VACANCY: PhD Student (m/f/d) "Organizing Architectures" (Frankfurt am Main: MPILHLT/ Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Technical University of Darmstadt, University of Kassel, DEADLINE 7 APR 2026)

 

(image source: Legal History Blog)

The Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory in Frankfurt/Main is a world leading research institute with a staff of more than 150. Its three departments with more than 70 scholars, the unrivalled collections of its specialized library and its numerous national and international co-operations make it the central research hub for a global scientific community investigating the past, present and future of legal regimes.

We are looking to recruit as of 1 November 2026 one Doctoral Student (m/f/d) for the DFG Research
Training Group "Organizing Architectures¨. The DFG Research Training Group "Organising Architectures" (3022), in which the Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, the Technical University of Darmstadt, the University of Kassel and our institute are involved, focuses on architecture as the organized, collective shaping of modern societies through institutions, networks and discourses. This focus is based on the assumption that observation of social orders cannot b e separated from architectural formations and that these, like the respective architectures, arise through specific, complex social negotiation processes. A detailed description of the graduate school and more detailed information on pplications can be found [here].

We are also offering an online information event where we will present the research concept, the study program and the future working methods of the college, and will of course be available to answer any questions.  Registration is not required. The link to participate can be found on the website mentioned above. 

Your profile.  We welcome applications that demonstrate a serious interest in legal history or in a historical discipline that addresses questions of normativity, as well as a willingness to combine this with the thematic fields ofarchitecture and urban planning.

We expect a qualified, above-average university degree in law or history. Additionally, we expect  a willingness to work in an interdisciplinary manner and ideally initial experience in this, the ability, eagerness and readiness to work in a team, presence at Frankfurt and good German or English skills, as well as the willingness to learn the other language.

Our offer.  You will have unlimited access to our world leading library and a multitude of databases. You will be provided with a work space and will receive extensive academic and administrative support. There are generous grants for research trips to archives and libraries, as well as for attending conferences. A variety of personal and career development opportunities is available, including funding for German language classes. We offer an attractive and international work environment with an unparalleled research infrastructure and a good working atmosphere. The job is a full time position (currently 39 hours per week). While you will be based in Frankfurt/Main. The payment is currently £á3,185.72 per month (gross) in the first year, which equals approximately £á2,163 after taxes in the first year and £á2,301 in the second year, depending on family circumstances, plus a special annual payment.. The position is a fixed-term appointment for three years, with the possibility of renewal for a further year.

We welcome all applications, regardless of nationality, ethnic and social background, religion
 and age. We are striving to increase the proportion of female researchers and staff and therefore particularly encourage women to apply. Severely disabled people with the same abilities and qualifications will be given priority. The college also offers support in balancing family and work; there are generous opportunities for mobile working (at present, up to 40 per cent per month). Due to the collaborative nature of the interdisciplinary group, active participation in the qualification and study programme of the research training group is expected.

Application procedure.  Please submit the following application documents in German or English:

• A cover letter explaining your motivation for pursuing a doctorate in the Research Training Group, stating in which of the participating disciplines you are pursing your doctorate;
• CV with information on your course of study and language skills and your academic certificates (scanned).

Please also submit a separate, anonymized file (max. 1 MB) containing a detailed research expose of a maximum of 3 pages plus a bibliography for a doctoral project taking into account the academic program of the Research Training Group. Please indicate here in which supervisor(s) from among the Principal Investigators of the Research Training Group you prefer. Your application must be submitted online via our application form by the closing date of 7 April 2026. The selection interviews will take place in the beginning of June 2026.

Contact.  Informal enquiries may be directed to PD Dr. Peter Collin (collin@lhlt.mpg.de) or - as far as it generally concerns the activities of the Research Training Group ¡V to the coordinator of the research training group, Friederike Weidner (f.weidner@kunst.uni-frankfurt.de). For questions as to the terms and conditions of employment please contact Anna Heym (jobs@lhlt.mpg.de).

(source: Legal History Blog)

CALL FOR PAPERS: Age of Empires II. Europe and the Empires of the West in a Changing World Order (1900–1937) (Győr: University of Győr, 27-29 OCT 2026) [DEADLINE 30 APR 2026]

(image source: Wikimedia Commons)

The Exposition Universelle, the world exhibition held in Paris in 1900 under the theme ‘19th century: an overview’, opened as a confident display of European and Western dominance. The optimism that shaped contemporary beliefs in a bright future and in scientific progress was reinforced by the many technical solutions and inventions on display—several of which have since become part of everyday life. Yet behind the glittering façade of an event proclaiming the uninterrupted advance of civilisation, intensifying competition among the world’s leading powers was increasingly evident, alongside mounting tensions over access to resources and markets. Europe’s leading states made considerable efforts to expand, develop, and administer their empires, while the limits of cooperation were exposed by a series of open crises in the years following the turn of the century. Moreover, the outcomes of nineteenth-century globalisation—expanding international institutions, accelerating information flows, and deepening transnational economic relations—proved insufficient to prevent the collapse of the nineteenth-century world order in the First World War.

