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Octavio Ferraz

Professor Octavio Ferraz

Professor of Law

  • Co-Director of the Transnational Law Institute

Research interests

  • Law

Biography

Professor Octavio Ferraz is a Professor of Law. He holds an LLB and MPhil in Law (University of São Paulo), an MA in Medical Ethics & Law (King's College London, prize Benjamin Geijsen) and a PhD in Law (University College London).

Before joining King's he was a senior research officer to the UN special rapporteur for the right to health, Professor Paul Hunt, at the University of Essex, and then moved to Warwick Law School, where he was an Assistant and then an Associate Professor for 8 years. 

Before moving to academia, he practiced law in Sao Paulo, Brazil, mostly in the fields of corporate public law and medical law for over ten years. He is still a member of the Brazilian Bar and contributes regularly to the Brazilian press.

Research

Professor Ferraz's research interests are in the field of human rights and development, especially the role and impact of law and courts in poverty, equality and social justice. He adopts mostly comparative, transnational and international perspectives, and an interdisciplinary approach, engaging with political philosophy, economics, sociology and political sciences and combining empirical methods and theoretical inquiry in his projects.

Teaching

  • Public Law
  • Human Rights Law in International and Transnational Perspective
  • Inequality, Human Development and the Rule of Law in Transnational perspective

PURE profile

See Octavio's research profile

    Research

    KBI City Hall, Erechim, Brazil (2)
    Governance, leadership and democracy

    This research group explores Brazil's transition to democracy, the quality of democracy, transitional justice and human rights.

    Bolsonaro Yellow Background
    Authoritarianism and populism research group

    Examining the rise and effects of authoritarianism and populism.

    News

    Can Science and Law Save the Amazon and its Peoples?

    After giving a lecture at Stanford University on the struggle to overcome political and economic resistance by those who profit from the destruction of the...

    Octavio Ferraz giving a talk in Stanford

    Banzeiro Okoto - the Amazon as the Centre of the World

    Award winning Brazilian journalist Eliane Brum discussed her new book "Banzeiro Okoto - the Amazon as the Centre of the World" with the Transnational Law...

    Octavio Ferraz and Eliane Brum

    The Transnational Law Institute presents report to the UN Human Rights Committee

    The Human Rights Committee is holding its 138th session in Geneva and reviewed, among other countries, the human rights situation in Brazil; The Transnational...

    HRC Shadow Report Geneva

    The Future of the Amazon: Hope and Challenges for Brazil

    Six months after the elections in Brazil, we held a discussion about the hope that president Lula will fulfil his promise of protecting the Amazon rain...

    Future of the Amazon

    Book Launch: the Disappeared of the South American Dictatorships and the Struggle to Find Them

    Journalist Jan Rocha, former BBC and The Guardian correspondent in São Paulo, Brazil, launched her new book about CLAMOR, a small human rights organisation...

    CLAMOR Book Thumbnail

    "The Struggle for Demarcation of Indigenous Lands is for all Humanity"

    Dr. Eloy Terena, a lawyer, researcher, and Indigenous land rights activist from Brazil, spoke to Transnational Law Institute Co-director Octavio Ferraz about...

    Interview with Eloy Terena

    Transnational Law Institute launches Global Project on Authoritarianism

    Experts from around the world gathered at The Dickson Poon School of Law last week to launch a new project looking at the recent tendency towards...

    GRAD Law School event-13

    What are the Laws for our Sustainable Future?

    What laws are in place across the world for the protection of our fragile planet? How effective are they? How can they be strengthened? A new project by the...

    Aerial shot of amazon rainforest 780x440

    TLI and the Campaign to Defend Democracy in Brazil

    The resounding call from Brazil, "democratic rule of law always", was heard loud and clear in King's College London when Professor Octavio Ferraz read the...

    Brazil Mass Rally for Democracy

    Brazilian Democracy at Risk

    Ahead of the upcoming elections in Brazil, the Letter to Brazilians was written and has now been signed by over 810.000 people in Brazil. The Transnational...

    In support of Democracy in Brazil

    Events

    21OctBrazil matters event thumbnail

    A Conversation with Felipe Tuxá: Speaking of White Lethality at the ICC

    Strategies of the Indigenous Movement Against Genocide in Brazil

    Please note: this event has passed.

    23NovBrazil map

    'Brazil is back: lessons learned and Brazil’s prospects in foreign affairs' with Brazilian Ambassador Antonio Patriota

    Lecture with Brazilian Ambassador Antonio Patriota and with Professor Octavio Ferraz and Dr Vinicius de Carvalho as discussants

    Please note: this event has passed.

    17OctFixing the Climate  Strategies for an Uncertain World thumbnail

    Fixing the Climate: Strategies for an Uncertain World

    A public lecture to be delivered by Prof Charles Sabel of Columbia University

    Please note: this event has passed.

    12SepAuthor Eliane Brum and the cover of her book

    Banzeiro Òkòtó - The Amazon as the Centre of the World

    in conversation with award-winning Brazilian writer Eliane Brum and guests to discuss Brum's latest and highly acclaimed book Banzeiro Òkòtó - The Amazon as...

    Please note: this event has passed.

    14JunClamor The search for the disappeared of the South American dictatorships (7)

    Solidarity Without Borders

    Book launch and panel discussion: "Clamor: The search for the disappeared of the South American dictatorships" by Jan Rocha

    Please note: this event has passed.

    23MarAmazon Roadman main image

    A new roadmap for the Amazon forest and Brazil’s development agenda

    Join us on International Day of Forests, where the challenges and opportunities of Brazil’s climate and nature agenda will be discussed.

