Gearty, Conor

Professor Conor Gearty

Department	Position held
Department of Law	Professor of Human Rights Law

Experience keywords:

terrorism; law; human rights; civil liberties

Research summary > [Click to expand]

Current research interests include into terrorism, human rights and civil liberties. Research grants since 2001 have been from the ESRC for research into British attitudes to civil liberties and terrorism and for a seminar series on the role of civil society in the context of national security. As Director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights, Professor Gearty is responsible for the successful running of the centre. Collaborative events have been with the Centre for Civil Society, the Gender Institute and the European Institute.

Conor is also a barrister and was a founder member of Matrix chambers from where he continues to practice. He has been a frequent adviser to judges, practitioners and public authorities on the implications of the UK Human Rights Act, and has frequently lectured at home and abroad on the topic of human rights. He has appeared in human rights cases in the House of Lords, the Court of Appeal and the High Court.

Sectors and industries to which research relates:

Law; Public Administration

Countries and regions to which research relates:

UK; Ireland

Media experience:

Has written for mainstream press; Radio; TV

Contact Points
LSE phone number: +44 (0)20 7849 4643	LSE email: c.a.gearty@lse.ac.uk

Publications

The following references are sourced from LSE Research Online|. References that are linked lead to the full text.

2013

Gearty, Conor (2013) Liberty and security. Polity. ISBN 9780745647180

2012

Gearty, Conor and Douzinas, Costas, (eds.) (2012) The Cambridge companion to human rights law. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. ISBN 9781107602359

Gearty, Conor (2012) Do as I say and not as I do: hypocrisy and human rights. Blog post from London School of Economics & Political Science

Gearty, Conor (2012) The partisanship shown by many commentators on the Abu Qatada case does not do the advocacy of human rights any favours. Blog post from London School of Economics & Political Science

Gearty, Conor (2012) Is attacking multiculturalism a way of tackling racism - or feeding it?: reflections on the Government's Prevent Strategy. European human rights law review, 2 pp. 121-129. ISSN 1361-1526

Gearty, Conor and Phillips, John (2012) Human Rights Act and business: friend or foe? Lloyd's maritime and commercial law quarterly, 2012 (4). ISSN 0306-2945

2011

Gearty, Conor (2011) The Tories attacks on the human rights act are nothing more than political noise-making. Blog post from London School of Economics & Political Science

Gearty, Conor (2011) The Dale Farm case shows that legal authority must be made clear before potentially life-wrecking actions are taken. Blog post from London School of Economics & Political Science

Gearty, Conor (2011) The Human Rights Act matters – any new “bill of rights” should build on it, not replace it. Blog post from London School of Economics & Political Science

Gearty, Conor (2011) The Commission looking into the possibility of a British bill of rights is supposed to support diversity and inclusivity, but is fatally compromised by its narrow membership base. Blog post from London School of Economics & Political Science

Gearty, Conor (2011) Beyond the Human Rights Act. In: Campbell, Tom and Ewing, Keith and Tomkins, Adam, (eds.) The legal protection of human rights: sceptical essays. Oxford University Press, pp. 472-486. ISBN 9780199606078

Gearty, Conor (2011) Human rights issues are high on the policy agenda in the UK today and the public are keener than ever to discuss these. A recognition that this discussion is moving online and involves a wide range of people is vital if we are to successfully thrash out the issues on rights. Blog post from London School of Economics & Political Science

Gearty, Conor (2011) Doing human rights: three lessons from the field. In: Gilbert, Geoff and Hampson, Francoise and Sandoval, Clara, (eds.) Strategic visions for human rights: essays in honour of Professor Kevin Boyle. Routledge, London, UK, pp. 52-66. ISBN 9780415579889

Gearty, Conor (2011) Once upon a country: a Palestinian life. Denning law journal, 23 (1). pp. 239-241. ISSN 0269-1922