Although the conflict, which profoundly affected territories beyond Europe as well, ultimately enabled the victors to establish a new international order, it did not bring the anticipated easing of tensions or the arrival of a stable and peaceful era. The redrawing of Europe’s political map created space for nationalist and nation-state aspirations; however, strategic considerations remained paramount, and the settlement failed to achieve broad legitimacy. Continental tensions persisted, while the traditional strategic aims of European actors continued, largely unchanged, from the pre-war period. Empire-building, together with a renewed multiplicity of expansionist aspirations, thus became a defining feature of the era. At the same time, newly created institutions sought to shape the international arena alongside both established and emerging state regimes.

In 1937 Paris hosted a world exhibition once again, organised under the theme ‘Arts and technology in modern life’ - the last European world exhibition before the outbreak of war. It entered history not only as the final such event created in the shadow of the post-war peace treaties, but also as an exhibition marked by political rivalry and by visible signs of impending collapse. Although vast territories remained under European control—either directly or through League of Nations mandates—expectations concerning the effective functioning of international organisations, the consolidation of international legal institutions, and the reorganisation of economic and cultural relations increasingly proved illusory. The history of Europe and the empires of the Western world order had reached a new frontier.

 

The organisers of The Age of Empires II – Europe and the Empires of the West in a Changing World Order (1900–1937) consider it essential to strengthen academic dialogue and to bring together speakers from diverse disciplines and regions. We warmly encourage proposals from researchers in legal history, international law, history, international relations, economics, and related fields, including interdisciplinary approaches.

 

Key topics (non-exhaustive)

1.Global system or European system? Political and legal instruments of empire-building; stages in the evolution of the international system

2.Economic dimensions of empire-building: transformations in world trade and financial mechanisms; economic and legal perspectives

3.The realm of information: communication networks, international communication organisations, and technological control as a tool of imperial power

4.State territory, citizenship, and mobility within imperial spaces

5.Representation and symbolism: forms and layers of imperial representation

6.Collapses and transitions: the legacies of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, Germany, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire

7.The crisis of parliamentarianism and its alternatives: imperial and popular models of representation in a changing world

8.Nation-building and identity: empire-building and the ‘melting pot’ of national unification in new imperial formations

9.Press communication and models of news regulation: state control and instruments of mass communication

10. Variations in social thought: state intervention and instruments of social welfare

The Department of Legal History at the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Győr, is organising an international symposium from 27 to 29 October 2026. We invite researchers working within the thematic and chronological scope of the conference to present their findings in a 20-minute paper, followed by discussion. Accepted contributions will be published in the form of a study (30,000–40,000 characters). Application Applications must be submitted by 30 April 2026 to aoe2026@sze.hu  and should include: an abstract (including the proposed topic) of no more than 500 words; and a short biography of no more than 100 words. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 31 May 2026. Presentations may be delivered in English, German, or French.

 

Attila Barna - Balázs Pálvölgyi

Organizers

CALL FOR PAPERS: Grotius and Toleration (Zürich: Universität Zürich, 17-18 JUN 2027) [DEADLINE 1 JUN 2026]

 

(image source: Brill)

Abstract:

The Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) is widely regarded as a pioneer of religious toleration. Many readers have recognized in his writings a principled defense of the freedom of conscience and the rights of religious minorities. Moreover, as a policy-maker, he personally contributed to shaping the relatively tolerant policies of the Dutch Republic with regard to Christian and non-Christian minorities such as Jews. In Grotius’s view, all human beings were endowed with certain natural rights, which had to be respected, regardless of religious differences. As the Dutch jurist explained, forcing non-Christians to accept the Christian religion was ‘judged as improper and unlawful by all people with common sense, as religion should not be enforced.’[1] However, even for Grotius, there were certain limitations to religious toleration. For instance, Christians were not allowed to subject themselves to the authority of non-Christians, as it could lead to apostasy. Moreover, to protect the unity of the Christian state and religion, members of different Christian denominations (e.g., Calvinists and Arminians) could be forced to go to the same churches and accept a number of principal points as necessary for salvation. As Grotius emphasized, religious toleration had to be legally regulated: if necessary, it could even be enforced by the state. The proposed conference will explore Grotius’s ideas about religious toleration and its limitations. Is the general image of Grotius as a pioneer of religious toleration justified? What does toleration mean in Grotius’s work and how did his ideas change over time? How can the ‘toleration’ that Grotius speaks of be described? How does it relate to the idea of otherness? Does he have more than ‘Duldungstoleranz’ in mind? Does he advocate a conception of toleration aimed at mere coexistence, or at genuine respect for different religious beliefs? And what limitations to religious toleration does Grotius propose to protect the unity of the Christian state and religion? Grotius was not the first who proposed the distinction between fundamentalia and adiaphora, often identified as his concept of toleration. In the pamflettenstrijd (‘war of pamhlets’, 1609-1621) ‘peace’ appeared often in the headlines and the idea that there were common concepts that were sufficient for salvation was repeatedly rejected. What exactly was Grotius's contribution to these debates? To what extent were his views on religious toleration informed by a conversionalist logic, aimed at the voluntary conversion of non-Christians, other-Christians or other-reformed Christians to the ‘true faith’? Were his views on toleration indeed ‘principled,’ or were they primarily political, and, for instance, informed by debates on Reason of State? And what impact did his views have on religious practices and policies in the Dutch Republic? Is there a connection between the Republic’s relatively tolerant policies and Dutch imperial expansion in Asia and the East Indies? For instance, how do Grotius’s proposals with regard to the natural rights of religious minorities in the Dutch Republic (e.g., Jews) relate to his ideas about the rights of non-Christian populations in colonial contexts (e.g., Muslims and ‘pagans’)? Apart from the questions mentioned above, we would also welcome proposals on relevant still unexplored materials from the remonstrant/contra-remonstrant controversy. We also invite papers on the context which produced Grotius’s ideas on religious toleration, the reception of his ideas by other writers (e.g., in later Arminian writings and by theorists such as Barlaeus, Jean Le Clerc, Locke or Bayle), the relation between the church and the state in Grotius’s work, as well as the connection between his theoretical ideas on religious toleration and existing practices, both in the Dutch Republic itself and in colonial contexts.

