Peace, Justice and International Law Research Group

About us

The Peace, Justice and International Law Research Group brings together scholars from Middlesex University’s campuses in London, Dubai and Mauritius. Their research and teaching address urgent global challenges.

Protracted conflict, humanitarian crises and threats to the rule of law create a clear need for expert research in international law. Public interest in international legal accountability is also growing. The group contributes to global dialogue and policy in response to these developments.

Our members work in public international law, international human rights law, international criminal law, and international humanitarian law. They advance knowledge and practice in peace, conflict, accountability, and justice.

We support high-quality, high-impact research through collaboration, knowledge exchange and public engagement. Our interdisciplinary work draws on history, philosophy, film, literature, science, technology and the visual arts. This approach connects law with the humanities and social sciences. It also supports innovative questions that extend traditional legal scholarship.

Our objectives

Our objectives

  • Driving global change: Our work supports global priorities, including Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. We promote collaborative research in international law and related fields. We work within the University and with external partners
  • Empowering the next generation: We create an active intellectual community for postgraduate and doctoral students. We offer personalised mentoring, research opportunities and other valuable experiences. These include seminars, guest lectures, international study trips and public engagement events
  • Shaping international law in practice: We help to develop international law through academic research and practical work. This includes legal submissions to international courts and tribunals, such as amicus curiae briefs and third-party interventions.
Our research

Our research

Members of the group have secured external research funding from leading bodies. These include the ESRC, the Leverhulme Trust and the Nuffield Foundation.

Major international organisations, including the Council of Europe, have also appointed our members as consultants.

Members write monographs on international law, human rights and transitional justice. Their research covers:

  • Aggression
  • Genocide
  • International corporate criminal liability
  • International humanitarian law
  • Regional and international human rights courts and mechanisms
  • The workings of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

These publications offer original, detailed analysis of urgent challenges in international law. They address both academic audiences and policymakers.

Recent and upcoming publications include:

  • William Schabas: The International Legal Order's Colour Line: Racism, Racial Discrimination, and the Making of International Law (OUP, 2023)
  • Philip Leach and Alice Donald: Taking a Case to the European Court of Human Rights, (OUP, 5th edition, 2026)
  • Tenia Kyriazi and Daphne Demetriou: ‘Human Trafficking in the Middle East’ in R. Piotrowicz, C. Rijken and B. Uhl (eds), The Routledge Handbook on Human Trafficking (Routledge, 2nd edition, 2026).

Together, our work shapes global debates on human rights, international criminal law and corporate accountability.

Current research includes:

  • The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine - Giulia Pecorella
  • Corporate complicity in the Palestinian occupied territories and corporate accountability under the draft Articles on Crimes against Humanity - Alessandra De Tommaso
  • The human rights implications of the immigration debate in the UK - Alice Donald
  • The impacts of litigation relating to grave crimes and mass atrocities in conflict situations - Philip Leach,

We have links with key professional networks, including:

  • The European Society of International Law
  • The International Law Association
  • L'Association Internationale de Droit Pénal
  • The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights
  • The Open Council of Europe Academic Networks (OCEAN).
Our staff
Postgraduate research

Postgraduate research

The MPhil/PhD programme in Law at Middlesex University supports about 30 doctoral researchers at any one time. The programme recruits high-calibre candidates with a strong commitment to international law and justice.

The research group offers a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment. Doctoral researchers benefit from the University’s global reputation and extensive professional networks.

Doctoral students can take part in the group’s seminars, conferences and public events. These activities create an inclusive and collaborative space. They support academic development and career prospects.

Recently graduated PhD students include:

  • Dr Elena Borsacchi - the interest(s) of justice and international criminal law
  • Dr Patrick Iga - the interplay between refugee law and international criminal law
  • Dr Ezequiel Jimenez - the role played by the Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court.

Current PhD projects include:

  • the right to self-determination in post-decolonised Africa (Fru Ndemeno-Tegomoh)
  • state policy as an element of international crimes (Tofig Shahniyarov)
  • legitimacy of the International Criminal Court (Gunes Atay Unuvar)
  • restitution of property rights of victims of armed conflicts in Europe; achievements and challenges with enforcement (Narine Gasparyan).

Post-doctoral projects include Kiruba Munusamy, SENSS Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2025-2026 (Transforming Institutional Justice for Caste-Based Discrimination and Violence).

Knowledge exchange and teaching

Knowledge exchange and teaching

The research group is committed to knowledge exchange and research-led teaching. Its activities include the Peace, Justice and International Law Seminar Series. The series brings together academics, practitioners and students to examine current debates in international law.

Recent seminar topics include:

  • Sanctions and international law
  • State cooperation with the International Criminal Court
  • Environmental protection and international legal frameworks
  • The right to self-determination
  • Recent developments at the International Court of Justice.

These sessions support critical dialogue and strengthen the group’s role as a centre for interdisciplinary engagement.

Members also teach on postgraduate programmes. These include the LLM International Law and Human Rights and the LLM International Business and Commercial Law. Students benefit from current research, practical insights and engagement with global legal challenges.

A summer school on ‘Genocide, Aggression, and International Accountability Mechanisms’ will take place in 2026. It will examine urgent issues in international criminal law and human rights.

Topics will include:

  • The legal frameworks governing genocide and aggression
  • The role of international courts and tribunals
  • State and individual responsibility
  • The intersection between business and human rights.

Outputs

Recent publications by members include:

Events and media

Events and media

Members of the group contribute to public discussion of urgent issues in international law. They share their expertise through interviews, invited talks and high-profile blogs. This work informs public understanding and policy debate.

Recent engagements have covered:

Get in touch

Get in touch

For more information about the group or to discuss potential collaborations, contact: