The 14th Annual Conference of the European Society of International Law (ESIL) was held on 13th-15th September at the University of Manchester under the auspices of the Manchester International Law Centre. The theme of this year’s annual conference was “International Law and Universality”. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark, Director of ÅIPI, participated in the discussions. Among the books displayed by Routledge publisher during the conference was the publication “Demilitarisation and International Law in Context. The Åland Islands” authored by Spiliopoulou Åkermark, Pirjo Kleemola-Juntunen, and Saila Heinikoski. More than 450 scholars and practitioners of international law, legal theory, and philosophy of law from across Europe and the world discussed issues such as universality and international organisations and regimes, Europe and universality, universality and the non-human, universality and the teaching of international law, universalism and particularism, as well as universalism and regionalism. In a discussion with professors Christine Chinkin and Hilary Charlesworth regarding gender-boundaries and international law, it was concluded that feminist organisations have often prioritised peace efforts and the quest for ending war(s) before other feminist claims. The peace-promoting strategies of feminists have, however, not been adequately articulated in today’s circumstances and needs. Next year’s annual ESIL conference shall be held in Athens and shall deal with the concept of sovereignty in international law.
The programme and other information from the ESIL 2018 Annual Conference can be found here.
International lawyers in Manchester. Source: Alexandra Xanthaki, Professor of Law at Brunel University London
