Conversations 2008/2009
Gender, Human Rights and International Law, 17 May 2008
With Professor Hilary Charlesworth, Gita Sahgal of the Gender Unity at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International and Kathryn Lockett from the NGO, Womankind and facilitated by Dr. Zoe Pearson from Keele University.
The topic of conversation was ‘Gender, Human Rights and International Law’ which is available here to download. Further conversations are planned for the coming academic year which cover diverse topics such as ‘addressing homophobia’ and ‘the meaning of family’ and will also be available to download
Conversations 2009/2010
Gender, Sex and Asylum, 9 December 2010
Participants: S. Chelvan, Barrister, No 5 Chambers and UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group [UKLGIG]; Sarah Keenan, lecturer in Law, Oxford Brookes Univeristy; Nathanael Miles, Stonewall and author of No Going Back: Lesbian and Gay People and the Asylum System, Stonewall, 2010; Dr Oliver Phillips, University of Westminster; Facilitated by Harriet Samuels, Reader, University of Westminster.
This Conversation centres on the challenges faced by those claiming asylum on the basis of their sexuality in the United Kingdom.
Conversations 2010/2011
Regulating Sex, November 2009
Dr Jo Doezema, University of Sussex; Catherine Stephens, International Union of Sex Workers; Lee Brooker, Terrence Higgins Trust; James Mannion, SohoBoyz
Sex, Gender and Religion, April 2010
Dr Lucy Vickers, Oxford Brookes University, Suhraiya Jivraj, Oxford Brookes University and Tessa Kendall, National Secular Society and Elizabeth O’Casey, National Secular Society and Harriet Samuels, University of Westminster.
Trafficking
October 2008
The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings came into force in February of this year having received the necessary number of ratifications. While the majority of the member states of the Council of Europe have yet to ratify or accede to the Convention, including the UK, the entry into force of the Convention provides the impetus for the conversation on the topic of 'Trafficking'. The Convention will frame a larger conversation on the responses to human trafficking, especially of women and children, and the effectiveness of legal frameworks at domestic, regional and international levels in addressing this global phenomenon.
With Dr Tsachi Keren-Paz, Law School, University of Keele, Helen Atkins, POPPY, Abigail Stepnitz, POPPY and Dorrie Chetty, Department of Social and Historical Studies, University of Westminster.
Facilitated by Dr Emma McClean, Law School, University of Westminster
Fatherhood
November 2008
The conversation on the topic of ‘Fatherhood’ takes as its starting point the current proposal to change the law relating to birth registration. The proposal will provide a departure point for a larger conversation exploring paternal rights and responsibilities from legal and ethical perspectives.
With Professor Sally Sheldon, Law School, University of Kent, Dr Jonathan Ives, Department of Philosophy, University of Birmingham and Adrienne Burgess, Fatherhood Institute.
Facilitated by, Dr Oliver Phillips, Law School, University of Westminster
Addressing homophobia
February 2009
The incitement provision in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act which has recently received royal assent provides the departure point for the conversation on 'Addressing Homophobia'. The conversation will explore how successful legal provisions for addressing homophobia can be, i.e. what can/will the law achieve in this area.
With Professor Les Moran, Law School, Birkbeck College, London, Jonathan Finney, Stonewall, Hannaan Baig from GALOP.
Facilitated by, Dr Oliver Phillips, Law School, University of Westminster