Details:

Those interested to present a paper are kindly invited to send in an abstract of 250-400 words and a short cv of max. 100 words to the conveners, Silke-Petra Bergjan (bergjan@theol.uzh.ch) and Marc de Wilde (m.dewilde@uva.nl), by 1 June 2026. Please also indicate your affiliation. Proposals will be selected on the basis of the quality of abstracts and the fit with the program. The conference will take place in person without online presentations. Participants are thus expected to present their papers on location. The organization will pay for local costs (contingent on funding) and travel expenses (contingent on funding).

More information here.

(source: ESILHIL Blog)

REMINDER CALL FOR PAPERS: XXX Annual Forum of Young Legal Historians - 'Values in law through the ages' (Poznań: Adam Mickiewicz University, 23-26 SEPT 2026) [DEADLINE: 30 APR 2026 ]

 

(Budynek Collegium Minus w Poznaniu. Source: Wikipedia)

Introduction

Legal traditions, community, harmonization and integration have been the hallmarks of the Association's Annual Forums for 29 years. Values in law, which is the main topic of the 30th anniversary edition of the Meeting of Young Legal Historians, is an excellent opportunity to look at the issues discussed at previous forums from a wider perspective. The legal maxim Ubi societas ibi ius, which dates back to ancient times, is a simple affirmation of common sense: wherever there are people, wherever there is a community, wherever relationships and bonds are formed, there must be a certain order, which is referred to as ius — law. The conference “Values in law through the ages”, organized by the Faculty of Law and Administration and the Faculty of History of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, will be a space for discussion on the transdisciplinary issues of axiological matters present in various cultures and legal systems.

Conference theme

We are planning to include various contexts for the use of the main topic at the conference. We invite you to submit proposals for papers from various fields of law and other fields related to law, clearly linked to historical and legal analysis and the topic of the conference. The proposed topics, which are not exhaustive, include in particular issues such as principles of law, rule of law, legal unlawfulness, revolutions in law, crises of values in law, inter-systemic and intra-systemic contrasts of values, history of human rights, theoretical concepts of values in law or constitutional protection of values.

Requirements for submitting abstracts

We invite submissions on essentially any aspect of the values in the legal history. Authors may approach the topic dogmatically, historically or comparatively, they may focus on a specific period and place or present general reflections on the axiology of law in a historical context. Authors are encouraged to use innovative approaches and transdisciplinary research.

If you would like to present a paper during the conference, please send an application including an abstract of not more than 300 words and your CV to aylhforum2026@amu.edu.pl before 30 April 2026. Acceptance letters will be sent out by the end of May. Please send documents in PDF format.

In justified individual cases, the forum's scientific committee may consider abstracts earlier. To do so, please contact the organizing committee, indicating “EARLY APPLICATION” in the subject line of your message.

Presentations have to be in English and should not exceed 15 minutes each. Since one of the primary goals of the conference is to allow young researchers to get to know each other personally, we only accept presentations in person.

Publication

We intend to publish the presented papers. The organizing committee intends to resume publication with Peter Lang Publishing, which was associated with the first editions of our forums. Depending on the number of interested parties and financial possibilities, we plan to publish another volume of the Yearbook of Young Legal History, or a monograph, or a special issue in a Polish academic journal. The related details will be sent in advance to the accepted participants.

Conference fee

Two types of conference fees are anticipated for this year's forum:

1. The conference fee without post-conference publication costs is 200 € and does not include travel or accommodation costs.

2. The conference fee including post-conference publication costs is 300 € and also does not include travel or accommodation costs.

After the announcement of the abstract selection results on May 31, 2026, the Organizing Committee will contact the selected participants with further information on registration by paying the conference fee.

Other information

The Forum will be in English, and each paper presentation should not exceed 15 minutes, so there is time for discussions in the last part of each panel. 

The submission deadline is 30th April 2026. Abstracts received after the submission deadline will be declined. Please indicate in your application the type of participation (without publication or with publication).

