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Natalie is Senior Research Fellow at the Future of Free Speech at Vanderbilt University (USA). Her research interests lie in the freedom of expression, the far-right, hate speech, hate crime and non-discrimination. She holds a PhD (Law) from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She has published three monographs, namely ‘The Far-Right in International and European Law’ (Routledge 2019), ‘Legal Challenges to the Far-right: Lessons from England and Wales’ (Routledge 2019) and ‘The Far-Right in Greece and the Law’ (Routledge 2022). She has published on hate speech, free speech and the far-right in a wide range of peer reviewed journals, has been reviewer for journals such as the International Journal of Human Rights, The Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights and guest editor for the International Journal of Semiotics and the Law. Natalie has over ten years experience in working with civil society, educators and public servants on human rights education and has participated in European actions such as the High-Level Group on Combatting Racism, Xenophobia and Other Forms of Intolerance. Natalie has been the country researcher for the 2019 European Network against Racism report on Hate Crime and the 2022 report on structural racism. She has drafted handbooks, strategy papers and shadow reports for projects funded by the Anna Lindh Foundation, the European Commission and the European Youth Foundation, on themes such as hate speech. She is a trained mediator (conflict resolution and mediation) by OCN Northern Ireland and was the lead author of a handbook on social mediation. Natalie was an international Fellow (2022/23) of the ISLC – Information Society Law Centre of the Università degli Studi di Milano.She is currently on the advisory board of the Forum for Humor and the Law (ForHum) and DELIAH: Democratic Literacy and Humour. She is a member of the International Press Institute.
Key points
– Research interests: Freedom of Expression, Hate speech, Hate Crime, Non-Discrimination, International Human Rights Law, European Union Law.
– Three books on the far right and its manifestations published between 2019-2021.
– Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) of the UK
– The paper ‘Alkiviadou N, ‘Sustainable Enjoyment of Economic and Social Rights in Times of Crisis: Obstacles to Overcome and Bridges to Cross’ received 4* during the REF exercise (Research Excellence Framework)
– Researcher for European shadow reports on issues such as hate crime and structural racism.
– Founder and director of successful local NGO working on anti-hate, anti-extremism through human rights education.
– 15 years + experience in fundraising for universities and civil society organizations (local, national, regional (European) and US funds).
– Recipient of Jean Monnet Module on Populism (EU award)
– International Participation Appointed Chairperson for the United Nation’s Minority Forum on ‘Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities’ (November 2020); Recognized by the Council of Europe as a central expert in online hate speech and was invited as a keynote speaker for the closing conference of the pan-European No Hate Speech Movement with participants including Member States and authorities of the Council of Europe and the European Union; Participant of European Commission High Level Meetings on Racism and Xenophobia.
– Lead author of Social Mediation Handbook and person responsible for training of 50 plus volunteers on the use in divided communities
– Trained Mediator (Conflict Resolution and Mediation) OCN Northern Ireland
*Photographs used on this website are from places visited for conferences*