‘Türkiye and International Law: History, Present and Future’

Date: 14 December Thursday

Koç University, İstanbul

Call for Papers

International law’s encounters with Türkiye and Türkiye’s encounters with international law have a long-standing and rich history. Ranging from the Ottoman Empire’s history of treaty engagement with the Concert of Europe states to the Treaty of Lausanne that underpins the international legal personality of the Turkish Republic, and from arguably one of the most cited cases of the Permanent Court of International Justice, Lotus/Bozkurt, to the development of the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights through Turkish cases, Türkiye is ever present in international law. Yet, scholarship that takes a comprehensive look at international law’s encounter with Türkiye and Türkiye’s encounter with international law is underdeveloped. This workshop aims to contribute to a better understanding of Türkiye’s engagement with international law by asking the ‘Türkiye’ question in international law. How has Türkiye contributed to international law and how has international law shaped Türkiye’s encounters with international relations, law and legal reasoning? Is there a Turkish approach to international law and if so, what are the core features and markers of such an approach?

With this dual research question in mind, Center for Global Public Law of Koç University invites submissions from international law, international history, international relations and domestic law scholars assessing the two-way relationship between Türkiye and international law. We therefore encourage paper proposals to address at least one of two interrelated themes below:

A) Turkish approaches to international law: Turkish perspectives on the history, theory, sources, doctrine, branches and teaching of international law (in scholarship, domestic judicial pronouncements and political discourse).

B) Türkiye’s role in shaping international law: Türkiye’s contribution to international custom, treaties and doctrine.

We encourage papers to look beyond specific cases and instead offer theoretical accounts and aggregate perspectives. The workshop also welcomes submissions that focus on a particular historic period of engagement, including engagement during the Ottoman Empire with international law, or papers that focus on a particular branch or field of international law, for example, Türkiye’s engagement with international law of the sea, international trade law, international human rights law, international law of state responsibility, or international law on the use of force. The workshop invites papers to develop theoretical takes on the relationship between Türkiye and international law. It also encourages inter-disciplinary approaches.

Application Process

We invite submissions of paper abstracts of 500 words alongside a one page brief CV in one single document. The selection process will be based on the relevance of the proposal to the theme of the workshop as outlined above and its scholarly merit. The language of the workshop will be Turkish and English. Please indicate your language preference with respect to delivery.

Applications should be submitted by 1 November 2017 to kuremer@ku.edu.tr.

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the selection process by 15 November 2017. Outline of papers are due by 10 December 2017.

Center for Global Public Law will be able to cover one night accomodation in Istanbul, economy air fare for those that do not receive support from their own institutions.

All paper givers are invited to the official workshop dinnner on 14 December 2017, Thursday.