About
Margot Salomon is Associate Professor of International Law at LSE Law School and until 2016 held a Joint Appointment at the Law School and LSE’s Centre for the Study of Human Rights. Margot’s research explores the distributional effects of international law drawing inspiration from a variety of disciplines including political economy, critical development studies, and counter-hegemonic and 4th world approaches to international law. Recent publications study contradictions in the radical articulation of peasant rights (London Review of International Law); adjudicating socio-economic rights in structural context and indigenous land rights outside of capital accumulation (Leiden Journal of International Law); a Federici-inspired examination of sovereign debt (Transnational Legal Theory); and a material renarration of self-determination (Melbourne Journal of International Law).
Margot was awarded a European Society of International Law Book Prize for The Misery of International Law (with Linarelli and Sornarajah) and is an International Francqui Chair laureate. She has been a consultant to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Bank’s Nordic Trust Fund, and Advisor to the UN High-level Task Force on the Right to Development. She is currently a member of the inaugural Editorial Board of LSE Press, a fully open access publishing house, and continues to lead the interdisciplinary Laboratory for Advanced Research on the Global Economy at LSE Human Rights.
Margot welcomes PhD applicants working on human rights, global (sustainable) development, and globalisation and international law from post-colonial, radical, and plural epistemological perspectives. She welcomes applicants interested in critically engaged approaches to these subjects, including the turn to commoning, postgrowth, and postdevelopment paradigms. Her interests also extend to militarism, democracy and a wide range of other topics.
Margot holds a PhD in International Law from LSE, an LLM in International Human Rights Law from University College London, and an MA in Comparative European Social Studies from the University of Amsterdam. Her BA was received from Concordia University in Montreal.
Research
Research Interests
Thematic interests include: Poverty, inequality and international law; militarism and militarisation; international law and dispossession; rights over natural resources and economic self-determination; commons, postgrowth, postdevelopment, and radical democracy; socio-economic and (post)development rights; the rights of indigenous peoples and peasants; land rights; environmental justice; the UN; international financial institutions; European Union; as well as geographical interests in Africa, Latin America as elsewhere.
Disciplinary inspiration: (international) political economy; economic sociology; global economic history; critical development studies; and various heterodox approaches to international law.
Publications
The Misery of International Law: Confrontations with Injustice in the Global Economy (Oxford University Press 2018), (with J Linarelli and M Sornarajah)
Winner of the 2019 European Society of International Law Book Prize.
click here for publisher's site
Review:
Leiden Journal of International Law (2019) [online first]
Revue Critique de Droit International Privé (April-June 2019) p.632
Journal of International Economic Law (2019) [online first]
Melbourne Journal of International Law (2018) Volume 19 pp.763-772
International Affairs, Volume 94, Issue 6, 1 November 2018, pp.1463-1464
Global Responsibility for Human Rights : World Poverty and the Development of International Law (Oxford University Press, 2007)
Challenges to the exercise of the basic socio-economic rights of half the global population give rise to some of the most pressing issues today. This timely book focuses on world poverty, providing a systematic exposition of the evolving legal responsibility of the international community of states to cooperate in addressing the structural obstacles that contribute to this injustice. This book analyzes the approach, contribution, and current limitations of the international law of human rights to the manifestations of world poverty, inviting the reader to rethink human rights, and, in particular, the framing of responsibilities that are essential to their contemporary protection.
click here for publisher's site
Reviews:
The Cambridge Law Journal 2008 Vol. 67 (3) pp 656-658
European Journal of International Law 2009 20 (3) 922-923
Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 2009 29 (4) 827-847
Public Law 2009 (Oct) 866-869 [LSE LOGIN]
Casting the Net Wider: Human Rights, Development and New Duty-Bearers (Intersentia, 2007) (ed. with Arne Tostensen and Wouter Vandenhole)
This edited volume brings together scholars and practitioners to address the question as to whether, in our globalised world, the protection of economic, social and cultural rights in the South has or should become the duty of actors beyond the state. It explores the role of actors such as transnational business, international financial institutions, supranational organisations and influential states that are involved in or impact on human rights in developing countries. In adopting a ‘responsibilities approach’, it seeks to clarify the nature, content and scope of their contemporary duties.
