RightsCast

From drone warfare to 'autonomous' weapons like the SGR-A1, technology has drastically altered the nature of modern conflict. In this episode, Dr Emily Jones joins Daragh Murray in a discussion about how posthuman and feminist theoretical approaches can be used to better understand the debate around autonomous weapons systems and other military technologies. Emily explains the different types of a...

This episode of RightsCast features a panel discussion with senior members of Amnesty International’s Crisis Response Team, who explore a range of issues central to their work, including how to conduct investigations on the ground, how to use remote and open source tools to conduct or support investigations, and how to translate those investigations into effective human rights advocacy. Brian Cast...

In December 2018, emergency austerity measures and the rising cost of living in Sudan sparked demonstrations demanding economic reform, which quickly broadened into demands for long-standing President Omar al-Bashir to step down. On 6th April, protestors began a sit-in outside of the military headquarters in Khartoum. Five days later, the military announced that al-Bashir had been ousted, and a tr...

In this episode of RightsCast, Dr Carla Ferstman is joined in conversation by Richard Ratcliffe, who has been campaigning tirelessly since 2016 for the release of his wife, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, from prison in Iran. This discussion was held in advance of a performance of Nazanin’s Story , a play which continually evolves as her case develops. Dr Carla Ferstman is a senior lecturer in the Scho...

When protests against Hong Kong's proposed extradition bill were met with the police's heavy hand, Amnesty International responded, showing evidence of repression and violence to support its call for a full, independent inquiry into police action. In this episode of RightsCast, we are joined by Sam Dubberley from Amnesty International’s Crisis Response Team, as he explains how they worked remotely...

 In his recent report on extreme poverty in the UK, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Philip Alston highlighted our local areas of Jaywick and Clacton as places experiencing high levels of deprivation, where there is a sense among residents that they have been abandoned by the state. In this episode, Mitch Paquette is joined by a panel of human rights organisers and ac...

In this episode, Dr Daragh Murray is joined by Professor Francoise Hampson and Professor Charles Garraway as they draw on their impressive careers to discuss how human rights investigations are conducted, particularly within the framework of UN mandated fact-finding missions. The discussion also delves into a debate around the role of human rights courts in investigating violations in situations o...

Welcome to RightsCast, a podcast about human rights, broadly understood. To begin the series, we bring you a discussion between Lorna McGregor and Daragh Murray as they set out their hopes for the podcast and offer some insight into what to expect from our upcoming episodes. Lorna McGregor is a Professor in the School of Law and is the Director of the Human Rights Centre. Daragh Murray is a Senior...