on autism training in the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and the changes they would like to see in policy and practice. Further readingNaomi Maxwell and Amanda Kramer ‘Forgotten, Outdated and Absent: PSNI Officer’s Training, Experiences, and Confidence with Autism,’ Policing and Societyhttps://www.autismni.org/Crane et al. 2016 'Experiences of autism spectrum disorder and policing in England and Wales: surveying police and the autism community', Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
In this episode, Professor Aoife O’Donoghue (QUB School of Law) and Dr Ruth Houghton (Newcastle University Law School) interview poet Julie Morrissy about Julie’s career as a poet. They explore how law influences and resonates in Julie’s poetry, the way that legal training shapes thinking and writing, and the notion of law as a performance. Aoife, Julie and Ruth also discuss the writing and language of constitutions and manifestos, with particular focus on women’s voices and the Irish feminist tradition.BiographiesJulie Morrissy is an Irish poet, academic, activist, and a graduate of UCD Law. From 2021-22, she was the first Poet-in-Residence at the National Library of Ireland. Her award-winning project "Certain Individual Women" uses poetry to examine gender discrimination in Irish legislation and the Bunreacht (the 1937 Constitution). Her awards include the National Endowment for the Humanities, the MAKE Theatre Award, and the Arts Council of Ireland ‘Next Generation’ Award. Morrissy's poetry has been exhibited in the TULCA Festival of Visual Arts, Project Arts Centre, Dublin, and acquired for the Ireland State Art Collection. Her debut collection Where, the Mile End was published in 2019 by tall-lighthouse (UK) and Bookhug (Canada). Her website is www.juliemorrissy.comhttps://www.bathmagg.com/juliemorrissy/Dr Ruth Houghton* is a Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University Law School. Throughout her research in global constitutionalism and international law, Ruth uses feminist methodologies and constitutional and political theory to challenge the disciplinary assumptions on democracy and constituent power. Ruth's most recent work utilises law and humanities methodologies, including work on speculative fiction, utopias and feminist manifestos, as well as theatre productions to understand (re)constructions of constitutional moments and provide novel re-imaginings of constituent power.
In this episode, QUB School of Law PhD student Tamara Tamimi speaks about her research on international law and perceptions of justice in Palestine with Dr Alice Panepinto. Tamara shares what she has found in her research so far and how perceptions of justice might be shaped by the current violence in Palestine.Alice and Tamara discuss the historical context of the occupation of and settler colonialism in Palestine, the relationship between international law and armed violence in the region, and what the ways forward are from here.Resources* Tamara Tamimi, Ahmad Amara, Osama Risheq, Munir Nuseibah, Alice Panepinto, Brendan Browne, and Triestino Marinello “(Mis)using Legal Pluralism in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to Advance Dispossession of Palestinians: Israeli Policies against Palestinian Bedouins in the Eastern Jerusalem Periphery” in Noorhaidi Hasan and Irene Schneider (eds) in International Law between Translation and Pluralism: Examples from Germany, Palestine and Indonesia * Edward Said, The Question of Palestine * Edward Said, Out of Place: A Memoir * Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe, On Palestine * Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine * Angela Davis, Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement * Judith Butler, Jewishness and the Critique of Zionism * Rashid Khalidi, The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917- 2017 * Rashid Khalidi, Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness
This episode was recorded remotely on 26th October 2023
In this podcast, Dr Claire Wright talks with Dr Stefano Angeleri about his experience of conducting research on health rights for migrant populations. They discuss Angeleri’s motivation as a PhD and postdoc researcher, the findings of the book 'Irregular Migrants and the Right to Health,' https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/irregular-migrants-and-the-right-to-health/BF98CA548D0F08125CCAC39CE958309C and the partial outcomes, anecdotes, and stories related to his current project in Colombia, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 101032116—HEAVEN.Overall, Dr. Angeleri argues that partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations are essential to address the health needs of marginalised groups. However, stable solutions for protecting the right to health should begin with the inclusion of irregular migrants in institutional preventive and primary care services.BiographyDr Stefano Angeleri is an EU’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) postdoctoral fellow at Queen’s University Belfast and currently visiting scholar at FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University. During his career he started working as a solicitor in Italy, then he focused on human rights research and capacity building in Europe and Latin America by collaborating with the International Organization for Migration (Colombia), Jesuit Refugee Service (Colombia), Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Doctors of the World (Belgium) and the Italian NGO Naga.His specific area of expertise are the relationships between health, migration and human rights. Recent publications include the monograph “Irregular Migrants and the Right to Health” (Cambridge University Press, 2022), the JA “Parsing human rights, promoting health equity: reflections on Colombia’s response to Venezuelan migration,” Medical Law Review, Volume 31, Issue 2, Spring 2023, Pages 187–204, https://doi.org/10.1093/medlaw/fwac053 (with Thérèse Murphy) & the blog “Migrant Health Rights in Colombia: What’s at Stake Beyond Justiciable Rights and Humanitarian Programmes?” Opinio Juris, 19th October 2023 https://opiniojuris.org/2023/10/19/migrant-health-rights-in-colombia-whats-at-stake-beyond-justiciable-rights-and-humanitarian-programmes/
Dr Conor McCormick is in discussion with Dearbhla Minogue, a lawyer from the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), about an exciting new clinical collaboration between GLAN and the School of Law at Queen's. They map out some of GLAN’s work in holding powerful actors to account through litigation, in addition to their collaboration with the digital investigators at Bellingcat.
This new project will enable a group of graduate students to learn how social media evidence is gathered and analysed for the purposes of war crimes accountability – and their work will be plugged in to GLAN’s ongoing cases.
ResourcesGLAN/Bellingcat Methodology
Mock Admissibility Hearing with HHJ Joanna Korner KC
Open Source Evidence and the Laws of War Reports
Bellingcat’s Website – Sample geolocation and beginners’ guide to geolocation
Google Earth Pro
Youtube account of Benjamin Strick
Dr Louise Rhodes talks to MLaw graduates Tamara Duncan and Lisa McKeown about their experiences of studying while parenting.The conversation tracks their experience, along with the hosts own experience. They map out the particular socio-economic, physical and psychological issues that manifest whilst being a mother and studying for a law degree. Rounding off with advice to current and up and coming students with child care responsibilities, on how to navigate their way through their law degree whilst juggling the other tasks that go along with parenting.Masters in Law Programme
In this episode, Dr Bróna McNeill and Dr Ciara Brennan (Director of the Environmental Justice Network Ireland) discuss their recent report: Lough Neagh’s Future Ownership: Legal and Policy Considerations, which was developed in response to the ecological crisis that has unfolded at the lough over Summer 2023. The conversation takes a deeper dive into some of the issues raised in the report and considers: who currently owns Lough Neagh and the ecological implications of private ownership in this context; whether public ownership might help improve conditions at the lough; and whether ‘Rights of Nature’ can be considered a viable option for securing a more sustainable future for the lough. The discussion also considers the broader context of all of these issues: the catastrophic failure of environmental governance in this jurisdiction, and the pressing cross-border implications of a continued failure to effectively enforce environmental regulations.
The report is available here.
