People_
Professor David Kinley
BA (Sheff Hallam) MA (Sheff) PhD (Camb)
Professor of Human Rights Law
Phone
+61 2 9351 0215
Address
F10 - Law School (Camperdown)
The University of Sydney
Details
Member of Sydney Southeast Asia Centre
Professor David Kinley holds the Chair in Human Rights Law at the University of Sydney Law School. He is also an Academic Expert Member of Doughty Street Chambers in London, a member of the Australian Council for Human Rights, a member of the Human Rights Council of Australia and a board member of Cisarua, an Afghan refugee-led education centre located in Bogor, Indonesia.
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- International and domestic human rights law
- Corporations and human rights
- Economic, social and cultural rights
- Human rights and global finance
Selected publications
Publications
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Books
- Kinley, D. (2025). In a Rain of Dust: Death, Deceit, and the Lawyer Who Busted Big Asbestos. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. [More Information]
- Kinley, D. (2024). The Liberty Paradox: Living with the Responsibilities of Freedom. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
- Kinley, D. (2018). Necessary Evil: how to fix finance by saving human rights. New York: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
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Edited Books
- Kinley, D., Sadurski, W., Walton, K. (2013). Human Rights: Old Problems, New Possibilities. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. [More Information]
- Pedersen, M., Kinley, D. (2013). Principled Engagement: Negotiating Human Rights in Repressive States. Farnham, United Kingdom: Ashgate.
- Kinley, D. (2009). Human Rights and Corporations. Farnham: Ashgate. [More Information]
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Book Chapters
- Kinley, D. (2018). The politics of human rights and finance. In Tom Campbell, Kylie Bourne (Eds.), Political and Legal Approaches to Human Rights, (pp. 155-167). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
- Kinley, D. (2015). Development, the Rule of Law and Business. In Jeffrey Jowell, Christopher Thomas, Jan van Zyl Smit (Eds.), Rule of Law Symposium 2014: The Importance of the Rule of Law in Promoting Development, (pp. 60-69). Singapore: Academy Publishing: Singapore Academy of Law.
- Kinley, D. (2015). Finding and Filling the Democratic Deficit in Human Rights. In Murray Hunt, Hayley J. Hooper, Paul Yowell (Eds.), Parliaments and Human Rights: Redressing the Democratic Deficit, (pp. 29-37). Oxford: Hart Publishing. [More Information]
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Journals
- Bronitt, S., Kinley, D. (2017). The Limits of Corporate Responsibility and Human Rights: A Right to Live Free from Corruption? Australian Journal of Legal Philosophy, 42, 228-246.
- Kinley, D. (2016). Book Review - Diane A. Desierto, Public Policy in International Economic Law: The ICESCR in Trade, Investment and Finance. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. Pp. 448. £ 70.00. ISBN: 9780198716938. Journal of World Investment and Trade, 17(5), 861-863.
- Meyersfeld, B., Kinley, D. (2015). Banks and Human Rights: A South African Experiment. SUR - International Journal on Human Rights, 12(22), 189-205. [More Information]
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Report
- Sheehan, K., Kinley, D. (2021). Financial Services and Human Rights Benchmark: Summary reports for 22 ASX-listed Financial Services Entities. [More Information]
- Sheehan, K., Kinley, D. (2021). The 2020 Financial Services Human Rights Benchmark Report, A Study of the Human Rights Performance of 22 ASX-listed Financial Services Entities. [More Information]
- Sheehan, K., Kinley, D. (2021). The Financial Services Human Rights Benchmark, Methodology Report. [More Information]
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Other
- Kinley, D., Rice, S. (2021), Submission (No.91) to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights Inquiry on the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 and Related Bills.
- Kinley, D. (2018), Submission to Australian Royal Commission on Banking and Financial Services - Community Expectations: Putting People Before Profit Means Taking Human Rights Seriously.
- Sheehan, K., Kinley, D. (2018), Submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking and Financial Services Sector - Community Expectations: Putting People Before Profit Means Taking Human Rights Seriously.
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2025
- Kinley, D. (2025). In a Rain of Dust: Death, Deceit, and the Lawyer Who Busted Big Asbestos. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. [More Information]
2024
- Kinley, D. (2024). The Liberty Paradox: Living with the Responsibilities of Freedom. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
2021
- Sheehan, K., Kinley, D. (2021). Financial Services and Human Rights Benchmark: Summary reports for 22 ASX-listed Financial Services Entities. [More Information]
- Kinley, D., Rice, S. (2021), Submission (No.91) to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights Inquiry on the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 and Related Bills.
