Kate Jones

Kate Jones is a former British diplomat and legal adviser who has specialised in diplomatic training through Directorship of Oxford University’s Diplomatic Studies Programme.  Also a researcher and consultant on technology and human rights, she is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House, Senior Associate at Oxford Information Labs and an Associate of the Oxford Human Rights Hub.

From 2002 to 2015, Kate served with the legal cadre of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including postings as legal adviser to the UK Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and as Deputy Permanent Representative to the UK Delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Her posting in Strasbourg coincided with the UK’s Chairmanship to the Committee of Ministers. 

From 2015 to 2020, Kate directed the Oxford University Diplomatic Studies Programme.  She designed, and ran full and part time postgraduate degrees in Diplomatic Studies designed primarily for serving diplomats.  In that role, Kate has taught Diplomatic Practice and Public International Law to diplomats and others from over 50 countries.  She also established and ran a new Oxford accredited course on Global Health Diplomacy.

Kate’s research and consultancy focus on technology and human rights law.  She has authored various publications including Chatham House’s research paper on Online Disinformation and Political Discourse: Applying a Human Rights Framework and occasional articles for World Politics Review.  She has spoken at numerous expert workshops and academic events on disinformation, democracy and human rights.  She has also researched and published on other aspects of sanctions, counter-terrorism and human rights law.

Kate took her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in law at the University of Oxford, and qualified as a solicitor at Norton Rose.