Reader in Human Rights and Security
School of Justice
Human rights, Security, Terrorism and counter-terrorism, Jurisprudence, Political theory
Dr Ian Turner is Reader in Human Rights and Security at the University of Lancashire. Ian was a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Birmingham before becoming a Lecturer in Law at Coventry University, in 2000. Ian moved to Lancashire in 2002 where he still works. In his time at Lancashire, Ian has progressed from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and, in 2017, from Senior Lecturer to Reader.
Ian is the Director of the University of Lancashire's Institute of Criminal, Legal and Social Justice, as well as the Director of the Centre for Criminal Justice Research and Partnerships. Ian is also the University Lead for REF UoA 18 (Law).
Previously, Ian was the Lead for Early Career/Mid-Career Research (ECR/MCR) in the College of Law and Policing. Ian is a staff appraiser, and has ap
more...Dr Ian Turner is Reader in Human Rights and Security at the University of Lancashire. Ian was a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Birmingham before becoming a Lecturer in Law at Coventry University, in 2000. Ian moved to Lancashire in 2002 where he still works. In his time at Lancashire, Ian has progressed from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and, in 2017, from Senior Lecturer to Reader.
Ian is the Director of the University of Lancashire's Institute of Criminal, Legal and Social Justice, as well as the Director of the Centre for Criminal Justice Research and Partnerships. Ian is also the University Lead for REF UoA 18 (Law).
Previously, Ian was the Lead for Early Career/Mid-Career Research (ECR/MCR) in the College of Law and Policing. Ian is a staff appraiser, and has appraised colleagues from Law, Criminology, Policing and Sociology. Ian was also the College Lead for Postgraduate Research (PGRs). Ian has supervised 12 students to PhD, in the areas of: states of emergency; counter-terrorism, in Nigeria, and Pakistan; free speech in Jordan; regional human rights, in Africa, and the Arab League; the death penalty in China; human trafficking etc.
As a single author, Ian has over 30 publications, primarily examining the human rights of terror suspects, such as liberty, free speech, freedom from torture, and the right to life. Ian's monograph, Responsibilities: A Critical Legal Defence of Human Rights, critically defending human rights, from the perspectives of solidarity and reciprocal duties and responsibilities, was published by Routledge in November 2025.
Ian has presented at numerous international, European and UK conferences, in eg America, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, Italy and Poland.
Externally, Ian is a Senior Reviews Editor at The International Journal of Human Rights, and on the Editorial Boards of eg. Democracy and Security and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. Ian is the External Examiner of the MA Human Rights, at the School of Advanced Study (SAS), the University of London, and has externally examined PhDs at several universities.
Ian is a member of the Council of the Society of Legal Scholars (SLS). He was awarded £11,000 by the SLS to host its Annual Seminar at Lancashire in 2024, on freedom of expression, personal restraint and tolerance.
Twitter (X): @DrIanTurner
PhD (by Published Work), University of Central Lancashire, 2016;
PGCE in Further Adult and Higher Education, the University of Wolverhampton, 2000;
LLM by Research, the University of Birmingham, 1999;
BA (Hons) Law, Sheffield Hallam University, 1993
