Writing and Publishing in the Law of the ECHR and Other International Human Rights Systems: Workshop for Early Career Researchers, University of Cologne (Hybrid, 11-12 February 2027)

The Academy for European Human Rights Protection at the University of Cologne and the University of Zurich have announced an open call for participants for their joint workshop, Writing and Publishing in the Law of the ECHR and Other International Human Rights Systems: A Workshop for Early Career Researchers.

Following two previous iterations in 2024 and 2025, the workshop seeks to provide a recurring forum for discussing the challenges involved in researching, writing and publishing on human rights today, and to expand the network of scholars working in this field. It brings together Early Career Researchers, senior academics, editors and practitioners, and combines reflections on the changing environment of human rights law with practical discussions on academic publishing.

According to the call, writing and publishing in European and international human rights law is taking place in an increasingly complex environment, shaped by populist challenges to human rights, political responses to migration, ongoing armed conflicts and the growing impacts of climate change. Early Career Researchers must navigate this changing landscape as well as evolving expectations around academic publishing and structural barriers related to career stage and access to academic networks. The call also notes that artificial intelligence is reshaping both the subjects of human rights scholarship and the ways research is conducted and disseminated.

Work discussed should relate to the broader theme of human rights; contributions drawing on different disciplinary, comparative or critical perspectives are welcome.

The organisers invite applications from Early Career Researchers (broadly understood) working in human rights and fundamental rights law, as well as in related disciplines including philosophy, history, political science, sociology and anthropology, whose research engages with the challenges currently facing the ECHR system and other international human rights systems.

In addition to academic merit, the Selection Committee will seek to ensure diversity and broad geographical representation among the selected participants.

Early Career Researchers attending in person in Cologne can present their ongoing research in small-group sessions and receive individualised feedback from experienced academics. This feedback opportunity is available only to participants attending in person; online participants can join the workshop but not the feedback sessions.

Combine everything into a single PDF file containing:

• A CV, including a list of publications if applicable (maximum 2 pages);
• An indication of whether you intend to participate in person or online;
• Optional: if you wish to receive feedback on a current project in the in-person small-group sessions, an abstract outlining the work to be discussed (for example a book project proposal, article, funding application or policy brief), maximum 500 words. The abstract may focus on a particular human rights system or take a comparative perspective, and may use any methodological approach.

Submitting an abstract is not compulsory and has no bearing on the selection process.

Participation in the workshop is free of charge. Participants attending in person in Cologne are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. To limit these costs, the workshop is planned to start at 2 pm on Thursday 11 February 2027 and end at 2 pm on Friday 12 February 2027 (local time). The workshop will be held in English.

Email your single-PDF application to Academy-humanrights-workshop@uni-koeln.de by 9 November 2026. Successful applicants will be notified by late November 2026. Questions about the workshop should be sent to the same address.

Professor Angelika Nußberger, Professor Helen Keller, Dr Júlia Miklasová, Franziska Michel and Matthias Hermes.