Writing and Publishing in the Law of the ECHR and Other International Human Rights Systems: A Workshop for Early Career Researchers
The Academy for European Human Rights Protection at the University of Cologne organised the workshop “Writing and Publishing in the Law of the ECHR and Other International Human Rights Systems: A Workshop for Early Career Researchers”, which took place in Cologne on 15 and 16 December 2025.
This event marked the second edition of a workshop first held in February 2024 (for further information, please see here) and continued the fruitful exchange initiated on that occasion. While the first edition focused primarily on the European Convention on Human Rights, the 2025 workshop broadened its scope to include other international and regional human rights systems.
Human rights education and scholarship have become more important than ever at a time when a global rise in human rights violations and a growing disengagement from established human rights protection systems can be observed. Against this background, the workshop aimed to create a space for rigorous, critical, and forward-looking engagement on European and international human rights law, while cultivating a sense of community and fostering valuable exchange among early career researchers.
The programme comprised five panels with highly experienced and distinguished researchers and practitioners, whose contributions provided valuable insights into both academic and practical dimensions of human rights law. These panels were complemented by an interactive small-group session in which participants received feedback on ongoing projects. The workshop brought together 50 early-career researchers, who participated in person in Cologne, as well as more than 60 additional participants who joined online, creating a dynamic and lively atmosphere of exchange and discussion.
Panel 1. Comparative Perspectives from other International Human Rights Systems
- Elena Abrusci, Senior Lecturer in Law, Brunel University of London
- Patricia Palacios Zuloaga, Lecturer in International Human Rights Law, University of Essex
- Flávia Oliveira Ribeiro, Doctoral Researcher, Academy for European Human Rights Protection, University of Cologne
- Alexandre Skander Galand, Assistant Professor, Maastricht University
- Joseph Finnerty, Assistant Professor, Leiden University (Moderator)
Focusing on regional and international human rights systems such as the Inter-American Human Rights System and the UN human rights treaty bodies, the first panel underscored the importance of comparative analyses. Engaging with other regional systems was presented as a way to widen perspectives, highlight diverse approaches, and critically reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of one’s own system. A key emphasis was placed on the need to take into account the political and social contexts in which different human rights systems emerged, particularly with regard to the historical moments of their establishment. The speakers stressed in this context that analyses of other regional systems should avoid a Eurocentric perspective and instead seek to understand these systems on their own terms.
The panel also discussed the influential role of the UN treaty bodies, noting that their interpretations have, in several instances, become widely accepted norms and have been adopted by other human rights systems. It was argued that the non-binding nature of the treaty bodies’ decisions has enabled them to push interpretative boundaries and to develop more flexible and progressive readings of human rights obligations.
Panel 2. Writing in the Field of the ECHR: CriticalPerspectives
- Corina Heri, Assistant Professor, Tilburg University
- Işıl Aral, Assistant Professor, Koç University
- Jens T. Theilen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Helmut Schmidt University
- Vandita Khanna, Postdoctoral Researcher, Academy for European Human Rights Protection, University of Cologne (Moderator)
The second panel explored the meaning and value of critical approaches to European human rights law. Given the heterogeneity of critical perspectives, the speakers broadly identified differences between doctrinal and critical approaches. Whereas doctrinal approaches work inwards, critique looks outwards and situates law within power relations and hierarchies. According to the speakers, critical scholarship often goes beyond a critique of an individual case and instead looks deeper at the narratives behind it, reflecting on what gets framed as a problem at the Court and the Council of Europe and how, what assumptions underlie such framings and what may be the implications of such framings and silences. The discussion also allowed us to acknowledge challenges that might be associated with doing critical work and to consider diverse views on whether critique needs to be (re)constructive in all circumstances.
Panel 3. Publishing on the ECHR and other Systems: Perspectives from Editors
- Kirsty Hughes, Associate Professor, University of Cambridge
- Sarah Nouwen, Professor, University of Cambridge
- Cathérine Van de Graaf, Postdoctoral Researcher, Ghent University and Academy for European Human Rights Protection, University of Cologne
- Kushtrim Istrefi, Associate Professor, Utrecht University
- Nikos Vogiatzis, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Essex (Moderator)
The third panel focused on how early-career researchers can approach publishing their first papers on the ECHR and other human rights systems, offering insights and advice from journal and weblog editors. A central theme was the importance of precision, rigour, and careful attention to detail, alongside the value of informal enquiries to assess the suitability of a submission. In this context, the speakers also strongly encouraged informal peer review by trusted colleagues and supervisors prior to formal submission. The discussants also addressed the growing role of AI in academic writing, offering guidance on its responsible use in blog posts and scholarly papers. They emphasised the importance of transparency as well as the author’s ultimate responsibility in this regard. Additionally, the panel highlighted the importance of acknowledging existing scholarship in the field rather than overstating one’s own contribution.
Finally, the panellists shared best practices to ensure diversity in the selection of peer reviewers, fellow editors, and authors. They shared their efforts in ensuring that early career researchers, different genders, regions and scholars from outside Europe are more represented in academic scholarship.
Panel 4. Publishing Strategies for ECRs working in aCrowded Field: Quest for Originality
- Carla Ferstman, Professor, University of Essex
- Patricia Popelier, Professor, University of Antwerp
- Vladislava Stoyanova, Associate Professor, Lund University
- Reza Khabook, Doctoral Researcher, Academy for European Human Rights Protection, University of Cologne (Moderator)
The fourth panel of the workshop centred on publishing strategies for early-career researchers (ECRs) working in a crowded field and the quest for originality. The speakers highlighted that establishing a distinct scholarly profile in a highly competitive field requires a combination of strategic planning, portfolio diversification, and intellectual authenticity.
The panel emphasised the importance of cultivating a recognisable academic voice by developing a varied publication portfolio, and encouraged early career researchers to engage with different formats, such as case notes and blog posts, as well as national and international publications. At the same time, the speakers stressed the importance of quality over quantity, urging participants to manage their time strategically and prioritise well-developed, carefully executed work. As for the challenge of originality, the panel advocated a more organic approach, advising early career researchers not to become paralysed by the search for novelty. In their view, originality emerges from genuine intellectual curiosity and from bringing one’s own perspective and interpretation to a subject.
Panel 5. Bringing Research to the Attention of Judges andMembers of International Human Rights Systems
- Ledi Bianku, former Judge, European Court of Human Rights
- Georges Ravarani, former Judge, European Court of Human Rights
- Angelika Nußberger, Director, Academy for European Human Rights Protection, University of Cologne; former Judge, European Court of Human Rights
- Franziska Michel, Doctoral Researcher, Academy for European Human Rights Protection, University of Cologne (Moderator)
The fifth panel examined how academic research can be brought to the attention of judges and members of international human rights systems. The speakers noted that academic research can influence the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, primarily by drawing attention to potential incompatibilities with international law or offering new interpretative perspectives, rather than by proposing specific outcomes. According to the speakers, this reflects the nature of the judicial function, which requires restraint and respect for the integrity of the legal system, even where judges may at times find themselves torn between idealism and realism.
The speakers further emphasised that judges have a distinct responsibility to uphold the Convention and promote human rights, without advancing personal agendas or engaging in party politics. While judges do meet to reflect collectively on broader legal issues unrelated to individual cases, and while scholarly work informs these discussions, their engagement with academic literature necessarily remains selective due to significant time constraints. Finally, the panel underlined that the Court’s case law must provide national judges with clear, practical, and effective guidance for the application of the Convention.