Dr Robin Dunford is course course leader for the MA in Globalisation: Politics, Conflict and Human Rights, and teach on Global Politics, Human Rights, Humanitarian Intervention, Development and Peacebuilding.

Robin co-ordinates an MA placement module, in which students do exciting voluntary work with non-profit organisations in Brighton and Hove.

“As part of my research on human rights, I study rights abuses in mass atrocity situations including genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. I look into the effectiveness of international attempts to prevent, and respond to, mass human rights abuses, asking weather military intervention is ever an appropriate response and exploring nonviolent options for preventing and responding to conflict.

Students really enjoy big debates on what should be done to address human rights abuses, sometimes taking on the role of different countries in pretend international negotiations. I also study the role that social movements play in creating new human rights principles, including in the creation of the recent United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas.

Outside of work, I enjoy cycling, climbing (rocks, indoor walls, or just around my work table during quarantine), and cooking.”