Lawpod

In this episode, Mae Thompson speaks with Prof Luke Moffett, Dr Jessica Dorsey, and Chris Rogers about how artificial intelligence is already reshaping military decision making and what that means for civilian harm, accountability, and redress. The guests distinguish AI‑enabled decision support from lethal autonomy, unpack the cognitive risks of automation bias, anchoring, and de‑skilling, and consider how AI might responsibly support civilian‑harm tracking and investigations through data fusion and triage. They discuss the “triple black box” of accountability (model opacity, military secrecy, and diffused responsibility), the importance of lawful‑by‑design guardrails across the AI lifecycle, and why NGOs must pair new tools with people‑centred documentation. Looking ahead, they reflect on opportunities for a UK statutory redress scheme to deliver prompt acknowledgement, amends, and mitigation—keeping accountability pace with capability while centring affected communities. Prof Luke Moffett — Chair of Hum

In this episode, Mae Thompson speaks with Dr Kaleigh Heard, Dr Haim Abraham, and Dr Conall Mallory about how the UK could strengthen its approach to civilian harm mitigation and redress at a moment of global uncertainty. Reflecting on the rollback of civilian protection measures in the US and emerging reforms in places like the Netherlands, the guests explore the potential for the UK to assume a leadership role. They discuss the limits of relying solely on litigation, the promise of tort law, the strategic and moral value of compensation and acknowledgement, and the need for a comprehensive, statutory, victim‑centred framework that aligns with international obligations while offering accessible, meaningful redress for affected communities. Despite the challenging geopolitical landscape, the conversation highlights genuine opportunities for constructive change in UK policy. Dr Kaleigh Heard — Lecturer, UCL Department of Political Science; Deputy Director of the MA Human Rights; Director of the APPG on Mode

Host Dr Ciara Hackett, SWAN Champion at the School of Law, discusses corporate governance and board diversity with a focus on gender and sexuality. Special guests include Karen McShane, an experienced civil engineer and transport planner, and Dr Ciaràn O'Kelly, a scholar on accountability and governance infrastructures. The panel delves into the Equality Act 2010, recent legal rulings surrounding gender recognition, and their impacts on board diversity. Karen shares her experiences and insights on the role of diverse boards in driving organisational success, the importance of EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) policies, and the evolving landscape of corporate governance. The discussion underscores the significance of inclusive practices and forward planning in achieving long-term societal and organisational benefits.

In this episode, hosted by Mae Thompson from Ceasefire, panellists Dr Elizabeth Stubbins Bates, Mark Lattimer, Executive Director, Ceasefire and Dr Conall Mallory, Director, QUB Human Rights Centre,  discuss the UK's approach to addressing civilian harm caused by military operations. They explore the gaps in current redress mechanisms, the importance of tracking and investigating civilian harm, and the potential for a UK civilian harm redress scheme. The conversation covers historical issues, political disincentives, and best practices from international examples, emphasising the need for more comprehensive and proactive investigations. Insights from legal and military experts underline the critical importance of transparency, accountability, and the recognition of civilian suffering. This podcast is the fourth in a series of episode on Civilian Harm in Conflict – hosted by Mae Thompson, advocacy officer at Ceasefire. The podcast is an output of the AHRC funded ‘Reparations during Armed Conflict‘ project wi

In this episode of Part 3, Julia Viebach speaks with Gina Cabarcas Maciá, co-founder and director of the Political and Criminal Justice Lab in Bogota, about the vital role of records in Colombia's transitional justice process. With over 50 years of armed conflict and multiple transitional justice mechanisms operating since 2006, Colombia has developed a complex approach to documenting human rights violations—from judicial records and physical artifacts to testimonies from perpetrators, victims, and communities.The conversation explores how different types of records—including judicial files, testimonies, and digitalized archives—contribute to establishing truth, documenting gendered violence, and locating disappeared persons. Gina discusses the Colombian Truth Commission's groundbreaking decision to digitalize all testimonies and the challenges of coordinating between multiple mechanisms. She also highlights the ongoing challenge of securing collective accountability from state actors and the critical role ci

This episode introduces the accountability project ISIS Prisons Museum. In her conversation, Dagmar Hovestädt explores the origins and methodology of this long-term investigation with its co-director Amr Khito and web developer Alan Woo. The team behind the ISIS Prisons Museum, for short IPM, documents former prison sites and mass graves of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and turns them into 3D tours and online investigations for families, researchers, and prosecutors.  Prisons were a central instrument of ISIS rule. Ordinary schools, churches, houses or even a stadium were turned into detention sites, and the IPM revealed systematic patterns of repression and crimes by documenting and analyzing more than 100 such places. The investigations combine spatial documentation and 3D modeling of former prison sites with left-behind administrative documents and hundreds of witness testimonies of former detainees.   The project is rooted in Syrian journalists’ and ex-prisoners’ own experiences; trust come

