COVID-19, Law and Human Rights: Essex Dialogues, published today by the University of Essex, includes expert analysis on issues including emergency powers legislation, health inequalities, access to justice, cyber crime and misinformation.

The 32-chapter publication examines the pandemic’s impact in a number of countries, including the UK and various countries across Europe, Latin America and Africa.

Dr Carla Ferstman, co-editor of the collection, said: “COVID-19 is affecting all aspects of our lives, magnifying and intensifying structural inequalities and impacting upon just about every human right.

“The purpose of the publication is to examine these intersecting impacts from as many perspectives as possible, and to begin the process of charting what ‘building back better’ means in practice.”

She added: “It was particularly important for Dr Andrew Fagan and I, as editors, to be as diverse and as inclusive as possible. The range of perspectives reminds us all that multidisciplinary – and often interdisciplinary – approaches are necessary to tackle complex global problems.”

Professor Karen Hulme, head of Essex Law School, said: “At a time of fundamental uncertainty in many areas, it is crucial for the School of Law to respond to the many legal challenges and research gaps that are evident in the current situation.

“The contributions showcase the breadth of the School’s research capacity and are a manifestation of the School’s mission to carry out research that matters in the world from many different perspectives.”