The European Society of International Law’s interest group history of international law has a call for papers for the interest group's event in the margins of ESIL’s next annual conference.
2024 ESIL Annual Conference Technological
Change and International Law
Call for Papers: Historical Perspectives on Technological
Change and International Law
The ESIL Interest Group on the History of
International Law cordially invites submissions of papers for its upcoming
workshop centered on the theme “Historical Perspectives on Technological
Change and International Law”. This gathering seeks to unravel the
mysteries of technological evolution and its enduring legacy upon the edifice
of international law.
We are intrigued by the historical development
of various technologies across different spatial and temporal contexts within
international law. All papers that delve into the debates concerning
technological change in international law or explore the influence of
technological change on international law are warmly welcomed.
Centuries have witnessed the inexorable march
of technological innovation, each stride leaving an indelible mark on the
canvas of international law. Technological change – whatever that may be, but
as reasonably defined by an author - has impacted international law, just as
international law has responded and evolved in the wake of new technological
advancements. New disciplines and fields emerged, and old doctrines and
theories disappeared. Novel technologies even prompt the emergence of entirely
“new” fields of international law, such as international labor law,
international environmental law, and air and space law, contributing to the
so-called fragmentation of international law.
History is rife with examples and case studies
illustrating the intricate interplay between technology and international law.
With regard to the law on the use of force, the requirement for a formal
declaration of war has been undermined by the advancement of
telecommunications. Technological advancements in weaponry (e.g. chemical and
nuclear weapons) have reshaped international humanitarian law. Similarly, the
law of the seas has adjusted for innovations in ship-building and seafaring
technologies (maps, cartography, GPS). Technology also affects the way and
extent to which states project their powers. The limit of three nautical miles
no longer defines the limit of the territorial sea now that coastal batteries
can shoot beyond this range. The industrial revolution also caused
international law to evolve. The inventions of the telegraph and railway
required new commercial arrangements, enabled the expansion of
colonialism, and caused a surge of Western investments abroad. For example, in
the mid-19th century, the industrial extraction of sugar from beets in Western
Europe distorted the international sugar trade for decades, leading to the
conclusion of dozens of treaties. Sometimes, an invention causes entirely new
fields of international law to emerge. The airplane and space exploration
created the need for aerospace law. But sometimes, too, international law fails
to catch up with technological changes. For example, the Hague Convention on
Explosives from Balloon in 1907 failed to become a general prohibition against
aerial bombardments. Such failures to address technological change are equally
important moments in the history of international law.
In reviewing the history of technological
changes and international law, authors are encouraged to engage in discussions
evaluating how international law has both succeeded and failed to accommodate
and regulate technological changes. We welcome papers from all methodological
perspectives, as long as they address technology and the
history of international law.
Papers could address any of the following
topics, but also any topic that addresses technological change (reasonably
defined by the author) and the history of international law:
• Governance,
preservation, and dissemination of knowledge in international legal history
• The
role of international regulation in the rise of new technologies
• The
influence of new technologies on human rights, both advancing and undermining
• The
impact of technological changes on broader socio-political and sovereign
processes
• How
technological changes have affected the development and codification of
international law
• The
influence of technological changes on the law of treaties and state
responsibility
• The
effects of technological changes on international adjudication
• The
constitutionalization of international law in response to technological changes
• The
emergence of technology-specific international law
• The
impact of technological changes on the laws of war, peace, the use of force,
and arms control
• How
technologies have shaped concepts of sovereignty
• The
appearance or disappearance of disciplines, principles, and concepts within
international law due to technological changes
• Case
studies of failures to foresee and regulate technological changes in
international law.
• The
impact of inventions like the steam engine, railways, and telegraph on
international law
We are particularly interested in papers that
engage with non-Western perspectives on the historical perspectives on
technological change and international law. We welcome submissions from
scholars and practitioners at all stages of their careers, and particularly
encourage submissions from early-career scholars and scholars from
underrepresented regions and perspectives.
The Interest Group is unable to provide funding
for travel and accommodation. Selected speakers will be expected to bear the
costs of their own travel and accommodation. Some ESIL travel grants and ESIL
carers' grants will be available to offer partial financial support to speakers
who have exhausted other potential sources of funding.
Please see the ESIL website for all relevant
information about the 19th Annual Conference. The Interest Group workshop is
open to ESIL members, and all participants are required to register for the
Annual Conference. There will be an option to register just for one day to
attend the workshop; however, all participants are warmly invited to attend the
entire event.
Selected speakers should indicate their
interest in being considered for the ESIL Early-Career Scholar Prize, if they
meet the eligibility conditions as stated on the ESIL website. The ESIL
Secretariat must be informed of all selected speakers who wish to be considered
for the Prize before 30 April.
Submissions should include an abstract of no
more than 500 words, a short bio of the author(s), and contact
information, in Word (not PDF). Abstracts should be submitted
by the 22nd of March, 5 pm (CET) to anastasia.hammerschmied@univie.ac.at. The abstract and bio
should be separated to allow for anonymous review by the convenors. The
workshop will take place on the 4th of September (time slot
TBA), and will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in a critical
discussion of their research and to receive feedback from other scholars and
practitioners. Remote participation will be possible, but in-person presence is
highly preferred.
Convenors
Anastasia Hammerschmied – Florenz Volkaert -
Jaanika Erne – Sze Hong Lam (Ocean)
(Source: ESILHIL
Blogspot)
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