- Sheehan, K., Kinley, D. (2021). The 2020 Financial Services Human Rights Benchmark Report, A Study of the Human Rights Performance of 22 ASX-listed Financial Services Entities. [More Information]
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2018
- Kinley, D. (2018). Necessary Evil: how to fix finance by saving human rights. New York: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
- Kinley, D. (2018), Submission to Australian Royal Commission on Banking and Financial Services - Community Expectations: Putting People Before Profit Means Taking Human Rights Seriously.
- Sheehan, K., Kinley, D. (2018), Submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking and Financial Services Sector - Community Expectations: Putting People Before Profit Means Taking Human Rights Seriously.
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2017
- Bronitt, S., Kinley, D. (2017). The Limits of Corporate Responsibility and Human Rights: A Right to Live Free from Corruption? Australian Journal of Legal Philosophy, 42, 228-246.
2016
- Kinley, D. (2016). Book Review - Diane A. Desierto, Public Policy in International Economic Law: The ICESCR in Trade, Investment and Finance. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. Pp. 448. £ 70.00. ISBN: 9780198716938. Journal of World Investment and Trade, 17(5), 861-863.
- Meyersfeld, B., Kinley, D. (2016), Can human rights actors speak the language of finance?. [More Information]
2015
- Meyersfeld, B., Kinley, D. (2015). Banks and Human Rights: A South African Experiment. SUR - International Journal on Human Rights, 12(22), 189-205. [More Information]
- Augenstein, D., Kinley, D. (2015). Beyond the 100 Acre Wood: in which international human rights law finds new ways to tame global corporate power. The International Journal of Human Rights, 19(6), 828-848. [More Information]
- Kinley, D. (2015). Book Review - WALKING A TIGHTROPE: Defending Human Rights in China. Asian Insights, no. 6. By Gert Holmgaard Nielsen. Copenhagen: NIAS Press, 2014. xxxii, 277 pp. (B&W photos.) £18.99, paper. ISBN 978-87-7694-131-4. Pacific Affairs, 88(4), 900-902.
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2014
- Kinley, D. (2014), A New Right to Freedom from Corruption, presented to the Australian Human Rights Commission (April 2014).
- Kinley, D. (2014). Finding Freedom: Human Rights in the Political Economy. Journal of International Trade Law, 5, 329-338.
- Saul, B., Kinley, D., Mowbray, J. (2014). The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Commentary, Cases, and Materials. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2013
- Kinley, D. (2013). Civilising Globalisation: Human Rights and the Global Economy (Chinese Edition translated by Sun Shiyan). Beijing, China: China University of Political Science and Law Press.
- Kinley, D. (2013). Development as a Vehicle for Principled Engagement on Human Rights: The Implications of "New Aid"? In Morten B. Pedersen, David Kinley (Eds.), Principled Engagement: Negotiating Human Rights in Repressive States, (pp. 199-225). Farnham, United Kingdom: Ashgate. [More Information]
- Kinley, D. (2013). Finding Freedom in China: Human Rights in the Political Economy. SUR - International Journal on Human Rights, 10(19), 142-154. [More Information]
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2012
- Kinley, D. (2012). Bendable Rules: The Development Implications of Human Rights Pluralism. In B Tamanaha, C Sage and M Woolcock (Eds.), Legal Pluralism and Development: Scholars and Practitioners in Dialogue, (pp. 50-65). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [More Information]
- Kinley, D., Murray, O. (2012). Corporations that Kill: Prosecuting Blackwater. In Simon Bronitt, Miriam Gani and Saskia Hufnagel (Eds.), Shooting to Kill: Socio-Legal Perspectives on the Use of Lethal Force, (pp. 293-316). Oxford and Portland: Hart Publishing. [More Information]
- Kinley, D., Ernst, C. (2012). Exile on Main Street: Australia's Legislative Agenda for Human Rights. European Human Rights Law Review, (1), 58-70.
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2011
- Murray, O., Kinley, D., Pitts, C. (2011). Exaggerated Rumours of the Death of an Alien Tort? Corporations, Human Rights and the Remarkable case of Kiobel. Melbourne Journal of International Law, 12(1), 57-94.
- Dowell-Jones, M., Kinley, D. (2011). Minding the Gap: Global Finance and Human Rights. Ethics and International Affairs, 25(2), 183-210. [More Information]
- Kinley, D., Saul, B. (2011). Review of Human Rights Education and Training in the Criminal Justice System in Nepal. Nepal Law Review.
