Call for Papers: "Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights in Europe and the World in Times of Contestation" (Leuven, 20-21 September 2018) – Deadline: 2 July 2018

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The Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies (GGS), the Centre for the Law of EU External Relations (CLEER), the Geneva Centre d'études juridiques européennes and European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, in cooperation with Actore (Antwerp University), LINES (KU Leuven), Ghent University, Hasselt University, Vesalius College – VUB, with the kind support of FWO Vlaanderen, YouReCa, OJO and the Jean Monnet Programme, are organising an Interdisciplinary Doctoral Symposium on Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights in Europe and the World in Times of Contestation.

Symposium Directors are Prof. Dr. Enzo Cannizzaro (Rome), Prof. Dr. Christine Kaddous (Geneva), Prof. Dr. Ramses Wessel (Twente) and Prof. Dr. Jan Wouters (Leuven).

The Doctoral Symposium will be held in Leuven, on 20-21 September 2018. The Doctoral Symposium will consist of one day and a half of presentations by, and discussions with, PhD researchers, in interaction with senior academic experts, and a half day public session with presentations and discussions between invited senior scholars and practitioners from the EU institutions.

Theme of the Symposium: The European Union’s (EU) commitment to the pursuit of a "principled" foreign policy is well-grounded in the provisions of the EU Treaties. The implementation of this commitment, however, has been found wanting in numerous instances, making scholars frequently question the way and the extent to which values and ideals, such as the promotion of the rule of law and human rights, clash with material interests in EU external relations. Faced with a hardening international environment and domestic crises, the EU appears to be adjusting some of its rhetoric and action: the 2016 Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy, for example, speaks of the ‘principled pragmatism’ which should guide the EU’s external action in the years ahead. The Symposium will address, in addition to the EU’s acts and omissions abroad concerning the trinity of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, problems and challenges regarding the EU’s internal capacity on safeguarding democracy, human rights and the rule of law within its own Member States, and relating to its promotion of these values and principles on the international stage. It will also examine how current contestation of the European project and of a rules-based and cooperative international order may affect the EU’s ability to promote and uphold its core values, both within and beyond its borders. The nature and impact of this multifaceted legitimacy crisis will thus be taken into account, looking into the constraints and opportunities this may hold for the EU as a global actor and the challenges the EU faces in regaining the trust of European citizens. 

Papers' submission: Interested PhD students and young scholars should submit proposal summaries, in English only, of 3000 characters (approximately one page). The proposals should address the themes of the Workshop mentioned above. The said proposals, accompanied by detailed CVs and motivation letters should be submitted to profjanwouters@ggs.kuleuven.be no later than Monday 2 July 2018. The organisers will review the submitted proposals. A final selection will be made, and communicated, by Monday 16 July 2018

Confirmed participants are expected to provide complete drafts of their papers, of between 8.000-10.000 words, in electronic form, no later than Friday 14 September 2018.
 
Practical information: Organizers will cover part of travel costs on a needs-based basis as well as the meals for the selected participants. Accommodation costs in Brussels will be taken in charge either by the participants or by the Universities or Research Centres or Institutes to which they are affiliated.  

Papers' publication: The final version of the papers will be published in European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, in the Geneva Jean Monnet Working Papers, in the CLEER and GGS Working Paper Series, after having gone through the editorial review required by the organizers. Depending on the coherence and quality of the papers produced, an edited volume may be considered. 

The full Call for Papers can be acceded here.

 

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