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Call for Papers: Protecting Human Rights in a Changing and Insecure World

Date

 

15th January 2018, University of Leeds

Supported by the BISA Postgraduate Network

Deadline for Abstracts: 30th November 2017

Conference Outline

International society is currently going through a period of significant change which is characterised by the emergence of rising powers and the increased isolationism of traditional liberal states reflected in the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency and the UK’s ongoing withdrawal from the EU.  Such outcomes are often driven by the rise of nationalism or popularism, in response to the continued emergence of increasingly powerful non-state actors, including armed terrorist groups and liberation movements. This has been described as a ‘crisis’ for liberal international society.

These developments arguably threaten some of the liberal institutions which have evolved since 1945 and particularly since the end of the Cold War including human rights and international criminal justice.

This one-day conference, to be held at the University of Leeds on 15th January 2018, seeks to reflect on the challenges associated with protecting human rights in a changing and insecure international society. More specifically, the conference aims to interrogate and shed some light on the following issues:

  • The extent to which ‘backlash’ against the protection of human rights is occurring;
  • The ways in which it is occurring;
  • The reasons and influences behind this development;
  • The consequences for the protection of human rights including the operation of international institutions and regimes; and
  • What can be done to protect and enforce human rights in this environment?

The purpose of this conference is to bring together academic researchers, particularly those undertaking a doctorate or in the early stages of their research careers, with those involved in policy or the practice of human rights protection broadly conceived. The aim is to examine the current challenges to human rights protection and to identify solutions from academic, policy and practice perspectives.

The conference will provide an opportunity for doctoral students and early career researchers to engage with each another and share their work, as well as with those working in policy and practice.  One of the goals of the conference is to support interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration, so preference will be given to those taking an interdisciplinary approach to their work and to those focusing on under-researched topics and issues.

Submissions

We therefore invite the submission of abstracts on topics relating to the broad theme of the conference, which includes, but is certainly not limited to, the Responsibility to Protect, the protection of refugees, human rights, and international criminal justice. Abstracts should be no longer than 400 words and include a title for the presentation/paper.

Please note that you will not be required to submit or speak to a full length paper, although you may of course do so if you wish, and we would be interested to receive submissions from those who would like to present a part of their research whether complete, in process or at an early stage in order to receive feedback.

Authors should additionally include a brief biography, which identifies their institution or affiliation, the nature of their research or practice, and the stage of their studies (if applicable).

Please send your abstracts to Daniel Wand at ptdjhw@leeds.ac.uk by 30th November 2017 at the latest, although they will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

If you would like to attend the conference but do not wish to present your research, please indicate your desire to attend to the Daniel by email.

Travel Bursaries

Travel bursaries are available to support postgraduate researchers who would otherwise be unable to attend the conference. Those wishing to apply for a travel bursary should do so at the same time as submitting their abstracts, setting out in the same document as their abstract why they are in need of a travel bursary and the amount that they would require.

Those postgraduate students interested in attending the conference but do not wish to present a paper may also apply for a travel bursary but should note that preference will be given to those presenting at the conference. As above, those wishing to apply for a travel bursary should set out in a word document why they are in need of a travel bursary and the amount that they would require, and this should be received by the same date as abstracts are due.

This conference is only possible because of the generous funding that has been provided by the British International Studies Association Postgraduate Network (BISA PGN) and the support of the University of Leeds, the European Centre of the Responsibility to Protect and the BISA Working Group on Intervention and International Society.

Lunch will be provided.

We look forward to your submissions. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Daniel Wand, University of Leeds – ptdjhw@leeds.ac.uk

Chloë Gilgan, University of York – chloe.gilgan@york.ac.uk

Sam Jarvis, University of Sheffield – s.jarvis@sheffield.ac.uk