Keep in mind that registration is limited to a number of people. Therefore, early registration is strongly recommended!

Event organization

The forum will last four days: the first day will be a welcome day with the participation of keynote speakers and a special guest, the next two days will feature many parallel sessions, and on the last day we are planning a jubilee meeting on organizational matters of the Association for Young Legal Historians.

Our meeting will take place in Poznań, the capital of Greater Poland. The city can be reached by plane or other means of transport (train, bus). We recommend planning your travel and accommodation in advance. The organizing committee will provide recommendations in this regard at a later date.

We look forward to receiving your abstracts and we will uncompromisingly endeavor to provide a conference that is both academically and socially fulfilling. We wish you all the best for this time!

Organizing Committee:

Dawid Szulc, MA, Department of Government Systems Studies and Political and Legal Thought – Committee Chair

Patryk Maćkowiak, MA, Department of Source Analysis and Auxiliary Historical Sciences – Vice Committee Chair

Fatma Mejri, MA, Department of Government Systems Studies and Political and Legal Thought

Maria Kola, MA, Department of Roman Law, Legal Traditions and Cultural Heritage Law

Szymon Siuda, MA, Department of Public Economic Law

Kamil Gaweł, MA, Department of Medical and Pharmaceutical Law at the Poznań University of Medical Sciences

VACANCY: PhD Candidates for the project "Multilateralism Revisited The Past, Present, and Future of International Negotiation and Cooperation" (Vienna: Universität Wien, DEADLINE 12 APR 2026)

 

(image source: Uni Wien)

The University of Vienna is looking for PhD Candidates from "political science, history, development studies, international law, or related fields" for the large research project The past, present, and future of multilateralism.

PI's are Elisabeth Roehrlich, Eva-Maria Muschik, Alice Vadrot, Michael Waibel and Arne Langlet-Uranüs (more information here).

More information below:

University assistant predoctoral 

 408 Research Platform Multilateralism Revisited: The Past, Present, and Future of International Negotiation and Cooperation 

Job vacancy starting: 01.09.2026 | Working hours: 30,00  | Classification CBA: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc) 

Limited contract until: 31.08.2030

Job ID: 5320

Are you interested in studying the past, present, and future of multilateralism in a city that is a hub for international negotiation and cooperation? Do you have a background in political science, international law, development studies, history or related social science and humanities disciplines and are you open to interdisciplinary research? We are looking for four PhD candidates to join the newly founded Research Platform “Multilateralism Revisited: The Past, Present, and Future of International Negotiation and Cooperation” at the University of Vienna (https://multilateralism-revisited.univie.ac.at/). “Multilateralism Revisited,” led by Arne Langlet, Eva-Maria Muschik, Elisabeth Röhrlich, Alice Vadrot, and Michael Waibel, is a joint project of the Faculties of Social Sciences, Historical and Cultural Studies, and Law.

Multilateralism has increasingly come under attack in recent years. At the same time, there is a growing understanding that contemporary issues—from climate change to artificial intelligence to pandemics—are global and require multilateral solutions. The research platform will study challenges to multilateralism in the past, present, and future from an interdisciplinary perspective. Collectively, we will investigate how issues such as global inequalities, institutional fragmentation, and science and technology contestation challenged and continue to challenge multilateralism. Four co-supervised PhD projects will explore how these challenges affect(ed) multilateral negotiations relating to
1) the colonial past and its legacies (from a historical and development studies perspective),
2) the governance of dual-use technologies such as nuclear energy and artificial intelligence (from a historical perspective),
3) data sharing in the governance of environmental crimes (from a political science perspective), and 
4) resource extraction in “the global commons” such as the high seas (from an international law perspective).

We are looking for candidates who are eager to develop a PhD research project in one of these four research areas. While each project will be anchored in a primary disciplinary orientation, all projects will be co-supervised by a team member with a different disciplinary background. 

What makes our group special:

• We are building a new research platform to jointly investigate challenges to multilateralism in the past, present, and future from different disciplinary perspectives
• We are part of extensive international research networks in our respective fields
• We offer training in individual academic disciplines as well as in interdisciplinary research
• We offer a dynamic and inspiring research environment
• We offer supportive mentorship focused on your academic development

 

Your work setting:

You will be affiliated with and based at one of the participating departments, become a member of the interdisciplinary research platform “Multilateralism Revisited,” and join one of the participating doctoral schools. 

