Accepting applications from PhD students.
Email: J.Gilbert@soton.ac.uk
Jérémie Gilbert is Professor in Social and Ecological Justice.
He is the author of numerous articles and books on the interplay between human rights, ecological justice and the rights of nature, with a special focus on the rights of Indigenous peoples. His more recent research focus on the emerging concept of the rights of nature, advocating for the recognition of nature as a subject with inherent rights rather than merely a resource to be owned and exploited.
Professor Gilbert conducts research on the emerging field of the Rights of Nature. He has developed an interdisciplinary network of researchers from various fields to explore how the rights of nature could become a reality, leading a project titled "The Future of the Rights of Nature: An interdisciplinary scoping analysis," funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (see https://natureandrights.org/ ) The project emphasises the need for interdisciplinary research to understand how the rights of nature could be operationalised.
His work explores the connections between human rights and the rights of nature, arguing that despite their differences, there are strong alignments developing, particularly around the right to a healthy environment.
Through his research, writing, and legal advocacy, Professor Gilbert has become a significant voice in the development and understanding of human rights law, particularly in its relationship to Indigenous peoples' rights and the emerging Rights of Nature movement.
Jérémie teaches on a range of topics, including Legal Skills, Human Rights, and environmental issues. His teaching combines principles of social justice with environmental issues, supporting interdisciplinary learnings to equip students with the knowledge and skills to address complex global challenges.
Jérémie joined the Southampton Law School in January 2025 to start a chair on Social and Ecological Justice as part of the university’s engagement and teaching on sustainability.
Previously, Jérémie has been a professor in human rights in several universities (Roehampton, East London, Middlesex, Ulster, Venice), and has worked for several non-governmental organisations, such as the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre in New Delhi and Greenpeace in both France and Canada, and he is a strategic international legal advisor with Lawyers for Nature.
Jérémie has long-term experience in supporting litigation as a tool for social change. As a legal expert, he has provided legal briefs, expert opinions, and witness statements in numerous cases concerning human rights. His work involves extensive collaboration with Indigenous communities worldwide, to whom he provides legal expertise in areas such as land rights and natural resource management. Professor Gilbert regularly serves as a consultant for the United Nations, notably the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Division for Inclusive Social Development.