Find out more about EJNI here.Dr Bróna McNeill's Academic Profile
In this wide ranging discussion, the School of Law's Dr Peter Doran, meets Nigerian scholar, writer and philosopher, Dr Báyò Akómoláfé. The context is Dr Doran's upcoming report for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (Ireland) on the role of the artist in advancing the wellbeing economy, and the topics covered include 'postactivism', decoloniality and modernity. Báyo has recently taken up the position of Ambassador for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance worldwide, and is founder of The Emergence Network. "The task for today's activist," comments Dr Doran, "is to 'stay with the trouble' and avoid reaching for illusory solutions framed by the logics and power configurations that have brought us to the brink. In Báyò's words, 'times are urgent, it is time to slow down.' "Join us for a profound exploration with Báyo, delving into the depths of colonisation, perception, and art. Unpack the power of "ontological mutiny" and discover how getting "lost" can be our path to freedom. Dive deep, challenge norms, and reshape your understanding of the world.
In this episode, Prof Luke Moffett and Dr Kevin Hearty talk with Victims' Commissioner Ian Jeffers and Dr Cheryl Lawther about their recent report on More than a Number: Reparations for those Bereaved during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.The report based on interviews with victims and archival work found that compensation during the early years of the Troubles, where half of all deaths occurred, was inadequate and not fit for purpose. Some victims who were killed in the same incident saw large discrepancies with one being paid £50 and another £15,000, even in the same family, in one case where two brothers were killed, their family received £5,000 for one of them and £112 for the other. Women were also discriminated against and make up most of the lowest awards, despite making up only 10% of those killed. In the podcast we discuss the findings and next steps to establish a bereavement payment scheme.The full report and presentations from the launch can be found here: https://reparations.qub.ac.uk/new-report-reparations-for-those-bereaved-during-the-troubles/
In this episode, LawPod’s Law and Society team participant Aoibhinn Graham interviews Kevin Doherty, the Union Services Officer for the Northern Ireland branch of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
The conversation focuses on the content and impact of the new Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) legislation on the function trade unions and the right to strike in Britain, as well as how this may affect the trade union movement in Northern Ireland.
Key challenges facing trade unions are highlighted, including a flurry of anti-union legislation and the media’s often biased portrayal of unions and industrial action. The discussion also features a broader analysis of the impact of such legislation on democracy and devolution in the UK.
For more information on ICTU’s work, visit https://www.ictu.ie/ and https://www.ictuni.org/
For more details about the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) legislation, see https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3396
Welcome to the second episode of our symposium podcast series, recorded on the final day of the event. In this slightly extended conversation, Dr Alice Diver is joined by Frances Latchford from York University in Toronto, Boon Young Han, co-founder of KAARN and a scholar at the National University in Seoul, and John McLeod from the University of Leeds.
This discussion delves into the complex issue of original identity, exploring its significance and pondering how we might redefine or understand it in our rapidly changing world. We'll also examine the human right to identity, questioning if such a concept truly exists, especially in the context of new reproductive technologies and varying familial structures.
Additionally, we'll touch on the ongoing work of the Korean Truth and Reconciliation Commission, looking ahead to the significance of its findings, which are expected to be released in 2024 or 2025. Join us as we navigate these intricate topics, seeking insights and understanding from our esteemed guests.
Read the accompanying blog post: https://lawpod.org/avoiding-origin-deprivation-and-genetic-identity-losses/
In this episode of Lawpod, recorded on the first day of the 'Avoiding Origin Deprivation and Genetic Identity Losses: a 4-day Interdisciplinary Symposium on Adoption and Kinship Rights', host and conference organiser Dr. Alice Diver leads a discussion with KAARN founders Nikolaj Jang Lee Linding Pedersen from the Veritas Research Centre, Yonsei University, Seoul, and Ryan Gustafsson of the University of Melbourne. Joining them is Tobias Hübinette, a scholar in Critical Adoption Studies from Karlstad University, Sweden.
The conversation centers around their research and personal ties to adoption. They discuss several important topics, including the right to original identity, the role of adoptee activism, and the implications of alternative life scenarios. The panel also contemplates the concept of 'what might have been' and examines the narratives that often surround transnational adoption.
The sense of 'ghostliness' and the sometimes haunting aspects of searches for natal origin are also addressed. It's a substantial discussion that delves into the complexities of adoption studies.
This episode of Lawpod features Professor Aoife O'Donoghue from QUB School of Law and Dr Meabh Harding from UCD Sutherland School of Law, discussing their burgeoning initiative, 'Doing Feminist Legal Work'.They share their plans for the future of the project, aiming to establish a multi-disciplinary network that reaches across Ireland and the UK. This network will involve academics, PhD students, artists, activists, practitioners, and members of civil society, all working together to delve into the extensive and vital field of feminist legal work.Doing Feminist Legal Work (DFLW) is a new network of Feminist Legal Scholars funded by the Irish Research Council of Ireland under the New Foundations Shared Island scheme. DFLW connects legal scholars across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain addressing emerging issues of gender and law. DFLW is a sustainable network of feminist scholars that builds on existing, but ad hoc, North/South and East/West collaborations. Our aim is to create a long-term sustainable community which offers support, experience sharing and mentoring, alongside advancing research projects, policy developments and feminist teaching innovation. The purpose of DFLW is to develop and share experience and practice as well as developing the substantive research and educational tools necessary to respond swiftly and effectively to societal challenges. The network seeks to equip members to engage directly with policy makers and media. We welcome all those interested in issues related to law and feminism to join. There is no necessity to have done any feminist teaching or research before and all career stages including post-graduate students are welcome. We also welcome those from across disciplines who have an interest in law and feminism, alongside those in practice.Website: www.dflw.ieEmail: dfeministlw@gmail.comAoife's Twitter: @aoifemodMaebh's Twitter: @maebh_harding
In this episode, host Dr Lauren Dempster chats with three current Master's students from the School of Law, each enrolled on different LLM programmes. Tom is studying the LLM in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Ogaku is enrolled on the LLM in Law and Technology, and Luc is on the LLM in International Commercial and Business Law. They discuss their motivations for choosing their programmes, the unique attributes of studying law in Belfast, and the challenges and rewards of transitioning to Master's level study. The episode provides a broad and insightful glimpse into the diverse experiences of LLM students at Queens University Belfast School of Law.The School of Law currently offers the following LLM Programmes:LLM Criminology and Criminal JusticeLLM Intellectual Property LawLLM International Human Rights LawLLM International Commercial and Business LawLLM Law and TechnologyLLM (Law)
In this thought-provoking podcast, Professor Shadd Maruna and Dr Teresa Degenhart welcome Professor Reuben Miller, author of the ground-breaking book "Halfway Home", to discuss the complexities of re-entry from prison to communities in the United States. Prof Miller, an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago Crown Family School and a 2022 MacArthur Foundation Fellow, delves into the historical intersection between race and criminal justice that underpins the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals."Halfway Home" explores the lifelong burden that even a single arrest can entail, shedding light on the harsh reality that life after incarceration is its own form of prison.Throughout the podcast, Prof. Miller discusses the influence of prominent figures like James Baldwin and Nina Simone on his work, and integrates a diverse range of sources, including criminological writing, music, and literature, to provide a holistic understanding of the issues at hand. He emphasises the importance of incorporating lived experiences into research and addresses the ongoing debate around including personal perspectives in academic work.Join us as we delve into the poignant and eye-opening world of "Halfway Home" and explore how the American justice system perpetuates a cycle of impoverishment, instability, and disenfranchisement for millions of citizens long after they've paid their debt to society. This engaging conversation challenges listeners to confront the costs that the carceral system imposes on individuals, communities, and democracy itself, and encourages us to recognise the value and dignity of the lives of formerly imprisoned citizens.
In this episode, Professor Phil Scraton is joined by Professor Shadd Maruna and Dr. Gillian McNaull to discuss their ESRC funded research project, Coping with Covid in Prison, commissioned by and conducted in partnership with the organisation User Voice. This unique project for the first time reveals the experiences of prisoners during the pandemic lockdown; a time when the voices of the incarcerated were unheard.
User Voice, founded by former prisoner Mark Johnson, is dedicated to amplifying the experiences of prisoners and former prisoners in the criminal justice system. The researchers worked closely with the organisation to enable prisoners to share their stories during this unprecedented time. The podcast discusses the historical relationship between prisons and disease, highlighting the heightened risks of Covid-19 and isolation for those incarcerated. While prison staff and politicians regularly claimed success for their Covid strategies, this episode sheds light on the harsh realities faced by prisoners during the pandemic.
In this groundbreaking episode, the collective intelligence of LawPod is pitted against the generative intelligence of ChatGPT to explore the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the study and practice of law and the world at large. We also probe the metaphysical and explore the legal and ethical considerations of generative AI in a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation with our most famous guest to date. Sorry George Monbiot!Thanks to the whole LawPod team for their collaborative work on this episode and a special thanks to Peter Lockhart for recording a special introduction. Peter's is the only human voice that you will briefly hear on the episode. The other voices, the collective LawPod voice and the voice for ChatGPT, were selected from the software we use to edit podcasts, Descript.Descript, in their own words, "is a collaborative audio/video editor that works like a doc. It includes transcription, a screen recorder, publishing, and some mind-bendingly useful AI tools."We have utilised the software's AI Overdub functionality to assign generated voices to our conversation's participants, we hope to good effect.The responses to our questions from ChatGPT have not been altered in any way and appear as they were answered, there have been minor edits for sequencing of the questions and some minor edits with regard to the timing of answers most notably in the addition of a few milliseconds of time between a question finishing and an answer beginning to allow for a more considered flow.As Peter says in his introduction we are proud of this episode, please let us know what you think.Guidance For StudentsThe response from the Higher Education community to ChatGPT and other generative models has been timely and measured and recent guidance from Queen's University Belfast outlines that "we need to focus on responsible usage by staff and students and associated ethical considerations to ensure the safe and productive deployment of this technology."This episode sets out ways in which AI could be used, but under no circumstances should students endeavour to generate content that is subsequently used in an assessment unless otherwise instructed. Listeners are encouraged to think critically about the responses produced by the AI in the episode, particularly in light of academic ethics and integrity standards, rather than to accept them as uncontentious facts. Pay close attention to the "Procedure for Dealing with Academic Offences" part of the aforementioned document and the proposed amendment to the Contract Cheating clause. Academic offences are treated extremely seriously by the University and penalties for what would be considered a major offence can result in suspension or withdrawal.Linkshttps://openai.com/https://www.descript.com/Quality Assurance Agency GuidanceQUB Guidance
How do I qualify as a solicitor? What’s the best way to study for exams? What’s life like at the IPLS?These are just some of the questions answered by our Women and the Law team in this episode. Ruby (second year LLB student), Tamara (Trainee Solicitor at TLT) and Aoifé (Trainee Solicitor at Caldwell & Robinson) answer some of the most common questions that you asked them on the LawPod social media channels.
In this episode our Student Focus team, Peter and Ciara, talk to two of the Law School's Student Skills advisors, Gary and Sarah-Jane, about how to tackle 'problem questions'.Learn what problem questions are and how to effectively answer them. Get the insight and practical advice you need to dive into problem questions with confidence.
Another World is Possible. That’s the proposition at the heart of this conversation with Professor Sir Geoff Mulgan, University College London, hosted Dr Peter Doran, QUB School of Law, touching on everything from the role of art in social change to the challenge of avoiding imaginative closure within the academy.
Working all over the world, Mulgan’s main focus is on how to get governments and other organisations to function well and how to create and find good ideas. This conversation focuses on themes from his books, Another World is Possible: How to reignite radical political imagination(C.Hurst and Co, 2022) and his latest work, Prophets at a Tangent: How Art Shapes Social Imagination(Elements in Creativity and Imagination) (Cambridge University Press, 2023).
Further Information
https://www.geoffmulgan.com/
Dr Peter Doran
In this final episode of our mini-series exploring the edited collectionBeyond Transitional Justice: Transformative Justice and the State of the Field (or Non-Field) (Routledge, 2022), Dr Matthew Evans speaks to Dr Lauren Dempster about his chapter in the collection: ‘Beyond Disciplines, Beyond Fields, Beyond Transitional Justice.’ Dr Evans introduces this chapter, discusses the dominance of law in transitional justice and explores the potential value of a postdisciplinary approach to TJ.
Information on the edited collection can be found here.
You can access Dr Evans’s University profile here and Orcid here.
Other publications referred to in this episode:
Evans, M. (2021) ‘You cannot eat critique: on uncritical critical (legal) theory and the poverty of bullshit,’ European Journal of Legal Studies 13(1). https://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/99731/
Evans, M. (2020) ‘Interdisciplinarity and punishment in the academy: reflecting upon researching and teaching human rights in university settings,’ Journal of Human Rights Practice, 12(3). https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/huaa048
Koram, K. Uncommon Wealth: Britain and the Aftermath of Empire (John Murray Press, 2022). https://www.johnmurraypress.co.uk/titles/kojo-koram/uncommon-wealth/9781529338621/
Sayer, A. (2000) ‘For Postdisciplinary Studies: Sociology and the Curse of Disciplinary Parochialism/Imperialism.’ In For Sociology: Legacies and Prospects, eds. J. Eldridge, J. Maclnnes, S. Scott, C. Warhurst, and A.Witz, pp. 83–91 (Durham: Sociologypress) https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/19170
In this special series of LawPod we introduce a recently published edited collection, Beyond Transitional Justice: Transformative Justice and the State of the Field (or Non-Field), edited by Dr Matthew Evans (University of Sussex) and published by Routledge in 2022.
In this third episode, QUB School of Law PhD candidate, Daniela Suarez Vargas, interviews Dr Rachel Killean and Dr Lauren Dempster about their chapter in this collection: “Greening’ Transitional Justice.’ They discuss the relationship between armed conflict and environmental harm, unpack several of the reasons why they think transitional justice has to date overlooked this type of harm, and draw on the green criminology literature to consider how transitional justice might better address conflict-related environmental harm.
Information on the edited collection can be found here.
You can read more of Rachel and Lauren’s research in this area here:
Killean, R. & Dempster, L. (2022) ‘Mass Violence, Environmental Harm and the Limits of Transitional Justice,’ Genocide Studies and Prevention 16(1), 11-39. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol16/iss1/5/
In this special series of LawPod we introduce a recently published edited collection, Beyond Transitional Justice: Transformative Justice and the State of the Field (or Non-Field), edited by Dr Matthew Evans (University of Sussex) and published by Routledge in 2022.
