The University of Leeds Human Rights Journal was founded in 2012 by University of Leeds History undergraduate Hannah Tigerschiold. The journal's purpose was to provide a platform for passionate undergraduates to publish academic and creative work exploring human rights. This broad and inherently inclusive theme enabled students from a wide range of disciplines and creative fields to contribute their perspectives and research.
Contributing to the University of Leeds Human Rights Journal gave students valuable insight into the world of academic publishing while also providing a platform to raise awareness of human rights issues. The journal was produced by undergraduate students, and those involved in the project developed a range of transferable skills, including editing, design, finance, marketing and publicity.
As a multidisciplinary publication, the journal brought together students from across different faculties and disciplines to create content that was diverse, thought-provoking and engaging. Through its commitment to publishing material on a wide range of domestic and international human rights issues, the editorial team sought to encourage readers to broaden their understanding of the field and engage with complex contemporary challenges.
Over its lifetime, the journal published a mixture of academic and creative work, including formal research papers, photography, reflective writing and poetry. This diversity of content reflected the journal's aim of providing a space for authors to communicate their perspectives on human rights in innovative and challenging ways.
The final edition of the University of Leeds Human Rights Journal was published in Summer 2024, marking the culmination of more than a decade of student-led publishing, collaboration and engagement with human rights issues. Throughout its existence, the journal provided opportunities for students to share their work, develop professional skills and contribute to important conversations on social justice and human rights.