What happens when the law meets the natural world? In this episode of LawPod, Dr Jocelyn Bosse joins Dr Ciarán O'Kelly to explore the fascinating intersection of intellectual property rights, biodiversity, and food security. Fresh from being awarded the prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, Dr Bosse shares insights from her ambitious research project, ‘A Century of Propertising Plants: examining the role of intellectual property law in protecting biodiversity and food security’, which examines how plant IP laws have influenced agriculture over the past hundred years—and what that means for the future. From the origins of plant patents in the 1930s to today’s debates on CRISPR gene editing, this conversation unpacks the tensions between innovation and biodiversity, the role of law in shaping science, and the global implications for food security. Whether you’re curious about how IP law affects what ends up on your plate or the ethical questions behind controlling nature, this episode offers a deep dive

In this opening episode of Part 3, Ulrike Lühe talks to Nataliia Gladkova about preserving digital evidence of human rights violations in Ukraine. Nataliia is the Ukrainian Archive Program Manager at Mnemonic, where she oversees the collection and verification of over 7.6 million open-source records—including satellite imagery and social media content, predominantly from Telegram—documenting the impact of Russia's invasion. The conversation explores how digital tools have transformed documentation work, from automated collection systems to AI-assisted analysis, while maintaining rigorous verification standards. A key theme is balancing accessibility with protection: ensuring the Ukrainian people's right to know while addressing security concerns, privacy protections, and evidentiary requirements for legal accountability. Nataliia also discusses cross-archival collaborations with the Syrian Archive to examine patterns of Russian military actions across conflicts. About: Nataliia Gladkova was the Ukraine Archiv

In this episode of LawPod, Professor Lydia Bleasdale from the University of Leeds joins Dr Norah Burns to share her journey and insights in the field of legal education. Professor Bleasdale talks about her unexpected path to studying law, the impact of inspiring mentors, and her work as the Director of Community and Belonging at the Law School. She outlines her research on student resilience, the importance of understanding diverse student needs, and how to better support introverted students. The conversation also touches on the challenges and opportunities posed by AI in legal education and the Connecting Legal Education network's role in fostering innovative teaching practices.Highlighting personal experiences and professional advice, this episode offers valuable perspectives for current and future legal educators.

This episode invites you to a conversation Ulrike Lühe has with Ahmed Abofoul, international human rights lawyer at the Palestinian NGO Al-Haq. Speaking from his deep experience documenting grave violations against Palestinians under Israeli occupation, Ahmed reveals the challenges and stakes of building an evidentiary record amid protracted conflict and state obstruction. The methodological rigor of Al-Haq’s evidence collection—including on-the-ground fieldwork, open-source investigations, and advanced digital tools employed in a joint project with Forensic Architecture—ensures their documentation is admissible in courts and withstands political pressure and scrutiny. Ahmed reflects on the contextualising of discrete violations within broader patterns of occupation and apartheid is essential for understanding and legally characterising the situation. While digititilisation enhances accessibility and verification, he reminds us that it brings unique risks under occupation, requiring careful balance between tr

In this episode of Law Pod, host Kenneth Elo interviews Professor Warren Barr, the new head of the School of Law at Queen's University Belfast. Professor Barr shares insights into his career journey, which spans nearly three decades and includes leadership roles at major UK law schools such as Liverpool, Cardiff, and Birmingham. He discusses his educational philosophy, the significance of soft skills in legal education, and his vision for the future of Queen's Law School. The conversation also explores transformative experiences in legal education, the impact of generative AI, and the importance of striking a balance between ambition and a healthy work-life balance. Professor Barr emphasises the value of co-curricular activities and encourages students and staff to engage and collaborate openly.

The next episode in the series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024. In this episode Dagmar Hovestadt talks to Marija Ristic about the cutting edge of digital evidence in contemporary human rights investigations. Marija is the head of Amnesty International’s Digital Evidence Lab. In the conversation she shares how multidisciplinary teams combine field research, satellite imagery, open-source intelligence, and digital communication to document complex crises such as Gaza and Iran. Marija reflects on the fact that digital evidence now plays a central role in documenting human rights violations, especially in inaccessible or highly dangerous environments such as Gaza and Iran. While Amnesty International’s processes are rigorous, they constantly must adapt to different contexts, balancing authentici

In this episode of LawPod, Dr Eithne Dowds, a senior lecturer in law at Queen’s University Belfast, is joined by Professor Julia Quilter from the University of Wollongong, Australia. They discuss Professor Quilter's research on rape law reform and intoxication evidence in rape trials and compare the legal landscapes in Northern Ireland and Australia. The conversation touches on historical and contemporary evolution of the laws, the impact of intoxication evidence, and the challenges of addressing rape myths within the courtroom. Dr Dowds and Professor Quilter explore the complex dynamics of legal reforms aiming to protect victims and improve the courtroom experience for complainants while ensuring a fair trial for defendants. Points of comparison between Northern Ireland and Australia highlight the ongoing struggle to bridge the gap between progressive legal reforms and real-world courtroom practice. The episode brings to light how these issues play out across different legal systems.

