Paul Behrens

Dr Paul Behrens serves as Reader in Law at the University of Edinburgh's School of Law, where he joined the faculty in 2012. He holds affiliations with multiple research centers including the Global Justice Academy, Edinburgh Centre for International and Global Law, Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Leicester University, Surrey International Law Centre, and Durham University's Centre for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice.

His research spans three primary domains: international law (particularly genocide studies and diplomatic law), constitutional law, and LGBT+ rights. In genocide studies, he has co-authored foundational texts including Elements of Genocide and The Criminal Law of Genocide, and was invited as amicus curiae by the International Criminal Court's Appeals Chamber in the Ongwen case. His diplomatic law expertise is demonstrated through monographs like Diplomatic Interference and the Law and edited volumes including Diplomatic Law in a New Millennium. For LGBT+ rights, he co-edited Justice After Stonewall and established Scotland's first dedicated university course on LGBT+ rights and law.

His recent publications show consistent thematic focus across genocide jurisprudence, diplomatic immunity frameworks, and LGBT+ legal recognition. The 15 most recent articles demonstrate increasing integration of his expertise areas, particularly in applying international human rights standards to contemporary LGBT+ issues and refining genocide determination methodologies in international criminal law.

Behrens actively engages with policy makers, having contributed to the Expert Advisory Group report on conversion practices for the Scottish Government, written commissioned reports for Human Rights Consortium Scotland, and provided evidence to multiple parliamentary committees including Scotland's Equalities Committee and Germany's Bundestag. He organizes major international conferences, most notably the '50 Years After Stonewall' event that brought together multidisciplinary experts.

His media presence includes regular contributions to The Guardian, The Scotsman, and German publications like Süddeutsche Zeitung, where he provides expert legal commentary on international affairs, human rights developments, and constitutional issues. His teaching innovations include developing specialized courses on LGBT+ legal analysis and genocide law.