- 'Two Parts of a Whole: Material Conditions of Self-Determination and the Palestine Question’, 26 Melbourne Journal of International Law 2 (2025) Advance copy.
- ‘Neoliberalism and Law’ in John Linarelli (ed), Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Legal Theory and Philosophy (2025)
- 'The Trojan Horse of Sovereign Debt' 1 Transnational Legal Theory (2024) 1–33 (open access)
- 'Emancipating Human Rights: Capitalism and the Common Good' Leiden Journal of International Law (First View June 2023)
- Ugo Mattei and Margot E Salomon, ‘From Poverty and Development to People’s International Law’ in Ruth Buchanan, Luis Eslava and Sundhya Pahuja (eds), The Oxford Handbook of International Law and Development (OUP 2023)
- Foreword, in Emma Luce Scali, Sovereign Debt and Socio-Economic Rights Beyond Crisis: The Neoliberalization of International Law (CUP 2022)
- 'The Radical Ideation of Peasants, the "Pseudo-Radicalism" of International Human Rights Law, and the Revolutionary Lawyer' London Review of International Law (2020) 8 (3) pp.425–456
- 'Odious Debt, Adverse Creditors, and the Democratic Ideal' LSE Law Working Paper Series 20/2018 (with Robert Howse)
- ‘Odious Debt, Adverse Creditors, and the Democratic Ideal’ in I. Bantekas and C. Luminas (eds), Sovereign Debt and Human Rights (Oxford University Press, 2018) (with R. Howse)
- 'Of Austerity, Human Rights and International Institutions' 21 European Law Journal 4 (2015); also available as LSE Law, Society and Economy Working Paper Series 2/2015
- 'You Say You Want a Revolution: Challenges of Market Primacy for the Human Rights Project’ in W. Vandenhole (ed), Challenging Territoriality in International Human Rights Law (Routledge, 2015).
- 'How to Keep Promises: Making Sense of the Duty Among Multiple States to Fulfil Socio-Economic Rights in the World' in A. Nollkaemper and D. Jacobs (eds.), Distribution of Responsibilities in International Law (Cambridge University Press, 2014). Available as SHARES Research Paper 53 (2014)
- 'Better Development Decision-making Applying International Human Rights Law to Neoclassical Economics' Nordic Journal of Human Rights (2014) 32 (1) pp.44-74 (with Colin Arnott)
- 'From NIEO to Now and the Unfinishable Story of Economic Justice' International and Comparative Law Quarterly (2013) 62, pp.31-54
- 'Deprivation, Causation and the Law of International Cooperation' in M. Langford, W. Vandenhole, M. Scheinin and W. van Genugten (eds), Global Justice, State Duties: The Extra-Territorial Scope of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in International Law (Cambridge University Press, 2013)
- 'Commentary to the Maastricht Principles on Extraterritorial Obligations of States in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights'Human Rights Quarterly 34 (2012) 1084–1169
- ‘Winners and Others: Accounting for International Law’s Favourites’ in C.A. Gearty and C. Douzinas (eds) The Cambridge Companion to Human Rights Law (CUP, 2012) 271.
- 'Why Should it Matter that Others Have More? - Poverty, Inequality and the Potential of International Human Rights Law', Proceedings of the Oxford University Conference on International Law and Global Justice, Review of International Studies (2011) 37 (5) pp.2137-2155
- 'International Human Rights Obligations in Context: Structural Obstacles and the Demands of Global Justice' in Bard A. Andreassen, Stephen P. Marks (eds.) Development as a Human Right: Legal, Political and Economic Dimensions (2nd edn Intersentia, 2010)
- ‘Social Justice and Human Rights’ in A. Walker, D. Gordon et al (eds), The Peter Townsend Reader (The Policy Press, 2010)
- 'Poverty, Privilege and International Law: The Millennium Development Goals and the Guise of Humanitarianism', German Yearbook of International Law 51 (2008)
- ‘International Economic Governance and Human Rights Accountability’ in Margot E. Salomon, Arne Tostensen and Wouter Vandenhole (eds), Casting the Net Wider: Human Rights, Development and New Duty-Bearers (Intersentia, 2007).