In this episode, Dr Ulrike Lühe speaks with Raji Abdusalam, Chief Legal Data Archive Analyst at the Reckoning Project. In this conversation, Raji reveals how analysing thousands of testimonies uncovered the systematic genocide against Yazidi people—patterns invisible in individual cases. The conversation explores why "immutability" is sacred in digital evidence, how AI both accelerates and threatens documentation work, and a provocative question: with unlimited storage capacity, should we archive everything? "I always trust the archive that has a methodology," Raji argues. "But I don't trust the people who manage it."About: Raji Abdusalam is Chief Legal Data Archive Analyst at the Reckoning Project, with extensive experience documenting war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine, including building legal cases under universal jurisdiction.More information: The Reckoning ProjectThe 3-part series "Can the record be trusted?" explores the prospects and challenges of human rights

The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024. In this episode, Dagmar Hovestädt speaks with Robert Petit, a long-term prosecutor of international crimes - from the Rwanda Tribunal to Cambodia, Sierra Leone, and East Timor – and current head of the UN-mandated International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) dealing with crimes under International Law in Syria since March 2011. Only weeks after the recording of this conversation, the Assad regime fell, changing some aspects of the mechanism’s mandate but keeping its core untouched.  Created by the UN General Assembly in 2016 after repeated attempts to refer Syria to the ICC were vetoed, the IIIM has a unique mandate: to collect, consolidate, preserve, and analyze evidence of serious crimes under International Law committed

The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queen's University Belfast in November 2024. In this episode, Dagmar Hovestädt speaks with Dr. Trudy Huskamp Peterson, international consultant on archives and human rights. With decades of experience—from the U.S. National Archives to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees—Trudy has worked with archives of truth commissions, international tribunals, and other conflict archives worldwide, including in Guatemala, South Africa, Honduras, Rwanda, Cambodia and Sierra Leone. The conversation revolves around Trudy’s groundbreaking work on preserving truth commission records and explores the unresolved challenge of international tribunal archives. With multiple tribunals closing, questions about who will make access decisions and ensure long-term preservation remain desperately unresolved. From her per

The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queens University Belfast in November 2024.In this opening episode, Dr Julia Viebach speaks with Babacar Ndaye, former Senior Program Officer with the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL in Iraq (UNITAD). The conversation explores the immense challenge of managing millions of digital files retrieved from ISIS-controlled territories—from battlefield evidence on hard drives and drones to administrative documents detailing the organization's operations.UNITAD partnered with Microsoft to deploy AI tools for processing this vast corpus of data, while maintaining forensic standards and chain of custody. Babcar reflects on critical questions about authentication, the role of civil society organizations as first responders, and the uncertain fu

In the third episode of the mini-series on Civilian Harm in Conflict, host Mae Thompson is joined by Erin Bijl (PAX, Dutch NGO) and Major Steven van de Put (Royal Netherlands Air Force, former student) to explore the Dutch approach to accountability for civilian harm. This episode delves into the evolution of the Dutch accountability framework, spotlighting the 2015 Hawija airstrike in Iraq, which killed over 80 civilians during a Dutch-led bombing of an ISIS factory. The discussion examines the role of civil law in holding the Dutch state accountable, recent transparency and compensation measures by the Dutch Defense Ministry, and the effectiveness of community-level responses. By contrasting the Dutch model with the UK's slower progress, the episode offers insights into how states can improve accountability practices. Resources PAX Report: Community-Level Responses to Harm: Lessons Learned from Iraq Link: protectionofcivilians.org/report/community-level-responses-to-harm-lessons-learned-from-iraq/ Civ

In this special episode Katie O’Doherty delves into the illegal waste dumping scandal at the Mobuoy dump near the River Faughan in Northern Ireland, a scandal described by Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir as a "sophisticated and deliberate environmental crime of unprecedented scale”.It explores the background of this large scale environmental crime, discussing systemic failures and the roles of governmental agencies. Interviews with environmental activists James Orr from Friends of the Earth and Dean Blackwood from the River Faughan Anglers and The Environmental Gathering shed light on the significance of the recent sentencing of two company directors, the importance of the first “Victim Personal Statement” given by a river in Northern Ireland, and ongoing calls for a public inquiry. The discussion also touches on the broader implications for environmental governance, the need for recognising the rights of nature, and the systemic issues impacting environmental protection in post-conflict societies.Throughout

In the second episode of the mini-series on Civilian Harm in Conflict, host Mae Thompson from Ceasefire, the Center for Civilian Rights, explores the issues of civillian harm and reparations for victims of military actions in Yemen. The discussion features insights from Bonyan Gamal, a lawyer based in Sana'a Yemen and Program Manager of the Yemeni Archive, Kristine Beckerle, Deputy Regional Director of Amnesty International for the Middle East and North Africa and co-investigator on the Reparations for Civilian Harm in Conflict project, and Professor Luke Moffett from Queen's University School of law. The guests explore the various harms experienced by Yemeni civilians, including psychological, economic, and direct physical impacts, and discuss the obstacles and potential solutions for obtaining reparations and accountability. The conversation emphasises the need for a victim-centered approach, improved state policies, and the importance of international support and acknowledgment to address the long-sta