معرفی
Chara Bakalis is a Reader in Law and Deputy Head for Strategy and Development at the School of Law and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University. She holds degrees from the University of Oxford (BA, MA, BCL) and has been a faculty member at Oxford Brookes since 2003, following prior teaching at Oxford University. Her leadership roles include heading Social Sciences Research at the Ethical AI Institute (2019–2021) and active involvement in the Centre for AI, Culture and Society (CAICS).
Her research centers on criminal law, particularly the intersection of crime and technology. Key areas include hate crime, hate speech, regulation of online platforms, and artificial intelligence in warfare. She has contributed to major law reform initiatives, including those by the Law Commission, Lord Bracadale’s review in Scotland, and Judge Marrinan’s expert group in Northern Ireland. Her work is frequently cited in parliamentary reports, and she has provided oral evidence to the Parliamentary Petitions Committee on online abuse.
Chara’s recent publications focus on the legal responsibilities of social media companies, cyberhate legislation, and the protection of victims in hate crime. The articles reflect a consistent trend toward regulating digital harms, balancing free speech with safety, and advancing equality in criminal justice. Her scholarship combines doctrinal legal analysis with policy-oriented research, influencing both national and international legal frameworks.
- Member, Judge Marrinan's Core Expert Group on Northern Irish hate crime legislation
- AHRC Peer Reviewer
- National Reporter for Hate Speech, British Association of Comparative Law (BACL)
- Regular consultant to governmental and international bodies on hate speech regulation
She supervises PhD researchers working on anti-migrant hate speech and lethal autonomous weapons systems. Her advisory role extends to shaping research agendas in digital ethics and AI governance. While no specific grants are listed, her leadership in externally engaged research suggests active grant involvement. Chara is also a recognized public intellectual, having appeared on BBC Radio 4’s The Long View and File on Four.
She is affiliated with the Centre for AI, Culture and Society (CAICS), where her work contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues on technology, law, and society. Her participation in numerous national and international conferences underscores her role as a leading voice in the legal regulation of online hate and emerging technologies.
