IG on International Human Rights Law | Monthly Breakfast Session | 27 May 2026
The ESIL Interest Group on International Human Rights Law
is hosting
Online Series
Monthly Breakfast Sessions
Işıl Kurnaz
on
Right-Wing Strategic Litigation in Times of Culture Wars Before the ECtHR
27 May 2026, 08:00 AM CET
Online, Microsoft Teams
JOIN HERE
ABOUT THE SESSION
Işıl Kurnaz (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna – Pisa, Italy) will introduce us to Right-Wing Strategic Litigation in Times of Culture Wars Before the ECtHR.
In recent years, the European Court of Human Rights has become an unexpected battleground in the global culture wars, as right-wing and religious conservative actors increasingly turn to strategic litigation to contest established rights norms. By mapping litigation patterns, organizational networks, and argumentation strategies, this thesis reveals a structured and transnational legal mobilization that raises fundamental questions about the direction of international human rights law. Critically, this presentation resists the reductive regressive-versus-progressive dichotomy that dominates existing scholarship, approaching right-wing strategic litigation through a more nuanced lens that engages seriously with religious rights, gender equality, LGBTI+ rights, freedom of religion or belief, and religion-state doctrines within the ECHR framework. Rather than treating religious conservative litigation merely as a backlash phenomenon, the presentation examines it as a deeply contested engagement with human rights law that implicates broader questions of pluralism, institutional neutrality, and the boundaries of rights protection. Ultimately, this discussion will try to reconceptualize the ECHR as a genuinely contested terrain where competing visions of rights, democracy, and European identity collide.
MORE ABOUT THE MONTHLY BREAKFAST SESSIONS
Looking for a low-pressure way to discuss the latest in International Human Rights Law? The ESIL IG on International Human Rights Law is excited to announce a new initiative designed to foster an informal, constructive space for our community. Starting in April, we will host monthly “breakfast” sessions on the last Wednesday of every month to support research development and encourage open debate.
These one-hour sessions offer a relaxed environment for members to share ongoing work—even at the earliest stages—and receive valuable feedback. We particularly encourage early-career researchers (broadly understood) to use this platform to showcase their ideas. Since these meetings are intended to fit into your morning routine, feel free to join us while you start your day; there is no need to stay tethered to your desk!
IN A NUTSHELL
The Vibe: Informal and constructive. Join us while you commute, grab coffee, or start your daily routine—no desk required!
The Goal: To share ongoing research, debate current issues, and support our members’ ideas.
Who is this for? While everyone is welcome, we especially invite early-career researchers to present their unfinished work and gather insights from the broader IG community.
How will it work? Presenters will have up to 30 minutes to present, followed by questions and comments from the IG community.
When? Every last Wednesday of the month 8-9am CET (time can be adjusted for speakers’ need)
How to sign up? If you are interested in presenting, send an email at esilighumanrightslaw@gmail.com, specifying the topic of your presentation and your availability.