2010
- Kinley, D. (2010). After the Fall - Poverty, Politics and Human Rights, Post-GFC. In Christina Binder, Harald Eberhard, Konrad Lachmayer, Gregor Ribarov & Thallinger (Eds.), Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Rights: Proceedings ofthe 5th Vienna Workshop on International Constitutional Law, (pp. 23-31). Germany: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft.
2009
- Kinley, D. (2009). 'No soul to be damned, no body to be kicked' .. but corporations have reputations to lose. Keeping Good Companies, 61(11), 654-658.
- Kinley, D. (2009). Civilising Globalisation: Human Rights and the Global Economy. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
- Kinley, D. (2009), Civilising the global economy.
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2008
- Kinley, D., Nolan, J. (2008). Human Rights, Corporations and the Global Economy: An International Law Perspective. In A G Scherer and G Palazzo (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Global Corporate Citizenship, (pp. 343-373). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Kinley, D., Nguyen, T. (2008). Viet Nam, Human Rights and Trade: Implications of Viet Nam's Accession to the WTO. Dialogue on Globalization, 39(May 2008), 3-44.
2007
- Kinley, D., Nolan, J., Zerial, N. (2007). 'The Norms are Dead. Long Live the Norms!' The Politics Behind the UN Human Rights Norms for Corporations. In D. McBarnet, A. Voiculescu & T. Campbell (Eds.), The New Corporate Accountability: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Law, (pp. 459-475). UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Kinley, D., Wilson, T. (2007). Engaging a pariah: Human rights training in Burma/Myanmar. Human Rights Quarterly, 29(2), 368-402. [More Information]
- Kinley, D. (2007). Human Rights Fundamentalisms. Sydney Law Review, 29(4), 545-575.
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2006
- Kinley, D. (2006). Human Rights and the World Bank: Practice, Politics and Law. In Ana Palacio, Caroline Sage & Michael Woolcock (Eds.), The World Bank Legal Review: Law, Equity, and Development Volume 2, (pp. 353-383). Washington, D.C.: Martinus Nijhoff.
- Kinley, D. (2006). Human Rights and the World Bank: Practice, Politics and Law. In K C Raj, D K Srivastava (Eds.), Human Rights and Development: Challenges for Governance Reform in Asia. LexisNexis.
- Kinley, D. (2006), Short review - International Trade and Human Rights: Foundations and Conceptual Issues. Edited by Frederick M. Abbott, Christine Breining-Kaufmann, and Thomas Cottier. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2006. Pp. 384. $80.00.
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2005
- Kinley, D. (2005). Corporate Social Responsibility and International Human Rights Law. In R Mullerat (Eds.), Corporate Social Responsibility: The Corporate Governance of the 21st Century, (pp. 205-214). The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
- Kinley, D., Thai, C. (2005). Human Rights and the Global Economy. (Quyen Con Nguoi Va Nen Kinh Te Toan Cau.). In D Kinley & C Thai (Eds.), International Human Rights Law, (pp. 385-410). Hanoi, Vietnam: Publishing House of Political Theory.
- Kinley, D., Thai, C. (2005). International Human Rights Law. Hanoi, Vietnam: Publishing House of Political Theory.
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2004
- Kinley, D., Tadaki, J. (2004). From Talk to Walk: The Emergence of Human Rights Responsibilities for Corporations at International Law. Virginia Journal of International Law, 44(4), 931-1023.
- Kinley, D. (2004). Lawyers, Corporations and International Human Rights Law. Company Lawyer, 25(10), 298-302.
- Kinley, D., Martin, P. (2004). The Institutional Mediation of Human Rights in Australia. In Paul Boreham, Geoffrey Stokes, Richard Hall (Eds.), The Politics of Australian Society: Political Issues for the New Century (2nd edition), (pp. 180-200). Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education.
2003
- Kinley, D. (2003). Globalisation and The Law. Legaldate, 15(4), 1-3.
- Kinley, D., McBeth, A. (2003). Human Rights, Trade and Multinational Corporations. In R Sullivan (Eds.), Business and Human Rights: Dilemmas and Solutions, (pp. 52-68). UK: Greenleaf Publishing Limited.
2002
- Kinley, D. (2002). After Johannesburg: Can human Rights be Privatised Too? Alternative Law Journal, 27(6), 292-293.
