The Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) has released its latest bi-annual report, showcasing its global research and interdisciplinary collaborations. Outgoing Director Linda Mulcahy celebrates the report and her time at the Centre.

The Centre for Socio-Legal Studies is excited to announce the start of a new two year Nuffield Foundation funded project which will explore ways of providing sustainable funding for the not for profit legal advice sector.

Professor Fernanda Pirie’s three-year project (2025–2028) will explore Tibetan law through seventeenth-century texts, analyzing its unique development. With two post-doctoral researchers, she will trace its history from the seventh to the twentieth centuries. The study will offer insights into law, government, and religion.

Linda Mulcahy delivered the inaugural Janine Sargoni lecture at the launch of the Bristol Socio-Legal Centre, highlighting law centres' role in advocacy and free legal aid. Led by Devyani Prabhat and Katherine Wade, the Centre aims to be a global hub for socio-legal scholarship.

Join the International Journal of Law in Context, Wolfson Law in Societies Cluster, and Centre for Socio-Legal Studies for a workshop in Oxford, 26-27 June 2025. Early career scholars are invited to present research, receive feedback, and potentially have their papers published. Apply by 25 April 2025 with a 1500-word abstract and cover letter to admin@csls.ox.ac.uk. Meals and one night's accommodation provided.

Apply now for the 2025 Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute. Engage in global media policy debates, with a focus on AI, Big Tech, and inequalities. Connect with experts and peers in Oxford. Early decision deadline: March 21, 2025. Final deadline: April 25, 2025.

Professor Martti Koskenniemi will deliver the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies' 2025 annual lecture on "International Law and the Social: Elements of a Conceptual and Political History." The event, followed by a drinks reception, is organised in collaboration with the Law and Societies research cluster at Wolfson College.

Dr Natalie Kyneswood has been awarded a Wellcome Trust Early-Career Award for a five-year project on trauma-informed specialist courts and the medicalisation of justice, running from January 2025 to September 2029. The study will explore the impact of trauma-informed practices on courtroom procedures and victim-survivors of sexual violence, with a focus on shaping policy and improving practice in UK specialist courts.

Fernanda Pirie has taken over as Director of the Centre, following Professor Linda Mulcahy’s sabbatical, and is focused on strengthening the Centre’s leadership in Socio-Legal Studies. Agnieszka Kubal joins as Deputy Director, alongside a senior team dedicated to driving the Centre’s research and growth.

In December 2024, CSLS, with InfoLead, held a groundbreaking course for policymakers, judges, and legal experts on tackling information disorder. Participants explored topics like AI's role in online interactions, trust in social media, and the impact of laws like the Digital Services Act and the EU’s AI Act.

Ellie Whittingdale, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, contributed to the Keep Counselling Confidential campaign with Rape Crisis England & Wales, helping secure a law change. This led to an oral history project on Rape Crisis activists. Watch the film exploring the collaboration.

Dr. Natalie Kyneswood has created a video and leaflet to help adult survivors give evidence to the police and in court, outlining the "special measures" available under the YJCEA 1999. These resources aim to empower victim-survivors and have been distributed to over 2,000 support organizations in England and Wales. An online launch is scheduled for November 7, 2024, at 12:45 PM, featuring HHJ David Aubrey KC.

Linda Mulcahy, Director of the Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, delivered the inaugural Madge Easton Anderson lecture at the University of Glasgow. Her talk, "The Right to Legal Knowledge," focused on marginalized voices in the justice system. Mulcahy honored Madge Easton Anderson, the UK's first female lawyer, and looked forward to future collaborations with Glasgow feminists.

The Centre for Socio-Legal Studies is excited to announce a conference on Judicial Activism and Resistance in Eastern Europe and Beyond, taking place on 5-6 June 2025 in Brussels. This event invites scholars to contribute insights on judicial independence, activism, and the challenges of democratic transitions.

The Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies announces the appointment of Dr. Agnieszka Kubal. A former DPhil graduate of the Centre, Dr. Kubal specializes in law and society, focusing on Central Eastern Europe and Russia. She returns after research roles at Oxford, Harvard, and UCL, and will lead the Centre's Lived Experiences of Human Rights research cluster.

Professor Linda Mulcahy, Director of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, is in Chile delivering a plenary at the Law and Society conference and participating in academic sessions in Santiago. This visit strengthens the Centre’s ongoing efforts to connect with socio-legal researchers in the global South.

The InfoLead Executive Education Institute is now accepting applications for its intensive programme on media literacy and information risks, tailored for policymakers, legal professionals, and civil society leaders. Topics include online content moderation, disinformation, and the regulation of generative AI.

The Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies is excited to announce its Michaelmas Term 2024 seminar series, featuring topics ranging from British conspiracist communities to human rights in Poland and child protection for refugees. Most seminars are held in person, with an option to join online for select events.