In this second episode, Dr Dáire McGill (University of Oxford) tells us about his chapter in the collection, ‘Transforming Experiences of Citizen Security?’ Dáire introduces the concept of citizen security and its relevance to transitional and transformative justice through engendering participatory processes and strengthening state-citizen relationships, drawing on the case studies of Colombia and Northern Ireland.
Information on the edited collection can be found here.
Listeners may be interested in Dáire’s other work:
McGill, D. (2022) ‘Reduciendo la violencia estructural mediante la justicia transformativa’ in Gutiérrez Danton, J.A., Hoddy, E., and McGill, D. (Eds.) Justicia transformativa y cuestión agraria. Medellín: Universidad Santo Tomas Ediciones [forthcoming in Spanish].
McGill, D. (2022) ‘Transforming Experiences of Citizen Security?’ in Evans, M. (Ed.) Beyond Transitional Justice: Transformative Justice and the State of the Field (or non-field). Abingdon: Routledge.
McGill, D. (2020) ‘Book Review: From Transitional to Transformative Justice’. Social and Legal Studies, Vol. 29:6, pp925-928.
McGill, D. (2019) ‘Tackling Structural Violence Through The Transformative Justice Framework’ in Evans, M. (Ed.) Transitional and Transformative Justice: Critical and International Perspectives. Abingdon: Routledge.
McGill, D. (2017) ‘Different Violence, Different Justice? Taking Structural Violence Seriously in Post-Conflict and Transitional Justice Processes’. State Crime Journal Special Issue on Post-Conflict Reconstruction, the Crimes of the Powerful and Transitional Justice, Vol. 6:1, pp79-101.
In this special series of LawPod we introduce a recently published edited collection, Beyond Transitional Justice: Transformative Justice and the State of the Field (or Non-Field), edited by Dr Matthew Evans (University of Sussex) and published by Routledge in 2022.
In this first episode, Dr Evans introduces the collection, discusses some of its key themes, and tells us about the background to, and experience of, preparing this edited volume.
Information on the edited collection can be found here.
You can access Dr Evans’s University profile here and Orcid here.
Other publications referred to in this episode:
Bell, C. (2009) ‘Transitional Justice, Interdisciplinarity and the State of the Field (or Non-Field),’ International Journal of Transitional Justice 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijn044
Evans, M. (2016) ‘Structural Violence, Socioeconomic Rights and Transformative Justice,’ Journal of Human Rights 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/14754835.2015.1032223
Evans, M. Transformative Justice: Remedying Human Rights Violations Beyond Transition (Routledge, 2018). https://www.routledge.com/product/isbn/9780815375623
Transitional and Transformative Justice: Critical and International Perspectives, ed. Matthew Evans (Routledge, 2019). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351068321
In a frank and open conversation, lawpodders Zoe and Charlotte talk to Professor John Barry about climate change and climate activism in this era of climate crisis.
From advocating for combining street activism with legal activism as a means to challenge governments, corporations and institutions to criticising the neoliberal framing of the climate crisis, the wide-ranging conversation calls for fundamental change in all parts of our society. It is a clarion call to action for academics, students and the wider community.
Professor John Barry - https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/john-barry
Production Team
Zoe Cleland
Charlotte Gourley
In this episode, the latest in a series providing a closer look at the lives and careers of members of the QUB law faculty, LawPod participant Peter Lockhart interviews Dr Andrew Godden.
Their conversation provides an insight into a fascinating journey, from leaving school at 17 to becoming the first member of his family to attend university and eventually being awarded the James MacQuitty Law Scholarship and becoming a lecturer at Queen’s.
The spine of the conversation explores Dr Godden's passion for a range of widening participation initiatives with which he has been involved, highlighting their paramount importance within further education.
In this episode, Dr Amanda Kramer interviews Dr Matt Bowden (Technological University Dublin) about his recently published book ‘Rural Transformations and Rural Crime’ (2022) co-edited with Alistair Harkness. Matt explains to the listeners that what rural criminology is and why it is an important area of study. He explains that, while it is a relatively new area, rural criminologists are doing important work to try to understand crime, victimisation, criminal behaviours, and their impacts in rural areas. He outlines some of the key themes that emerge in the book and discusses the chapter he co-authored with his current PhD student, Artur Pytlarz, which aims to further develop the theoretical perspectives informing rural criminological research.
This is the final episode in a special series of LawPod recorded at the European Society of Criminology Conference in Malaga, Spain, in September 2022. You can listen to the rest of the series https://lawpod.org/taking-lawpod-on-tour/.
References:
Donnermeyer, J. F. and DeKeseredy, W. S. (2014) Rural Criminology. New York: Routledge.
Donnermeyer, J.F. ed. (2016) The Routledge International Handbook of Rural Criminology. London: Routledge.
Harkness, A., Peterson, J., Bowden, M. Pedersen, C. and Donnermeyer, J.F. eds (2022) The Encyclopedia of Rural Crime. Bristol: Bristol University Press
Links:
International Society for the Study of Rural Crime https://issrc.net/
In this episode, Dr Lauren Dempster interviews Dr Natalia Maystorovich Chulio (University of Sydney) about her research on the recovery of those disappeared under the Franco regime in Spain. Natalia discusses the efforts made by the families of those disappeared to locate and exhume the graves of their loved ones, and the challenges they face. Focusing on the case of the Mandieta family from Guadalajara (Spain), Natalia considers the role and potential of legal internationalisation for those seeking to recover the remains of their disappeared loved ones.
This episode is the third in a special series of LawPod recorded at the European Society of Criminology Conference in Malaga, Spain, in September 2022. For the rest of this series please see https://lawpod.org/taking-lawpod-on-tour/.
Related publications:
Maystorovich Chulio, N. (2022, forthcoming). Democratising Collective Memory through Forensic Exhumations in Spain, Australian Journal of Politics and History.
Maystorovich Chulio, N., Pacheco Vila, R. (2019). Exhumando fosas en Espana: Alcala del Valle Cadiz. In Victor Ataliva, Aldo A. Geronimo and Ruy D. Zurita (eds.), Arqueologia Forense y Processos de Memorias: Saberes y reflexiones desde las practica, (pp. 165-186). Tucuman, Argentina: Universidad Nacional del Tucuman.
Maystorovich Chulio, N. (2017). Challenges to the Movement to Exhume the Missing Victims of the Spanish Civil War and Francoist Dictatorship. In Chrisje Brants, Susanne Karstedt (eds.), Transitional Justice and the Public Sphere: Engagement, Legitimacy and Contestation, (pp. 285-305). Oxford: Hart Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781509900190.ch-
Maystorovich Chulio, N. (2016). Victims, Silence and the Exhumation of Mass Graves. In Robert Hermanson, Clare Mumford (eds.), Giving Voice to Silence, (pp. 23-33). Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary Press. 2015
Maystorovich Chulio, N. (2015). Challenging the discourses of the past through the exhumation of mass graves in Spain. NEXUS - Newsletter of The Australian Sociological Association (TASA), 27, 36-37.
In this episode, Dr Amanda Kramer interviews Dr María Laura Böhm (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany). This episode explores María Laura’s research on extractive industry activity in Latin America as a form of state-corporate crime. She outlines a variety of harms caused by the extractive industries that have significant consequences for the environment, individuals, and broader communities, such as environmental destruction, long term illness, displacement, and death. She explains how the causes of these harms are multifaceted and complex, but that the lack of regulation and control allows asymmetrical power relationships to flourish, enabling this type of state-corporate crime. María Laura also introduces listeners to her concept of the ‘crime of maldevelopment’ as a new way of understanding the global and regional criminogenic context, and as a new way for understanding how to implement more effective solutions.