 

Affiliations: 

Project 1 (“colonial past/legacies”): Department of Development Studies / Doctoral School of Social Sciences (main supervisor: Eva-Maria Muschik)
Project 2 (“dual use technologies”): Department of History / Doctoral School of Historical and Cultural Studies (main supervisor: Elisabeth Roehrlich)
Project 3 (“environmental crimes”): Department of Political Science / Doctoral School of Social Sciences (main supervisors: Arne Langlet and Alice Vadrot)
Project 4 (“global commons”): Department of European, International and Comparative Law / Advanced Research School in Law and Jurisprudence (main supervisor: Michael Waibel)

Your future tasks:

You actively participate in research, teaching & administration, which means:

 

• You work on your dissertation and its completion within four years
• You work on the dissemination of your research (e.g. through conference participation and publications)
• You become an active member of the new research platform “Multilateralism Revisited”
• You teach courses within the scope of the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement for Austrian universities (up to two teaching hours per week)
• You participate in, (co-)organize, and contribute to joint activities of the research platform such as workshops, public seminars and lectures, grant-writing, and publications
• You participate in the events of the respective department where you are based

This is part of your academic background and personality:

Necessary:

• Completed above-average master's degree in political science, history, development studies, international law or related disciplines (degree must be conferred no later than the starting date of the position)
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Experience with relevant research methods (e.g. archival research, data analysis) and academic writing
• Interest in inter- and transdisciplinary work
• Strong commitment to finish your PhD project within four years
• Commitment to teamwork and required social skills
• Commitment to live in or near Vienna 

 

Asset: 

• Experience with interdisciplinary research and work settings
• Didactic competences (e.g. experience as teaching assistant)
• Interest in science communication beyond academia
• Previous research or practical experience regarding international organizations and multilateralism
• Basic German skills

What we offer:

Duration of employment: The employment duration is 4 years (30 hours/week). Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment relationship is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not terminate it within the first 12 months by submitting a non-extension declaration.

Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an international academic research setting in an attractive working environment.

Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR EUR 2.832,10 (30 hours per week, gross, 14 times per year) increases if we can credit professional experience. This includes benefits (pension system) and health insurance. 

Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy family-friendly working hours and can partially work remotely. 

Good public transport connections: Your workplace is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training & Coaching: Opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. There are over 600 courses to choose from – free of charge.

 

 

How to apply:

Please submit the following documents via our job portal: 

 

• Cover Letter explaining your interest in and suitability for the platform (2 pages)
• Academic curriculum vitae (including publications and presentations, if applicable)
• The names of two referees who can testify to your academic skills (including their affiliation, email address, phone number)
• Sketch for a prospective doctoral project proposal related to the above mentioned fields (max. 5 pages)
• A writing sample (e.g. article, MA thesis chapter)
• Copy of Master Degree / Diploma and transcripts of all university degrees

 

We will conduct interviews with short-listed candidates (interviews currently scheduled for week of 4-8 May)

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact:

Cara Nairz-Vith

multilateralism-revisited@univie.ac.at

 

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

Read more here. 

LECTURE: Michel TROPER, "La nature dans la philosophie des droits de l'Homme" [Colloque De l'esthétique de la nature à l'esthétique des droits de l'Homme au siècle des Lumières, 15 MAY 2025] (Associationn des Historiens du Droit de l'Ouest) [YOUTUBE]

Abstract:

Dans le cadre d'une journée d'étude organisée par le Professeur Thérence Carvalho le jeudi 15 mai 2025 sur le thème "De l'esthétique de la nature à l'esthétique des droits de l'Homme au siècle des Lumières", le Professeur Michel Troper a prononcé une intervention intitulée "La nature dans la philosophie des droits de l'Homme et dans la théorie esthétique au siècle des Lumières". Cet exposé était précédé d'une présentation générale réalisée par le Professeur Thérence Carvalho. Problématique : Le XVIIIe siècle, période charnière dans l'émergence des droits subjectifs, voit se transformer les représentations du droit et de la nature. Cette journée d'études propose d'interroger, dans une approche interdisciplinaire (juridique, philosophique et historique), le passage d'une esthétique de la nature à une esthétique des droits de l'Homme. Comment les Lumières ont-elles repensé le lien entre nature et droits, entre beauté et norme ? Quels sont les fondements intellectuels et les implications politiques de cette évolution ?

(source: Youtube) 

CONFERENCE: Program and Registration for the 45th Rechtshistorikertag: "Interkulturalität im Recht" (Wien: Universität Wien, 14-18 SEP 2026)

 

The program for the 45th. Rechtshistorikertag in Vienna is available now (here). Registration is possible here.

BOOK PRESENTATION: Lauri MÄLKSOO, "Russia, the Soviet Union, and Imperial Continuity in International Law" (Cambridge: Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, 2 FEB 2026) [YOUTUBE]

(source: Youtube)

Abstract:

Empire is a big theme in international law. At the same time, the historical discussion on imperialism and international law had focussed primarily on the West European Empires. This presentation examines Russian and Soviet historical engagements with international law through imperial ideas and practices. Of the doctrines of international law, the ideas of state identity (continuity) and also termination of treaties via the doctrine of clausula rebus sic stantibus are examined, and how their use has served the imperial construction and practice of international law in Russia. Understanding the history of international law in Russia through the lens of Empire helps us inter alia to situate Russia's war against Ukraine.

On the speaker:

Lauri Mälksoo is Professor of International Law at the University of Tartu in Estonia. He is member of the Institut de Droit International, of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. He has published two monographs on the history and theory of international law in Russia and the Soviet Union at the Oxford University Press.

 See here.

