Call for Papers: Hosting Global Justice - The Netherlands as Host State of the ICJ and ICC (The Hague, 15 April 2027)

Leiden University will host a one-day conference, Hosting Global Justice: The Netherlands as Host State of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), in The Hague on 15 April 2027. The conference is organised by Otto Spijkers (Leiden University College) and Letizia Lo Giacco (Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies) and forms part of a KIEM-funded Leiden University research project of the same name running through 2026 and 2027.

The Hague is home to the ICJ, the ICC and numerous other international organisations. At a time when the ICC faces significant external political pressure and the ICJ has been at the centre of intense debate after recent high-profile decisions, the call turns attention to the conditions that let these courts work independently and effectively. As host state, the Netherlands provides diplomatic support, security, infrastructure and practical cooperation, while also handling the political and societal challenges that come with that role.

The conference asks:

• how the Netherlands fulfils its obligations towards the international courts it hosts;
• how this host-state role has developed over time; and
• how it may evolve in an increasingly contested geopolitical environment.

The organisers want dialogue between academia and the institutions that sustain the daily practice of international justice, and also welcome representatives of international courts and tribunals, the Municipality of The Hague, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other public bodies supporting the international legal ecosystem in the Netherlands.

Submissions are invited from scholars, practitioners and activists across disciplines and career stages, including international law, political science, history, sociology and international relations. The call places no nationality or jurisdiction restriction on applicants, so Indian researchers and practitioners may submit.

Co-authored submissions are welcome, provided that at least one author can attend and present in person in The Hague.

Send a single Word document (.doc or .docx) containing:

• Title of the paper
• Name(s) of the speaker(s), institutional affiliation(s) and contact email address
• Abstract of up to 500 words
• Short bio of each speaker, up to 200 words

Use the subject line Hosting Global Justice Conference - Abstract Submission.

Registration is free. Lunch and coffee are provided on the day, and speakers are invited to a conference dinner that evening.

The conference is held on site in The Hague only. Online participation is not possible. The organisers cannot fund travel or accommodation, so selected speakers must cover these costs themselves.

Selected papers will be considered for publication in a special journal issue. The organisers will announce the details later.

Email the abstract by 1 December 2026 to both o.spijkers@luc.leidenuniv.nl and l.lo.giacco@law.leidenuniv.nl. The organisers will inform submitters of their decision within two weeks of the deadline.

Questions about the conference or submissions go to Otto Spijkers at o.spijkers@luc.leidenuniv.nl.