Bartolome De Las Casas OP was a sixteenth-century entrepreneur turned opponent of genocide and advocate for the rights of indigenous peoples in the "new world". His organising, detailed empirical research, and his preaching profoundly influenced debates within colonial Spain . Drawing on his insights, Francisco De Vittoria OP and the wider Salamanca School made striking contributions to the emergence of international law.

Launching our Institute in November 2008 Professor Conor Gearty of the London School of Economics described Las Casas as the "founder" of human rights. As such he stands in a long line of Dominicans and others who have devoted their research and wider lives to the the rigorous study of ethics, institutions, just governance and social justice. Dominicans today have NGO status at the United Nations. They are also at the forefront of inter-faith conversation and pastoral engagement in divided communities in South Africa, Asia, North Africa , South America, Esatern and Western Europe, and the Middle East.

Inspired by their example the Las Casas Institute sets out to become a fresh, open and influential centre for the development of rigorous scholarship, debate and new leadership in these fields. Interdisciplinary in nature, the Institute contributes to Blackfriars' founding vision to be a centre of the social as well as the sacred sciences with particular concerns at the interface of its core interests, faith and the public sphere. Our home in one of the forty-five Permanent Private Halls and Colleges of the University of Oxford puts us at the heart of community of scholars and students with global interests and outlook.

We offer Oxbridge's first community and service learning scholarships for study in the University . We are developing a research programme . We run a "Parliamentary Seminar Series" . In the academic year 2009-10 we will welcome world -class academic contributors from Harvard, Oxford, Tilburg, Exeter, Cambridge, EM Lyons, Leuven, UCL , Glasgow, and Warwick among others. Our programme of visiting speakers of distinction is outstanding with the most senior of figures from the military, media, public policy, and the faith communities confirmed - not to mention a Nobel Laureate!

We welcome your visit and hope you will return.

If you would like to be kept in touch with our work email us : lascasas@bfriars.ox.ac.uk