Dr Tom Hannant

Lecturer

Law

t.w.hannant@swansea.ac.uk

Office - 107
First Floor
Richard Price Building
Singleton Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7372-9965

About

Tom Hannant joined the School of Law in Summer 2017. He has degrees from Cardiff University (LLB), The University of Cambridge (LLM), and Queen Mary, University of London (PhD).

Tom’s main research interests are in Legal & Political Philosophy, Public Law, and Human Rights. His current research focuses on topics relating to theoretical methodology, the Rule of Law, and the theoretical foundations of human rights. He is co-director of the School of Law’s Centre for Governance and Human Rights and convenes the Governance and Human Rights Discussion Group.

Tom teaches Public Law and Jurisprudence to undergraduate students, as well as supervising several research students working on topics connected to human rights, public law, and legal & political theory. He is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Areas Of Expertise

Public Law
Legal Theory
Political Theory
Human Rights
Devolution

Publications

Research Highlights

Hannant, T. (2025). Deadlock in Rule of Law Theory and the Potential of Internal Critique. Legal Theory, 31(3), 215-247.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352325225100748, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70199
Hannant, T. & Morrow, K. (2024). Editors' introduction: Undoing devolution by the back door? The implications of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 75(1), 1-6.
https://doi.org/10.53386/nilq.v75i1.1132, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65664
Evans, G., Hannant, T., Hoffman, S., Jenkins, V., & Morrow, K. (2024). Beyond UKIMA: challenges for devolved policy-making in the post-Brexit era. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 75(1), 168-184.
https://doi.org/10.53386/nilq.v75i1.1087, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65630
Hannant, T. (2019). Justifying a (Welsh) Legal Jurisdiction. Public Law, 665-682.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa48938
http://bit.ly/WelshJurisdiction
Heinze, E. & Hannant, T. (2018). Eric Barendt, Anonymous Speech: Literature, Law and Politics. The Modern Law Review, 81(2), 364-369.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2230.12325, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa39126
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1468-2230.12325

All Research

Journal Articles

Hannant, T. (2025). Deadlock in Rule of Law Theory and the Potential of Internal Critique. Legal Theory, 31(3), 215-247.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352325225100748, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70199
Hannant, T. & Morrow, K. (2024). Editors' introduction: Undoing devolution by the back door? The implications of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 75(1), 1-6.
https://doi.org/10.53386/nilq.v75i1.1132, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65664
Evans, G., Hannant, T., Hoffman, S., Jenkins, V., & Morrow, K. (2024). Beyond UKIMA: challenges for devolved policy-making in the post-Brexit era. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 75(1), 168-184.
https://doi.org/10.53386/nilq.v75i1.1087, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65630
Hannant, T. (2019). Justifying a (Welsh) Legal Jurisdiction. Public Law, 665-682.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa48938
http://bit.ly/WelshJurisdiction
Heinze, E. & Hannant, T. (2018). Eric Barendt, Anonymous Speech: Literature, Law and Politics. The Modern Law Review, 81(2), 364-369.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2230.12325, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa39126
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1468-2230.12325
Hannant, T. (2016). Still Undignified Rights: A Disagreement with Benedict Douglas. Public Law, 2016, 555-563.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33718
Hannant, T. (2015). Just Freedom: A Moral Compass for a Complex World by Philip Pettit (Book Review). Political Studies Review, 13(2), 254-255.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa34877
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1111/1478-9302.12087_26

Supervision

Untitled (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Michelle Coleman
Countering Online Terrorist Propaganda whilst Respecting the Right to Free Speech (Working Title) (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Prof Stuart Macdonald
The Article 9 Right to Religious Manifestation: The Legitimacy of Laws Banning the Hijab and/or Niqab (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Prof Jane Williams
Judicial Liability in Comparative Perspective (awarded 2023)

LLM

Other supervisor: Prof Yvonne Mcdermott Rees

Other supervisor: Dr Alex Latham-Gambi

Taught Modules

LAA123 Public Law

This module provides an introduction to public law in the UK. It begins with in-depth study of the UK constitution, with particular focus on how political power is distributed in the constitution and the main principles which govern its use. It proceeds to focus on administrative law, and especially the question of how the law constrains executive power through judicial review.
LAA335 Jurisprudence

Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the study of the nature of law in general. In this module, we will not (at least not intentionally) learn anything new about the concrete rules, doctrines, or procedures of the law of England & Wales or any other jurisdiction. Instead, we will think about what makes law law. What are the features or characteristics that law always possesses, wherever and whenever we find it? How is it that we can distinguish things which count as `law¿ from other things which are `not law¿ ¿ things like commands issued an armed thug, the rules of a game, or morality? Does law have any intrinsic moral value or purpose and, if so, what is it? These questions all require us to think carefully about the defining features of law. From Aristotle to Bentham; from H.L.A. Hart to Dworkin, in this module we will study some of the most influential answers to these and other fundamental jurisprudential questions.
LANM09 Law and the State

This module examines the relationship between the individual and the state, focusing on the key principles of public and criminal law. The module offers an introduction to the constitutional and administrative law of the United Kingdom, with an examination of the legal relationships between state institutions and between the state and the individual. The module will provide an introduction to public law in the UK, with particular focus on the role of the law in constraining political power. The modules also examines the basic principles and fundamental concepts of criminal law, including homicide offences, non-fatal offences against the person, property offence, sexual offences and public order offences.
LAQ223 Public Law

This module provides an introduction to public law in the UK. It begins with in-depth study of the UK constitution, with particular focus on how political power is distributed in the constitution and the main principles which govern its use. It proceeds to focus on administrative law, and especially the question of how the law constrains executive power through judicial review.
LAQ225 Skills for the study of Law

This module provides an introduction for new law students to the skills that they will need to be successful in their studies. This includes academic skills such as planning for study, essay writing, problem solving, referencing and reflecting on study practice. The course also covers key legal skills such as legal research and reading and primary and secondary sources. It is designed to allow students to reflect and build upon the skills that they will develop throughout the year in their substantive subjects, e.g., contract, tort and public law.

Dr Tom Hannant

Email address

Research Links

About

Areas Of Expertise

Publications

Research Highlights

All Research

Journal Articles

Supervision

Untitled (current)

Countering Online Terrorist Propaganda whilst Respecting the Right to Free Speech (Working Title) (current)

The Article 9 Right to Religious Manifestation: The Legitimacy of Laws Banning the Hijab and/or Niqab (current)

Judicial Liability in Comparative Perspective (awarded 2023)

Taught Modules

LAA123 Public Law

LAA335 Jurisprudence

LANM09 Law and the State

LAQ223 Public Law

LAQ225 Skills for the study of Law