2010

Gearty, Conor and Mantouvalou, Virginia (2010) Debating social rights. Hart Publishing, Oxford, UK. ISBN 9781849460231

Gearty, Conor (2010) Liberal in name only. Blog post from London School of Economics & Political Science

Gearty, Conor (2010) Do human rights help or hinder environmental protection? Journal of human rights and the environment, 1 (1). pp. 7-22. ISSN 1759-7188

Gearty, Conor (2010) The Human Rights Act: an academic sceptic changes his mind but not his heart. European human rights law review, 2010 (6). pp. 582-588. ISSN 1361-1526

Gearty, Conor (2010) Escaping Hobbes: liberty and security for our democratic (not anti-terrorist) age. LSE law, society and economy working papers, 03-2010 . Department of Law, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK

2009

Gearty, Conor (2009) Response to Charles Townshend. Critical studies on terrorism, 2 (2). pp. 319-320. ISSN 1753-9161

2008

Gearty, Conor (2008) Situating international human rights law in an age of counter-terrorism. In: Barnard, Catherine, (ed.) The Cambridge yearbook of European legal studies 2007-2008. Hart Publishing, Oxford, UK, pp. 167-188. ISBN 9781841138374

Gearty, Conor (2008) Essays on human rights and terrorism: comparative approaches to civil liberties in Asia, the EU and North America. Cameron May, London, UK. ISBN 9781905017584

Gearty, Conor (2008) The superpatriotic fervour of the moment. Oxford journal of legal studies, 28 (1). pp. 183-200. ISSN 0143-6503

2007

Gearty, Conor (2007) Civil liberties. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. ISBN 9780199283002

Gearty, Conor (2007) Terrorism and human rights. Government and opposition, 42 (3). pp. 340-362. ISSN 1477-7053

Gearty, Conor (2007) The Blair Report. Index on censorship, 36 (2). pp. 49-55. ISSN 0306-4220

Gearty, Conor (2007) Rethinking civil liberties in a counter-terrorism world. In: Deane, Seamus and Mac Suibhne, Breandán, (eds.) Field day review. Field Day Books, Dublin, Eire, pp. 125-136. ISBN 9780946755332

Downes, David and Rock, Paul and Chinkin, Christine and Gearty, Conor, (eds.) (2007) Crime, social control and human rights: from moral panics to states of denial. Willan Publishing, Cullompton, UK. ISBN 9781843922285

Johnson, Mark and Gearty, Conor (2007) Civil liberties and the challenge of terrorism. In: Park, Alison and Curtice, John and Thomson, Katarina and Phillips, Miranda and Johnson, Mark, (eds.) British social attitudes: the 23rd report: perspectives on a changing society. Sage Publications, London, UK, pp. 143-182. ISBN 9781412934329

Gearty, Conor (2007) Rethinking civil liberties in a counter-terrorism world. European human rights law review, (2). pp. 111-119. ISSN 1361-1526

Economides, Kim and Twining, William and Phillipson, Gavin and Chakrabati, Shami and Gearty, Conor (2007) Can human rights survive?: a symposium on the 2005 Hamlyn lectures. Public law, (Summer). pp. 209-232. ISSN 0033-3565

2006

Gearty, Conor (2006) Uncommon decency. New humanist, 121 (1). pp. 24-26. ISSN 0306-512X

Gearty, Conor (2006) Can human rights survive? Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. ISBN 9780521685528

2005

Gearty, Conor (2005) Keeping it honest: the role of the laity in a clerical church. In: Filochowski, Julian and Stanford, Peter, (eds.) Opening up: speaking out in the church. Darton, Longman and Todd, London, UK, pp. 257-266. ISBN 9780232526240

Gearty, Conor (2005) Short cuts. London review of books, 27 (6). ISSN 0260-9592

Gearty, Conor (2005) 11 September 2001, counter-terrorism and the Human Rights Act. Journal of law and society, 32 (1). pp. 18-33. ISSN 0263-323X

