[Call for papers] Early career conference on humanitarian disarmament
Published 15 April 2025
Photo by MikeDotta
The Asser Institute has announced its ‘Early career conference on humanitarian disarmament' to be held July 10-11, 2025 in The Hague. Doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers are invited to submit 250-word abstracts on the topic of ‘humanitarian disarmament’, which seeks to establish and implement legal norms that prevent and remediate harm to people and the environment rather than states. The deadline for abstracts is May 5, 2025, with full papers (1,500 words) due by June 16.
Background
The early career conference comes at a critical moment, following the March 2025 announcements that Poland, the Baltic States and Finland intend to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention, while Lithuania has already withdrawn from the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
These withdrawals, prompted by security concerns along NATO's eastern front, send a strategic message to Russia but raise alarms about potential cascading effects on humanitarian disarmament treaties worldwide.
The conference will explore how humanitarian disarmament has transformed international arms control since the 1990s by focusing on preventing harm to people and the environment rather than states.
Nine early career researchers will be selected to present papers across three panels, with expert discussants providing feedback. Selected presenters will receive a bursary for travel expenses.
Read the full call.
About the Early career conference
The Asser Institute Early Career Conference Series provides doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers with the opportunity to present their research on selected topics of international arms control law and receive feedback from experts and peers. The Conference Series additionally provides early career researchers with the opportunity to build networks within their field. The format aims to strengthen academic networks within the Netherlands and Europe's arms control community.
For submission details, please contact researcher Thea Coventry at t.coventry@asser.nl.