    Please note: this event has passed.

    27JunBreaking the Link ALT 780x440

    Breaking the Link between Oil & Gas and War: Putting Human Rights into ESG

    Consultation for Investors, Policy Makers and Industry Participants

    Please note: this event has passed.

    29JunHR and Natural Resources - 780x440

    Human Rights and Natural Resources

    Leigh Day International, Clean Trade and the Transnational Law Institute are pleased to invite you to our in person series of panel talks on the human rights...

    Please note: this event has passed.

    10SepBrazil

    30 Years of the right to health in Brazil

    What has changed? What remains to be changed? What are the challenges and obstacles?

    Please note: this event has passed.

      Research

      KBI City Hall, Erechim, Brazil (2)
      Governance, leadership and democracy

      This research group explores Brazil's transition to democracy, the quality of democracy, transitional justice and human rights.

      Bolsonaro Yellow Background
      Authoritarianism and populism research group

      Examining the rise and effects of authoritarianism and populism.

      News

      Can Science and Law Save the Amazon and its Peoples?

      After giving a lecture at Stanford University on the struggle to overcome political and economic resistance by those who profit from the destruction of the...

      Octavio Ferraz giving a talk in Stanford

      Banzeiro Okoto - the Amazon as the Centre of the World

      Award winning Brazilian journalist Eliane Brum discussed her new book "Banzeiro Okoto - the Amazon as the Centre of the World" with the Transnational Law...

      Octavio Ferraz and Eliane Brum

      The Transnational Law Institute presents report to the UN Human Rights Committee

      The Human Rights Committee is holding its 138th session in Geneva and reviewed, among other countries, the human rights situation in Brazil; The Transnational...

      HRC Shadow Report Geneva

      The Future of the Amazon: Hope and Challenges for Brazil

      Six months after the elections in Brazil, we held a discussion about the hope that president Lula will fulfil his promise of protecting the Amazon rain...

      Future of the Amazon

      Book Launch: the Disappeared of the South American Dictatorships and the Struggle to Find Them

      Journalist Jan Rocha, former BBC and The Guardian correspondent in São Paulo, Brazil, launched her new book about CLAMOR, a small human rights organisation...

      CLAMOR Book Thumbnail

      "The Struggle for Demarcation of Indigenous Lands is for all Humanity"

      Dr. Eloy Terena, a lawyer, researcher, and Indigenous land rights activist from Brazil, spoke to Transnational Law Institute Co-director Octavio Ferraz about...

      Interview with Eloy Terena

      Transnational Law Institute launches Global Project on Authoritarianism

      Experts from around the world gathered at The Dickson Poon School of Law last week to launch a new project looking at the recent tendency towards...

      GRAD Law School event-13

      What are the Laws for our Sustainable Future?

      What laws are in place across the world for the protection of our fragile planet? How effective are they? How can they be strengthened? A new project by the...

      Aerial shot of amazon rainforest 780x440

      TLI and the Campaign to Defend Democracy in Brazil

      The resounding call from Brazil, "democratic rule of law always", was heard loud and clear in King's College London when Professor Octavio Ferraz read the...

      Brazil Mass Rally for Democracy

      Brazilian Democracy at Risk

      Ahead of the upcoming elections in Brazil, the Letter to Brazilians was written and has now been signed by over 810.000 people in Brazil. The Transnational...

      In support of Democracy in Brazil

      Events

      21OctBrazil matters event thumbnail

      A Conversation with Felipe Tuxá: Speaking of White Lethality at the ICC

      Strategies of the Indigenous Movement Against Genocide in Brazil

      Please note: this event has passed.

      23NovBrazil map

      'Brazil is back: lessons learned and Brazil’s prospects in foreign affairs' with Brazilian Ambassador Antonio Patriota

      Lecture with Brazilian Ambassador Antonio Patriota and with Professor Octavio Ferraz and Dr Vinicius de Carvalho as discussants

      Please note: this event has passed.

      17OctFixing the Climate  Strategies for an Uncertain World thumbnail

      Fixing the Climate: Strategies for an Uncertain World

      A public lecture to be delivered by Prof Charles Sabel of Columbia University

      Please note: this event has passed.

      12SepAuthor Eliane Brum and the cover of her book

      Banzeiro Òkòtó - The Amazon as the Centre of the World

      in conversation with award-winning Brazilian writer Eliane Brum and guests to discuss Brum's latest and highly acclaimed book Banzeiro Òkòtó - The Amazon as...

      Please note: this event has passed.

      14JunClamor The search for the disappeared of the South American dictatorships (7)

      Solidarity Without Borders

      Book launch and panel discussion: "Clamor: The search for the disappeared of the South American dictatorships" by Jan Rocha

      Please note: this event has passed.

      23MarAmazon Roadman main image

      A new roadmap for the Amazon forest and Brazil’s development agenda

      Join us on International Day of Forests, where the challenges and opportunities of Brazil’s climate and nature agenda will be discussed.

      Please note: this event has passed.

      27JunBreaking the Link ALT 780x440

      Breaking the Link between Oil & Gas and War: Putting Human Rights into ESG

      Consultation for Investors, Policy Makers and Industry Participants

      Please note: this event has passed.

      29JunHR and Natural Resources - 780x440

      Human Rights and Natural Resources

      Leigh Day International, Clean Trade and the Transnational Law Institute are pleased to invite you to our in person series of panel talks on the human rights...

      Please note: this event has passed.

      10SepBrazil

      30 Years of the right to health in Brazil

      What has changed? What remains to be changed? What are the challenges and obstacles?

      Please note: this event has passed.