BOOK REVIEW: Viktorija MOROZOVAITE on The making and unmaking of ordoliberal language: a digital conceptual history of European competition law, by Anselm Küsters (Comparative Legal History, XIII (2025), nr. 2 (December), pp. 347-351)

(Image source: Taylor&Francis)

In recent years, with digitalisation and the rise of powerful technology companies, crises related to climate change and inequality, and the European quest for strategic autonomy, the competition law community has faced a revival of debates about the goals of competition law and its analytical tools, methods and institutions. While epithets such as ‘unprecedented times’ may underscore the intensity of emergent challenges, they should be used with caution. Although there is a clear need to test the limits of existing competition law doctrines and explore creative legal solutions, a closer look at the historical development of EU competition law may offer valuable lessons for approaching them.

The origins of EU competition law remain contested. David Gerber, in his seminal work, argued that ‘ordoliberal ideas have penetrated the thought, institutions and practices of the European Community, and this has spread their influence throughout the member states of the Community’, particularly in the field of competition law. Ordoliberalism, also known as the Freiburg School, emphasises the necessity for a rules-based economic order, with a strong state bound by the rule of law capable of curbing private power and safeguarding (individual) economic freedom. However, other scholars have challenged Gerber’s thesis, viewing ordoliberal influence as overstated or misinterpreted.

To read the full review, please click here. Online access is free for members of the European Society for Comparative Legal History. For further information about the volume on our blog, please visit here

DOI: 10.1080/2049677X.2025.2580112

SEMINAR: Luigi DELIA, "Les Lumières du droit pénal: principes et projets de réforme" [Europe et Lumières] (Paris: Sorbonne Universite, 20 MAR 2026]

(image source: Sorbonne Université)

Luigi Delia will intervene in the seminar hosted by the "Pôle Europe des Lumières" at Sorbonne Université on Friday 20 March at 17:30.

Title:

Les Lumières du droit pénal: principes et projets de réforme

More information here.

VACANCIES: MSCA Doctoral Network – “TESTAMENT” – 6 PhD Positions (DEADLINE 20 APR 2026)

(image source: European Commission)

 

Within the MSCA Doctoral Network “TESTAMENT” (No. 101226689), we are currently looking for six Doctoral Candidates (DCs). The DCs will be focusing on the interplay between societal dynamics, learned law (ius commune), and testamentary freedom in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. This research consortium brings together researchers from five universities (KU Leuven, Jagiellonian University Cracow, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Charles University Prague, University of Warsaw) and several associated partners. The consortium offers ample learning opportunities, through summer/winter schools, through a research stay at another partner, and through an internship with a museum or an archive. Thus, highly recommended!

 

Important: Since this is a EU-funded project, we are looking for candidates who have not resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the recruiting university for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment.

 

Are you willing to leave your home country and start working as a DC in law or history at a foreign university? Then, this is your chance!

 

(i)                  DC1: KU Leuven – History - generational dynamics and property transfers in urban families in late medieval Brabant

(ii)                 DC2: University of Warsaw – History - Testators and their families in early modern Warsaw

(iii)               DC3: Charles University Prague – Legal History - Membership of the Hussite movement and last wills in the Kingdom of Bohemia

(iv)               DC4: Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena – Legal History - Role of jurists and interest groups in the preparation of manorial legislations on last wills in Saxony

(v)                 DC5: KU Leuven – Legal History - Joint last wills of spouses in Leuven

(vi)               DC6: Jagiellonian University Cracow – Legal History - Last wills of professors - overlapping legal orders and testamentary freedom in early modern Kraków.

 

Deadline for applications = 20 April 2026.

 

More information on the project’s website: https://testament.project.uj.edu.pl/vacancy.

BOOK: Nathaniel BOYD, Hegel and German Public Law [Europe's Legacy in the World, eds. Martti KOSKENNIEMI & Annabel BRETT] (London: Bloomsbury/Hart, 2026), 304 p. ISBN 9781350584204, 85 GBP

  

(image source: Bloomsbury)

Abstract:

Nathaniel Boyd's pathbreaking book argues that Hegel's political thought was shaped by German public law. This tradition of legal discourse, especially through its imperial tradition, was crucial to European modernity, influencing foundational philosophical concepts such as sovereignty, the state and the diverse legal systems that emerged from them. Hegel and German Public Law examines the impact of Johann Jacob Moser, Johann Stephan Pütter and Johann Christian von Majer on Hegel's intellectual development. It reveals how the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire informed his early speculative system and constitutional theory. In doing so, Boyd extends our understanding of Hegel's relation to European legal and political thought while offering an original interpretive framework for Hegel's absolute idealism and unfolding institutional theory of the state.

Table of contents:

Introduction
1. Imperial Public Law in Statu Cadentis Imperii: Johann Jacob Moser
2. The Empire as the Impersonal Nexus of the Composite State: Johann Stephan Pütter
3. The Twilight of German Imperial Public Law: Johann Christian von Majer
4. The Empire of Ethical Life: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Conclusion
Bibliography

Index

Read more here. 