Gearty, Conor (2005) With a little help from our friends. Index on censorship, 34 (1). pp. 46-53. ISSN 0306-4220

Gearty, Conor (2005) Human rights in an age of counter-terrorism: injurious, irrelevant or indispensable? Current legal problems, 58 (1). pp. 25-46. ISSN 0070-1998

Gearty, Conor (2005) Book review: beyond comparison: sex and discrimination, by Timothy Macklem. Modern law review, 68 (1). pp. 158-161. ISSN 0026-7961

Gearty, Conor (2005) Terrorism and human rights. European human rights law review, (1). pp. 1-6. ISSN 1361-1526

2004

Gearty, Conor (2004) Human rights. In: Kuper, Adam and Kuper, Jessica, (eds.) The social science encyclopedia. Routledge, London, pp. 468-472. ISBN 9780415320962

Gearty, Conor (2004) Principles of human rights adjudication. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. ISBN 9780199287222

Gearty, Conor (2004) The price of justice. The tablet, June 1 pp. 10-11. ISSN 0039-8837

Gearty, Conor (2004) Answering for torture. The tablet, May 13 ISSN 0039-8837

Gearty, Conor (2004) The right cause but the wrong battle. The tablet, April pp. 4-5. ISSN 0039-8837

Gearty, Conor (2004) A supreme act of reform. The tablet, March pp. 10-11. ISSN 0039-8837

Gearty, Conor (2004) Focus: the UN spy scandal: the legal background: danger in politics of the last atrocity. The Observer, ISSN 0029-7712

Gearty, Conor (2004) Hutton missed the mark. The Guardian: G2, Februa pp. 16-17. ISSN 0261-3077

Gearty, Conor (2004) A jury's leap of faith. The tablet, Februa ISSN 0039-8837

Gearty, Conor (2004) A misreading of the law. London review of books, 26 (4). pp. 3-7. ISSN 0260-9592

Gearty, Conor (2004) The myth of detention. The tablet, Januar ISSN 0039-8837

Gearty, Conor (2004) Terrorism and morality. In: Mileham, Patrick, (ed.) War and morality: proceedings of a RUSI conference: ’Morality in Asymmetric War and Intervention operations’ held on 19-20 September 2002: including a new section on the Iraq War and its aftermath. Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies, London, UK, pp. 19-27. ISBN 9780855161866

Gearty, Conor (2004) The Casement treason trial in its legal context. In: Daly, Mary E., (ed.) Roger Casement in Irish and world history. Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, Eire, pp. 151-161. ISBN 9781904890041

Gearty, Conor (2004) The holism of human rights: linking religion, ethics and public life. European human rights law review, (6). pp. 605-609. ISSN 1361-1526

2003

Gearty, Conor (2003) Revisiting section 3(1) of the Human Rights Act. Law quarterly review, 119 (Oct). pp. 551-553. ISSN 0023-933X

Gearty, Conor (2003) Civil liberties and human rights. In: Bamforth, Nicholas and Leyland, Peter, (eds.) Public law in a multi-layered constitution. Hart Publishing, Oxford, UK, pp. 371-390. ISBN 9781841132822

Gearty, Conor (2003) Terror, human rights and civil liberties: authoritarian answers. The world today, 59 (8/9). pp. 4-6. ISSN 0043-9134

Gearty, Conor (2003) Don't destroy our schools. The tablet, May 10 ISSN 0039-8837

Gearty, Conor (2003) How did Blair get here? London review of books, 25 (4). pp. 7-8. ISSN 0260-9592

Gearty, Conor (2003) Terrorism and morality. European human rights law review, (4). pp. 377-383. ISSN 1361-1526

Gearty, Conor (2003) Reflections on civil liberties in an age of counter-terrorism. Osgoode Hall law journal, 41 pp. 185-210. ISSN 0030-6185

2002

Gearty, Conor and Oberleitner, Gerd (2002) Civil rights sacrificed on the altar of security. Times higher education supplement, Decemb ISSN 0049-3929

