Creation of International Law: Exploring the International Law Components of Peace, Wisconsin International Law Journal Annual Symposium, April 4-5, 2014, University of Wisconsin Law School, USA

We invite internationally acclaimed women scholars and advanced PhD candidates to the second conference on the Creation of International Law, to be hosted by the University of Wisconsin on April 4-5, 2014 as part of its Wisconsin International Law Journal annual symposium. The intention is to continue and expand the network of women scholars and practitioners that was launched in 2009 in Norway to support their engagement in public international law.  The theme of the second conference is: Exploring the International Law Components of Peace. The pursuit of peace remains a global challenge and there is a need for reflection as to how the current international public law institutional and normative structure functions and what are the gaps?

Scholars from across the globe are invited to present papers addressing challenges in relation to the creation of international law from theoretical, normative, or empirical perspectives.  We seek to bring together academic women to promote new research collaboration and strengthen their ability to influence the creation and elaboration of international law. The conference seeks to profile women as subjects of international public law development, both for students and researchers seeking recruitment to the law schools.  Papers selected for presentation at the symposium will be published in the Wisconsin International Law Journal.

The following are some suggested areas for papers, addressing issues relating to peace at the international level (state-state/international community) and at the domestic level (state-society/individual). Papers can address the tension between the notion of negative peace (prohibition of violence and aggression) and positive peace (elimination of structural violence, respect for human rights, and social justice ). However, the list is not exhaustive and we welcome other areas of international law related to international peace.

•Public International Law: We welcome papers discussing the current divide on R2P, juxtaposing the principles of territorial integrity and state sovereignty against initiatives advocating intervention in response to massive violations of human rights, and the right to democracy.  We also welcome papers on reform of international and national institutions in order to improve the implementation and enforcement of peace.

•International Human Rights:  Peace:  Is it a Human Right?  Is it an individual or collective right?   Who are the beneficiaries of this right and who are the duty-bearers? How should we move forward in terms of defining the scope of the right to peace and ensuring compliance?  Freedom of Expression- what is the scope of this right and its relation to peace?  The Rights to Non-Discrimination, Equality, Freedom of Expression, Food, Water, Housing, and Education- how do we measure progress?

•International Humanitarian Law: We welcome papers on prohibition of nuclear weapons and weapons composed with nuclear byproducts, incendiary weapons, and autonomous weapons systems.  We also welcome papers addressing initiatives to regulate disarmament or regulate the arms trade.

•International Environmental Law: We welcome papers on peace, sustainable development, and the interface between climate change and human rights/migration law

•International Trade Law/Economic Law: We welcome papers addressing institutional and normative roots of structural violence, poverty, and global inequality/inequity.  We also seek papers addressing the marginalization of women and efforts to empower them.

•Dispute Resolution: We welcome papers on mediation, conciliation, arbitration, commissions of inquiry, peace commissions, tribunals, and other non-violent mechanisms.  We also welcome papers addressing the participation of women in these forums.

•Education: We welcome papers discussing the teachingof International Law- is there a bias towards topics addressing violence and use of force?  How can we improve the teaching of peace within the law school?

The deadline for submission of abstracts is October 1, 2013.  Scholars whose abstracts are selected for the symposium will be notified by November 1, 2013.  Complete papers from those selected are due on March 1, 2014.  Please email your abstracts of not more than 500 words including your institutional affiliation and contact details to Cecilia Marcela Bailliet (c.m.bailliet@jus.uio.no) and Sumudu Atapattu (saatapattu@wisc.edu) by the deadline.  Late submissions will not be accepted.