Human rights and social justice in education

This cluster of researchers share research interests around the intersection of law and education, especially questions of social justice, rights, citizenship in education. Their work is interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, and includes colleagues from disciplines outside Law. Members produce research, engage in educational practice and in the law clinic, partner with other institutions, and provide consultancy.

Themes:

• Human rights and citizenship education
• Legal and professional education
• Inclusivity, belonging and diversity in education
• Right to education

Members:

• Professor Sarah Cooper
• Dr Josephine Cornell
• Dr Lamin Daffeh
• Kay Dunn (PhD)
• Jason Georgiou (EdD)
• Dr Friso Jansen
• Jules McCarthy
• Hayley Mynard-Gates (EdD)
• Abbiba Princewill (PhD)
• Dr Amna Nazir
• Sonya Smith (EdD)
• Dr Alice Storey
• Dr Piers von Berg
• Professor Jon Yorke

Indicative publications:

• Sarah Lucy Cooper. (2025) ‘International Internships: Preparing Students for Rights and Justice in Action’, Teaching of Rights and Justice in the Law School: Challenges and Opportunities for Research Led Teaching. Routledge. https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/15456/.
• Friso Johannes Jansen. (2021) ‘Fitness to Practice Tribunals in the UK and the Netherlands: The Construction of (Para) Medical Competence and the Use of Evidence-Based Guidelines’, Clinical Guidelines and the Law of Medical Negligence (Edward Elgar Publishing). https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/clinical-guidelines-and-the-law-of-medical-negligence-9781789908886.html.
• Alice Storey. (2025) ‘Teaching Law Students to Advocate for Human Rights and Global Justice through the UPR Project at BCU’, Teaching of Rights and Justice in the Law School: Challenges and Opportunities for Research Led Teaching. Routledge. https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/15456/ .
• Piers von Berg. (2025). ‘Exploring liminality for transformative human rights education in higher education’. Human Rights Education Review, 1–21. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/25355406.2025.2452127?scroll=top&needAccess=true#abstract. 

Selected research projects:

• The Lecturers’ Cookbook (BLSS Small Development Grant and Interdisciplinary Funding). (Dr Piers von Berg).
• Pedagogies for social justice during periods of complex social change (BLSS Start Up Grant). (Dr Piers von Berg).
• That’s Me: Eliminating barriers to postgraduate research study in the West Midlands - Education and Social Work | Birmingham City University. (Professor Sarah Cooper).
• Working Class Academics (https://www.bcu.ac.uk/research/law/centre-for-human-rights/research-and-education/working-class-academics-improving-experiences-in-higher-education). (Dr Alice Storey).  

Partnerships and consultancy work:

• Professor Sarah Cooper, Law School Professors Team Up to Teach ‘Law[yering] and Science’ Skills Workshop in New York | Birmingham City University
• Dr Piers von Berg, Fellow of Demos Centre, American College of Greece (The American College of Greece | The Demos Center).

Educational practice and clinic work:

• Annual field trip to the international courts and tribunals in The Hague.
• Annual (remote) externship programme with Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in Pakistan. https://www.bcu.ac.uk/research/law/centre-for-human-rights/research-and-education/externship-programme.
• Constitutional Convention Project.
• Judge Greenaway Lecture Series. Judicial Process - Law | Birmingham City University.
• Model United Nations - Law | Birmingham City University.
• On The Record (experiential learning).
• Tribunal Simulations and Experiential Pedagogies.

Associated networks coordinated by members:

• HOME | Global Transformative Education Network (GTEN)
• Working Class Academics (contact Dr Alice Storey).
• International Association for Human Rights Education.