This is the second in a special series of LawPod recorded at the European Society of Criminology Conference in Malaga, Spain, in September 2022. You can listen to the rest of the series https://lawpod.org/taking-lawpod-on-tour/.
Our interviewee, María Laura Böhm, has published extensively on this topic. Two of her recent English language publications include:
María Laura Böhm (2019) The Crime of Maldevelopment: Economic Deregulation and Violence in the Global South: https://www.routledge.com/The-Crime-of-Maldevelopment-Economic-Deregulation-and-Violence-in-the-Global/Bohm/p/book/9780367483586#
María Laura Böhm (2020) ‘Criminal Business Relationships between Commodity Regions and Industrialized Countries: The Hard Road from Raw Material to New Technology’ in Journal of White Collar and Corporate Crime, 1(1), 34-39: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2631309X19887681
You can find more information about María Laura Böhm’s teaching and research here: https://www.jura.uni-muenchen.de/personen/b/boehm_maria_laura/index.html
https://lmu-munich.academia.edu/Mar%C3%ADaLauraB%C3%B6hm
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mar%C3%ADa-laura-b%C3%B6hm-59a6262a/?originalSubdomain=de
In this episode Dr Lauren Dempster interviews Dr David Rodriguez Goyes (University of Oslo) about his research on climate change from a southern perspective.
David tells us about the impact of climate change in the Global South and how criminology has to date responded to climate change. He considers how criminology's response to climate change has, until now, been shaped by the traditional global dynamics of knowledge production. David then highlights the potential for a Southern Green Criminology to better engage with the lived realities of climate change for those most affected.
This episode is the first in a special series of LawPod recorded at the European Society of Criminology conference in Malaga in September 2022. For the remaining episodes in the series please follow the link https://lawpod.org/taking-lawpod-on-tour/
Relevant publications:
Goyes, D.R., Abaibira, M.A., Baicué, P. et al. (2021) Southern Green Cultural Criminology and Environmental Crime Prevention: Representations of Nature Within Four Colombian Indigenous Communities. Critical Criminology 29, 469–485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10612-021-09582-0
Goyes, D. R. South, N., Abaibira, M.A. et al. (2021) Genocide and Ecocide in Four Colombian Indigenous Communities: The Erosion of a Way of Life and Memory. British Journal of Criminology 61(4), 965-984. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azaa109
Goyes, D. R. (2019). A southern green criminology: Science against ecological discrimination. Bingley: Emerald.
Goyes, D. R. (2020). “Little development, few economic opportunities and many difficulties”: Climate change from a local perspective. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy 9(2).
Goyes, D. R., Sollund, R., & South, N. (2019). Introduction to the special issue: Toward global green criminological dialogues: Voices from the Americas and Europe. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy 8(2), 1–5.
You can learn more about David’s work here: https://www.drgoyes.com/
Work of other scholars discussed in this episode:
Agozino, B. (2004) Imperialism, crime and criminology: Towards the decolonisation of criminology. Crime, Law and Social Change 41, 343-358.
This episode is hosted by Zi-Ming Ang, a member of the Student Focus and Careers Team and a final year Law student. With her is Yusur Dalloul, a QUB LLM graduate, a paralegal at Ogletree Deakins, a qualified Yoga instructor, and the founder of the Law Space – a legal sharing platform. This interview explores the role of a paralegal, looking at the tasks Yusur undertakes and the types of clients she deals with. Yusur shares her experience of her LLM and the importance of networking in furthering career objectives and provides advice on how undergraduate students can expand their horizons and discover their passion by engaging in extra-curricular activities and workshops. Furthermore, this interview highlights the significance of work-life balance in one’s ability to focus and how Yoga can aid with welbeing.
The Law Space’s Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/thelawspace/?hl=en The Law Space's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-space/ Yusur’s Yoga Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/yogawithyusur/?hl=en
Dr Ciara Hackett (QUB School of Law) and Prof Harry Van Buren (the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Honorary Professor, QUB School of Law) speak with Dr Ciarán O'Kelly about co-authoring in academic research.
They ask how accurate and, indeed, how healthy it is to think of academics as solitary actors. They discuss both the merits of and the challenges involved in collaboration and co-authoring. Who ought one co-author with? What workflows work best? What ethical issues emerge?
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/ciara-hackett (https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/ciara-hackett)
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/ciarán-okelly (https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/ciarán-okelly)
For this episode, Professor Phil Scraton & Dr Deena Haydon are interviewed by criminologist Dr Gillian McNaul about their part in the Independent Panel Report into Fans’ Experiences at the 2022 European Champions League Final. Outlining the finding from the report, they reflect on the stories of those who survived extreme violence at the hands of the police and local gangs before and after the European Champions League Final in Paris, May 2022.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofLaw/news/IndependentPanelReportintoFansExperiences.html (https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofLaw/news/IndependentPanelReportintoFansExperiences.html)
Panorama Excerpt The Champions League Final: What Went Wrong? BBC Panorama https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fiplayer%2Fepisode%2Fm001d84s%2Fpanorama-the-champions-league-final-what-went-wrong&data=05%7C01%7Cr.summerville%40qub.ac.uk%7Cbe5ec794a7cc4c658d7108dab8e1fac6%7Ceaab77eab4a549e3a1e8d6dd23a1f286%7C0%7C0%7C638025577952562005%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=D92OJFaDVS%2BRuEnlXB6wjCXvSOfDC5UebOF8JZzGKJY%3D&reserved=0 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001d84s/panorama-the-champions-league-final-what-went-wrong)
Join civil servants Claire Archbold and Geraldine Fee to explore the rewards of working in the public legal sector, and the positive changes we can make to gender equality as part of it!
Ruby Sturgeon is joined by accomplished members of the NI Civil Service, Claire Archbold and Geraldine Fee to discuss entering the public legal sector as a career choice and their standout moments to date. They talk about their new roles as heads of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy within government, and provide advice for women entering the legal workplace.
See more information and how to support the VAWG Strategy at https://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/topics/ending-violence-against-women-and-girls (https://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/topics/ending-violence-against-women-and-girls)
Researcher, interviewer, editor - Ruby Sturgeon Editor - Tamara Duncan
Criminal Lecture supremo and Queen's University School of Law Legend Dr John Stannard in conversation with The Hon Madam Justice McBride.
The wide-ranging conversation explores Dr Stannard's career at Queen's, his thoughts on law, the teaching law and his feelings about his recent lifetime achievement award at QUB.
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/john-stannard (https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/john-stannard)
The Hon Madam Justice McBride, is a Northern Irish judge and former barrister specialising in chancery, family, civil and international law. In October 2015, she was appointed the first female judge of the High Court of Northern Ireland.