 

PROJECT: CONDUIT, comparing French and Italian colonial law (Institut Universitaire de France, Prof. Monica CARDILLO/Nantes Université)

 

(image source: IUF)

Project abstract:

Ce projet porte sur l’analyse et la comparaison des administrations coloniales françaises et italiennes, à partir des ressources archivistiques, afin de comprendre comment s’est construit le droit colonial en Afrique. Plus précisément, à travers l’étude de l’activité de terrain des administrateurs des cercles, ce projet s’attache à comprendre l’évolution des normes traditionnelles du fait du contact colonial, et du processus de « disqualification » et « requalification » de la logique juridique locale. Conduit suivant une approche interdisciplinaire, il vise à mettre en œuvre une méthodologie critique de l’archive coloniale. Inscrit dans les sciences juridiques émergentes, ce projet cible la concrétisation d’actions pédagogiques, scientifiques, de sauvegarde d’archives par la numérisation.

(read more here) 

BOOK: Michael KUNZE, Rudolf von Jhering - Das unsichtbare Recht. Einde Biographie (Göttingen: Wallstein, 2025), 800 p. ISBN 9783835359567, € 38

 

(iamge source: Wallstein)

Abstract:

Die Biographie des Rechtswissenschaftlers Rudolf Jhering - ein faszinierendes Leben, ein kühner Gedanke: das Recht als gesellschaftliches Bewusstsein jenseits von Gott und Gesetz. Rudolf Jhering (1818-1892) war einer der einflussreichsten Denker des 19. Jahrhunderts. Drei Jahrzehnte lang hat Michael Kunze an dieser Biografie gearbeitet, die das Leben und Werk eines Mannes schildert, der das Recht neu dachte: jenseits von Gott, Gewissen und Gesetzbüchern. Inspiriert vom Siegeszug der Naturwissenschaften suchte Jhering nach einer wissenschaftlichen Begründung des Rechts. Er verstand es als Produkt historischer Erfahrungen und gesellschaftlicher Überzeugungen - wandelbar wie die Gesellschaft selbst. Seine Vorstellung eines unsichtbaren Rechts war der Gegenentwurf zum Positivismus seiner Zeit. Dieses Buch stellt Jherings Ideen in den Kontext seiner Epoche und seines bewegten Lebens. Es erzählt von einem Gelehrten, der das Recht als lebendigen Ausdruck des kollektiven Bewusstseins begriff - und der bis heute nachwirkt. Seine zentrale Frage ist aktueller denn je: Gibt es ein über den Gesetzen stehendes Recht?

 On the author:

Michael Kunze ist promovierter Jurist, Historiker und Philosoph. Man kennt ihn als Liedertexter (»Griechischer Wein«) und als Librettist international erfolgreicher Musicals wie »Elisabeth«, »Tanz der Vampire« oder »Rebecca«, doch auch als Rechtshistoriker und Sachbuchautor hat er sich einen Namen gemacht. Nach den Werken »Straße ins Feuer« und »Der Freiheit eine Gasse«, der Romanbiographie des 1848er-Revolutionärs Gustav Struve, legt er nun eine auf jahrzehntelanger Forschung beruhende Lebensgeschichte Rudolf Jherings vor. Für seine Arbeiten zu Jhering wurde Kunze 2016 mit der Brüder-Grimm-Medaille der Göttinger Akademie der Wissenschaften ausgezeichnet.

Read more here. 

REMINDER: CALL FOR BLOGGERS (m/f/x) [DEADLINE 31 MAR 2026]

 

Call for a Blogger (m/f/x)

European Society for Comparative Legal History (ESCLH)

The European Society for Comparative Legal History (ESCLH) invites expressions of interest for the position of blogger for its official blog.

We are seeking two colleagues willing to contribute actively to the intellectual visibility and digital outreach of the Society. The ESCLH blog aims to serve as a dynamic forum for scholarly exchange in the field of comparative legal history, broadly understood as the study of law in the past across different jurisdictions, cultures, and normative contexts.

Profile

The ideal candidate:

1. Is a researcher in legal history or a closely related discipline;
2. Is comfortable with digital communication, including familiarity with websites, academic blogging formats, and social media dissemination;
3. Has a demonstrable research focus on, or strong affinity with, comparative legal history, understood as historically grounded, context-sensitive analysis of law across jurisdictions or traditions;
4. Is committed to inclusive scholarly exchange, and welcomes engagement with diverse methodological, geographical, and intellectual perspectives.

We particularly encourage applications from scholars whose backgrounds and perspectives would contribute to further broadening and enriching the diversity of the current team.

Role and Responsibilities

The blogger / blog editor will:

• Contribute regular posts (e.g. publications, calls, conferences, vacancies);
• Help identify useful announcements;
• Support the blog’s visibility through appropriate digital channels (e.g; our BlueSky and LinkedIn-accounts);
• Strengthen the connection between the ESCLH blog and the journal
  Comparative Legal History (published by Routledge; indexed in Web of Science)
  
  

A central ambition of this role is to enhance the blog’s function as a bridge between ongoing research, the Society’s activities, and the journal Comparative Legal History. This requires modest but regular time investment.

