Call for Papers: Protection of human rights in the context of armed conflict, 13 June 2025

Centre for Fundamental Rights, Hertie School, Berlin

Sub Themes

• The role of IHRL in constraining the conduct of hostilities and how it interacts with principles of distinction, precaution, and proportionality in IHL;

• Critical approaches to the humanisation of warfare;

• The role of IHRL in the protection of civilians, prisoners of war or detained persons who do not take direct part in hostilities;

• The role of IHRL in protecting combatants in light of the (revisionist) Just War Theory;

• The relationship between the IHRL and the law regulating the use of force (including the prohibition of aggression);

• The role of international courts and quasi-judicial bodies in interpreting and applying international law in the context of armed conflict;

• Evidentiary standards for proving human rights law violations in the context of armed conflicts;

• Interactions between IHRL and international criminal law in affording accountability for crimes and reparation to victims;

• Remedies for violations of IHRL and/or IHL violations in the context of armed conflicts;

• Civil society efforts towards accountability for violations of human rights and/or IHL in the context of armed conflicts.

Submissions

The workshop is open to both established and early-career scholars and practitioners, including advanced PhD students. It welcomes submissions from researchers of human rights law and international law as well as from those working at the crossroads of law and other disciplines. Single case and comparative case studies are both welcome.

Interested participants should provide an abstract in Word format of no more than 500 words. Together with their abstracts, in the same Word document, applicants should provide the following information: name, affiliation, the title of the proposed paper and a contact email address. Interested participants should also indicate whether they are able to present in person in Berlin. To submit an abstract please write to [email protected] by 3 February 2025 with the heading ‘Submission: Protecion of Human Rights in Armed Conflict Workshop’. The criteria for selection are originality and fit. Work already published, or under review for publication, is not eligible for submission. Speakers will be informed of the acceptance of their proposals by 24 February 2025 and be required to submit a draft paper by 2 June 2025. Papers should be between 8,000 and 10,000 words, including references.