LLB (Hons)
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Dr Kay Lalor
Reader
LGBTQ+ Rights, Feminist Legal Theory, Deleuze and Law
My profile
Biography
I am a Reader in Human Rights Law at Manchester Law School. My work explores the growth of LGBTQI+ rights activism in international legal arenas, with a focus on how legally informed activism is translated into non- and quasi-legal projects, and what this means for the development human rights theory, law, and practice. My teaching is similarly focused on human rights law and critical approaches to law.
I am a coordinating editor for the journal Feminist Legal Studies. I am also a core member of the Sylvia Pankhurst Gender and Diversity Research Centre and a steering committee member of the GM4Women.
Interests and expertise
My research is situated broadly within feminist and queer approaches to international human rights law, focusing in particular on the growth of LGBT/SOGI rights activism in international legal arenas. I recently completed a three year Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship for the project ‘International Relations and LGBTI rights: Conditionality, Diplomacy and Activism’. This project investigated different forms of international pressure (aid conditionality, political conditionality; diplomatic pressure and campaigning) used to advance international LGBTI rights across borders and within different cultures and jurisdictions.
I am particularly interested in the spatio-temporal dimensions of human rights and the spatio-temporalities of LGBTQI+ rights. I draw upon Deleuzian approaches to law and Legal Geography in order to explore these spatio-temporalities.
Alongside this theoretical work, I also focus more practically on the work of feminist and LGBTQI+ activists to secure change. I am a member of the Safety Group of the Fawcett-Pankhurst GM4Women group, which is currently focusing on the situation of women in Manchester experiencing domestic violence who have no recourse to public funds. I was also lead editor for the publication Gender Sexuality and Social Justice: What’s Law Got To Do With It? (Institute of Development Studies, 2016), a collection of contributions from 33 LGBTQI+ and feminist activists from over 20 countries in the world.
Teaching
I currently teach across the LLB and LLM Programmes. I am the Unit Leader for the Critical Approaches in Foundation Subjects and the European Convention on Human Rights units on the LLB.
LLM (Master of Laws)
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Supervision
Roussa Kaspidou ‘Transnational gender-variant identities: Gender identity legal recognition in Greece (Completed 2020)
Leehee Rothschild ‘Polyamorous and queer families in practice: living arrangements, child rearing and law’
Sam Morgan ‘The Spatial and Affective Dimensions of Litigating LGBTQI Rights: A Caribbean Case Study’
Jaria Hussain-Lala ‘A critical analysis of the effectiveness of the legal and policy framework governing FGM in England and Wales’
Hannah Varnouse ”’Honour’-Based Violence and Abuse - A Need for Specific Legislation?’
Research outputs
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Books (authored/edited/special issues)
Lalor, K., Mills, E, , Sanchez Garcia, A. (2016) Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice: What’s law got to do with it?.
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Chapters in books
Lalor, K. (2022) 'Gender, Temporality and International Human Rights Law: From Hidden Histories to Feminist Futures.' In McNeilly, K., Warwick, B. (ed.) The Times and Temporalities of International Human Rights Law. Bloomsbury, pp. 103-120.
Lalor, K. (2020) 'Diplomacy, Conditionality and Transnational LGBTI Rights.' In Ashford, C., Maine, A. (ed.) Research Handbook on Gender, Sexuality and Law. Edward Elgar,
Lalor, K. (2020) 'Queer Legacies of Colonialism.' In Raj, S., Dunne, P. (ed.) The Queer Outside in Law: Recognising LGBTIQ People in the United Kingdom. Palgrave,
Lalor, K., Morris, A., Waughray, A. (2018) 'St George's Health Care NHS Trust vs SR v Collins and Others ex parte S.' In Auchmuty, R., Rackley, E. (ed.) Women's Legal Landmarks: Celebrating 100 Years of Women and Law in the UK and Ireland. Bloomsbury,
Lalor, K.L., Mills,, E., Sanchez Garcia, A. (2016) 'Introduction: Starting Conversations: A cross-continental dialogue on avenues to advance sexuality and gender justice.' Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice: What’s law got to do with it?. Institute of Development Studies,
Lalor, K.L., Mills, E., Sanchez Garcia, A. (2016) 'How useful is the law for attaining sexual and gender justice?.' Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice: What’s law got to do with it?. Institute of Development Studies,
Lalor, K.L., Mills, E., Sanchez Garcia, A. (2016) 'What is the scope for joint working to advance sexual and gender justice?.' Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice: What’s law got to do with it?. Institute of Development Studies,
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Reports
Lalor, K.L., Haste, P., Vaast, C. (2015) Sexuality and Social Justice: What's Law Got To Do With It?. Brighton, United Kingdom: Brighton: IDS.
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Internet publications
Lalor, K. (2016) How Does the Law Frame Sexuality?. http://www.spl.ids.ac.uk/sexuality-and-social-justice-toolkit.
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Journal articles
Pulvirenti, R., Lalor, K., Jaquiss, C. (2024) 'The ‘Asylum Partnership’ Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda and LGBTQI+ Asylum Seekers: an analysis of vulnerability in the Equality Impact Assessment and the European Convention on Human Rights.' Journal of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Law, 38(1)
Lalor, K. (2023) 'Refusing the present to affirm the unknown future: after LGBTIQ rights in global queer politics.' The International Journal of Human Rights,
Garland, F., Lalor, K., Travis, M. (2022) 'Intersex Activism, Medical Power/Knowledge and the Scalar Limitations of the United Nations.' Human Rights Law Review, 22(3) pp. ngac020-ngac020.
Lalor, K., Browne, K. (2022) 'Introduction – Here versus There: beyond comparison in queer and sexuality politics.' Sexualities, 26(1-2) pp. 3-11.
