Caroline Derry
@carolinederry.bsky.social
Gender, sexuality & criminal law/history.
Early women barristers. Agatha Christie.
Professor of Feminism, Law & History, The Open University.
📚 Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent (2025)
📚 Lesbianism and the Criminal Law (2020)
#ActuallyAutistic
Early women barristers. Agatha Christie.
Professor of Feminism, Law & History, The Open University.
📚 Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent (2025)
📚 Lesbianism and the Criminal Law (2020)
#ActuallyAutistic
November 22, 2025 at 1:41 PM
I had such a good morning yesterday, talking about Deptford's criminal law history to the local history group at Mycenae House.
Including the first murder conviction based on fingerprint evidence and the leading case on gross negligence manslaughter.
Including the first murder conviction based on fingerprint evidence and the leading case on gross negligence manslaughter.
November 18, 2025 at 3:41 PM
I had such a good morning yesterday, talking about Deptford's criminal law history to the local history group at Mycenae House.
Including the first murder conviction based on fingerprint evidence and the leading case on gross negligence manslaughter.
Including the first murder conviction based on fingerprint evidence and the leading case on gross negligence manslaughter.
I had a lovely and very informative time at History Day at @ihr.bsky.social and came home with brochures, books and badges - this one may be my favourite.
November 4, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I had a lovely and very informative time at History Day at @ihr.bsky.social and came home with brochures, books and badges - this one may be my favourite.
V generous offer, but I think I'll pass!
November 1, 2025 at 5:01 PM
V generous offer, but I think I'll pass!
A little quantum physics on my way to London Month of the Dead, at Guy's Hospital (now a KCL campus).
November 1, 2025 at 1:21 PM
A little quantum physics on my way to London Month of the Dead, at Guy's Hospital (now a KCL campus).
Exciting day - I got to meet @drcisme.bsky.social in person and deliver a workshop with her at @lselibrary.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Exciting day - I got to meet @drcisme.bsky.social in person and deliver a workshop with her at @lselibrary.bsky.social
At the Metropolitan Police Museum gallery yesterday, I learned about the Great Pearl Robbery of 1913. The stuff of detective fiction: a fake office! A famous necklace! Wax seals and sugar lumps! The King of Fences!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_P...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_P...
October 26, 2025 at 11:34 AM
At the Metropolitan Police Museum gallery yesterday, I learned about the Great Pearl Robbery of 1913. The stuff of detective fiction: a fake office! A famous necklace! Wax seals and sugar lumps! The King of Fences!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_P...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_P...
Having a lovely time at the SLS Conference - my last one co- convening the Legal History stream! And enjoying seeing my books here ☺️
September 4, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Having a lovely time at the SLS Conference - my last one co- convening the Legal History stream! And enjoying seeing my books here ☺️
Excited to invite you to the launch of Legal History in the Curriculum: Comparative Perspectives, Critical Approaches and Future Directions.
Hear from contributors on how and why to teach it, and its subversive potential!
6pm, Monday 8 Sept, online.
Booking: forms.office.com/e/VFgwKs9iHM
Hear from contributors on how and why to teach it, and its subversive potential!
6pm, Monday 8 Sept, online.
Booking: forms.office.com/e/VFgwKs9iHM
August 27, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Excited to invite you to the launch of Legal History in the Curriculum: Comparative Perspectives, Critical Approaches and Future Directions.
Hear from contributors on how and why to teach it, and its subversive potential!
6pm, Monday 8 Sept, online.
Booking: forms.office.com/e/VFgwKs9iHM
Hear from contributors on how and why to teach it, and its subversive potential!
6pm, Monday 8 Sept, online.
Booking: forms.office.com/e/VFgwKs9iHM
Correction - discount code is 25SME3
July 30, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Correction - discount code is 25SME3
Very happy to get a book parcel!
Legal History in the Curriculum is published - 20% off with code 2SESE3
This was a joy to edit, thanks to the fantastic contributors. They make a compelling case for including legal history in our teaching - and ideas for how to do it.
#LegalHistory
Legal History in the Curriculum is published - 20% off with code 2SESE3
This was a joy to edit, thanks to the fantastic contributors. They make a compelling case for including legal history in our teaching - and ideas for how to do it.
#LegalHistory
July 30, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Very happy to get a book parcel!
Legal History in the Curriculum is published - 20% off with code 2SESE3
This was a joy to edit, thanks to the fantastic contributors. They make a compelling case for including legal history in our teaching - and ideas for how to do it.
#LegalHistory
Legal History in the Curriculum is published - 20% off with code 2SESE3
This was a joy to edit, thanks to the fantastic contributors. They make a compelling case for including legal history in our teaching - and ideas for how to do it.
#LegalHistory
I had a fantastic #SLSA2025 - too busy to remember to post! I did visit @edinburghup.bsky.social and get a picture of my book in the wild, though.
April 17, 2025 at 4:42 PM
I had a fantastic #SLSA2025 - too busy to remember to post! I did visit @edinburghup.bsky.social and get a picture of my book in the wild, though.
At the @agathafestival.bsky.social Spring Gathering, I put my research skills to good use to win a Doggies in the Windows prize coin 😁
##AgathaChristie #EnglishRiviera
##AgathaChristie #EnglishRiviera
April 12, 2025 at 2:46 PM
At the @agathafestival.bsky.social Spring Gathering, I put my research skills to good use to win a Doggies in the Windows prize coin 😁
##AgathaChristie #EnglishRiviera
##AgathaChristie #EnglishRiviera
For #IWD and #WomensHistoryMonth - the incredible Alison Neilans, who prevented sex between women being criminalised in England and Wales.