- ‘Socio-Economic Rights as Minority Rights’ in Marc Weller (ed), Universal Minority Rights: A Commentary on the Jurisprudence of International Courts and Treaty Bodies (Oxford University Press, 2007)
- ‘International Human Rights Obligations in Context: Structural Obstacles and the Demands of Global Justice, in B-A. Andreassen and S.P. Marks (eds.), Development as a Human Right: Legal, Political and Economic Dimensions (Harvard University Press, 2006)
- 'Towards a Just Institutional Order: A Commentary on the First Session of the UN Task Force on the Right to Development’, 23 Netherlands Quarterly of HumanRights 3 (2005)
- 'Masking Inequality in the Name of Rights: The Examination of Fiji's State Report under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination', Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law, 1 (2003)
Teaching
Engagement and impact
- Laureate of the Belgian (European) Francqui Chair
- Editorial Board, Edward Elgar Monograph Series on Studies in Human Rights (2014-22)
- Visiting Scholar, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow (2017-18)
- Vice-Chair, Association of Human Rights Institutes (2009-17)
- Fernand Braudel Senior Fellow, Law Department, European University Institute (2012)
- Advisory Board, Centre for Law and Cosmopolitan Values, University of Antwerp (2009-present)
- Editorial Board, European Yearbook of Human Rights (2009-present)
- Member, Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, International Law Association (2008-12)
- Visiting Lecturer, UN University, Tokyo (2006)
Marina Aksenova, Tuomas Ojanen and Margot E Salomon (eds) Human Rights for Kids (2025)
Keynote lecture at Amnesty International Retreat (21 March 2023)
Work on debt, austerity and international law:
- Visiting Scholar, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow (2017-18)
- 'Of Austerity, Human Rights and International Institutions' European Law Journal (2015) [working paper available]
- Legal Advisor to the Speaker of the Greek Parliament (2015)
- 'La Troika e i Diritti Umani' La Repubblica, 4.05.2015
- Legal Brief with O. De Schutter, 15.06.2015
- 'Die Austeritätspolitik verletzt Menschenrechte' Zeit Online Interview, 20.07.15
- 'Europe’s Debt to Greece' EJIL Talk! 24.08.15
Lead Author, World Bank Study on the Integration of Human Rights in Development Policies and Programs and its Economic Impact and Implications (Part 1: Human Rights and Economics: Tensions, Synergies and Ways Forward) (2012)
Guest Editor, Global Policy Journal. Special Section on International Law, Human Rights, and the Global Economy: Innovations and Expectations for the 21st Century (2012)
Drafting Committee, Maastricht Principles on Extraterritorial Obligations of States in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2009-11)
Expert Consultant, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN:
- Background Paper on the views of States and other Stakeholders/Conference Rapporteur/Final Report (Technical Review), Draft Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights(2009). (P5) - UN Social Forum, Human Rights and the Global Economy (2009)
- UN High-Level Task Force on the Right to Development (2004-09)
Associate, Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, LSE (2008-present)
Senior Consultant, Ford Foundation, Darfur Initiative Evaluation (2008)
Association of Human Rights Institutes:
- Member, Working Group on the UN Human Rights Monitoring Machinery. Research Project on the Role of the EU in UN Human Rights Reform (2008-12)
- Member, Working Group on Human Rights and Development. Research Project on Human Rights, Peace and Security in EU Foreign Policy (2005-08)
- Report to the UN Human Rights Council of the UN Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order, UN Doc A/HRC/57/49 (2024)
- Report to the UN General Assembly of the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights: Development and Cultural Rights: The Principles, UN Doc A/77/290 (2022)
- Report to the UN General Assembly of the UN Independent Expert on the Effects of Foreign Debt and Related International Financial Obligations of States on the Enjoyment of Human Rights: Responsibility for Complicity of International Financial Institutions in Human Rights Violations in the Context of Retrogressive Economic Reforms, UN Doc A/78/148 (2019)
