Dr Richard Illingworth

  • Lecturer in International Relations (Political & International Studies)

Biography

I joined the University of Glasgow in September 2023 as Lecturer in International Relations. My research is concerned with efforts to halt mass atrocities, with a specific focus on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Adopted in 2005, R2P is aimed at protecting populations from genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Yet the sheer number of mass atrocity cases that have occured since 2005 suggest that R2P's adoption has not led to atrocity violence being curbed in the way that proponents would have hoped.

Attempting to understand and address this complex global challenge, my work explores international reform via the application of a cosmopolitan perspective. My research has explored reform to the R2P framework itself, in addition to wider structural reforms at the international level. Such reforms are aimed at strengthening R2P’s practical implementation through a cosmopolitan approach, focused on the provision of duties, justice, and human protection.

I am the author of Strengthening the Responsibility to Protect: A Transitional Cosmopolitan Approach (2024).

Please be advised that I am not currently accepting PhD supervision requests.

Research interests

  • The Responsibility to Protect
  • Genocide and mass atrocity prevention
  • Humanitarian intervention
  • Cosmopolitan theory
  • Global harms
  • The United Nations

Research groups

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020
Number of items: 9.

2025

Illingworth, R. (2025) Gaza and the failure of atrocity prevention: placing the responsibility to protect on stronger cosmopolitan foundations. Cooperation and Conflict, (doi: 10.1177/00108367251321440) (Early Online Publication)

2024

Gallagher, A., Illingworth, R. , Raffle, E. and Willis, B. (2024) The permanency of mass atrocities: the fallacy of ‘never again’. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, (doi: 10.1177/13691481241241332) (Early Online Publication)

Illingworth, R. (2024) Not the ‘Fairest Norm of Them All’ but still needed: on Hobson and criticism of the responsibility to protect. Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, 18(2), pp. 181-190. (doi: 10.1080/17502977.2024.2304457)

2023

Gallagher, A., Lawrinson, B., McKay, G. and Illingworth, R. (2023) The Responsibility to Protect: a bibliography. Global Responsibility to Protect, 16(1), pp. 3-123. (doi: 10.1163/1875984x-20230012)

Illingworth, R. (2023) Strengthening the Responsibility to Protect: A Transitional Cosmopolitan Approach. Series: Global politics and the responsibility to protect. Routledge. (doi: 10.4324/9781003394105)

2022

Illingworth, R. (2022) Constructing the Responsibility to Protect, edited by Charles T. Hunt and Phil Orchard. Routledge, 2020. E-International Relations, [Book Review]

Illingworth, R. (2022) An R2P Commission: a proposal for holding states accountable to their responsibility to protect. Global Studies Quarterly, 2(1), ksac012. (doi: 10.1093/isagsq/ksac012)

2021

Illingworth, R. (2021) The Responsibility to Protect and the Failures of the United Nations Security Council by Patrick M. Butchard. Global Responsibility to Protect, 13(1), pp. 100-102. (doi: 10.1163/1875-984X-13010008)[Book Review]

2020

Illingworth, R. (2020) Responsible veto restraint: a transitional cosmopolitan reform measure for the responsibility to protect. Global Responsibility to Protect, 12(4), pp. 385-414. (doi: 10.1163/1875-984X-01204008)

This list was generated on Thu Apr 17 04:15:43 2025 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Books | Book Reviews
Number of items: 9.

Articles

Illingworth, R. (2025) Gaza and the failure of atrocity prevention: placing the responsibility to protect on stronger cosmopolitan foundations. Cooperation and Conflict, (doi: 10.1177/00108367251321440) (Early Online Publication)

Gallagher, A., Illingworth, R. , Raffle, E. and Willis, B. (2024) The permanency of mass atrocities: the fallacy of ‘never again’. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, (doi: 10.1177/13691481241241332) (Early Online Publication)

Illingworth, R. (2024) Not the ‘Fairest Norm of Them All’ but still needed: on Hobson and criticism of the responsibility to protect. Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, 18(2), pp. 181-190. (doi: 10.1080/17502977.2024.2304457)

Gallagher, A., Lawrinson, B., McKay, G. and Illingworth, R. (2023) The Responsibility to Protect: a bibliography. Global Responsibility to Protect, 16(1), pp. 3-123. (doi: 10.1163/1875984x-20230012)

Illingworth, R. (2022) An R2P Commission: a proposal for holding states accountable to their responsibility to protect. Global Studies Quarterly, 2(1), ksac012. (doi: 10.1093/isagsq/ksac012)

Illingworth, R. (2020) Responsible veto restraint: a transitional cosmopolitan reform measure for the responsibility to protect. Global Responsibility to Protect, 12(4), pp. 385-414. (doi: 10.1163/1875-984X-01204008)

Books

Illingworth, R. (2023) Strengthening the Responsibility to Protect: A Transitional Cosmopolitan Approach. Series: Global politics and the responsibility to protect. Routledge. (doi: 10.4324/9781003394105)

Book Reviews

Illingworth, R. (2022) Constructing the Responsibility to Protect, edited by Charles T. Hunt and Phil Orchard. Routledge, 2020. E-International Relations, [Book Review]

Illingworth, R. (2021) The Responsibility to Protect and the Failures of the United Nations Security Council by Patrick M. Butchard. Global Responsibility to Protect, 13(1), pp. 100-102. (doi: 10.1163/1875-984X-13010008)[Book Review]

This list was generated on Thu Apr 17 04:15:43 2025 BST.

Prior publications

Book Section

Richard Illingworth (2023) A Transitional Cosmopolitan Approach to R2P Reform Crossref. (doi: 10.4324/9781003394105-4)

Richard Illingworth (2023) Ending UN Security Council Paralysis Crossref. (doi: 10.4324/9781003394105-5)

Richard Illingworth (2023) Holding States to Account Crossref. (doi: 10.4324/9781003394105-7)

Richard Illingworth (2023) Overcoming the Authority Dilemma Crossref. (doi: 10.4324/9781003394105-6)

Richard Illingworth (2023) What Cosmopolitanism Demands of the R2P Crossref. (doi: 10.4324/9781003394105-2)

Teaching

I believe that high-quality teaching is about inspiring students of all backgrounds to fulfil their potential. As a teacher of politics and international studies, I encourage students to become critically engaged, independent thinkers, with the knowledge to understand and help address some of the key issues that shape our world. My professional recognition in student education as Fellow of the Higher Education Academy reflects my commitment to pedagogically engaged, passionate, and committed teaching.

In additional to undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervision, I teach on modules such as:

  • Humanitarian Intervention: Civilians or Sovereignty?
  • Introduction to International Relations
  • International Security and Strategic Studies
  • War and International Security

Please be advised that I am not currently accepting PhD supervision requests.

Professional activities & recognition

Professional & learned societies

  • 2023 - ongoing: Fellow, Advance HE (HE Academy)
  • 2019 - ongoing: , British International Studies Association