Ioanna Tourkochoriti chose to study Law because of her interest in the structure of the modern state. During her studies, she discovered that, although the focus on social institutions did satisfy her curiosity, she was more interested in uncovering the reasons these institutions exist.
Upon completing her studies, she moved to France where she received two master degrees, in Philosophy of Justice and Political Philosophy at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales-Paris and in Public Law at the Panthéon Assas Paris II University.
Her phd thesis, which revolved around the different ways of safeguarding freedom of expression in Europe and the US, was awarded the top academic distinction by the E.H.E.S.S.-Paris.
She has served as a member of Scientific Staff at the Citizen’s Advocate, while as a lawyer she has co-handled cases examined by the European Human Rights Court.
upd: 11/12/2024
Tourkochoriti is a leading scholar on comparative law, jurisprudence and human rights. She has published numerous articles on comparative constitutional law, freedom of expression and anti-discrimination law with leading journals all around the world. Her well-received book Freedom of Speech: The Revolutionary Roots of American and French Legal Thought was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. She is co-organiser of the International Research Collaborative on “Religion and Women’s Rights: Global Perspectives” and international research networks on hate speech online, anti-discrimination law, and business and human rights.
She is currently co-editing the Oxford Handbook on Hate Speech, the Oxford Handbook on Anti-Discrimination Law and Religion, a volume on comparative legal history for Cambridge University Press, a volume on the comparative enforcement of international law for Edward Elgar, and a volume on critiquing human rights for Edward Elgar.
Tourkochoriti was formerly Lecturer above the Bar at the University of Galway School of Law. For eight years she held research and faculty appointments at Harvard University. She was a Wertheim Fellow with the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School and a lecturer on Law and Social Studies at the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies at Harvard University. She also taught at Carleton University (Canada) and has held numerous fellowships with several institutions, including the LSE’s Law Department. She has delivered guest seminars and lectures at numerous universities all around the world.