- Report to the UN Human Rights Council of the UN Independent Expert on the Effects of Foreign Debt and Related International Financial Obligations of States on the Enjoyment of Human Right: Mission to Greece, UN Doc. A/HRC/31/60/Add.2 (2016)
- Report to the UN Human Rights Council of the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity, UN Doc. A/HRC/15/32 (2010)
- Report to the UN Human Rights Council of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food: Large-scale Land Acquisitions and Leases: A Set of Minimum Principles and Measures to Address the Human Rights Challenge, UN Doc. A/HRC/13/33/Add.2 (2009)
- Report to the UN General Assembly of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, UN Doc. A/63/278 (2008)
- Report to the UN Human Rights Council of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Highest Attainable Standard of Health: Mission to the World Bank and IMF, UN Doc. A/HRC/7/11/Add.2 (2008)
- 'Alternatieven voor het kapitalisme worden te gemakkelijk verworpen' Interview with de Volkskrant (23 March 2024)
- Opinio Juris 'Fresh Squeezed' podcast interview (28 November 2023)
- 'Culture as an Alternative to "Sustainable Development"'Third World Approaches to International Law Review 7 July 2022
- 'Reconstituting the unequal global system after pandemic – a cautionary tale of international law'LSE Thinks 11 June 2020
- 'Sustaining Neoliberal Capital Through Socio-Economic Rights'Critical Legal Thinking, 18.10.17.
- 'Economizing Justice in Times of Debt and Austerity', Proceedings of the 110th Annual Meeting, 110 American Society of International Law Proceedings (2017), (with G. Katrougalos, O. Lienau, and A Caliari)
- Expert, Invitation to brief the International Monetary Fund’s Independent Evaluation Office on the IMF and Social Protection, Washington (2016)
- 'Europe's Debt to Greece' EJIL Talk! 24.08.15
- 'Die Austeritätspolitik verletzt Menschenrechte'Zeit Online Interview, 20.07.15
- Margot E. Salomon and Olivier De Schutter, Economic Policy Conditionality, Socio-Economic Rights and International Legal Responsibility: the Case of Greece 2010-2015: Legal Brief prepared for the Special Committee of the Hellenic Parliament on the Audit of the Greek Debt, 15 June 2015
- 'Austerity, Human Rights and Europe's Accountability Gap'Open Democracy – Open Global Rights (March 2014).
- 'Human Rights are also about Social Justice: A Reply to Aryeh Neier'Open Democracy – Open Global Rights (July 2013)
- 'The Maastricht Principles on Extraterritorial Obligations in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: An Overview of Positive "Obligations to Fulfil"'EJIL:Talk! 16 November 2012
- 'The Future of Human Rights', Introduction to the Special Section on International Law, Human Rights and the Global Economy: Innovations and Expectations for the 21st Century, Guest Editor M.E. Salomon, 4 Global Policy 3 (November 2012)
- 'Human Rights Norms for a Globalized World: The Maastricht Principles on Extraterritorial Obligations of States in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights' Special Section on International Law, Human Rights and the Global Economy: Innovations and Expectations for the 21st Century, Guest Editor M.E. Salomon, 4 Global Policy 3 (November 2012) (with Ian Seiderman)
- 'Is there a Legal Duty to Address World Poverty?' Global Governance Programme, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute, Working Paper 2012/03
- 'The Ethics of Foreign Investment: Agricultural Land in Africa'The Majalla, 5 August 2010
- Global Economic Policy and Human Rights: Three Sites of Disconnection, Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs 25 March 2010
- 'A Human Rights Analysis of the G20 Communiqué: Recent Awareness of the "Human Cost" Is Not Quite Enough', Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs, 4 May 2009 (with Sakiko Fukuda-Parr)
- 'Legal Cosmopolitanism and the Normative Contribution of the Right to Development' in S.P. Marks (ed), Implementing the Right to Development: The Role of International Law (Harvard School of Public Health/Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2008)
- Technical Review: Draft Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2009)
- 'The Significance of the Task Force on the Right to Development', Special Report, Human Rights and Development, Guest Editors: R. Danino and J.K. Ingram,8 Development Outreach, The World Bank, 2 (May 2006)