Professor Paul James Cardwell was conferred to the Fellowship of the Academy in spring 2025. He is Professor of Law and Vice Dean (Education) at King’s College London and is a specialist on EU law and politics, publishing widely on the external relations and foreign policy of the EU.
Professor Paul James CardwellFAcSS
Paul’s work analyses the legal-political dynamics of European integration in an area where traditional ‘law’ has not played a prominent role. In recent years, his work has focused on the governance of migration (with a forthcoming monograph with OUP) and the use of informal governance that lacks the procedural and substantive processes and safeguards of law and legal instruments. His work on sanctions law as part of EU foreign policy has been widely cited.
Paul is the co-editor of the JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies, one of the leading interdisciplinary journals in his field, published by Wiley. He has also played a key role in the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) including serving as treasurer. Paul is also a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has a particular interest and expertise in study abroad schemes, including Erasmus+. As such, he has also published on the academic benefits of study abroad and is an advocate for student mobility.
Paul regularly appears in the media and has been interviewed on the Today Programme (Radio 4), the BBC World Service, France24, Al Jazeera and for articles in the New York Times, Le Monde, Frankfurter Allemeigne Zeitung and many more.
Why do the social sciences matter?
Social scientists study the things which make up all the ways in which we organise our lives, from the local, national and international levels. Social science provides the evidence and food for thought on how we understand societies and the people within them, and how we might change things for the better. The role of law in society is crucial and legal scholars have much to contribute to these debates alongside other social scientists.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
For me, the variety of work involved in being an academic and freedom to engage in research and teaching which I find both personally fascinating and relevant in today’s society is what I enjoy most. My research on EU law has always adopted a ‘How can we understand…?’ approach and my current work on the governance of migration in Europe speaks to broader questions about how we understand the use (and misuse) of law and regulation in one of the most pressing issues of our time.
What is the most urgent issue social scientists need to tackle today and within the next three years?
We live in a time of global instability where many of our assumptions about the way our societies work are being challenged. This includes important questions about the protection of fundamental rights in national contexts, and the rapidly changing international order. As a UK-based European Studies academic, the role of the EU and the UK’s relationship with the rest of Europe is going to continue to require close analysis.
What does being a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences mean to you?
I am delighted to become a Fellow and to be recognised for my contribution beyond my immediate discipline. I am very grateful to all the amazing scholars who have helped me on my academic journey, and to my family and friends who have supported me all the way.