The Research Forum, a flagship event of the European Society of International Law (ESIL), whose Secretariat is based at the EUI’s Academy of European Law, provides a prestigious platform for early-career scholars to engage with cutting-edge research and receive feedback from senior experts in the field. With only 25-30 papers selected for the Forum, from over 110 paper submissions, the event fosters in-depth discussions on pressing international law challenges.
This year’s theme, 'International Law in the Age of Permacrisis’, tackled the growing complexity of legal responses to a world in constant crisis. Participants discussed how international law is evolving in response to a series of overlapping and accelerating global challenges, including climate change, the erosion of global governance, economic instability, and technological disruption.
The EUI made a strong contribution, with six law researchers and alumni presenting their work and papers on a diverse range of topics:
Nina Bries Silva – 'Criminal Responsibility for Environmental Crimes or Disharmonies to Mother Earth: Between Opportunities and Confrontations in the Age of Permacrisis’;
Antoine De Spiegeleir – 'The Lawyer Who Cried Wolf: Catastrophic Framing in an Age of Permacrisis';
Livia Hinz – 'Facing the Twin Challenges of Debt Sustainability and Climate Change: The Role of Multilateral Development Banks';
Alexandros Lymperopoulos – 'Risk: A Necessary Tool for International Trade Law in Times of Uncertainty?';
Helga Molbæk-Steensig – 'Artificial Intelligence in Adjudication as a Creature of the Permacrisis';
Niklas Sebastian Reetz – 'Balancing Cooperation and Confrontation in the Climate Crisis'.
These contributions reflected the depth and interdisciplinarity of EUI research, addressing international trade, environmental law, global governance, financial stability, and the role of artificial intelligence in legal decision-making. Through rigorous analysis and thought-provoking perspectives, EUI scholars engaged in lively debates, exploring how international law can adapt, transform, and maintain legitimacy in an era of ongoing global crises.
The ESIL Research Forum once again proved to be a vital space for scholarly exchange, bringing together some of the most promising legal minds to interrogate the future of international law.
For more details about the ESIL Research Forum, visit the forum website.
Looking ahead, the ESIL community looks forward to two major upcoming events:
The 2025 ESIL Annual Conference in Berlin (11-13 September 2025) – 'Reconstructing International Law';
The 2026 ESIL Research Forum in Krakow (9-10 April 2026) – 'Sustainable International Law. Reconciling Stability and Change'.
These events represent key platforms for scholarly debate, and EUI researchers are encouraged to participate.
For further information about ESIL, please visit the official website and consider joining the ESIL network.
In the picture, from left to right: Antoine De Spiegeleir, Helga Molbæk-Steensig, Niklas Sebastian Reetz, Livia Hinz, Nina Bries Silva, and Alexandros Lymperopoulos.