Tuesday 8 September 2015

Workshop on ECHR in Tampere Finland

On October 22 and 23, the University of Tampere in Finland is organising a workshop on the European Court of Human Rights for doctoral students. The University would like to invite ten to fifteen doctoral students from different universities. The workshop is intended for students who are doing their research on the European Court's case-law. Doctoral students at different stages of their dissertation process are invited to share their experiences and discuss the specific questions typical to the ECHR-related research. There are prominent Finnish and foreign ECtHR scholars that are hosting the workshop sessions and sharing their good practices.

The workshop is organized by the Research Group of Public Law in co-operation with the Doctoral Network on Realizing Human Rights. For additional information please contact Jukka Viljanen, University of Tampere, e-mail: jukka.viljanen at uta.fi . Please note: the deadline for registration is 11th September 2015

To register fill in the form here and send your abstract proposal related to the session themes to Heta Heiskanen (heta.heiskanen at uta.fi). Participants will be chosen based on their motivation and abstract proposal in the event that the number of registrations exceeds fifteen people.

This is the draft programme:

Day 1 Thursday 22 October

14.15-16.30 Opening lectures*
”Reconciliation between Human Rights and Development Policy”
Dr. Nina Nordström, Director, Unit for Human Rights Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs 
“Why the United Kingdom is so Uncomfortable with Strasbourg?”
Dr. Ed Bates, University of Leicester, author of the book ”Evolution of the European Convention on Human Rights” 
“Linking European Consensus and International Human Rights Law”
Dr. Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou, University of Liverpool, author of the book “European Consensus and the Legitimacy of the European Court of Human Rights” 

* These lectures are arranged in co-operation with the Course of Fighting against human rights violations and social injustices

17.00-18.00 ECtHR Poster Café: participants are invited to provide posters introducing their research and its relation to the European Court of Human Rights to other participants.

19.00-21 Dinner. Informal gathering with some food and drinks to meet the participants

Day 2: Friday 23 October Doctoral Workshop 9.15-16.30

9.15-9.45 Key note presentation
“Some observations on the ECtHR and development of its doctrines: Interpretation in light of the object and purpose of the Convention” 
Dr. Matti Pellonpää, Former Judge of the ECtHR, Justice at the Supreme Administrative Court 

9.45-16.30 Workshop meetings with doctoral students and senior staff.

All participants are to present a 1000-1500 word presentation related to topics in one of the sessions. There are also prepared presentations on good practices from those who have done their dissertations.

9.45-11.30 Session I: “Living instrument” (Facilitators Ed Bates & Jukka Viljanen)
How the changes in a society should be reflected in the research on European Court of Human Rights? How the Brighton Declaration can be seen? Disguised or concealed change of interpretation?

11.30-12.15 Lunch Break

12.15-13.45 Session II: “Emerging consensus” (Facilitators Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou & Pauli Rautiainen)
What kind of different approaches there is within the ECtHR research? What is the role of academics in developing the doctrines? How should we understand key concepts e.g. margin of appreciation?

Coffee Break

14.15-15.30 Session III: “Effective and practical” (Facilitators Matti Pellonpää & Jukka Viljanen) 
What kind of practical and concrete issues should be acknowledged within ECtHR research? (Case selection etc.)
15.30-16.30 Final session. Summary discussion: What have we learned?