Dr Koldo Casla

Biography

I am Senior Lecturer in International Human Rights Law at Essex Law School, and I lead the 'Human Rights Local' project at the Human Rights Centre. Between 2017 and 2019, I was a Research Associate at the Institute of Health & Society of Newcastle University, working on legal pathways to enhance the legal status of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the UK. Between 2016 and 2019, I was the Policy Director of Just Fair, leading the organisation's research, strategic communications, partnerships and campaigning on economic and social rights in the UK. Between 2013 and 2019, I worked as an independent researcher for Amnesty International, authoring four reports on the rights to health, education and housing in Spain. Over the years, I have also been very involved in Amnesty's strategy-development and governance at the international, national and local levels. Between 2011 and 2013, I was the Chief of Staff of the Human Rights Commissioner of the Basque Country (“Ararteko”). I am a member of the steering committee of the working group on strategic litigation of the International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net), of the steering group of UK ESCR Network, and of the advisory committee of Gentium, a Madrid-based law firm specialised in strategic human rights litigation. I hold a PhD in European and International Studies from King’s College London (2017), a Fulbright MA in International Studies from the University of Denver (2011), a MA in Theory and Practice of Human Rights from the University of Essex (2009), and a Law Degree from the University of the Basque Country (2008). I am the author of "Politics of International Human Rights Law Promotion in Western Europe: Order versus Justice" (Routledge 2019), and "Spain and Its Achilles' Heels: The Strong Foundations of a Country's Weaknesses" (Rowman & Littlefield 2021), and co-editor of "Social Rights and the Constitutional Moment: Learning from Chile and International Experiences" (Hart 2022) and “The European Social Charter: A Commentary, Volume 3” (Brill 2024).

Qualifications

• PhD European and International Studies King's College London, (2017)

• MA International Studies University of Denver, (2011)

• MA Theory and Practice of Human Rights University of Essex, (2009)

• LLB University of the Basque Country, (2008)

Appointments

University of Essex

• 'Human Rights Local' Project Lead, Human Rights Centre, School of Law, University of Essex (12/12/2019 - present)

• Director, Human Rights Centre Clinic, School of Law, University of Essex (16/6/2021 - 30/6/2024)

• Deputy Director, Human Rights Centre Clinic, School of Law, University of Essex (1/1/2020 - 15/6/2021)

• Health Law Cluster Coordinator, School of Law, University of Essex (1/12/2019 - 1/12/2020)

Other academic

• Research Associate, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University (1/11/2017 - 11/12/2019)

• External Examiner, Department of Politics, University of York (14/10/2020 - present)

• Lecturer, Essex Law School, University of Essex (12/2019 - 9/2023)