Why Consider This Role?

This is an opportunity to:

• Contribute to shaping debates within comparative legal history;
• Increase the visibility of emerging and established scholarship;
• Build academic networks across jurisdictions and generations;
• Play a meaningful role in strengthening the Society’s digital presence.

We warmly encourage colleagues who may be hesitating to step forward. Expressions of interest from scholars at different career stages and from varied academic and geographical backgrounds are most welcome.

Practical Information

Interested candidates are invited to send:

• A short statement of motivation (max. 1 page);
• A brief CV;
• (Optionally) links to previous digital or editorial work.

Please send expressions of interest to esclhblog@gmail.com by 31 March 2026.

For informal inquiries about the role, do not hesitate to get in touch.

The position is not paid.

 

BOOK SERIES: Publications of the PHEDRA Network in the Collection "Études d'histoire du droit et des idées politiques" [OPEN ACCESS]

 

(image source: CTHDIP)

The publications emerging from the PHEDRA network in the peer reviewed series Études d'histoire du droit et des idées politiques (Toulouse) have been grouped in a single page:

• vol. 27, Pour une histoire européenne du droit des affaires : comparaisons méthodologiques et bilans historiographiques, sous la direction de Luisa Brunori, Olivier Descamps et Xavier Prévost, DOI 10.4000/books.putc.13884
• vol. 28, Les fondements historiques du droit européen des affaires, sous la direction d'Alexis Mages, DOI 10.4000/books.putc.15145
• vol. 33, La dynamique juridique des réseaux marchands : Hanses, nations, agences, filiales et comptoirs, ouvrage dirigé par Luisa Brunori, DOI 10.4000/122cs
• vol. 38, Des restrictions de concurrence à la libéralisation des marchés. Contribution à l’histoire européenne du droit des affaires, ouvrage dirigé par Olivier Serra
• vol. 39, Merchants, Arts, Luxury and Beauty, ouvrage dirigé par Luisa Brunori et Albrecht Cordes

Volumes in these series are published on openedition.org and thus available in open access, with a gentle delay.

SYMPOSIUM: "Connaître la responsabilité aquilienne. Un héritage indispensable au-delà du droit" (Liège: ULiège, 12-13 MAR 2026)

(image source: ULiège)

The university of Liège organised a two-day international symposium on the Lex Aquilia and its heritage on 12 and 13 March.

Program:

Jeudi 12 mars

• 14h30-15h00: Introduction par Marc BOURGEOIS, Doyen de la Faculté de droit, Science Politique et Criminologie
• 15h00-16h30: La responsabilité aquilienne dans l’Antiquité : origines et évolutions romaines - Aquilian Liability in Antiquity: Roman Origins and Developments
  • Discussant : Pascal PICHONNAZ (Université de Fribourg)
  • Communications :
    Jean-François GERKENS (Université de Liège)
    Sara GALEOTTI (Università Roma Tre)
• 16h30-17h00 : Pause-café
• 17h00-18h30: Au-delà de la responsabilité aquilienne - Beyond Aquilian Liability
  • Discussant : Jean-François GERKENS (Université de Liège)
  • Communications :
    Doris FORSTER (Université de Genève)
    Wouter DRUWÉ (KU Leuven)
    
    

Vendredi 13 mars

• 9h30-11h00: La responsabilité aquilienne entre héritage antique et défis modernes - Aquilian Liability Between Ancient Heritage and Modern Challenges
  • Discussant : Wolfgang ERNST (University of Oxford)
  • Communications :
    Maria Floriana CURSI (Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata)
    Valentina CVETKOVIC-DORDEVIC (Univerzitet u Beogradu)
    Olivier DESCAMPS (Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas)
• 11h00-11h30 : Pause-café
• 11h30-13h00: Entre antiquité et modernité : une évolution constante - Between Antiquity and Modernity: A Constant Evolution
  • Discussant : Wim DECOCK (Université catholique de Louvain et Université de Liège)
  • Communications :
    Wolfgang ERNST (University of Oxford)
    Wiktoria SARACYN (Uniwersytet Warszawski)
    Francesco Saverio TAVAGLIONE (Université de Liège) 

• 14h30-15h30: Les enjeux pratiques de la responsabilité aquilienne dans les ordres juridiques actuels - Practical Challenges of Aquilian Liability in Current Legal Systems
  • Discussant : Wouter DRUWÉ (KU Leuven)
  • Communications :
    Elisa SCHILS (Université de Liège)
    Céline JOISTEN (Université de Liège)
    Marie-Sophie BONDON (La Rochelle Université)
• 15h30 - 16h00: Pause-café
• 16h00-17h00: Les nouveaux défis de la responsabilité aquilienne : l’intelligence artificielle - The New Challenges of Aquilian Liability: Artificial Intelligence
  • Discussant : Boudewijn SIRKS (University of Oxford)
  • Communications :
    Pascal PICHONNAZ (Université de Fribourg)
    Ljupcho GROZDANOVSKI (Université de Liège
• 17h00: Conclusions

Read more here. 

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