Gearty, Conor (2002) Cry freedom. The Guardian: G2, Decemb pp. 8-9. ISSN 0261-3077

Gearty, Conor (2002) How we declare war. London review of books, 24 (19). pp. 25-28. ISSN 0260-9592

Gearty, Conor (2002) Reconciling Parliamentary democracy and human rights. Law quarterly review, 118 (Apr). pp. 248-269. ISSN 0023-933X

Gearty, Conor (2002) The Human Rights Act and the criminal law: an overview of the early case-law. In: Boyle, Alan and Himsworth, Chris and Loux, Andrea and MacQueen, Hector, (eds.) Human rights and Scots law: comparative perspectives on the incorporation of the ECHR. Hart Publishing, Oxford, UK, pp. 293-306. ISBN 9781841130446

2001

Gearty, Conor (2001) Tort law and the Human Rights Act. In: Campbell, Tom and Ewing, Keith and Tomkins, Adam, (eds.) Sceptical essays on human rights. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 243-260. ISBN 9780199246694

Gearty, Conor (2001) Airy-fairy. London review of books, 23 (23). ISSN 0260-9592

Gearty, Conor (2001) An escalation of reasonableness. London review of books, 23 (17). ISSN 0260-9592

Mackay, R. D. and Gearty, Conor (2001) On being insane in Jersey - the case of Attorney General v. Jason Prior. Criminal law review, (July). pp. 560-563. ISSN 0111-135X

Gearty, Conor (2001) Unravelling Osman. Modern law review, 64 (2). pp. 159-190. ISSN 0026-7961

Gearty, Conor (2001) Reflections on human rights and civil liberties in light of the United Kingdom's Human Rights Act 1998. University of Richmond law review, 35 (1). pp. 1-25. ISSN 0566-2389

Gearty, Conor (2001) What are judges for? London review of books, 23 (2). ISSN 0260-9592

Gearty, Conor (2001) The Casement treason trial in its legal context. Irish jurist, 36 pp. 31-42. ISSN 0021-1273

2000

Gearty, Conor (2000) The Human Rights Act: an overview. In: Ewing, Keith, (ed.) Human rights at work. Institute of Employment Rights, London, UK, pp. 1-23. ISBN 9781873271810

Gearty, Conor and Davies, Stephen (2000) Insolvency practice and the Human Rights Act 1998. Jordan, Bristol, UK. ISBN 9780853086956

Gearty, Conor (2000) Constitutional and human rights law. In: Hayton, David J., (ed.) Law's future(s): British legal developments in the 21st century. Hart Publishing, Oxford, UK, pp. 53-70. ISBN 9781841131009

Ewing, Keith and Gearty, Conor (2000) The struggle for civil liberties: political freedom and the rule of law in Britain, 1914-1945. Oxford University Press, New York, USA. ISBN 9780198256656

Gearty, Conor (2000) Democracy and human rights in the European Court of Human Rights: a critical appraisal. Northern Ireland legal quarterly, 51 (3). pp. 381-396. ISSN 0029-3105

Hutton, Will and Binmore, K and Gearty, Conor and Parsons, S and Struthers, J and Weir, S and Thornton, S (2000) New life for health: the commission on the NHS. Vintage, London, UK. ISBN 9780099285755

1999

Gearty, Conor (1999) The internal and external "other" in the Union legal order: racism, religious intolerance and xenophobia in Europe. In: Alston, Philip and Bustelo, Mara R. and Heenan, James, (eds.) The EU and human rights. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 327-358. ISBN 9780198298069

Gearty, Conor (1999) The Human Rights Act 1998 and the role of the Strasbourg organs: some preliminary reflections. In: Anderson, Gavin W., (ed.) Rights and democracy: essays in UK-Canadian constitutionalism. Blackstone Press, London, UK, pp. 169-192. ISBN 9781854317056

