Staff profile
Dr Jessie Blackbourn
Associate Professor in Public Law and Human Rights
BA (Hons), MA, LLM, PGCAP, PhD, FHEA

Affiliation | Room number | Telephone |
---|---|---|
Associate Professor in Public Law and Human Rights in the Durham Law School | PCL232 |
Biography
Dr Jessie Blackbourn joined Durham Law School in September 2019 as Assistant Professor in Public Law and Human Rights. She has held previous positions at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford, and the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, University of New South Wales.
Research
Jessie has an interdisciplinary background in law and politics and adopts a socio-legal approach to her research. Her research focuses on counter-terrorism law and policy, in particular on oversight and review of counter-terrorism laws, as well as on state responses to children suspected of extremism, radicalisation, and terrorism.
Research interests
- Counter-terrorism laws
- Counter-terrorism review
- Public Law
- Human Rights
Research groups
- Centre for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
- Human Rights Centre
Media Contacts
Available for media contact about:
- Law & Crime: Counter-terrorism law and policy
- Government: Counter-terrorism law and policy
- Terrorism: Counter-terrorism law and policy
Publications
Authored book
- Blackbourn, Jessie, de Londras, Fiona & Morgan, Lydia (2019). Accountability and Review in the Counter-Terrorist State. Bristol University Press.
- Blackbourn, J., Kayis, D. & McGarrity, N. (2018). Anti-terrorism law and foreign terrorist fighters. Taylor and Francis.
- Blackbourn, J. (2014). Anti-terrorism law and normalising Northern Ireland. Routledge.
Chapter in book
- Blackbourn, Jessie (2024). Security Measures and Preventive Measures. In Elgar Encyclopedia of Crime and Criminal Justice. Caeiro, Pedro, Gless, Sabine & Mitsilegas, Valsamis Edward Elgar.
- Blackbourn, Jessie & Walker, Clive (2019). Independent Assessment of the Current Balance between Counter-Terrorism Legislation and Civil Liberties. In Jihadist Terror New Threats, New Responses. Richards, Anthony, Margolin, Devorah & Scremin, Nicolo I.B. Taurus. 229-244.
- Blackbourn, Jessie (2019). The European Court of Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism Initiatives. In International Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism. 1.
- Lazarus, L & Blackbourn, J (2018). Intelligence and the Criminal Law in England and Wales. In The Limits of Criminal Law. Dyson, M & Vogel, B Intersentia. 479-505.
- Blackbourn, J (2018). Excluding Terrorists. In Justice, Counter-Terrorism and Miscarriages of Justice: A Festschrift in Honour of Clive Walker. Lennon, G, King, C & McCartney, C Hart. 135-150.
- McGarrity, N & Blackbourn, J (2016). Anti-Terrorism Laws and Human Rights. In The Routledge International Handbook of Criminology and Human Rights. Weber, L, Fishwick, E & Marmo, M Routledge. 136-145.
- Blackbourn, Jessie (2015). Secret material and anti-terrorism review in Australia and Canada. In Secrecy, Law and Society. Taylor and Francis Inc. 158-176.
- Blackbourn, Jessie (2014). Independent reviewers as alternative: An empirical study from Australia and the United Kingdom. In Critical Debates on Counter-Terrorism Judicial Review. De Londras, Fiona & Davis, Fergal F. Cambridge University Press. 161-182.
- Blackbourn, J (2013). Power without Responsibility: There is no Valid Scrutiny of Australia’s Anti-Terrorism Laws. In Spooked: The Truth about Intelligence in Australia. Baldino, D NewSouth Press. 264-287.
Journal Article
- Blackbourn, Jessie (2021). Mechanisms for Reviewing and Monitoring National Security Laws: the UK and Australia Compared. Australian Law Journal and Reports 95(10): 786-797.
- Blackbourn, Jessie (2020). Closed Material Procedures in the Radicalisation Cases. Child and Family Law Quarterly 32(4).
- Blackbourn, J. (2020). Counterterrorism Legislation and Far-Right Terrorism in Australia and the United Kingdom. Common Law World Review 50(1): 76-92.
- Blackbourn, Jessie, McGarrity, Nicola & Roach, Kent (2019). Understanding and responding to right wing terrorism. Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism 14(3): 183-190.
- Blackbourn, J. (2018). Accountability, Counter-Terrorism and Civil Liberties. King's Law Journal 29(2): 297-323.
- Blackbourn, J. & Walker, C. (2016). Interdiction and indoctrination: The counter-terrorism and security act 2015. Modern Law Review 79(5): 840-870.
- Blackbourn, J. & Davis, F.F. (2016). Editorial: Party discipline and the parliamentary process - Editors' introduction. Parliamentary Affairs 69(2): 211-212.
- Blackbourn, J (2016). The Independent National Security Legislation Monitor's first term: an appraisal. University of New South Wales Law Journal 39(3): 975-1001.
- Blackbourn, J (2014). Anti-Terrorism Law Reform: Now or Never? Public Law Review 25(1): 3-7.
- Blackbourn, J. (2014). Evaluating the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation. Parliamentary Affairs 67(4): 955-968.
- Blackbourn, J., Davis, F.F. & Taylor, N.C. (2013). Academic Consensus and Legislative Definitions of Terrorism: Applying Schmid and Jongman. Statute Law Review 34(3): 239-261.
- Blackbourn, J. (2013). The UK's anti-terrorism laws: Does their practical use correspond to legislative intention? Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism 8(1): 20-34.
- Blackbourn, J & McGarrity, N (2012). Listening and Hearings: Intercept Evidence in the Courtroom. Journal of Commonwealth Criminal Law 2(November): 257-282.
- Blackbourn, J., Dexter, H., Dhanda, R. & Miller, D. (2012). Editor's Introduction: A decade on from 11 September 2001: What has critical terrorism studies learned? Critical Studies on Terrorism 5(1): 1-10.
- Blackbourn, J. (2011). The evolving definition of terrorism in UK law. Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression 3(2): 131-149.
- Blackbourn, J. (2009). International terrorism and counterterrorist legislation: The case study of post-9/11 Northern Ireland. Terrorism and Political Violence 21(1): 133-154.
- English, R., Blackbourn, J. & Rekawek, K. (2009). The Belfast international terrorism workshop: Edited by Richard English and Richard Jackson. Critical Studies on Terrorism 2(2): 313-315.
- Blackbourn, J (2008). Counter Terrorism and Civil Liberties: The United Kingdom Experience, 1968-2008. Journal of the Institute of Justice and International Studies 8: 63-74.