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Standing up to the Angry Mob

Took much longer than it should have taken, during which time a member of staff was subjected to a campaign of abuse terror, but finally Sussex University did the right thing.

  

Standing Up to the 'Angry Mob' (October 19, 2021)

 

Legal academics from around the UK respond to the 'angry mob' mentality responsible for threatening and hounding Kathleen Stock, a lecturer at Sussex University. 

The 'angry mob' seem to think they are entitled to mount a terror campaign against anyone who disagrees with their point of view.


Supporting Sussex in Supporting Academic Freedom

Dr Mahon O’Brien
Head of Department
Department of Philosophy
University of Sussex

Professor Kate O’Riordan
Dean
School of Media, Arts and Humanities
University of Sussex

Dear Dr O’Brien and Professor O’Riordan,

Open Letter from Legal Academics in Support of Sussex’s University’s Defence of Academic Freedom

We are writing as legal academics in the UK to express our support for the University of Sussex in its defence of academic freedom following the harassment campaign targeting your colleague, Professor Kathleen Stock, for her academic work and public interventions on the questions surrounding the legal recognition of sex and gender identity. We note the open letter written to you by our colleagues in academic philosophy and we wish to offer our support in similar terms to theirs.

While not all of us agree with Professor Stock’s views, we are convinced of the importance of making space within universities and within public life for respectful debate and discussion, particularly in relation to pressing issues of public policy. As legal scholars it is essential to our practice that we teach students how to criticise arguments. We also teach them that one way to respect and take seriously ideas and arguments is to challenge them where they may seem weak, so that if people ultimately come to agree with these positions they do so on the basis of the strongest grounding.

Professor Stock is engaged with the question of whether sex should be replaced with self-identified gender in all legal, political, and social contexts, as is currently being advocated for in the UK. She may be correct that there remain important contexts where it is sex rather than gender identity that matters, or she may be mistaken. We recognise that these matters are deeply, personally important for many people who disagree with her, as they are for many of those who agree with her. The views and concerns of all those with an interest in this question need to be treated seriously and respectfully. However, unless she and others involved in this debate are permitted to raise their concerns on this matter, and to offer reasoned argument without fear of harassment, the danger remains that public policy in respect of gender identification will be made without adequate reflection and scrutiny. We believe such reflection and scrutiny to be among the most important purposes of the mission of a university.

We are therefore heartened to hear Sussex’s Vice-Chancellor speaking out in support of Professor Stock’s academic freedom and in favour of keeping open debate and discussion of this important, though sensitive, issue. We are aware that, in a climate where universities are dependent on their students for fee income, there can be a cost to individual institutions in defending the rights of colleagues to express unpopular opinions or raise difficult questions challenging popular orthodoxies. With that in mind we are writing to express our solidarity with Sussex University and our hope that the university will maintain a robust defence of Professor Stock’s right to express her opinions and publish her arguments in her current position as a member of its professorial staff.

Yours sincerely,

[To add your name to the list below, please email lawopenlettertosussexuni@gmail.com with your name and affiliation. All academic staff, including emeritus and retired, and graduate students in UK Law Departments are welcome to sign.]

