Dr Ben Hudson

Dr Ben Hudson is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Exeter Law School. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE). Prior to Exeter, Ben was a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer at the University of Lincoln (2017-2020), and before that taught at the University of Bristol (2014-2017).

Ben’s research primarily concerns internal displacement and international human rights law. His doctoral research identified, examined and elucidated a series of pertinent challenges in law and practice that impact upon the effective realisation and requisite conceptualisation of return as a durable solution to internal displacement. Aside from his work on internal displacement, Ben has also published in the area of cross-border migration, notably examining the concept of vulnerability as utilised by the European Court of Human Rights in its case law pertaining to migrant journeys across the Mediterranean Sea.

Ben completed his doctorate in 2019 at the University of Bristol under the supervision of Professor Sir Malcolm Evans and Professor Diego Acosta Arcarazo. His thesis was examined by Professor Chaloka Beyani (London School of Economics) and Professor Rachel Murray. This research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 1+3 scholarship. In addition, Ben holds an MSc in Socio-Legal Studies (with distinction) and an MSc in International Development (with distinction) both also from the University of Bristol, and a BA (Hons) in Architecture from the University of Manchester.

Research Funding and Related Grants

2024 ESRC Impact Accelerator Account Impact Cultivation Funding, 'Generating Policy Impact with Bude Area Community Jury on Climate Change' – £5,000

2024 UKRI Open Innovation Platform (Translational Funding) Award, 'From the University to the Grand Chamber' – £493.90

2024 SLSA Seminar Competition: 'Contemporary Challenges to Migration' (at Ulster University, Belfast, with Drs Sarah Craig and Neil Graffin) – £1,000

2023 NCRM Bursary (for NCRM/Exeter Q-Step Mixed Methods Workshop) – £120

2023 UKRI Open Innovation Platform (Collaboration Funding) Award (with Professor Nick Gill and Universities of Sanctuary) – £7,958.04

2022 UKRI Open Innovation Platform (Translational Funding) Award – £2,008.14

2021 Director of Research Discretionary Fund, project title: ‘Climate Induced Displacement in the UK: Fairbourne and Beyond’ – £865

2021 Associate Dean for Research Discretionary Fund, project title: ‘Forced Migrants in Higher Education: A Manifesto for Change’ (with Professor Nick Gill) – £5,930

2021 Association of Law Teachers (ALT) Grant, project title: ‘Student Perspectives on Skills-Based Learning in Law’ – £2,959

2021 University of Exeter / Research England Strategic Priorities Fund – Social Science Online Methods Training Fund – £220

2020 University of Exeter / Research England Strategic Priorities Fund – Social Science Online Methods Training Fund – £220

2020 University of Exeter (College of Social Sciences and International Studies) Student Research Support Internship Scheme, project title: ‘Student Perspectives on Skills-Based Learning in Law’ – £1,094.10

2017 Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) Annual Meeting Graduate Student Travel Grant – US$500 and conference registration fee waiver (one grant awarded)

2017 Korean ACUNS Travel Grant – US$1,000 (ten grants awarded)

2017 Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the State of Qatar – all costs and expenses covered for my attendance as a keynote panel speaker at the 17th Doha Forum

2017 University of Bristol Alumni Association Alumni Grant (conference travel costs) – £400

2016 University of Bristol Faculty of Social Sciences and Law – £1,490.88 to co-host a national symposium on access to higher education for students from forced migration backgrounds

2016 Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS) (conference travel costs) – CAD$600

2016 ESRC South West Doctoral Training Centre (SWDTC) (conference travel costs) – £3,000 top-up grant

2013 ESRC 1+3 PhD (Socio-Legal Studies) Studentship

Beyond the Law School

Ben is a Module Convenor, Tutor and Dissertation Supervisor on the MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies at the Refugee Law Initiative (RLI) of the School of Advanced Study, University of London.

In August 2020, Ben was appointed as a Visiting Lecturer in the College of Science at the University of Lincoln. In this capacity, Ben teaches law to Lincoln Medical School students.

Ben is a Co-coordinator of the University of Exeter's interdisciplinary Routes network, and Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Internal Displacement and the Refugee Law Initiative (RLI) Working Paper Series. Ben also leads the migration-themed, 'Managing and Protecting People on the Move', research stream at the annual UK Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) Conference.

Ben is an active supporter of Sanctuary Scholarships and other related initiatives that promote access to higher education for persons who have fled persecution and sought asylum in the UK (and elsewhere). In this capacity, Ben sits as a member of the UK Universities of Sanctuary National Steering Group. Ben was formerly a Director of the Lincolnshire Refugee Doctor Project and Refugee Support Devon.

Research supervision:

I thoroughly enjoy supervising student research projects. I currently supervise two PhD students at the University of Exeter, researching on internal displacement and the law in Nigeria (as lead supervisor), and the socio-economic impacts of marine heatwaves (as co-supervisor). Additionally, I have examined students across law and geography.

I am keen to discuss any research proposals that fall broadly within my interests and expertise with prospective masters and PhD students. I am very much open to supervising students not only in law but also those working on interdisciplinary projects.