Tbilisi, Georgia

Global Conflict, Security and Human Rights: International Law Perspectives

The summer school will consider the particular situation that Eastern European countries have found themselves in after the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Located strategically between Russia (the main successor of the Soviet Union) and Western and Middle European states (mostly members of the EU), Eastern European countries are caught in a split as to where their political, military, economic and cultural future lies. With Western European states aiming for eastward expansion of the area of freedom, security and justice, many a Middle or Eastern European country has joined, or wishes to join, the NATO military alliance or the European Union. This extension of political, military and economic Western influence has left Russia bereft of its former powerhouse dominance in the region.

Already before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this created strong tensions with respect to the linguistic and cultural minorities in states asserting their (new-found) independence. The status and protection to be afforded minorities under international law and European human rights law turned out to be contentious. Strong Russian influence in neighbouring regions caused minorities to look beyond potential autonomy towards secession and independence. Putting influence into action, some of the regions concerned govern themselves with Russian political, military and financial support. Our summer school will consider the extent to which international law and European human rights law may help in solving the problems of regional conflict, security and human rights in Eastern Europe.

The summer school is jointly organised by the Faculty of Law of the University of Groningen, the Faculty of Law of Tbilisi State University, and the Georgian American University, and will be held in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Course leader

Dr. A.J.J. de Hoogh (University of Groningen, Faculty of Law)
Dr. A.G. Hallo de Wolf (University of Groningen, Faculty of Law)
Dr. S. Pipia (Georgian American University, Faculty of Law)

Target group

This summer school is designed for those with a legal background. It is intended for students with an advanced undergraduate or graduate level and practitioners with a background in law, human rights, or international relations. Participants should have passed at least a Bachelor course in international law. Undergraduate students, graduate students, Postgraduate students (PhD students, Post Docs), researchers and other external stakeholders are welcome to apply.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.

Course aim

After this course you will be able to:

1. Identify and explain the relevant norms and principles of international law that may be applicable to the regional conflicts in Eastern Europe;
2. Compare and contrast the various legal positions adopted by the actors that are involved in the conflicts in the region;
3. Appraise and evaluate the factual developments in the region against the applicable international legal standards;
4. Formulate and develop your own understanding as to how international law and human rights law may help to solve the problems in the region.

Fee info

EUR 350: Participation fee for BA and MA students ( €100 discount available for students from non-OECD countries)
EUR 500: Fee for PhD students (€100 discount available for students from non-OECD countries)