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Durham CELLS (Centre for Ethics, Law and the Life Sciences)

Profiles

Miss Elizabeth Robinson

Contact Miss Elizabeth Robinson

Biography

Elizabeth graduated in July 2009 from the University of Durham with an LL.B. (2:1, Hons). She returned to Durham Law School in October 2011 to begin reading for her Master of Jurisprudence (M.Jur) under a full scholarship generously provided by Prof. Beyleveld. Under the supervision of Prof. Beyleveld and Dr Pattinson, her current research focuses on the ethics around the implementation of advance decisions of life sustaining treatment. Elizabeth's main focus is the accessibility of provisions within the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Elizabeth uses Alan Gewirth's Principle of Generic Consistency as the philosophical basis of her argument. Elizabeth is a research assistant in the Law School and secretary to Durham CELLS and the Bioethics Collaboration, Durham. She is also studying her LPC part-time at the College of Law, York.

In addition, Elizabeth has an interest in the penal system and the international treatment of women in prison and is a member of the Howard League for Penal Reform and of Gender & Law at Durham (GLAD), a research group based in the Law School which acts as a focus for gender-related research.

Current Research

Elizabeth's research focuses on the Mental Capacity Act's provisions for advance refusals of life-sustaining treatment. The thesis argues for the importance of access to the advance refusal provisions and the wider philosophical meaning for preserving individual autonomy using Alan Gewirth's Principle of Generic Consistency. The research also seeks to challenge the application of the best interests test in the absence of an advance refusal.

International legal framework governing advance refusals is examined. Drawing from the experience of countries where their creation is widespread, Elizabeth looks at methods of promulgating a more open, well-guided approach to the creation of advance refusals. Without the existence of such mechanisms, she argues that the provisions are superficial.

Research Group Membership

  • Durham CELLS
  • Gender and Law at Durham