Freya Proudman

Supervisors: Dr. Agnieszka Kubal, Professor Richard Mole, and Dr. Jessie Barton Hronesova

Present status: MPhil Candidate

Working title of thesis: Resort to the Court: The role of human rights litigation at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Queer Russians’ and Poles’ quest for justice

Research: Freya’s research explores the nuanced relationships between litigation at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), social change, and perceptions of justice. She focuses on cases involving Queer (LGBTQ+ identifying) Russian and Polish applicants who have experienced state violations related to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity including discrimination, freedom of assembly, and other protections guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Central to the research is an interdisciplinary socio-legal exploration of justice focusing on the applicants’ legal consciousness (the understandings, interpretations, and meanings they attach to the law and human rights) and their legal mobilisation (how they utilise the broader legal system and mechanisms to pursue political and social objectives).

Research interests: Socio-legal scholarship, human rights, gender and sexuality, Central & Eastern Europe, Russia

Research Centre Affiliation: Post-Soviet Press Group, Politics and Sociology Seminar Series