Announcements: Peacekeeping Symposium, Territorial Conflict Conference, Oceans Law Summer School, ILA Spring Conference, IALS Conference, ICC Summer School

1.  The European Society of International Law Interest Group on Peace and Security (ESIL IGPS) and the Research Project on Shared Responsibility in International Law (SHARES Project) are organizing a joint symposium to be held in conjunction with the 10th ESIL Anniversary Conference in Vienna, Austria, on 3 September 2014. The symposium is entitled “The Changing Nature of Peacekeeping and the Challenges for Jus ad Bellum, Jus in Bello and Human Rights”. The full call for papers and details for submissions of abstracts can be found here and  here. The deadline for submissions of abstracts is the 4th of May.

2.  Further Call for Papers: Conference on 21st Century Borders: Territorial Conflict and Dispute Resolution, 13th June 2014, University of Lancaster, United Kingdom. 21st Century borders are coming under increasing strain with shifting balances of international power. This was seen most dramatically in the recent Russian annexation of the Crimea, but also in continuing tensions in East Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere. This conference, organised by the Centre for International Law and Human Rights at Lancaster University Law School will explore the causes and dynamics of contemporary territorial disputes as well as mechanisms to resolve them. Building on our initial call for papers, we welcome abstracts for papers of no more than one page from both established researchers and early career academics on the themes of: critical perspectives on uti possidetis; the concept of the “border” in light of new technologies and transnational structures; historical and cultural perspectives on international borders; borders and international economic and environmental law; institutional mechanisms for territorial dispute settlement; and secession and borders. Please send your proposals to Dr. James Summers j.summers {at} lancaster.ac(.)uk.  The deadline for abstracts is Wednesday 7th May 2014.

3.  The 2014 Summer Program of Marco Polo-Zheng He Academy of International Oceans Law and Policy, P.R. China. The South China Sea Institute of Xiamen University, and Center for Polar and Deep Ocean Development of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, announce their annual summer program – Marco Polo- Zheng He Academy of International Oceans Law and Policy, to be held from June 22 – July 18, 2014. These centers are leading interdisciplinary research institutes in China in the area of Oceans Law and Policy. This is the 9th year of this summer academy which has been attended in past by the scholars, practitioners, diplomats, and students from -: Australia, Belgium, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, DPR Korea, Rep. of Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, U.S., and others. The four week intensive summer program is divided into two sessions to be held in Chinese cities of Xiamen and Shanghai. The participants have an option to attend either or both the sessions. The program offers a unique chance to learn about the Chinese perspectives on Law of the Sea and its policies. The structure of the program is such that the class lectures are held in morning sessions and in the afternoon sessions trips to Chinese courts, law firms, governmental agencies related to oceanic administration, museums, etc., are planned. Participants also have the option of taking tests and getting credits transferred to their own schools. Limited number of scholarships are offered to outstanding candidates upon application and subsequent review. Please find more information about Xiamen Session here and Shanghai Session here. For queries regarding-: Xiamen Session contact zhangxia-fly {at} 163(.)com; Shanghai Session sjtu_colp {at} 163(.)com; for general queries contact arpita.goswami7 {at} gmail(.)com.

4.  The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London is proud to host this year’s ILA (British Branch) Spring Conference from 23 to 24 May 2014. The organizers aim to shed new light on the following foundational questions: the relationship between international, regional and domestic legal orders; the identification and development of customary international law; and the regulation of armed conflict. The five parallel panel sessions will re-examine the foundations of international law in the light of new information and modes of thinking. In this respect, main goal of the organizers is to imagine possible futures in issues of concern to present and future generations, such as combatting climate change, preventing human trafficking, managing financial risk, encouraging businesses to respect human rights and promoting socially responsible investment. The keynote speech will be delivered by Professor James Crawford at 10 am on 23 May 2014 (‘The identification and development of customary international law’ ) and after dinner speech by Professor Philip Allott the same day at Inner Temple (‘The Idealist’s Dilemma’ ). For more info on registration for the conference and the dinner, but also the full two-day programme are available here.

5. Registration is now open for the conference ‘National Security and Public Health: Exceptions to Human Rights’ organised at IALS on 29th May 2014. For more information, including the full programme of speakers, and to register, see here.

6.  The annual International Criminal Court Summer School organized by the Irish Centre for Human Rights will take place 16th-20th June 2014 at NUI Galway. The summer school is the premiere summer school specializing in the International Criminal Court. Lectures are given by leading academics on the subject and by legal professionals working at the ICC. More information is available here.