The protection of human rights is a continuous motif of national and international policy. However, there is no generally binding legal definition of what constitutes a Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Nevertheless, the protection of human rights serves as a justification for using military force in humanitarian interventions. Are R2P and humanitarian interventions concepts susceptible to abuse? When does R2P apply? And what is to be done if R2P fails?
The symposium “Responsibility to Protect and Humanitarian Interventions – Military Force in the Name of Human Rights?” explores the answers to these questions and offers a collegial exchange on the subject. It is hosted by ICWC of Philipps-University Marburg and the University of Cologne, and sponsored by VolkswagenStiftung.
A number of PRIF researchers participates in the symposium on Tuesday, November 7th: Hendrik Simon will hold a Keynote Speech about “Abuse of Humanitarian Intervention: Progress or Regress of International Law?”, followed by Thorsten Gromes presenting on “Germany's Foreign and Security Policy and the Practice of Humanitarian Intervention Today” and Regine Schwab joining Simon in presenting “Abuse of Humanitarian Intervention” as part of the World Café. Simone Wisotzki will present on “Gender in Armed Conflict” as part of the Negative and Positive Conferences.
When: 6-8 November 2023,
Where: Schloss Herrenhausen, Hanover
Information on the University Marburg webpage (in German)
Program (in English)
Program
Monday, 6 November 2023
9:30am-1:00pm
Welcome
- Lunch
1:00pm-2:30pm
Future and Challenges of Humanitarian Interventions
- Introduction (15 minutes) by Henning de Vries, Philipps-University Marburg
- Fish Bowl Discussion with Guest Position (60 minutes) with Kevin Jon Heller, University of Copenhagen/Center for Military Studies, Martin Mennecke, University of Southern Denmark, John-Mark Iyi, University of the Western Cape, and Guest Position
2:30pm-3:00pm
Coffee Break
3:00pm-6:00pm
Global Responsibility – Just a Construct?
- Keynote Lecture (45 minutes) with Discussion (20 minutes) by Director Savita Pawnday, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
- Break/Change of Room (15 minutes)
- 3 Discussion Groups (45 minutes)
- Universal Individual Responsibility in International Criminal Law by Stefanie Bock, Philipps-University Marburg, and Eckart Conze, Philipps-University Marburg
- Responsibility in Violent Conflicts through R2P and International Humanitarian Law by Henning de Vries, Philipps-University Marburg
- Responsibility through Human Rights by Andreas Heinemann-Grüder, Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies
- Change of Room (10 minutes)
- Presentation (15 minutes – 5 minutes per group)
- Debate in Plenum (30 minutes)
From 6:30pm
Dinner
Tuesday, 7 November 2023
9:00am-12:00
Concept and Practice of Humanitarian Intervention(s)
- Keynote Speeches (40 minutes – 10 minutes per topic)
- Practice of Humanitarian Intervention in the 19th Century by Fabian Klose, University of Cologne
- Germany's Foreign and Security Policy and the Practice of Humanitarian Intervention Today by Hubert Zimmermann, Philipps-University Marburg
- Conception of R2P and Humanitarian Intervention by Werner Distler, University of Groningen
- Abuse of Humanitarian Intervention by Hendrik Simon, PRIF
- World Café (60 minutes – 15 minutes per booth)
- Practice of Humanitarian Intervention in the 19th Century by Fabian Klose, University of Cologne, and Tatjana Tönsmeyer, Bergische University Wuppertal
- Germany's Foreign and Security Policy and the Practice of Humanitarian Intervention Today by Hubert Zimmermann, Philipps-University Marburg, and Thorsten Gromes, PRIF
- Conception of R2P and Humanitarian Intervention by Werner Distler, University of Groningen, and Alexander Reichwein, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen
- Abuse of Humanitarian Intervention by Hendrik Simon, PRIF, and Regine Schwab, PRIF
- Break (20 minutes – compilation of results by input providers)
- Presentation of Results (20 minutes)
- Discussion in Plenum (40 minutes)
12:00-1:00pm
Lunch
1:00pm-4:00pm
Whose Responsibility – Whose Protection?
- Keynote Lecture (15 minutes) with Discussion (15 minutes) by Noelle Quenivet, UWE Bristol
- Change of Room (10 minutes)
- Negative Conference (45 minutes) and Positive Conference (45 minutes) in Groups
- Responsibility to Protect in International Criminal Law by Stefanie Bock, Philipps-University Marburg
- Gender in Armed Conflict by Simone Wisotzki, PRIF, and Linn-Sophie Löber, Philipps-University Marburg
- Military and Gender by Major Friederike Hartung, Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the Bundeswehr, and Claudia Kemper, LWL Institute for Westphalian Regional History
- Break/Change of Room (15 minutes)
- Discussion of the Overall Picture (45 minutes)
From 4:00pm
Joint Activity and Dinner
Wednesday, 8 November 2023
9:30am-12:00
R2P and Humanitarian Intervention – Outdated Concepts?
- Keynote Lecture (30 minutes) with Discussion (15 minutes) by Rhiannon Neilsen, University of Stanford
- Break (10 minutes)
- Presentation of Mind Map (20 minutes) by Henning de Vries, Philipps-University Marburg
- Extension of Mind Map (60 minutes)
- Securing Results (10 minutes)
12:00-1:00pm
Joint Closing
1:00pm-2:00pm
Lunch