In this episode, Dr Lauren Dempster interviews Dr Claire Wright (QUB School of Law). The episode explores the relationship between indigenous peoples and transitional justice, with reference to the case of Colombia. We analyse the capacity of contemporary peacebuilding processes to deal with structural injustices rooted in colonial legacies, in this case racial hierarchies. We also explore other ways in which the post-colonial State can transform its relationships with Indigenous Peoples, namely via intercultural education, recognition of autonomy, and prior consultation. The discussion is based on research carried out within the project "Addressing post-colonial legacies in Transitional Justice", of which Fionnuala Ni Aolain (QUB ) and Bill Rolston (Ulster) are co-PIs, under the auspices of the GCRF Gender, Justice and Security Hub. Further information on the project can be found at https://thegenderhub.com/projects/addressing-post-colonial-legacies-in-transitional-justice/ (https://thegenderhub.com/projects/addressing-post-colonial-legacies-in-transitional-justice/)
Our interviewee, Claire Wright, recently published an article (co-authored with Fionnuala Ní Aoláin and Bill Rolston) on the first phase of their project. Claire Wright, Bill Rolston & Fionnuala Ní Aoláin (2022) Navigating colonial debris: structural challenges for Colombia’s peace accord, Peacebuilding, DOI: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21647259.2022.2027153 (10.1080/21647259.2022.2027153)
A number of articles are referred to in this episode. The references are as follows:
Augustine Park (2020) ’Settler colonialism, decolonisation and radicalising transitional justice,’ International Journal of Transitional Justice, 14(2), 260-279.
Mohamed Sesay (2022) ‘Decolonization of postcolonial Africa: A structural justice project more radical than transitional justice,’ International Journal of Transitional Justice. Early online: https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijac006 (https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijac006)
Hakeem Yusuf (2018) ‘Colonialism and the dilemmas of transitional justice in Nigeria,’ International Journal of Transitional Justice,12(2), 257-276.
Belkis Izquierdo & Lieselotte Viaene (2018) Decolonizing Transitional Justice from Indigenous Territories. Peace in Progress, No. 34
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/IPeoples/SR/IPAndJustice/22-LViaene.pdf (https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/IPeoples/SR/IPAndJustice/22-LViaene.pdf) Twitter handles: @WrightPolitics @NiAolainF @TheGenderHub @GCRF @UKRI
Dr Rachel Killean from the School of Law is joined by Professor Louise Mallinder for a conversation about transitional justice in Ukraine.
This episode focuses on how the law views the concept of innocence in the criminal justice system, particularly when it comes to compensation for someone who was wrongly convicted.
Dr Rachel Killean (School of Law), speaks to three legal practitioners who took part in the Women as Legal Change Makers conference hosted by the School of Law Athena Swan Committee in September 2021.
Dr Peter Doran is joined by his friend and colleague Dr Eilís Ward to discuss her new book, Self (2021). The book is published by Cork University Press in the Síreacht series on longings for another Ireland.
Dr David Capper in a fascinating conversation with Dr Lauren Dempster about the potential developments in third-party litigation funding in Ireland, the UK and further afield.
QUB School of Law PhD candidate Daniela Suarez Vargas discusses her research on Colombian transitional justice narratives of criminalisation and victimhood in the context of sexual violence within armed groups.
Former students Kiera Vinall and Jack Meek share their experience of applying for the Bar in England and Wales.
LawPod Publicist David O'Sullivan is joined by Employability and Placement Officer Deirdre Timoney to discuss how to distinguish yourself as a law student.
LawPod Publicist David O'Sullivan is joined by Careers Consultant Terry O'Hanlon to discuss how to use QUB services to maximise your employability while studying.
PhD researcher Samantha Hopkins talks to Professor Anne-Marie McAlinden about her achievements as a woman in law and her role as a legal changemaker.
The new Head of School of Law, Professor Joan Loughrey, joins Tamara & Ruby for a special International Women's Day episode, where we discuss her plans for QUB law students and gender diversity in the profession!
Kavina talks to Professor Julie Suk from the Fordham School of Law about the jurisprudence of quotas and the evolving discourse surrounding its consequences transnationally.
Allen & Overy representatives discuss its graduate recruitment opportunities and give top tips for prospective commercial legal professionals.
Discussion of adoptee 'othering' in literature and law: personal accounts, Frankenstein's creature, and Ireland's latest attempt at enabling access to birth records.
In this episode, Peter Lockhart from the Student Focus and Careers LawPod student team interviews Dr Deborah Wilson, QUB Subject Librarian for the School of Law, and the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics about the OSCOLA referencin
In this episode five law students and members of the LawPod team sit down and discuss how they achieve this balance. Check it out and find out how you can make the most of your time!
In this episode, Dr Alessandro Corda, current Director of the QUB Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice(ICCJ), interviews four of the Institute’s former Directors - Prof Graham Ellison, Prof Shadd Maruna, Prof Kieran McEvoy and Prof John Jackson.
This special edition of LawPod focuses on cross-border, transnational application of competition law with special focus on the experience of developing countries and economies in transition.
In this episode, ICCJ Director Dr Alessandro Corda interviews Dr Rachel Killean, Dr Eithne Dowds and Prof Anne-Marie McAlinden about their recently published edited collection ‘Sexual Violence on Trial: Local and Comparative Perspectives’(Routledge, 2021)
Veteran climate change negotiator, Ian Fry, revisits the Glasgow Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement (COP26).
LawPod Director Lauren Dempster talks to PhD candidate Nikhil Narayan about his research exploring the role of guarantees of non-recurrence in transitional justice.
Sara Fegan & Rosalie Rothwell from Allen & Overy join Tamara Duncan to discuss gender diversity in law, as well as give their top tips for females starting their own legal journey.
Dr Peter Doran and Dr Rachel Killean are joined by French Jurist Valérie Cabanes in a wide-ranging discussion about the rights of nature, biocultural rights, ecocide and more.
In this episode, Dr Rachel Killean, Prof. Chris McCrudden and Ms Boravin Tann discuss some of the challenges associated with defining human dignity and what they have learned so far about the concept’s diverse meanings in Cambodia.
In this episode, School of Law Social Media Ambassador Róise Pelan interviews recently graduated student, Yi Kang Choo, about his time studying Law at QUB.
A conversation with the two founders of the campaign to stop street harassment in Northern Ireland.
In this episode two of our Law & Activism team – Charlotte Gourley and Debora Mosso - speak to John Finnigan from QUB’s Report & Support, the University’s support service for students affected by sexual misconduct, bullying, harassment, or hate crime.
Dr Peter Doran talks to Malik Ayub Sumbal, author of 'Tovuz to Karabakh: a comprehensive analysis of war in the South-Caucasus', about geopolitics, 'frozen conflicts' and energy in relation to the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In this episode, Lawpodder and Mooter, Lucy Bill talks to Dr David Capper, Sarah Hair and Joseph Le Seelleur about their collective mooting successes this year.
Dr Mark Hanna talks with Professors Andrew Scott (LSE), Daithí MacSithigh (QUB), and Gavin Phillipson (Bristol) about the various aspects of potential defamation law reform in Northern Ireland today.
This episode outlines the facts surrounding Donoghue v Stevenson [1932], a landmark case that lays the foundation of the modern law of negligence.
In the last of three episodes developed in partnership with the QUB School of Law Athena Swan Committee for International Women's Day 2021, Dr Alice Panepinto interviews peace activist Angela Godfrey-Goldstein about her life, career and work in Palestine.
In the second of three episodes developed in partnership with the QUB School of Law Athena Swan Committee for International Women's Day 2021, Dr Eithne Dowds interviews Gemma McKeown about her career and work as a solicitor with CAJ.
In this episode Dr Rachel Killean interviews Prof. Anne-Marie McAlinden about her research and life as an academic.
