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School of Law, Gender and Media

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About

The School of Law is the only one of its kind in the UK - dedicated to legal systems and legal challenges of the developing world, with complementary strengths in human rights, international law and institutions, environmental law and international trade and commerce.

We have unrivalled expertise and produce world-leading research in comparative law (China, Africa, South/South-East Asia, the Middle East), complemented by specialists in international and transnational law, human rights, transnational commercial law, environmental law and socio-legal method.

The intellectual community at SOAS is vibrant and globally oriented. The School of Law, Gender and Media is home to a range of specialist law centres, which put on events regularly throughout the year. Additionally, the student Law Society is active and hosts career and social events.

All of our students are taught by academic thought leaders, practicing lawyers, and other experts from across a range of disciplines.

— Professor Eddie Bruce-Jones, Head of the School of Law, Gender and Media

Research and academics

Research at the School of Law

The School of Law is a world-class centre for study and research in comparative (South, Central and East Asia, Africa, Islam and the Middle East), transnational, and international law.

Academic staff at the School of Law

Academic staff at the School of Law.

Facts and figures

1st in UK

REF 2021 (Research Outputs)

6th in UK

REF 2021

Law centres

Centre for Law in Asia

The Centre for Law in Asia at SOAS University of London.

Centre for the Study of Colonialism, Empire and International Law

The Centre for the study of Colonialism, Empire and International Law at SOAS Univeristy of London.

Centre for Human Rights Law

The Centre for Human Rights Law aims to provide a space for scholarship and cooperative approaches on human rights law in practice.

Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law

The Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law at SOAS University of London

Centre for Water and Development

The Centre for Water and Development at SOAS University of London.

Law, Environment and Development Centre

The Law, Environment and Development Centre at SOAS University of London.

Centre for AI Futures

The Centre for AI Futures at SOAS University of London

SOAS Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Centre

The SOAS Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Centre (SADRC) is a research and knowledge exchange centre within the School of Law at SOAS University of London.

Associated centres

Centre for Gender Studies

The Centre for Gender Studies at SOAS is an interdisciplinary space promoting research and teaching on gender and sexuality with particular reference to Asia, Africa, the Middle East and their diasporas.

Centre for Global Media and Communications

The Centre for Global Media and Communications at SOAS University of London.

News

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Events

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In this section

Blogs

Alumni, College of Law, Anthropology and Politics, Department of Politics and International Studies & School of Law, Gender and Media

Meet Iqra Hasan: SOAS alum making history as India's youngest female Muslim MP

Iqra Hasan Choudhary studied at SOAS and has now made history as the youngest Muslim woman to enter the Indian Parliament. Shloka explores her inspiring journey.

School of Law, Gender and Media & College of Law, Anthropology and Politics

South Africa v Israel, provisional measures and the obligation to prevent genocide

SOAS Law academics contextualise South Africa v. Israel before the International Court of Justice ruling and discuss the implications of this case on international law and human rights protection.

Centre for Human Rights Law & School of Law, Gender and Media

Why I chose to study MA Human Rights Law at SOAS

MA student Anna moved across the pond to pursue a Human Rights Law degree. She runs through the key reasons why she chose SOAS.

School of Law, Gender and Media

How is Covid-19 impacting human rights?

Covid-19 constitutes a major stress test for societies, states, and the international order.

School of Law, Gender and Media

Africa neglects women's property rights at its own economic peril - but it's not the only culprit

Women in Africa own less than 10% of the land. Transformation can only be achieved through legal awareness raising and bottom-up legal change strategies to facilitate economic empowerment.

School of Law, Gender and Media & Food Studies Centre

Sudan's catastrophe: A long history of failed responses to structural and direct violence

The current crisis in Sudan has deep roots. Seemingly erupting suddenly, it has in fact been a long time coming.
Research

Addressing the Multi-scalar Dimensions of Sectoral Water Conflicts: Lessons from South Asia (WATCON) (2024-2029)

Addressing water conflicts through the lens of water security.

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Food security and the governance of local knowledge in India and Indonesia (2018–2023)

Working with the Australian Research Council to examine the ways small farmers identify, conserve and exchange useful plant material.

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Fostering ecocentric community-led river restoration and conservation in the Ganga Basin (2022–2023)

Interrogating the concept of "river rights" to examine the contribution of ecocentric rights for river restoration and conservation.

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Conflicts over Access to Water and Land: Evolving dimensions (2022–2025)

Addressing water conflicts through the lens of water security.

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Carceral Policy, Policing and Race

Amplifying the carceral experiences of marginalised populations across the Global South.

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Sanitation in India: Understanding a complex and controversial human right (2016)

Examining the right to sanitation in India from a broad perspective that encompasses the various dimensions of the right.

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Legal Issues Related to Water Sector Restructuring in India (2006–2009)

The first major study of water law in India since the early 1990s and contributed to ensuring policy-makers would consider it a more important part of sector reforms.

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UKIERI: Climate change and groundwater management in India (2013–2015)

Analysing the impact of climate change on groundwater.

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Rule of Law in Thailand

Enhancing SOAS knowledge and capacity in the study and research of East and Southeast Asian laws, with a focus on Thai law.

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Age of consent and child-marriage in the British Empire

Exploring the debates that led to the reform of age of consent laws in UK and their introduction in other parts of the Empire at the end of the 19th century.

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HURIME Project: Human Rights in the Post-Uprisings Middle East

Enhancing the knowledge of academicians and politicians on the new tendencies of human rights discourses and practices in the MENA region.

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SOAS Influencing the Corridors of Power project

Influencing the Corridors of Power (ICOP) is an innovative front-line project which addresses the democratic deficit between UK universities and UK politics.

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Events

28 November 2024

Doctrinal change in Islamic law: The right of a wife to judicial divorce based on Darar (Harm) in Maliki law

Professor Mohammad Fadel, Professor of Law, University of Toronto will speak about the Maliki rule permitting wives' access to judicial divorce upon proof of harm (darar)' and how this rule has become widely adopted in modern Islamic family law.

4 December 2024

The Transformation of the Prohibition of Torture in International Law

In this thought provoking discussion, Professor Lutz Oette will deliberate on the transformation of torture with Michelle Staggs Kelsall and its ramifications for the future of its prohibition.