Bridging Perspectives: Human Rights Dialogues between Russia and Europe

Voor wie: Studenten , Medewerkers
Wanneer: 03-09-2024 tot 10-10-2024
Waar: Gent
Voertaal: Engels
Door wie: Iana Ovsiannikova
Contact: iana.ovsiannikova@ugent.be

The Future of Human Rights in Russia and the challenges of European fundamental rights. Online Summer School on Human Rights 2024.

Online Summer School on Human Rights 2024
Ghent University – University of Galway
in collaboration with the Elena Bonner School of Human Rights

Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian civic space has shrunk with the final shutdown of independent media and NGOs. This evolution has affected the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, who now have no legal guarantees to be protected from the authorities’ abuse of power. Although Russia is far from adopting a democratic trajectory, it is crucial to assess the current state of human rights in the country and to explore the avenues it can take when the war ends.

On the other hand, The European Union, having passed through the history of wars and conflicts, has transformed into the Union founded on the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. In this regard, the EU has valuable insights to offer. However, the EU itself is facing a number of challenges starting from the climate change which has repercussions on human rights to backsliding of democracies. In the end, the question is whether the European Union has as many powers as obligations to forge the observance of human rights? Those questions are intertwined into what can be an interesting comparative perspective of two human rights systems.

With this approach in mind, Ghent University together with the University of Galway and in collaboration with the Elena Bonner School of Human Rights are launching a Summer School on Human Rights.

This Summer School will welcome both Russian and European students and invite them to delve into human rights issues from two perspectives. First, the School will present the outlook at the deteriorating state of affairs of human rights in Russia with its root causes and repercussions. Second, as for the European perspective, the summer school will provide an opportunity to examine the human rights construction in the European Union, zooming at climate change, migration, democracy and human rights nexuses. The program will also encompass a historical analysis of the transition to democracy and the restoration of human rights safeguards in some European countries.

This summer school offers a unique opportunity for European and Russian students to exchange views on critical human rights issues. In the current context, where institutional contacts with Russian universities and students are limited, this summer school will provide a valuable space for such interactions.

Programme

Cluster 1: Human Rights in Russia: New Heights of Repressions

Lecture 1: Modern Russia: a Reversal from Human Rights to Traditional Values
Lecture 2: Prosecution of Russia’s War of Aggression against Ukraine and the Limits of International Law
Lecture 3: Gender and LGBTQIA+ rights in Russia: Any Room for Legal Protection?
Lecture 4: Human Rights and Russian Society (Sociological Explorations)
Lecture 5: Russia’s Other War: the Fight over Freedom of Expression

Cluster 2: Human Rights from the European perspective: a beacon of hope?

Lecture 1: Human Rights in Europe and its Institutions: Between Powers and Obligations
Lecture 2: Human Rights Restoration in Europe: Retrospective from Post-Dictatorship Spain and Portugal
Lecture 3: The Nexus between Democracy, Human Rights and Peace
Lecture 4: Climate Change and Human Rights
Lecture 5: Human Rights Aspects of International Migration Flows to Europe

In the course of the School, the participants will conduct research and present a project on a specific dimension of one of the topics discussed during the School or a comparative perspective of human rights in Europe and Russia.

The speakers will be confirmed soon.

Registration:

In order to apply for the School, please submit an application form via this registration form. All applicants must submit their CV (max. 2 pages) and motivation letter (max. 1 page) explaining the motivation to take part in the School and your background in human rights.