In this episode, PhD candidate Paula Shilliday talks to Professor Heather Conway about the intersections between the COVID-19 pandemic and the laws of death and burial.
This episode explores Dr. Ronagh McQuigg’s research into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
An exploration and explanation of the fundamental legal concept of parliamentary sovereignty.
Discussing with guests Tura Arutura, Cassie Logan and Sinead Marmion institutional racism in Northern Ireland and the PSNI's approach to the Belfast protests in June.
In this podcast Prof Kieran McEvoy and Prof Mark Drumbl explore the intersections between informers and transitional justice, drawing on Mark and Dr Barbora Hola's research on informers in the former Czechoslovakia.
Arianna McBurney and Megan Burns talk to Professor Daithi Mac Sithigh about the contact tracing apps in the UK and their implications for data privacy law.
This episode discusses the history of human rights at Queen's, the potential and regret of student involvement in human rights movements, the role of university human rights centres, and the future of human rights research.
In this episode, Professor Colin Harvey reflects on the constitutional arrangement here in Northern Ireland with Emer Smyth, a Master of Laws student at QUB.
In this podcast, Dr. Mark Hanna talks about Defamation and Privacy Law in Northern Ireland with media lawyers Paul Tweed, Peter Girvan and Oliva O'Kane, the journalist and author Sam McBride, and Jessica Ní Mhainín of the Index on Censorship organisation
In this episode, Prof Kieran McEvoy and Dr Anna Bryson analyse the relationship between apologies and transitional justice.
In this episode, Dr Lauren Dempster interviews Dr Iosif Kovras about disappearances in Cyprus.
In this episode Roberta Bacic and Breege Doherty discuss the Conflict Textiles archive and the current exhibition, Following the Footsteps of the Disappeared.
In this episode, Dr Lauren Dempster interviews Prof Kieran McEvoy about the role of ex-combatants in transitional justice processes.
In this episode, Prof Kieran McEvoy interviews world-leading amnesties expert Prof Louise Mallinder and Dr Lauren Dempster about the role of amnesties in transitional justice processes.
Prof Kieran McEvoy & Dr Kevin Hearty explore the relationship between policing & transitional justice. Drawing on the Northern Ireland case study & international examples, they analyse the compromises, challenges & complexities of policing in transition.
In this episode, Prof Kieran McEvoy and Dr Cheryl Lawther discuss official and grassroots approaches to truth recovery in Northern Ireland.
Dr Mark Hanna talks about Women of Colour and Human Rights with Dean Adrien Wing and Professor Anna Spain Bradley.
In this episode Dr Rachel Killean tells us about her recent article, ‘From ecocide to eco-sensitivity: ‘greening’ reparations at the International Criminal Court’ published in The International Journal of Human Rights.
Oluwayomi Olaide-Kolapo (QUB’s African and Caribbean Society) and Hamsavani Rajeswaren (former QUB Student Union Officer for Equality and Diversity) discuss the particular challenges of facing up to white supremacy in higher education institutions.
In this episode Dr Lauren Dempster interviews Prof. Robin Hickey and Dr Rachel Killean about their project ‘Restoring Cultural Property and Communities after Conflict’.
Lawpodder Anoushka Syed talks to Kaitlyn Laverty (Youth Strike 4 Climate Belfast) & Paul Brogan (Extinction Rebellion Northern Ireland) about being modern activists, how to channel your eco-anxiety and how the media largely miss the point.
Lawpod Director Rachel Killean talks to PhD candidate Siofra Corr about her research which is focused on reparations process for sexual violence victims of mass conflicts.
Dr Mark Hanna and Professor Hans Lindahl, Chair of Legal Philosophy at Tilburg University in a wide ranging conversation about law, philosophy, boundaries and social movements.
Lawpod Director Rachel Killean talks to PhD candidate Iain Nash about his research which is focused on examining how nation-states regulate cybersecurity with a particular focus on consumer protection and Smart Devices.
This episode, featuring Dr Melanie Klinkner interviewed by Dr Lauren Dempster, explores issues relating to mass graves, exhumation, and the right to truth.
Dr Andrew Godden talks to Professor Brice Dickson about his Stephen Livingstone Lecture, ‘The Problems with Human Rights’
LawPod Director Rachel Killean talks to PhD candidate Meghan Hoyt about her research into misogyny and hate crime.
LawPod Director Rachel Killean talks to PhD candidate Nkem Itanyi about her research into copyright infringement in the film industry in developing economies.
LawPod Director Rachel Killean kicks off the PhD series by talking to PhD candidate Gillian Kane about her research into human trafficking.
QUB students Maeve Devlin, Jade Mc Cauley, Tavisha Sood and Alexandra Cook discuss rape myths and consent with PHD student and former journalist Rosie Cowen.
PhD student Samantha Hopkins talks to Professor Harry van Buren from the University of New Mexico about the responsibilities which corporations owe to society.
In this episode, the Law in Action team talks to Professor Brice Dickson and students from Hong Kong about the protest and whether the government intransigence and police overreaction would ultimately lead to Hong Kong becoming another Belfast.
Women’s Aid representative Sonya McMullan gives an eye-opening and informative discussion with law student Katie Kennedy - - - Warning: this episode discusses sensitive topics surrounding domestic violence which some listeners may find upsetting.
Rachel Killean interviews Dr Peter Manning from the University of Bath about his research on the connections between human rights, transitional justice and memory.
10 - Criminology Matters - In this conversation, Shadd Maruna and Fergus McNeill reflect on what they learned from collaborating in making the documentary film ‘The Road from Crime’ and from the associated Desistance Knowledge Exchange project.
9 - Criminology Matters - Alessandro Corda talks to host Gillian McNaull about his research on criminal records.
Dr Luke Moffett talks to Dr Katharine Fortin about the complexities surrounding the obligations of 'non-state armed groups' under current legal frameworks.
8 - Criminology Matters - Host Rachel Killean talks to Eithne Dowds about her work on conceptualisations of rape under international law. (Content warning - this episode discusses sexual violence)
7 - Criminology Matters - In this podcast co-host Gillian talks to Professor Phil Scraton about the harms of imprisonment and prison abolition.
Dr Luke Moffett talks to Dr Elisa Novic from Advocats Sans Frontièrs about the challenges and developments with regard to victim participation in the prosecution of international crimes.
6 - Criminology Matters - Co-host Gillian McNaull talks to SSESW NINE MRes student, Angela Rogan about her research and activism in the area of corporate pharmaceutical crime.
5 - Criminology Matters - Rachel Killean talks to Dr. Amanda Kramer about her recent IHREC/NIHRC research with Rachael Dickson and Anni Pues on the potential impact of Brexit on Criminal Justice on the Island of Ireland.
4 - Criminology Matters - Paul Gallagher, PhD researcher in the Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s, and Dr Sarah Jankowitz, Lecturer in Criminology explore the complex concept of victimhood.
3 - Criminology Matters - Gillian McNaul talks to Dr John Topping from SSESW about his recent event - Patten 20 years on: Young People, Policing and Stop and Search.
2 - Criminology Matters - Professor Anne-Marie McAlinden and Dr Elizabeth Agnew speak about their individual research projects exploring young people and harmful sexual behaviour (HSB).
1 - Criminology Matters: A criminology podcast series in conjunction with Lawpod - Gillian McNaull interviews Graham Ellison and Caoimhe Ní Dhónaill on their recent report.