Dr Elena Abrusci, Lecturer in Law, Brunel University London
Peter Alldridge, Drapers’ Professor of Law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Merris Amos, Professor of Human Rights Law, Queen Mary University of London
Dr Rob Amos, Assistant Professor in Environmental Law, University of Nottingham
Dr Arianna Andreangeli, Senior Lecturer in European Law, University of Edinburgh Law School
Professor Rosemary Auchmuty, Department of Law, University of Reading
Dr Cressida Auckland, Assistant Professor, LSE Law School
Professor Nick Barber, Professor of Constitutional Law and Theory, University of Oxford
Eduardo Baistrocchi, Associate Professor of Tax Law, LSE Law School
Professor Andrea Biondi, Professor of European Union Law, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
Professor Robert Black QC FRSE, Professor Emeritus of Scots Law, University of Edinburgh Law School
Dr Michael Blackwell, Associate Professor of Law, LSE Law School
Professor Alan Bogg, Professor of Labour Law, University of Bristol Law School
Dr Jacco Bomhoff, Associate Professor, LSE Law School
Dr Catherine Briddick, Departmental Lecturer in Gender and International Human Rights and Refugee Law, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford
Professor Susan Bright, Professor of Land Law, University of Oxford
Professor Douglas Brodie, Professor of Employment Law, University of Strathclyde 
Dr Anna Bryson, School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast
Professor Ian Cram, Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law, School of Law, University of Leeds
Dr Qiang Cai,  Lecturer, Law School, University of Aberdeen
Professor John W Cairns, University of Edinburgh Law School
Dr Peter Candy, Early Career Fellow in Legal History, University of Edinburgh Law School
Dr Conor Casey, Lecturer in Law, University of Liverpool 
Professor Ruth Chang, Professor of Jurisprudence, University of Oxford
Professor Mindy Chen-Wishart, Dean, Professor of the Law of Contract, University of Oxford
Professor Shazia Choudhry, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford
Anna Christie, Lecturer in Banking, Corporate & Financial Law, University of Edinburgh Law School
Professor Hugh Collins,  LSE Law School
Professor Rachel Condry, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford
Robert Craig, Lecturer in Law, University of Bristol Law School
Dr Manoj Dias-Abey, School of Law, University of Bristol
Professor Andrew Dickinson, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford
Professor Alan Dignam, School of Law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Martin Dixon, Professor of the Law of Real Property, University of Cambridge
Professor Michael Doherty, Professor of Law, Lancaster University
Professor Gillian Douglas, Professor Emerita of Law, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
Professor Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, Anniversary Chair in Law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Piet Eeckhout, Dean, Faculty of Laws, UCL
Professor Richard Ekins, Professor of Law and Constitutional Government, University of Oxford
Professor Mark Elliott, Professor of Public Law, University of Cambridge
Dr Charlotte Elves, Singer Fellow in Medical Law and Ethics, Exeter College, University of Oxford
Dr David Erdos, Associate Professor in Law and the Open Society, University of Cambridge
Dr John Fanning, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Liverpool
Kim Fawcett, Teaching Fellow in Criminal Law and PhD Cand, University of Durham 
Professor Pamela R Ferguson, Professor of Scots Law and Director of the Healthcare law and Ethics, University of Dundee 
Professor Liz Fisher, Professor of Environmental Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford
Professor John Fitzpatrick, Professor Emeritus of Law, University of Kent
Dr Michael Foran, Lecturer in Public Law, University of Strathclyde 
Professor David Fraser, Professor of Law and Social Theory, University of Nottingham
Professor Rosa Freedman, Professor of Law, Conflict and Global Development, University of Reading
Dr Sandra Frisby, Associate Professor and Reader in Company and Commercial Law, University of Nottingham
Almut Gadow, Associate Lecturer, School of Law, Open University
Professor Dev Saif Gangjee, Professor of Intellectual Property Law, University of Oxford
Dr Jodi Gardner, University Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge
Professor Conor Gearty FBA, Professor of Human Rights Law, LSE Law School
Professor Martin George, Professor of Land Law, City, University of London
Dr Giulia Gentile, Fellow in Law, LSE Law School
Dr Nicholas Gervassis, Assistant Professor in Law, University of Nottingham
Dr Chris Gill, Senior Lecturer in Public Law, University of Glasgow
Dr Imogen Goold, Associate Professor of Law, University of Oxford
Professor Stephen Greer, Professor of Human Rights, University of Bristol
Dr Julius Grower, Yates Glazebook Fellow in Law, Jesus College, University of Cambridge 
Professor Roger Halson, Professor of Contract and Commercial Law, University of Leeds
Professor James Harrison, School of Law, University of Warwick 
Dr Barbara Havelková, Associate Professor of Law, University of Oxford
Kristin Heimark, Associate Lecturer, Public & Criminal law, Open University
Professor Eric Heinze, Professor of Law and Humanities, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Veerle Heyvaert, LSE Law School
Dr Hayley J Hooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Oxford
Dr Adrian Hunt, Senior Lecturer in Law, Birmingham Law School
Dr Martin Husovec, Assistant Professor, LSE Law School
Professor David Ibbetson, Regius Professor of Civil Law, University of Cambridge 
Dr Brian Christopher Jones, Lecturer in Law, University of Sheffield
Professor Anthony Julius, Chair of Law and the Arts, Faculty of Laws, UCL 
Dr Vicky Kemp, Principal Research Fellow, School of Law, University of Nottingham
Professor Jeff Kenner, Chair of European Law, University of Nottingham
Professor David Kershaw, Dean, LSE Law School
Professor Tarunabh Khaitan, Professor of Public Law and Legal Theory, University of Oxford
Professor Celia Kitzinger, Honorary Professor, School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University
Dr Kyriakos N Kotsoglou, Senior Lecturer in Law, Northumbria University
Professor Nicola Lacey, LSE Law School
Per Laleng, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Kent
Sian Lewis-Anthony, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Kent
Professor Eva Lomnicka, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