Gearty, Conor (1999) Finding an enemy. London review of books, 21 (8). ISSN 0260-9592

1998

Gearty, Conor (1998) Here come the judges. London review of books, 20 (11). ISSN 0260-9592

1997

Gearty, Conor, (ed.) (1997) European civil liberties and the European Convention on Human Rights: a comparative study. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands. ISBN 9789041102539

Gearty, Conor and Ewing, Keith (1997) Rocky foundations for Labour's new rights. European human rights law review, (2). pp. 146-151. ISSN 1361-1526

Ewing, K D and Gearty, Conor (1997) A law too far: Part III of the Police Bill 1997. Civil Liberties Research Unit, London, UK

1996

Gearty, Conor, (ed.) (1996) Terrorism. Ashgate Dartmouth, Aldershot, UK. ISBN 9781855215481

Gearty, Conor and Tomkins, Adam, (eds.) (1996) Understanding human rights. Mansell Publishing Limited, London, UK. ISBN 9780720122954

1995

Gearty, Conor and Kimbell, J. A. (1995) Terrorism and the rule of law. Civil Liberties Research Unit, King's College, London, UK

1994

Ewing, Keith and Gearty, Conor and Hepple, B. A., (eds.) (1994) Human rights and labour law: essays for Paul O'Higgins. Mansell, New York, USA. ISBN 9780720121483

Gearty, Conor (1994) Political violence and civil liberties. In: McCrudden, Christopher and Chambers, Gerald, (eds.) Individual rights and the law in Britain. Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 145-178. ISBN 9780198257417

Gearty, Conor (1994) Freedom of assembly and public order. In: McCrudden, Christopher and Chambers, Gerald, (eds.) Individual rights and the law in Britain. Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 39-68. ISBN 9780198257417

Gearty, Conor and Ewing, Keith (1994) Democracy or a bill of rights. The Society, London

Gearty, Conor (1994) The cost of human rights: English judges and the Northern Irish troubles. Current legal problems, 47 (2). pp. 19-40. ISSN 0070-1998

1993

Gearty, Conor (1993) Citizenship and freedom of expression. In: Blackburn, Robert, (ed.) Rights of citizenship. Mansell, London, UK, pp. 271-294. ISBN 9780720121247

Gearty, Conor (1993) The European Court of Human Rights and the protection of civil liberties: an overview. Cambridge law journal, 52 (1). pp. 89-127. ISSN 0008-1973

1992

Gearty, Conor (1992) The politics of abortion. Journal of law and society, 19 (4). pp. 441-453. ISSN 0263-323X

Gearty, Conor (1992) The paradox of United States democracy. University of Richmond law review, 26 (2). pp. 259-279. ISSN 0566-2389

1991

Gearty, Conor (1991) Terror. Faber & Faber, London, UK. ISBN 9780571144501

1990

Ewing, Keith and Gearty, Conor (1990) Freedom under Thatcher: civil liberties in modern Britain. Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK. ISBN 9780198254140

1989

Gearty, Conor (1989) The place of private nuisance in a modern law of torts. Cambridge law journal, 48 (2). pp. 214-242. ISSN 0008-1973

Gearty, Conor Northern Ireland. In: Brassey's Defence Yearbook. . ISSN 0097-4803

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Personal website

Conor Gearty argues that for rights to work effectively in the wider promotion of social justice, they need to be kept as far away as possible from the courts.

Short bio >

Conor Gearty was born in Ireland and graduated in law from University College Dublin before moving to Wolfson College, Cambridge in 1980 to study for a Master’s Degree and then for a PhD. He became a fellow of Emmanuel College Cambridge in 1983 and in 1990 he moved to the school of law at King’s College London where he was first a senior lecturer, then a reader and finally (from 1995) a professor. On 1 October 2002, he took up a new appointment as Director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights and professor of human rights law at LSE. He has also been a visiting professor at Boston University, the University of Richmond and the University of New South Wales.

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