Human rights and environment journal welcomes students to international editorial team

Two law and politics students have joined the editorial team of a ground-breaking journal that explores the relationship between human rights and the environment.

Second year students, Isabel Jenkinson who is studying law and politics, and Sharon Ng’ang’a who is studying law, have been given the opportunity to join the editorial team of the Journal of Human Rights and the Environment, an internationally renowned publication which is the leading space for discussions on human rights issues that have been caused or exacerbated by environmental problems.

Isabel and Sharon joined the team in October 2022 and will be working on articles that will be published in Volume 14 (2023) of the journal on topics that include the rights of Indigenous communities, climate change and ocean protection.

Law lecturer and Managing Editor of the journal Sam Varvastian said, “This is the first time that the journal has offered this exciting opportunity to School of Law and Politics students. We wanted to introduce motivated and high-performing students to the process of developing and publishing world-leading academic scholarship, thus contributing to both the journal’s successful operation and to the students’ career and development.”

Watch Sharon and Isabel talk about working on the journal

The student editors joined the journal following their successful application to the opportunity. The selection process was based on various criteria such as outstanding academic performance, relevant skills and experience, and commitment to the journal’s values.

The journal was launched in 2010 by Professor of law, Anna Grear who wished to bring human rights and environmental issues together in a productive, discursive space. Today, she is Editor in Chief and is joined by School of Law and Politics colleague Sam Varvastian who is Managing Editor of an international team which includes editors from University of Melbourne, Bristol University, University of the West of England, University of Warwick, the Arctic University of Norway, ​Loyola University Chicago, University of Adelaide, London School of Economics, McGill University, Villanova University, SOAS University of London, La Trobe University, University of Eastern Finland, Tilburg University, and University of Palermo. The editors are world-leading scholars in the field who have generously lent their reputation and support to the journal throughout its journey, thus contributing to its credibility and reputation.

Professor Grear teaches Human Rights and Global Justice programme and Sam Varvastian teaches Public Law, Tort, and Human Rights and Global Justice programmes at the School of Law and Politics.