Lalor, K. (2021) 'Listening intently’ to LGBTQI Lives: diplomatic narratives of listening and hearing in LGBTQI rights.' Law Text Culture, 24(1) pp. 302-327.
Lalor, K. (2020) 'Book Review: Criminal Law and the Man Problem by Ngaire Naffine.' Legal Studies, 40(4) pp. 697-701.
Lalor, K. (2020) 'Book review: Feeling Queer Jurisprudence: Injury, Intimacy, Identity.' Feminist Legal Studies, 29(2)
Lalor, K.L. (2019) 'Encountering the Past: Grand Narratives, Fragmented Histories and LGBTI Rights ‘Progress’.' Law and Critique, 30(1) pp. 21-40.
Lalor, K., Browne, K. (2018) 'Here Versus There: Creating British Sexual Politics Elsewhere.' Feminist Legal Studies, 26(2) pp. 205-213.
Lalor, K. (2015) 'Making Different Differences: Representation and Rights in Sexuality Activism.' Feminist Legal Studies, 23(1) pp. 7-25.
Lalor, K. (2011) 'Constituting sexuality: Rights, politics and power in the gay rights movement.' International Journal of Human Rights, 15(5) pp. 683-699.
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Conference papers
Ernsting, F., Lalor, K., Khan, A. (2022) 'Gathering student insights during the pandemic of pre-covid-19 experience of campus spaces.' In Advance HE Surveys & Insights Symposium 2022: Innovative Insight. Manchester, 28/4/2022 - 28/4/2022.
Lalor, K. (2022) 'The present as a dimension of an unknown future: Imagining non-linear futures of LGBTQI+ rights.' In Social and Legal Studies Association Annual Conference. University of York, 6/4/2022 - 8/4/2022.
Lalor, K. (2022) ''Feminist jurisprudences and intersex embodiment: The possibilities and limits of a feminist reading of the Human Rights Act 1998 for intersex rights'.' In Feminist Review of the Human Rights Act. Online, 4/2/2022 - 4/2/2022.
Lalor, K. (2021) 'Locating spaces of ‘after’: Non-linear temporalities of progress and LGBTI rights.' In After Rights. Online, 10/11/2021 - 10/11/2021.
Lalor, K. (2019) 'Complex Entanglements and Transnational Assemblages: Approaching the limit and finding a continuum in human rights law,.' In 20th International Roundtable on the Semiotics of Law, University of Coimbra, Portugal, 2019. University of Coimbra, Portugal, 23/5/2019 - 25/5/2019.
Lalor, K.L. (2017) 'Progress at Home and Violence Abroad? Diplomacy, Queer Lives and Transnational Law Reform.' In Queer Lives Past and Present: Interrogating the Legal. Birkbeck, University of London, 29/11/2017 - 29/11/2017.
Lalor, K.L. (2017) 'Listening to our Local Partners.' In Critical Legal Conference. University of Warwick, 1/9/2017 - 3/9/2017.
Lalor, K.L. (2017) 'Progress at Home Violence Abroad.' In American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting. Boston, USA, 5/4/2017 - 9/4/2017.
Lalor, K.L. (2016) 'Lasting partnerships or fragile connections? LGBTQ politics, diplomacy and international law.' In After Marriage: The Future of LGBTQ Politics and Scholarship Conference. CUNY, New York, 1/10/2016 - 2/10/2016.
Lalor, K.L. (2016) 'Encountering the Past: LGBTI Rights and contested histories.' In The New Legal Temporalities?: Discipline and Resistance across Domains of Time,. University of Kent, 8/9/2016 - 10/9/2016.
Lalor, K.L. (2016) 'Spaces of resistance: Law, development and LGBTI rights.' In SLSA Annual Conference. Lancaster University, 5/4/2016 - 7/4/2016.
Lalor, K.L. (2015) 'Sexuality, Law and Economic Development: What Are the Key Conversations and Alliances?.' In International Symposium - Sexuality and Social Justice: What's Law Got To Do With It?. Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, United Kingdom, 1/3/2015 - 1/3/2015.
Lalor, K.L. (2014) 'From LGBT Rights to Human Reality: Human Rights, Activism and the Production of Sexuality.' In Critical Lawyers Group Human Rights Conference. Manchester Metropolitan University, 1/1/2014 - 1/1/2014.
Lalor, K.L. (2012) 'Postcolonial Sexualities: Sexuality Frontiers.' In Postcolonial Sexualities: Emerging Solidarities Workshop. University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, 1/1/2012 - 1/1/2012.
Lalor, K.L. (2011) 'At Interrogating Inequality.' University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, 1/7/2011 - 1/7/2011.
Lalor, K.L. (2011) 'At the Law of the Law: Using the Dialectic Method for Socio-Legal Research.' In Westminster International Law and Theory Centre Workshop. Westminster, United Kingdom, 1/4/2011 - 1/4/2011.
Lalor, K.L. (2011) 'Situating Sexuality.' In University of Westminster Staff Seminar Lunchtime Series. University of Westminster, United Kingdom, 1/1/2011 - 1/1/2011.
Lalor, K.L. (2010) 'Constituting Sexuality: Rights, Politics and Power in the Gay Rights Movement.' In Law and Politics: Democracy, Human Rights and Power, University of Westminster Graduate Conference. University of Westminster, United Kingdom, 1/6/2010 - 1/6/2010.
Lalor, K.L. (2010) 'Defining Gay Rights: Sexual Orientation as a Human Rights Issue.' In Transgressing Powers, PECANS/CLGS Workshop. University of Westminster, United Kingdom, 1/4/2010 - 1/4/2010.
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Presentations
Lalor, K. (2022) Colonial Histories of ‘Safe To Be Me’. [Presentation] Online,9/6/2022.