This conference is motivated by the plight of people fleeing conflict, attempting to reach Europe, and more specifically, the UK. How does the UK government govern (globally) for refugees and how should it govern for refugees? We invite engagement from theoretical, legal and empirical research into refugee journeys to the UK. From the plight of people affected by conflict, to refugee camps, perilous water crossings, the Jungle, UK Border Force and the process of seeking asylum on arrival in the UK (including UK detention centres). This conference will establish an evidence base to help practitioners and to highlight issues specific to the UK government in the current ‘crisis’. We welcome papers from academic and practitioner colleagues in law and related disciplines that consider how law helps or hinders the journey of refugees and the protections that they are offered at key points of transition. We welcome academics at all stages of their career, including PhD candidates and Early Career Researchers.

Keynote Speaker
Professor Satvinder Juss (King’s College London): Refugee Law in an Age of violent revolutions

“What is the role of refugee law in the world today? Should violent revolutionaries from blood-soaked struggles in the Middle East be excluded from refugee status even when they are at risk? Are they terrorists? If so, what does that mean for the purposes of refugee law? What role does international criminal law (“ICL”) play in the development of international refugee law (“IRL”)? Should the two regimes be kept separate because they serve separate purposes? Or, should ICL be used only to complement refugee law? Through a discussion of the latest case-law, this essay analyses the arrival of new terms in refugee law, such as “individual responsibility” , “individually responsible for the crime”, “otherwise participate in the commission of crimes” for the purposes of ‘crimes against humanity’ and determining acts ‘contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations’ which already appear in refugee law.”

Call for Papers

All interested scholars and practitioners are invited to submit a paper to the conference on one of the following topics:

• The UK’s obligations under UK and International Law towards people fleeing conflict and at points of transition between countries or legal orders.
• The legal rules on the provision of humanitarian protection and assistance to people on the move and at points of transition.
• Humanitarianism v. the State: Migration as an issue of national security or human security.
• Law as a solution or as a cause of emergency migration, refugee flows and internal displacement.
• Analysis of the practicalities of the journey.
• Any other related area that a presenter feels fits within the discussion will be considered.

This conference is being organised jointly by the University of Lincoln and Birmingham City University. It will be hosted by the University of Lincoln on 10th April 2017. Abstracts and enquiries of no more than 300 words should be sent to me, Dr Christy Shucksmith (introductory IntLawGrrls post here) (cshucksmith@lincoln.ac.uk) or Dr Scarlett McArdle (scarlett.mcardle@bcu.ac.uk) by Monday 20th February 2017.