Conference of the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI) 2024 Human Rights in a Polarized World – Realizing Human Rights in the Green and Just Transition 13-14 September 2024 Lund, Sweden Co-organized by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), and the Faculty of Law of Lund University (LU), together with the Lund University’s profile area on ‘Human Rights in a Polarised World’ Call for Papers The Annual Conference of the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI) in 2024 will focus on "Human Rights in a Polarized World - Realizing Human Rights in the Green and Just Transition.

"The conference will take place in Lund, Sweden, from September 13-14, 2024, and will be jointly organized between the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), the Faculty of Law of Lund University (LU), together with the Lund University’s profile area on Human Rights, and the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI). 

The aim of the conference is to bring together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, civil society, and business representatives to discuss the challenges and opportunities of realizing human rights in a world that is increasingly polarized while aiming towards a green and just transition. Human rights are facing unprecedented challenges in a polarized world, where tensions and divisions create significant barriers to their realization. 

Against this backdrop, the 2024 Annual Conference of the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI) will focus on the central theme of "Human Rights in a Polarized World - Realizing Human Rights in the Green and Just Transition". The conference will explore the pressing challenges of realizing human rights in a world marked by increasing polarization, where social, economic, political, and environmental transitions are occurring at an unprecedented pace. Ensuring a transition towards a green and just society is particularly relevant in this context. 

The conference will investigate how the transition to a more sustainable and equitable society can be achieved through the protection of human rights. The day before the start of the main Conference on September 12, 2024, th ere will be a doctoral workshop for selected doctoral candidates who have submitted a paper proposal and manifested their interest in participating in this formative academic activity. 

The AHRI Conference 2024 is designed as a hybrid event, allowing participants to engage either in person or remotely. At the moment of registration participants will have to choose the modality of their participation. Remote attendees will join the different sessions via a virtual meeting platform, such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSIONS:
We invite anyone interested in the Conference theme to submit proposals for papers or panel discussions related to the realization of human rights in today's polarized world for consideration within one of the following four different tracks: - Track 1: Climate change, environmental transition, and human rights - Track 2: Conflicts, polarization, and human rights - Track 3: Social inclusion, equality, and human rights - Track 4: Re-imagining human rights in a polarized world We welcome proposals for papers and panel discussions engaging human rights scholarship in conversation with all disciplines and methodologies relevant for the social, economic, political, and environmental transitions we are witnessing. We will also consider proposals not directly linked to the conference theme if they are deemed relevant. 

Proposals for papers submitted by doctoral candidates may be considered for both the main conference and the doctoral workshop, which will be held on September 12, 2024, the day before the start of the main conference.

Conference tracks and sub-themes: Participants are welcome to develop and submit proposals for papers or panel discussions focusing on the following sub-themes:

Track 1: Climate change, environmental transition, and human rights 1. Climate change and human rights: focusing on the impacts of climate change on human rights, including the right to life, health, food, water, and sanitation. How can human rights provide a framework for addressing the impacts of climate change? How can we ensure that climate policies and actions respect human rights? 2. Human rights and the green and just transition: exploring the relationship between human rights and the transition to a greener and more just world. How can human rights guide this transition? How can the green and just transition promote human rights, contribute to eradicate poverty and reduce exclusion in a polarized world? How can we ensure that the transition is inclusive and equitable, and does not leave anyone behind? 3. Human rights and environmental protection: investigating implications and interdependencies that environmental protection generates on the enjoyment of human rights, and the way potential conflicts of interests should be managed in order to achieve a fair balance in a democratic society. 4. The role of business in a polarized world: investigating the role of business and human rights in the transition towards a green and just society, exploring the challenges and opportunities presented by business activities within this context of transition, not least in terms of the responsibility to respect human rights. 

Track 2: Peace, conflicts, polarization, and human rights 5. Human rights and political polarization: considering the impact of political polarization on human rights, exploring the challenges to democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights in a divided world. 6. People on the move in a polarized world: addressing the challenges posed by polarization to refugees and migrants, exploring the impact of polarization on human rights of refugees and migrants, including asylum rights and protection against discrimination. 7. Armed conflict and human rights in a polarized world: investigating the implications of armed conflict involving grave crimes, including terrorism, for human rights in a polarized world, exploring the challenges of protecting the right to life, the right to freedom from torture and inhumane treatment, the right to a fair trial and the right to remedies in a context of insecurity and violence. 8. Achieving peace in a polarized world: revindicating international law, human rights and humanitarian law as a tool for promoting peace and achieving a just resolution of conflicts, and reparations for victims of gross human rights violations.

Track 3: Social inclusion, equality, and human rights 9. Gender equality and human rights in a polarized world: focusing on the challenges of gender equality and gender identities in a polarized world, exploring the intersectionality of gender, sexuality, and human rights, including the challenges of discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ individuals. 10. Cultural diversity and polarization: Addressing the challenges of equality, social inclusion, and human rights for vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and migrants in culturally diverse and polarized societies. 11. Indigenous peoples and the green and just transition: focusing on the role of indigenous peoples in the green and just transition, and the challenges and opportunities they face. How to reach a fair balance between developing green energies, achieving sustainable development, protecting nature and supporting indigenous peoples’ traditional practices and way of life? How can indigenous peoples' rights and knowledge contribute to the transition?