Women in Law: Lucy Bill and Emily Dickinson interview Naomi Little, Nicola Mallon and Jilly Cameron from Axiom Managed Solutions. They each discuss how their law careers developed.
Content warning: this episode discusses sexual violence. In this episode, Rachel Killean sits down with Dr Tanya Serisier to discuss her book “Speaking Out: Feminism, Rape and Narrative Politics”
James Milliken talks to Claire Ussher from the Queen's University Careers Service about employability.
Melissa McDonnell speaks to Dr Mark Hanna from the School of Law and Dr Claire McCann, Human Rights in Practice Officer at the Human Rights Consortium about Legal Theory and its link to practice.
Dr Ciarán O'Kelly from the School of Law and Lindsey McCracken from Belfast firm FSCom about Corporate Law and where it might take you.
Professor Louise Mallinder joins LawPod for a conversation about how the law is used to navigate issues of the past.
A conversation between criminology lecturer Gillian McNaull and author Michael Irwin, where they discuss the impact of imprisonment on prisoner mental health and suicide. **CONTENT ADVISORY
A new conversation on law and ecology with Dr Peter Doran, QUB Law, and Thomas Linzey and Mari Margil, Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, United States.
Dr Amanda Kramer leads a discussion with Dr Gillian McNaull and QUB JD student Caoimhe Anderson about Canada’s recent decision to legalise marijuana.
The Gender Network at QUB present their movie review of the documentary ‘RBG’. Based on the extraordinary life of Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Final year PhD student's Conor McCormick, Sarah Craig and Roise Connolly discuss "What I wish I had known as a first year PhD student"
Pandemic emergency responses often lead to limitations of fundamental human rights in favour of the safety of public health. How do we justify lawful limitations on human rights?
Lucy Bill and Emily Dickinson talk to Juris Doctor Student Maria Pimentel and Undergraduate Student Madeleine Huber about the Women in Law Lean In Circle.
A fascinating and broad exploration of trauma, capitalism, psychology, Buddhism and the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Graduate student Alina Utrata talks to Dr Kevin Brown about the criminalisation of homelessness, and in particular the increasing use of Public Space Protection Orders.
LawPod coordinator Dr Rachel Killean talks to Dr Mary Dobbs and Dr Viviane Gravey about their work on Brexit, environment and agriculture policy.
An informal guide on how to manage work-life balance according to law students Lucy Bill and James Milliken.
This wide ranging discussion explores the field of law and emotion and the intersection of law, psychology, neuroscience and philosophy.
Lawpodder Reece Simpson talks to Dr John Topping about the disproportionate use of stop and search powers in Northern Ireland.
Conor McCormick and Ciaran Moynagh talk to Dr Victoria McCloud - a Master of the Senior Courts in the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court in London.
Conor McCormick hosts a discussion with Ged Killen MP and Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International NI about constitutional issues confronting campaigners seeking to extend same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland via legislation at Westminster.
This episode with Ciara Hackett, Clare Patton and Ciarán O Kelly explores the intersection between business, human rights and the World Cup.
This episode focuses on the recent launch of a public consultation on the legislation to implement the Stormont House Agreement.
Postgraduate student Emma McMillen talks to Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, Advocacy Manager for Conradh na Gaeilge about the case for an Irish Language Act for Northern Ireland.
Dr Rachael Dickson talks to members of BrexitLawNI about potential constitutional, conflict transformation, human rights and equality impacts of Brexit for Northern Ireland.
Prof Daithí Mac Síthigh explores the potentially serious implications of Brexit for the £1 billion a year UK broadcasting industry.
QUB School of Law’s Eithne Dowds in a conversation with QUB welfare officer Jessica Elder discussing the role of consent in relation to the crime of rape.
Dr Marek Martyniszyn joins second year QUB Law Student, Michael Sheerin, to explore the highly topical issue of International Cartels.
This episode explores some of the issues around this referendum, and reflects on the law surrounding access to abortion both North and South of the border.
LawPod's Rachel Killean in conversation with filmmaker, Chris Kelly and one of the protagonists of 'A Cambodian Spring', the Venerable Sovath, exploring the cultural, political and legal backdrop to the film.
In a wide-ranging conversation about their work with CAGE, Moazzam Begg & Muhammad Rabbani talk to post-doc researcher Kevin Hearty about PREVENT, schedule 7, civil sanctions, anti-terrorism laws, and Islamic ideas of justice.
Postgraduate student Jay Burbank talks to Dr Clare Patton about her research into the ‘Cause-related Marketing’ of breast cancer and how multinational corporations can influence the behaviour of women with breast cancer through these campaigns.
In conversation with Dr Peter Doran, Dr Ailsa Cook of Outcomes Focus offers a unique insight into the merits and limitations of an outcomes-based approach to public sector delivery in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
LLB student Julia Hunter talks with Cahal McLaughlin Chair of Film Studies at QUB, and Siobhán Wills, Prof of International Law at Ulster University, about their documentary ‘It Stays With You’
Professors and former Human Rights Commissioners Monica McWilliams, Brice Dickson, and Colin Harvey join Dr Amanda Kramer to reflect on the Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland 20 years on from the Good Friday Agreement.
Niamh Hargan a media lawyer joins QUB final year law student Alana Hughes on this podcast. Together they discuss Niamh’s fast paced, exciting and interesting career in the media, film and TV industry.
This episode features QUB’s Rachel Killean, joined by Megan Hirst and Kinga Tabori-Szabo. They discuss the role of victims within international criminal courts, and some of the challenges associated with responding meaningfully to mass victimisation.
Seamus Mulholland Barrister-at-law joins QUB final year law student Alana Hughes to continue our family law discussion.
Dr Amanda Kramer interviews Dr Kathryn McNeilly about her book Human Rights and Radical Social Transformation: Futurity, Alterity, Power (Routledge, 2017) which was shortlisted for the 2018 Hart-SLSA Early Career Prize.
Brendan Devlin Barrister-at-law joins QUB final year law student Alana Hughes to discuss study choices for third year students.
Dr James Gallen of Dublin City University joins Dr Luke Moffett on the podcast to discuss historical institutional abuse in democratic states, with a focus on Ireland.
Dr Rachael Dickson, Ivanka Antova and Professor Phil Scraton engage in a thoughtful conversation about the connection between activism, research and human rights.
As part of our 16 Days of Activism programme in December 2017, Dr Yassin Brunger is joined by Justice Teresa Doherty, former Presiding judge at the Special Court for Sierra Leone
As part of our 16 Days of Activism in December 2017, Dr Yassin Brunger, Dr Rachel Killean and Dr Eithne Dowds discuss the role of activism and international criminal justice in responding to conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence.
Sarah E. Lageson talks to Adam Harkens about new forms of digital punishment and social control in the United States.
Dr Kirsten McConnachie from the School of Law at Warwick University talks to our own Professor Colin Harvey about the ongoing refugee crisis in Myanmar.
Dr Alice Panepinto and guests Dr Nahed Habiballah and Nery Ramati discuss their work in relation to the human rights situation in Palestine.
Discussion centres on national and international perspectives on domestic violence, and how law and policy has responded to this type of harm.
On the inaugural episode of LawPod Professor Phil Scraton discusses the implications of mandatory life sentencing and the failures of the modern penal system.