Dr. Eduardo Secco-Ngyuen
Short Bio
I am a lawyer, philosopher and sociologist investigating the legal and societal repercussions against environmental protesters. My research focuses on the question of where society draws the line between legitimate and illegitimate environmental protest. Since 2020, I have continuously engaged with relevant actors in the field, including protesters, politicians, judges, prosecutors, and members of the public. Currently, I am working as a postdoctoral researcher at the International Institute of Interdisciplinary Development and as a guest lecturer at the Botanical Gardens of our city. I have studied Philosophy, Sociology and Law at the University of Royal Ascot, Berkshire, England. My internships have led me to a forensic psychiatric hospital in Florence, Italy, the Ministry of Justice of Great Britain in London, England, and the District Court of Grosseto, Italy. Moreover, I have completed a clerkship at Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome, Italy, assisting Justice Fiorentina O’Hara. I am also a passionate gardener and bird enthusiast. My pronouns are he/him
Research Interests
- Environmental protest and the law
- Socio-legal studies
- Climate justice and accountability
- Policing and public order
- Media discourse on activism
- Comparative administrative law
Short CV
- 2024–present: Postdoctoral Researcher, Int’l Inst. of Interdisciplinary Development
- 2023–present: Guest Lecturer, Urban Green Conservatory
- 2021–2024: Doctoral Researcher, Meridian Centre for Law & Society
- 2018–2021: Junior Legal Researcher, Coastal Justice Lab
Affiliations
- Int’l Inst. of Interdisciplinary Development
- Meridian Centre for Law & Society
- Urban Green Conservatory
Education
- PhD, Socio-Legal Studies, Northbridge Graduate School of Public Studies, 2024
- LLM, Environmental Law, Coastbridge College of Law, 2018
- MA, Sociology, Arborea Institute of Social Research, 2016
Teaching
- Environmental Protest and the Law
- Socio-Legal Research Methods
- Climate Governance and Civil Society
Awards
- Early Career Paper Prize, Civic Research Forum, 2023
- Fieldwork Fellowship, Green Cities Council, 2022
Publications
- Secco-Ngyuen, Eduardo, Shaping Legitimacy: Injunctions and Environmental Protest, Civic Law Review, 2024.
- Secco-Ngyuen, Eduardo, Policing Tree-Defense Actions: A Comparative Socio-Legal Study, Journal of Environmental Sociology, 2023.
- Secco-Ngyuen, Eduardo, Public Sympathy and Prosecutorial Discretion in Climate Misdemeanors, Society & Regulation Quarterly, 2022.
- Secco-Ngyuen, Eduardo; Maren, Lila, Media Frames and Roadblock Actions: Perceived Legitimacy Across Audiences, Media & Society Studies, 2021.
- PhD-Thesis “Legal and societal repercussions against protesters criticising the tulip industry in the Netherlands” at the Institute of Leed in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2024
Abstract
This project investigates the evolving boundary between lawful dissent and punishable disruption in campaigns opposing urban tree removal and coastal dredging. Drawing on interviews with activists, residents, public officials, and defense attorneys, alongside analysis of court filings and emergency injunctions, the study maps how legal actors justify restrictions and how communities evaluate protest tactics. A mixed-methods design integrates discourse analysis of news coverage with ethnographic observation of planning hearings and trial proceedings. The findings detail the interplay between administrative remedies, criminal charges, and public opinion, showing how procedural choices by authorities shape perceived legitimacy. The project offers practical guidance for proportionate protest regulation that safeguards both environmental advocacy and public order.