The University of Queensland’s Law and the Future of War Research Group is calling for papers in advance of the International Peace and Security Interest Group workshop in May. Paper proposals are due 13 February 2022.
The workshop is organised jointly by The University of Queensland’s Law and the Future of War Research Group and the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law’s International Peace and Security Interest Group (ANZSIL IPSIG). The workshop will take place on Friday, 13 May 2022 at UQ’s St Lucia Campus in Brisbane.
Themes and Topics
Technology has become inextricably linked with national and global security. New developments in science and technology create new opportunities to protect national interests or to promote the global. At the same time, they give rise to new vulnerabilities and risks. Technological advances also raise many legal issues. These touch on all areas of international peace and security law, including international humanitarian law/the law of armed conflict, the law relating to the use of force, arms control law, peacekeeping law, human rights law, as well as international and transnational criminal law.
The 2022 edition of the IPSIG workshop seeks to facilitate a discussion between ANZSIL members and legal practitioners about their work pertaining to this broad theme. It will also allow them to come together, as is the IPSIG objective, to take stock of best practices in teaching and public engagement on international peace and security law issues.
We encourage, in particular, discussion of the following topics:
- New technologies in the global battlespace, such as military uses of unmanned and autonomous systems, cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, chemical and biological substances
- The use of new technologies outside of armed conflict in furtherance of national or global security and the applicable legal regimes and challenges, including questions about the notion of sovereignty in a digital age
- The use of technologies in the context of ‘grey zone activities’ aimed at destabilising adversary without triggering an armed conflict
- The use of new technologies in counterterrorism and surveillance
- The proliferation of military and security technologies, and regulatory responses, including export controls and sanctions
- The many roles of private actors in relation to new technologies
- The funding of military and national security technology
- New technologies and the international criminal trial, including the use of technology in the collection of evidence, the availability of cyber evidence, admissibility of evidence collected or created by technological means, and the judicial use of decision-support systems
- The regulatory framework of national and international cyber-security
These themes are indicative – we also encourage submissions of papers that questions related to the general theme. We welcome a discussion of the relevant legal issues from a variety of methodological and theoretical perspectives.
The workshop seeks to serve as a platform for exchange and reflection. Ideas do not need to be fully formed, but may be workshopped for mutual benefit during the course of the day.
How to submit
Proposals for papers are welcome and should consist of:
- A one-page abstract; and
- A one-page curriculum vitae.
Paper proposals should be submitted to future-war@uq.edu.au no later than 13 February 2022. The Organising Committee will endeavour to inform applicants of the outcome of their proposals within one week.
As is the IPSIG practice, draft papers will be circulated to allow for comment and discussion. Draft papers of between 2,000 and 4,000 words should be submitted by 13 April 2022 to allow for exchange with workshop participants ahead of the workshop.
Participants are encouraged to engage with one or two papers in particular, and bring their feedback to the workshop and/or in follow up with the presenter. Further details about the allocated discussants for each paper will be provided when the program is released.
For more information about the May workshop, visit the ANZSIL IPSIG Workshop event page.