It was proposed in 1921, for cynical reasons, but would probably have become law without her prompt and effective response. (1/6)
It was proposed in 1921, for cynical reasons, but would probably have become law without her prompt and effective response. (1/6)
March 8, 2025 at 12:54 PM
For #IWD and #WomensHistoryMonth - the incredible Alison Neilans, who prevented sex between women being criminalised in England and Wales.
It was proposed in 1921, for cynical reasons, but would probably have become law without her prompt and effective response. (1/6)
It was proposed in 1921, for cynical reasons, but would probably have become law without her prompt and effective response. (1/6)
Quote tweet with a bridge from your gallery.
January 23, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Quote tweet with a bridge from your gallery.
My new book looks at many aspects of sexual consent, and many kinds of time.
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-legal-t...
#temporalities #consent #LawAndTime
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-legal-t...
#temporalities #consent #LawAndTime
January 17, 2025 at 12:54 PM
My new book looks at many aspects of sexual consent, and many kinds of time.
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-legal-t...
#temporalities #consent #LawAndTime
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-legal-t...
#temporalities #consent #LawAndTime
My book is real!
January 16, 2025 at 2:13 PM
My book is real!
I’ll be honest, this was often a depressing book to write. But I did find some grounds for hope!
The law can change, it can consider different temporalities – it’s doing so in small ways by recognising that grooming can affect consent, for example. And it could do more in future. (6/7)
The law can change, it can consider different temporalities – it’s doing so in small ways by recognising that grooming can affect consent, for example. And it could do more in future. (6/7)
January 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I’ll be honest, this was often a depressing book to write. But I did find some grounds for hope!
The law can change, it can consider different temporalities – it’s doing so in small ways by recognising that grooming can affect consent, for example. And it could do more in future. (6/7)
The law can change, it can consider different temporalities – it’s doing so in small ways by recognising that grooming can affect consent, for example. And it could do more in future. (6/7)
And some disabilities are seen as stopping time - the courts treat the person as being in stasis rather than moving through time (even if at a different speed to the 'norm'). (5/7)
January 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
And some disabilities are seen as stopping time - the courts treat the person as being in stasis rather than moving through time (even if at a different speed to the 'norm'). (5/7)
We don’t make each decision afresh, as if past experiences, future hopes, etc don’t matter. Criminal law largely ignores that.
But it sometimes chooses not to! Eg sexual history – we are easily trapped in a time loop where we can’t escape being judged on past behaviour. (4/7)
But it sometimes chooses not to! Eg sexual history – we are easily trapped in a time loop where we can’t escape being judged on past behaviour. (4/7)
January 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
We don’t make each decision afresh, as if past experiences, future hopes, etc don’t matter. Criminal law largely ignores that.
But it sometimes chooses not to! Eg sexual history – we are easily trapped in a time loop where we can’t escape being judged on past behaviour. (4/7)
But it sometimes chooses not to! Eg sexual history – we are easily trapped in a time loop where we can’t escape being judged on past behaviour. (4/7)
We live in more complex temporalities!
Memories or flashbacks bring the past into the present; a year can rush by (goodbye, 2024!) while individual hours or days drag on forever.
We can think about subjective duration, queer time, crip time, etc as well as linear time. (3/7)
Memories or flashbacks bring the past into the present; a year can rush by (goodbye, 2024!) while individual hours or days drag on forever.
We can think about subjective duration, queer time, crip time, etc as well as linear time. (3/7)
January 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
We live in more complex temporalities!
Memories or flashbacks bring the past into the present; a year can rush by (goodbye, 2024!) while individual hours or days drag on forever.
We can think about subjective duration, queer time, crip time, etc as well as linear time. (3/7)
Memories or flashbacks bring the past into the present; a year can rush by (goodbye, 2024!) while individual hours or days drag on forever.
We can think about subjective duration, queer time, crip time, etc as well as linear time. (3/7)
Courts use time as a tool to disregard most of the elements important to complainants’ consent decisions.
They use linear time – a clear line from past to present to future which can be chopped into fragments. Courts focus on a few, really specific fragments and ignore the rest. (2/7)
They use linear time – a clear line from past to present to future which can be chopped into fragments. Courts focus on a few, really specific fragments and ignore the rest. (2/7)
January 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Courts use time as a tool to disregard most of the elements important to complainants’ consent decisions.
They use linear time – a clear line from past to present to future which can be chopped into fragments. Courts focus on a few, really specific fragments and ignore the rest. (2/7)
They use linear time – a clear line from past to present to future which can be chopped into fragments. Courts focus on a few, really specific fragments and ignore the rest. (2/7)
Obligatory snow photos!
Luckily I can stay inside @gladlib.bsky.social with books and heating...
Luckily I can stay inside @gladlib.bsky.social with books and heating...
January 5, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Obligatory snow photos!
Luckily I can stay inside @gladlib.bsky.social with books and heating...
Luckily I can stay inside @gladlib.bsky.social with books and heating...
Starting the new year's research well with a stay at @gladlib.bsky.social
Just the place to write about Victorian moral regulation!
Just the place to write about Victorian moral regulation!
January 4, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Starting the new year's research well with a stay at @gladlib.bsky.social
Just the place to write about Victorian moral regulation!
Just the place to write about Victorian moral regulation!
I'm not sure this bodes well...
January 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I'm not sure this bodes well...