- Kinley, D., Bottomley, S. (2002). Commercial Law and Human Rights. UK: Ashgate.
- Kinley, D. (2002). Human Rights as Legally Binding or Merely Relevant? In D Kinley & S Bottomley (Eds.), Commercial Law and Human Rights, (pp. 25-45). UK: Ashgate.
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2001
- Kinley, D. (2001). Human Rights in International and Australian Law. Australian Yearbook of International Law.
1998
- Kinley, D. (1998). Human Rights in Australian Law: Principles, Practice and Potential. Sydney, NSW: The Federation Press.
1995
- Bronitt, S., Kinley, D., Burns, F. (1995). Principles of European Community Law: Commentary and Materials. Sydney, NSW: Law Book Company, The.
1993
- Kinley, D. (1993). The European Convention on Human Rights: Compliance without Incorporation. Aldershot, UK: Dartmouth Publishing Company.
Selected Grants
2022
- Developing Human Rights Benchmarks for the Financial Service Industry - Testing indicators from an Australian project in Switzerland, Kinley D, Baumannn-Pauly D, Sheehan K, Office of Global Engagement/Partnership Collaboration Awards
2013
- An Inquisitorial Model of Criminal Law and Procedure in Common Law Countries , Bakken T, Kinley D, DVC Research/International Research Collaboration Award (IRCA)
- Human rights and the environmental impact of mining in Africa, Viljoen F, Hansungule M, Manirakiza P, Nyaletsossi Voule C, Thuo J, Kinley D, Australian Aid/Research Grants Program FPRx333 SCHx934
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In the media
- To Protect Human Rights, Tell Human Stories, Raising the Bar, Sydney (2025)
- The Future of Human Rights, Part I and Part II - PBS TV, USA (2025)
- Author Interview, Kathmandu School of Law, Nepal (2025)
- Liberty or Freedom, The Philosopher’s Zone, ABC Radio National (2024)
- The Tension between Freedom, Liberty and Responsibility, Centre for Independent Studies (2024)
- The Liberty Paradox, Indo-Pacific Studies Centre (2024)
- Afternoons with James Valentine, ABC Radio (May 2021), "Is finance getting woke on human rights?"
- ABC Analysis/Opinion (Sept 2018),"The Global Financial Crisis Changed Everything, and Nothing"
- Banks and Human Rights, Book Launch, Necessary Evil, hosted by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre and Herbert Smith Freehills, London (2018)
- ABC RN Breakfast (August 2018), "RBC Commissioner Hayne raises prospect of bankers facing criminal charges"
- OUP video clips (August 2018):
- "What’s the link between finance and human rights?"
- "What’s the next generation of finance?"
- "How does finance impact society?"
- "Improving human rights through finance"
- "What inspired Necessary Evil?"
- "What is Necessary Evil about?"
- ACEMAXX- ANALYTICS, blog (August 2018), "Interview: Prof. David Kinley, Human Rights Law at the University of Sydney"
- The Irish Times, Opinion (July 2018), "Wealth and education have made Ireland a better place"
- ABC Radio, The World Today with Eleanor Hall (3 July 2018), "'Unconscionable:' David Kinley on human rights in banking"
- Ethical Corporation, Opinion (June 2018), "Can booming social bond market really turn finance to the good side?"
- 'The Deal Magazine',The Australian, Interview with Deirdre Macken (June 2018), "The conundrum of culture"
- Oxford Australia blog (June 2018), "The Long Shadow of Financial Exceptionalism"
- ABC Radio 702, Focus with Cassie McCullagh, Interview (May 2018)
- ABC Radio 702, Afternoons with James Valentine, Interview (May 2018)
- Sydney Morning Herald/The Age/Canberra Times, Opinion (May 2018), "Does banking attract cheats or make them?"
- Radio FM103.2, Open House, Interview (April 2018) “Want to Work for Improved Human Rights? Consider Banking. Really”
- Open Democracy (UK), Opinion (April 2018), "Finance struggles to find a social conscience"
- OUPblog (USA) (March 2018), "How our financial system has gotten out of control"
- Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, Interview with Devin Stewart (podcast) (February 2018), "Necessary Evil: How to Fix Finance by Saving Human Rights"
- TEDx Fulbright Sydney (November 2017), "How Much Do Banks Owe Us?"
- How Banks can Win our Trust Back (and it’s not through good deeds)?, Sydney Morning Herald (2017)
- Midday Interview and Music with Margaret Throsby, ABC Radio, Classic FM (2014)