Dr Francesca Moore

Francesca is an Associate Professor of Geography whose work in historical-legal geography maps the friction between abstract legal power, statutory frameworks, and the embodied reality of everyday life. Operating at the dynamic intersection of human geography, politics, history, and law, her research interrogates the theoretics of power—specifically drawing on Michel Foucault to examine how technical and expert knowledge functions as a tool of spatial, institutional, and social control.

Anchored by the concept of scale, Francesca’s research examines the way in which macro-level legal structures and institutional risks manifest at the micro-level of human bodies and spaces. Francesca specialises in strategic horizon-scanning during moments of political and institutional crisis in modern times. Her work explores the contested spatial dynamics of gender culture; the #MeToo movement and the use of non-disclosure agreements; and the legal control of space through Safe Access Zones around reproductive healthcare clinics in England and Scotland. Through immersive courtroom ethnographies, Francesca’s work also addresses the ways in which legal architecture and the built environment encode and project power. 

Extending this Foucauldian line of inquiry into the higher education sector itself, Francesca’s latest work is on the political geography of academic freedom. This work provides critical thought leadership on the broader role of universities in society, the evolving legal regulation of campus free speech, and the complex friction between academic freedom and the Equality Act 2010.

Francesca maintains active research interests in methodology and ethics in Geographical research with a particular focus on sensitive topics. Francesca also serves as the Chair of the Department of Geography's Research Ethics Board.

Francesca’s teaching spans the undergraduate human geography curriculum and she co-convenes a specialist, research-led paper Legal Geographies. Francesca’s teaching also extends into high-impact applied learning and leadership initiatives including Homerton Changemakers and the Homerton International Programme, as well as executive education on the University's Better Futures Programme.

Beyond her research, scholarship, and teaching, Francesca is an experienced governance expert and institutional leader. Francesca currently serves as a member of the University’s Board of Scrutiny and is a former Vice Principal of Homerton College.