Dr Sophie Duroy
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Email
sophie.duroy@essex.ac.uk -
Location
Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
By appointment
Profile
Biography
Dr Sophie Duroy joined the University of Essex in August 2023 as a lecturer in the School of Law. Her current research focuses on the mutual influence of international law and intelligence practice on one another. Her research interests span public international law, international human rights law, intelligence and security studies, and social science approaches to international law. Prior to her appointment at Essex, Sophie held a postdoctoral fellowship at the KFG Berlin-Potsdam research group 'The International Rule of Law: Rise or Decline?' (2021-2023) and was a PhD researcher at the European University Institute (2017-2020). She has also worked as an analyst and project manager in the field of counterterrorism (2015-2017) and taught French constitutional law at Sciences Po Paris (2019 and 2020). Her first book, The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law, was published by Edward Elgar Publishing in the International Law series in May 2023. It was awarded the 2024 King's Centre for the Study of Intelligence Polly Corrigan Book Prize.
Qualifications
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PhD in Law European University Institute, (2020)
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LL.M. Public International Law Leiden University, (2015)
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Maitrise in European and International Law Paris West University Nanterre La Défense, (2014)
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LL.B. Law and French Law University of Essex, (2014)
Appointments
University of Essex
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Lecturer, Law, University of Essex (1/8/2023 - present)
Other academic
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Post-doctoral fellow, KFG Berlin-Potsdam 'The International Rule of Law: Rise or Decline?', Freie Universität Berlin (1/9/2021 - 31/7/2023)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Intelligence and Security
Public International Law
Human Rights
Social Science Approaches to International Law
Conferences and presentations
When intelligence accountability backfires: how legal rationalization undermines international law
Penumbras and Grey Zones in International Law and War, War Crimes Research Group, London, 11/4/2025
When ‘bad countries’ make good caselaw: Digital surveillance technologies and the protection of privacy
Invited presentation, WU Legal Tech Centre Brown Bag Series "Tech Law Tidbits", Wien Universität, Vienna, Austria, 30/1/2025
When ‘bad countries’ make good caselaw: Digital surveillance technologies and the protection of privacy
Invited presentation, Paper talk, Salzburg, Austria, 28/1/2025
Intelligence and International Law
Keynote presentation, 2024 Polly Corrigan Book Prize Award Ceremony, King's Centre for the Study of Intelligence, London, United Kingdom, 20/1/2025
When ‘bad countries’ make good caselaw: Digital surveillance technologies and the protection of privacy in the Council of Europe area
Invited presentation, British Academy Global Professorship: Addressing the Digital Realm through the Grammar of Human Rights Law, Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, Oxford, United Kingdom, 26/9/2024
The Impact of Digital Surveillance Technologies on the Protection of Privacy in the Council of Europe Area
2024 Workshop of the Research Group on Constitutional Responses to Terrorism International Association of Constitutional Law, Madrid, Spain, 30/5/2024
The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law
Invited presentation, Book presentation, Glasgow Centre for International Law and Security, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 21/3/2024
The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law
Invited presentation, Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, Oxford, United Kingdom, 20/11/2023
The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law
Invited presentation, King's Centre for the Study of Intelligence Seminar, King's College London, London, United Kingdom, 6/11/2023
Perverse Effects: How the Legalization of Intelligence Enables its De-legalization
European International Studies Association’s Pan-European Conference, Universität Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany, 9/9/2023
A Regulatory Theory of International Law
European International Studies Association’s Pan-European Conference, Universität Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany, 8/9/2023
Perverse Effects: How the Legalization of Intelligence Enables its De-legalization
European Society of International Law’s Annual Conference, Université Aix-Marseille, Aix en Provence, France, 30/8/2023
The Intelligence Community as a Normative Actor under International Law
European Initiative for Security Studies’ Annual Conference, IBEI, Barcelona, Spain, 29/6/2023
Assessing the Effects of State-Sponsored Assassinations on International Law
Conference on State-sponsored assassinations in international politics, law, and history, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom, 17/5/2023
A Regulatory Theory of International Law
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Hamburg Lecture Series in Public and Comparative Law, Unversität Hamburg, Germany, 12/1/2023
The Regulation of Military Intelligence Operations under International Law
Invited presentation, 22nd Congress of the International Society for Military Law and the Law ofWar, Palazzio Vecchio, Florence, Italy, 11/5/2022
Reimagining International Law in Light of Security Cosmopolitanism
WILNET Emerging Voices Workshop, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, 25/4/2022
The Case for a Human Rights Approach to Global Security
11th Annual Conference of the Cambridge International Law Journal, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 26/3/2022
L’innovation juridique en matière de renseignement