Track 4: Re-imagining human rights in a polarized world 12. Re-thinking human rights in a polarized world: addressing the theoretical and conceptual challenges that the current polarizations pose for universal human rights and the existing human rights frameworks. Do we need to re-think or re-imagine human rights theories and (legal) frameworks to understand and address the polarizations on display in so many different contexts as they engage multiple fields of knowledge? 13. Re-interpreting human rights in polarized world: unpacking the new developments in international human rights law regarding the way in which human rights could be interpreted or applied by judicial or quasi-judicial authorities, such as human rights commissions, at national, regional and international levels. 14. Technology and human rights: focusing on the benefits and challenges of new technologies on human rights in a polarized world, examining the implications of digital and biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and automation for human rights. 15. Re-designing human rights cities: exploring innovative strategies for reshaping cities, focusing on community and technological integration, on policy innovation to transform cities into effective champions of human rights for all. Through these discussions, we aim to provide valuable insights into the ongoing dialogue about re-imagining human rights at the local level, in our cities and neighbourhoods. Through this comprehensive exploration of the challenges of realizing human rights in a polarized world, the conference will provide a platform for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange ideas and identify practical solutions for promoting, protecting and reclaiming human rights in the polarized contexts of the multiple transitions we are facing today.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
Proposals for papers and panel discussions, with a minimum length of 300 and maximum length of 500 words, should be submitted to the following email: ahri.lund.2024@gmail.com

When submitting proposals for papers or panel discussions, participants must include the following information: - Proposed title of paper or panel discussion. - Abstract (300-500 words). - The conference track and sub-theme for which the proposal should be considered. - Names and affiliations of the author(s). - Contact details, including email address and phone number. - A short bio (maximum 200 words). - Modality of participation (in person - remote). In addition, doctoral candidates need to specify whether they would like their papers to be considered for the doctoral workshop, scheduled for the day before the main conference, or for the main conference.

Successful applicants are required to submit a full paper of 4,000-8,000 words no later than August 21, 2024. They are expected to present their papers in person or online during one of the conference sessions scheduled for September 13-14, 2024, with presentations lasting 10-15 minutes.

IMPORTANT DATES
The AHRI conference will be held on Friday 13 th and Saturday 14 th September 2024 - The doctoral workshop will be held on Thursday 12 th September 2024 - Deadline for submission of full papers: 21 August 2024 - Registration for the conference opens: 15 April 2024 - Notification of abstract / panel discussions selection: 15 April 2024 - Deadline abstract / panel discussions submission: 15 March 2024 - Submission of abstracts / panel discussions proposals opens: 15 January 2024 VENUE The AHRI Conference 2024 is hybrid, both the conference and the preceding doctoral workshop will be hosted on the premises of Lund University (LU) and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI), in Lund, Sweden. Additional information regarding the venues, along with the conference's agenda, will be provided on the conference webpage at a later date.

CONFERENCE WEBSITE
The AHRI Conference 2024 website, which includes information on conference registration, fees, availability of potential grants, venues, agenda, accommodation, and any additional details, can be found at: https://rwi.lu.se/ahri-conference-2024/ ORGANIZERS The AHRI Conference 2024 is organised by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), the Faculty of Law of Lund University (LU), together with the Lund University’s profile area on Human Rights, and the Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI). The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) is a research and academic institution that works to promote and advance human rights through knowledge. Since 1984, RWI’s mission is to promote universal respect for human rights and humanitarian law by means of carrying out multidisciplinary human rights research, providing academic education, support, and advice. RWI combines evidence-based human rights research with direct engagement in close collaboration with our partners to bring about human rights change for all, with offices and programmes in different parts of the world covering more than 40 countries worldwide.

The Faculty of Law of Lund University (LU) is one of Lund University's four original faculties. Over 350 years, it has developed knowledge – through research, education and engagement with wider society - within jurisprudence which finds applications in all parts of society. Its law degree programme is one of the country’s most popular degree programmes and its links to research provide its students with a critical and evaluating approach to law in a wide perspective. It also provides graduate and doctoral education. For more than thirty years, it has offered international master’s programmes on international human rights law, in collaboration with the RWI. The Lund University’s profile area on Human Rights is one out of five profile areas at Lund University that will consolidate and develop Lund University’s standing as a unique hub for cross-disciplinary human rights research and education. The field of Human Rights addresses challenges related to growing inequality gaps between rich and poor, refugee and migration movements, health, the climate crisis, conflicts, and new technologies. By bringing together several research disciplines, the profile area can promote human rights as effective tools for justice, while simultaneously strengthening democratic ideals that are today threatened by authoritarianism, violence, and inequality.

The Association of Human Rights Institutes (AHRI) is a network of over 80 (and growing) member institutes that carries out research and educational activities in the field of human rights. The member institutes are from over 30 different countries spanning all continents. AHRI’s objective is to bring together human rights researchers from across the disciplines, to facilitate the exchange of ideas and collaboration, and to promote research, education and discussion in the field of human rights. AHRI is supportive of PhD researchers and the facilitation of exchange between the different member institutes.

Enquiries Call for Papers:

Dr Alejandro Fuentes: alejandro.fuentes@rwi.lu.se
Conference Participation: Zoi Savvidou: zoi.savvidou@rwi.lu.se

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