Dr. Antonia Layard

Professor

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Biography

Antonia’s research interests are law and geography, exploring how law and legality shape spatiality and construct places and experiences. She focuses on planning, property, and nature conservation law, particularly the intersection of 'everyday nature' and social deprivation. Antonia is currently writing "Public Space: Legal Geography" (OUP, 2026), utilizing socio-legal geographical methods to analyze the structures of law regarding access, control, and conflict in public spaces. She has been involved in numerous research projects with NGOs, particularly those aimed at children and public transportation, funded by organizations such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, University of Bristol, and the British Academy. Antonia advocates for free bus services for children, especially those from economically deprived backgrounds, exemplified by her involvement in the film "Room 13" as part of the Bus Project. Moreover, she has served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Law, Property and Society and has been an academic member of the AHRC ESRC Peer Review Colleges. Antonia has also been a trustee of the Socio-Legal Studies Association for several years, acting as Vice Chair from 2019 to 2021.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of Oxford

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.7
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:24
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:110
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Politics, International Relations, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy or Sociology
Application Checklist
  • Three academic references
  • Official transcripts
  • CV/Resume
  • Statement of Purpose (1,000 words)
  • Two academic essays (2,000 words each)
Specialization Notes

Department of Politics and International Relations - Higher Level English requirement.