Professor Martin Loughlin, Professor of Public Law, LSE Law School
Professor Joan Loughrey, School of Law, University of Leeds
Dr John MacLeod, Senior Lecturer in Private Law, University of Edinburgh Law School
Dr Paul MacMahon, Assistant Professor, LSE Law School
Professor Wade Mansell, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Kent
Mr Nicholas J McBride, College Lecturer in Law, Pembroke College, Cambridge
Dr Christopher McCorkindale, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Strathclyde
Professor Kieran McEvoy, Professor of Law and Transitional Justice, Queen’s University Belfast 
Dr Ming-Sung Kuo, Associate Professor of Law, University of Warwick
Dr David McGrogan, Associate Professor of Law, Northumbria Law School
Professor Aileen McHarg, Professor of Public Law and Human Rights, Durham Law School
Professor Gráinne McKeever, Professor of Law and Social Justice, Ulster University
Professor David Mead, Professor of UK Human Rights Law, UEA Law School
James Mendelsohn, Senior Lecturer in Law, UWE Bristol
Dr Mario Mendez, Reader in Law, Queen Mary University of London
Robert Merkin QC, Professor of Law, Universities of Exeter and Reading
Dr Lucinda Miller, Associate Professor, Faculty of Laws, UCL
Dr Emma Milne, Assistant Professor in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, Durham Law School
Maeve Malone, Lecturer and Researcher in Intellectual Property Law and Healthcare Law and Ethics, University of Dundee
Laura Menachemson, Criminal Law teacher, LSE Law School
Professor Marko Milanovic, Professor of Public International Law, University of Nottingham
Professor Kai Möller, LSE Law School
Professor Richard Moorhead, Professor of Law and Professional Ethics, University of Exeter
Rebecca Moosavian, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Leeds
Dr Jonathan Morgan, Reader in English Law, University of Cambridge 
Dr Caroline Morris, Reader in Public Law, Queen Mary University of London 
Lisa Mountford,  Lecturer, Law Department, Keele University
Dr Jo Murkens, Associate Professor, LSE Law School
Professor Andrew Murray, LSE Law School
Dr Aruna Nair, Associate Professor of Law, University of Oxford
Dr Annika Newnham, Associate Professor of Law, University of Reading
Danny Nicol, Retired Professor of Public Law, University of Westminster
Professor Donald Nicolson OBE, Department of Law, University of Essex
Professor Alan Norrie FBA, Warwick Law School
Dr Kyriaki Noussia, Associate Professor in Commercial Law, University of Reading
Professor Colm O’Cinneide, Faculty of Laws, UCL
Maureen O’Hara, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Coventry
Professor Catherine O’Regan, Professor of Human Rights Law and Director, Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, University of Oxford
Dr Janet O’Sullivan, Associate Professor, University of Cambridge 
Professor Phoebe Okowa, Professor of Public International Law, Queen Mary, University of London
Dr Philipp Paech, Associate Professor of Financial Law and Regulation, LSE Law School
Professor Dennis Patterson, Professor of Legal Philosophy, University of Surrey
Dr Mona Paulsen, Assistant Professor of Law, LSE Law School
Dr Alasdair Peterson, Lecturer in Private Law, University of Glasgow, School of Law
Dr Dionysios Pelekis, Teaching Associate in Law, University of Nottingham
Professor Richard Percival, Professor of Criminal Law and Practice, University of Sheffield 
Professor Gavin Phillipson, University of Bristol Law School
Professor Eva Pils, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
Professor Aurora Plomer, Professor of Intellectual Property & Human Rights, University of Bristol Law School
Professor Thomas Poole, LSE Law School
Dr Hannah Quirk, Reader in Criminal Law, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
William Ralston, Senior Lecturer in Law, Northumbria Law School
Professor Peter Ramsay, LSE Law School
Professor Christine Riefa, Department of Law, University of Reading 
Professor Paul Roberts, Professor of Criminal Jurisprudence, University of Nottingham
Dr Ian Roxan, Associate Professor of Law, LSE Law School
Professor Bernard Ryan, School of Law, University of Leicester
Dr Nicholas Sage, Assistant Professor, LSE Law School
Professor Irit Samet, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
Dr Candida Saunders, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Nottingham
Edmund Schuster, Associate Professor of Corporate Law, LSE Law School
Dr Andrew Scott, Associate Professor, LSE Law School
Professor Helen Scott, Professor of Private Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford
Sangeeta Shah, Associate Professor in Law, University of Nottingham
Dr Liron Shmilovits, Fellow, College Teaching Officer in Law, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge
Professor Andrew Steven, Professor of Property Law, University of Edinburgh Law School
Dr Umberto Igor Stramignoni, Post Major Review Assistant Professor, LSE Law School
Professor John Strawson, Department of Law, University of East London
Professor Lorraine Talbot, Chair of Company Law in Context, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham
Rachel Taylor, Associate Professor of Law, University of Oxford
Professor Andrew Tettenborn, Professor of Commercial Law, University of Swansea
Professor Gareth Thomas, Professor Emeritus of Employment and Discrimination Law, University of East Anglia
Dr Sean Thomas, Reader, The York Law School, University of York
Dr Matt Thomason, Assistant Professor in Law, University of Nottingham
Professor Adam Tomkins, John Millar Professor of Public Law, University of Glasgow
Dr Sarah Trotter, Assistant Professor, LSE Law School
Professor Guglielmo Verdirame QC, Professor of International Law, King’s College London
Professor Emmanuel Voyiakis, LSE Law School
Dr Derek Whayman, Lecturer in Law, Newcastle University
Professor Robert Wintemute, Professor of Human Rights Law, King’s College London
Scott Wortley, Lecturer in Commercial Law, University of Edinburgh 
Dr Ben Yong, Associate Professor of Public Law and Human Rights, Durham Law School, University of Durham
Sheona York, Clinic solicitor and Reader in Law, University of Kent Law School
Paul Yowell, Associate Professor of Law, University of Oxford

[To add your name to the list above, please email lawopenlettertosussexuni@gmail.com with your name and affiliation. All academic staff, including emeritus and retired, and graduate students in UK Law Departments are welcome to sign.]

Please pass on the letter to academic lawyers you think would like to sign. 

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