Shows
Law in ContextEpisode 9 | For Women Scotland v The Scottish MinistersIn this episode we unpack the UK Supreme Court’s recent judgment in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers—a landmark case that raises urgent questions about the legal definitions of ‘sex’ and ‘woman’ under the Equality Act 2010.Joined by Dr Sandra Duffy (University of Bristol), Dr Surabhi Shukla (University of Sheffield), and Dr SJ Cooper-Knock (University of Sheffield), we explore the legal reasoning behind the judgment, its implications for trans and non-binary people, and how it intersects with both UK and international human rights law.We also examine the role of the so-called ‘gender-critical’ movement, challe...2025-05-271h 09
Law in ContextEpisode 8 | Trump Tariffs 2.0The Trump Administration is back. And so are their signature trade policies. 'Tariffs' must be the buzzword of the year so far. But let’s be honest – even those of us that work on these subjects need to google things to fully understand what’s going on. To help us understand, we are joined in this episode by Greg Messenger, Professor of Trade Law & Policy at the Law School of the University of Bristol and Dr Maha Rafi Atal, Adam Smith Senior Lecturer in Political Economy at the University of Glasgow.In this episode we cov...2025-04-0155 min
Law in ContextEpisode 7 | Climate Change: 2024 StocktakeWhat do recent court rulings mean for the future of climate action? How are international legal bodies shaping the fight against climate change? In our first episode for 2025 , we join forces with the Sheffield Centre for International and European Law (SCIEL) to explore the most pressing legal developments in climate law.Together with Malgosia Fitzmaurice (QMUL), Ivano Alogna (BIICL), and Agnes Rydberg (Sheffield) we break down the key climate rulings of 2024, the role of ITLOS and the ICJ in shaping global climate governance, and the increasing legal pressure on corporations. We also unpack the outcomes of COP29 and...2025-02-201h 06
Law in ContextElections Special Pt II: Elections and Digital TechnologiesCurious about how international law navigates the intersection of modern elections and digital technology? In Part II of our Elections Special, recorded for the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024, we delve into the legal frameworks that address electoral interference through cyber-operations and targeted digital campaigns, the use of personal data in electoral campaigns and algorithmic transparency, freedom of speech and the rise of disinformation campaigns, and the responsibilities of big tech in safeguarding human rights. Listen to insights by legal experts in the field of international law & digital tech:
Dr Jack Kenny, Lecturer at the University of Manchester and research lead...2024-11-0452 min
Law in ContextElections Special Pt I: US Presidential Elections 2024Are you still confused about how the US electoral system works? Have you been invited to an election night party by your American friends but not quite sure what makes swing states such a big deal? Are you trying to keep up with the latest on the presidential candidates and the global debates that will shape the outcome and aftermath of the election? Are you curious about fake news, online influencers, and personal data in political campaigns?
In Part I of this special double episode, recorded in the context of the he ESRC Festival of S...2024-11-0151 min
Law in ContextEpisode 4 | Social Movements and ProtestsFrom the French Revolution and the women's suffrage movement to the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, social movements and protests have served as catalysts for some of the most important events in world history. Still today, social and political change is sought through local and global collective action, such as the ‘Occupy’ or the LGBTQ+ rights movement, the Black Lives Matter, the Rhodes Must Fall, or Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil.
These movements and the means employed to raise awareness and drive political change often spark controversy. If we look at the headlines of international media, only...2024-06-201h 12
Law in ContextEpisode 3 | The Safety of Rwanda BillThis episode discusses the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, which was introduced by the UK government in December 2023 and is currently discussed in the House of Lords. It unpacks the legal issues that arise from the Bill from an immigration, human rights, and public law perspective, and discuss the politics of asylum in the UK and their practical implications for migrants and asylum-seekers. In this talk, the hosts are joined by Jonathan Collinson and Sam Guy, Lecturers in Law, and Lucy Mayblin Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Director of Migration Research Group at the University of Sheffield....2024-03-0553 min
Law in ContextEpisode 2 | Russia-Ukraine War and International LitigationThis episode of our rapid response event and podcast series unpacks the recent judgments of the International Court of Justice (available here and here) in the disputes initiated by Ukraine against Russia in respect of the latter’s military operations in Ukraine in 2014 and 2022, under the Genocide Convention, the Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. It addresses the decision of Ukraine to use the legal instruments in question (which are not about the legality of Russia’s military operations), the arguments of the parties, the...2024-03-0152 min
Law in ContextEpisode 1 | South Africa v. IsraelOn January 26 the International Court of Justice handed down its order on provisional measures in the case brought by South Africa challenging Israel’s military operations in Gaza under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
In this first episode of our new rapid response event and podcast series, we are joined by Dr Awol Allo, Senior Lecturer in Law, and Dr Emma Heywood, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Radio, and Communication. The episode explains how the ICJ is engaged in an international dispute, what is the meaning of ‘provisional measures’, what is the crime of Geno...2024-02-2356 min