Invited presentation, Colloque Annuel de l’Association pour les Etudes sur la Guerre et la Stratégie, Université Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France, 3/12/2021
State Compliance with International Law in Intelligence Matters: A Behavioural Approach
Leicester Law School Postgraduate Research Conference, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom, 15/6/2021
State Compliance with International Law in Intelligence Matters: A Behavioural Approach
ESIL IG on Social Sciences and International Law – Workshop on Behavioural Approaches to International Law, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany, 23/4/2021
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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French Constitutional Law (LW106)
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Current Challenges in the Law of Armed Conflict (LW804)
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International Human Rights Law: Law and Practice (LW901)
Publications
Journal articles (4)
Duroy, S., (2024). Another "black site" case. European Human Rights Law Review. 2024 (3), 255-258
Duroy, S., (2023). Case C-817/19, Ligue des Droits Humains v. Council of Ministers (C.J.E.U.). International Legal Materials. 62 (4), 611-670
Duroy, S., (2022). State Compliance with International Law in Intelligence Matters: A Behavioural Approach. Journal of International Dispute Settlement. 13 (2), 233-263
Duroy, S., (2020). Chronique des constatations des comités conventionnels des Nations Unies : Comité contre la Torture M. Z. c. Belgique, 2 août 2019, communication No 813/2017. Revue Droits Fondamentaux. 18, 11-14
Books (1)
Duroy, S., (2023). The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 9781803927077
Book chapters (16)
DUROY, S., (2025). The Intelligence Community as a Normative Actor under International Law. In: Research Handbook on Intelligence and International Law. Editors: Buchan, R. and Navarrete, I., . Edward Elgar Publishing. 43- 69
Duroy, S. and Khasanova, L., (2024). Cyberespionage and human rights: A disappointing balance. In: Global Cybersecurity and International Law. Editors: Segura Serrano, A., . Routledge. 107- 126. 9781003344124
Duroy, S., (2024). Les apports d’une approche comportementale pour comprendre les erreurs commises en réaction au « 11 septembre israélien ». In: Moyen-Orient, comment sortir de la guerre ?. Équateurs. 74- 93. 978-2-38284-757-2
Trenta, L., Avramov, K. and DUROY, S., (2024). A is for Assassination (State-Sponsored). In: A-Z of Secrecy and Ignorance. Editors: Van Veeren, E.,
Duroy, S., (2023). State compliance with international law in intelligence matters: a behavioural approach. In: The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 250- 288. 9781803927077
Duroy, S., (2023). Epilogue: comprehensive regulation in the twenty-first-century security landscape. In: The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 289- 299. 9781803927077
Duroy, S., (2023). International legal accountability in the CIA war on terror. In: The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 184- 248. 9781803927077
Duroy, S., (2023). Introduction to The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. In: The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 1- 30. 9781803927077
Duroy, S., (2023). Intelligence activities and international law. In: The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 32- 69. 9781803927077
Duroy, S., (2023). Mapping state responsibility in the CIA war on terror. In: The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 70- 120. 9781803927077
Duroy, S., (2023). International legal accountability for an internationally wrongful act resulting from intelligence activities. In: The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 122- 153. 9781803927077
Duroy, S., (2023). Effective accountability. In: The Regulation of Intelligence Activities under International Law. Edward Elgar Publishing. 154- 183. 9781803927077
Duroy, S., (2023). The Cost of our Fear: Black Sites and the Erosion of our Values. In: 9/11, Menschenwürde und die liberalen Grundwerte. Editors: Straub, M., . Verfassungsbooks. 43- 54
Duroy, S., (2022). Black Sites. In: Elgar Encyclopedia of Human Rights. Editors: Binder, C., Nowak, M., Hofbauer, JA. and Janig, P., . Edward Elgar Publishing. 218- 222. 1789903610. 9781789903614
Duroy, S., (2021). The Regulation of Intelligence Cooperation under International Law. In: 9/11 and the Rise of Global Anti-Terrorism Law. Cambridge University Press. 179- 198. 9781316519264
Duroy, S., (2020). Remedying Violations of Human Dignity and Security: State Accountability for Counterterrorism Intelligence Cooperation. In: Human Dignity and Human Security in Times of Terrorism. T.M.C. Asser Press. 123- 151. 9789462653542
Other (10)
Trenta, L., Archambault, E. and DUROY, S., (2024).The killing of Hassan Nasrallah and how the west legitimised its use of assassination. The Conversation
Trenta, L., Archambault, E. and DUROY, S., (2024).Depuis les années 2000, les «assassinats ciblés» sont devenus «justes» et présentés comme «compatibles avec le droit international». L’«élimination» de Nasrallah, «une mesure de justice». A l'encontre
Trenta, L., Archambault, E. and DUROY, S., (2024).The killing of Hassan Nasrallah: How the West legitimized its use of assassination. Dhaka Tribune
Trenta, L., Archambault, E. and DUROY, S., (2024).The normalization and legitimation of political assassinations. Asia Times
Duroy, S., (2023).Big Brother is Watching the Olympic Games – and Everything Else in Public Spaces. Verfassungsblog
Duroy, S., (2023).Les apports d’une approche comportementale pour comprendre les erreurs commises en réaction au « 11 Septembre israélien ». Le Rubicon
Duroy, S., (2022).The Cost of our Fear: Black Sites and the Erosion of our Values. Verfassungsblog
Duroy, S., (2021).Pragmatism and power at the ICC: US crimes not a priority. EUIdeas
Duroy, S., (2020).Security vs liberty: the terms of a flawed but persistent discourse. EUIdeas
Duroy, S., (2020).Dealing with the (legal) risks of decision-making in times of crisis. EUIdeas
Contact
Academic support hours:
By appointment