Join the Centre for Fundamental Rights with the Doctoral Programme in Governance! We are accepting applications for a PhD scholarship to explore complex dynamics between competing values as part of the COLLISIONS project, supervised by Prof. Violeta Moreno-Lax. 📝 Apply by 31.1.2026 👇

How does shrinking #civicspace affect the work of #civilsociety in WANA? How do CSOs adapt to #shrinkingspace & what support do they need to increase their resilience? These questions have been on my mind for a while, therefore I suggested an explorative study to @boell.de which is out now:

At @hertieschool.bsky.social Forum, for our Henrik Enderlein Fellowship Lecture and it is packed.

Join us today at the Hertie School for the Henrik Enderlein Fellowship lecture and discussion. This year's highlight features John Morijn passing the fellowship to Marija Golubeva. ◾ Register here: bit.ly/468Tmyw

✅ We're back! Yesterday, we kicked off the Academic Year 25/26 with a public discussion on "The State of International Law in the 21st Century". The Hertie School welcomed 431 students from 54 countries, including exchange and dual-degree students, along with 18 new PhD researchers.

Our keynote speaker at the AFAR Conference Opening Session, Dr Matt Mahmoudi, has advised @amnesty.org on AI and Human Rights and is an Assistant Professor in Digital Humanities at @cambridge.org. Don't miss his presentation on 18 September. Register via the link in the comments.

Violeta Moreno-Lax, Wübben Foundation Professor of International Law and the new Director of the Centre, will deliver the inaugural address at the opening of the 2025/26 academic year at Hertie School, tomorrow! 👇Don't forget to register via the link in the comments.

We're delighted to announce that Violeta Moreno-Lax has joined the Hertie School as Professor of International Law and the Director of the @hertiecfr.bsky.social. Professor Moreno-Lax will focus on value conflicts and will take part in a panel at the Opening of the Academic Year on 10 September.

On 19 Sept, the Centre for Fundamental Rights hosts the final conference of its 4-year #AFAR project. Researchers and stakeholders will share key findings on algorithmic fairness in asylum governance. By invitation-only – press access on request!

🚨 The Final #AFAR Conference is coming up! Register now and join us for the opening keynote by Dr. Matt Mahmoudi, exploring how algorithms and digital infrastructures function as new borders 📆 Thursday, 18.09

Today at 7 pm! Prof Violeta Moreno-Lax delivers the Opening Keynote at the Vienna Centre for Migration & Law inaugural conference 🎤 The Future of EU Migration and Asylum Policy: Strategic (De)personification and Selective Rightlessness. 📍 Halle U10, Faculty of Law 💻 Zoom: [email protected]

Now, on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Algorithmic Fairness in Asylum Seekers and Refugees Project in spotlight. @volkswagenstiftung.de

Back for the second day of Centre’s Research Methods in Fundamental Rights Workshop with Prof Mikael Madsen with a hands-on training on using interviews to study legal processes. @civica.bsky.social @hertieschool.bsky.social

This morning, we kicked off the 2025 edition of Research Methods in Fundamental Rights Workshop with Violeta Moreno-Lax, Visiting Professor at the Hertie School, delivering the welcome words. @hertieschool.bsky.social @civica.bsky.social

Two years after joining our panel on Search and rescue in the Mediterranean Sea, Sasha Ockenden shares testimonies from 64 survivors rescued by Humanity 1, exposing the deadly effects of the EU's migration policies, in a new report for @sos-humanity.bsky.social 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/yc52zmxz

"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿, 𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿?" @silviasteininger.bsky.social unpacks in a timely post @verfassungsblog.de, how nine member states are challenging the ECtHR's migration and asylum standards. 🔗https://tinyurl.com/2s3yppj9

The fourth year the University is collaborating with @hertiecfr.bsky.social & second time for me! This year, we focussed on the implementation of Basu v Germany (racial profiling)

Join this 1-day conference in Oxford on climate remedies in human rights law, part of the VW-funded project Framing Reality & Normativity in European Human Rights Law, hosted at the Centre for Fundamental Rights. Register to participate online: https://tinyurl.com/5xrhf4w8

If you're in Madrid on 2 June, don't miss the public keynote on migrant solidarities (16–18h), part of a workshop co-hosted by the Centre for Fundamental Rights & co-convened by Prof Violeta Moreno-Lax. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/4wspup34

Yesterday, researchers from the project "Deep Impact through Soft Jurisprudence?" funded by @dfg.de held a seminar at the UN in Geneva with the Petitions Unit at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, sharing findings on how to make treaty body case law clearer and more accessible.

Centre researchers joined the 2nd AjV Colloquium at the Hertie School with contributions from #AFAR's Dr Mirko Đuković, Anastasiia Zhuravel & alum Joseph Finnerty. Topics ranged from cyber-attacks to reproductive rights to treaty interpretation. @ajv-ayils.bsky.social

Are you attending the ‪@cpdpconferences.bsky.social conference today? We are the organisers of this year's 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘭! The discussion will be grounded in the #𝗔𝗙𝗔𝗥 project. 𝟭𝟳.𝟮𝟬 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲! https://tinyurl.com/42ffau5n

Former HRW Director @kennethroth.bsky.social joined us @hertieschool.bsky.social for a timely conversation on the state of human rights, co-hosted with Bard College Berlin. With insights from Kaleck @ecchr.bsky.social, Sandmann & Makichyan. Read our event highlight here: https://tinyurl.com/mcymfpa

Another full house today for a discussion with @kennethroth.bsky.social , joined by @ecchr.bsky.social's Wolfgang Kaleck, activist Arshak Makichyan & Katrin Sandmann of Kobalt Documentary.

The stage is set for a powerful evening on the state of human rights with @kennethroth.bsky.social, joined by @ecchr.bsky.social's Wolfgang Kaleck, activist Arshak Makichyan & Katrin Sandmann of Kobalt Documentary. Friday, 7 PM @hertieschool.bsky.social Register: https://tinyurl.com/3x4p4x7w

📣 Happening tomorrow! Happy to support the panel discussion on how frontline activists support people on the move across land, sea & air. W/ #kabulluftbrücke, @sea-watch.org & Project Elpida. Organised by the Resist and Act Collective & moderated by Violeta Moreno-Lax. https://tinyurl.com/2w4pybkk

Have you saved your spot yet? Kenneth Roth, former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, joins us this Friday, 7pm @hertieschool.bsky.social to discuss global state of human rights in the world today. Co-hosted with @bardcollege.bsky.social Register here: https://tinyurl.com/3x4p4x7w

Can cosmopolitanism survive the anti-liberal turn? Join us 13 May, 6–8 pm @hertieschool.bsky.social for a talk by Detlef von Daniels on rethinking cosmopolitanism in an age of crisis. No registration needed. Just come, hear, and discuss. 📍 Room 2.32, Hertie School (on-site)

On 16 May, join us for a conversation with Ken Roth, former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, on the 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀. Roth led HRW for nearly three decades, tackling urgent human rights issues worldwide. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/3x4p4x7w

This week, we had one and only @lyskulamadayil.bsky.social in my Human Rights & Global Governance class. Lys shared valuable insights into the role of special sapporteurs within the UN system, the mandate of the SP on the Right to Food, and the recent report on starvation. @hertiecfr.bsky.social

Protecting the Digital Rights of Asylum Seekers and Refugees Organised by @hertiecfr.bsky.social with @profccostello.bsky.social (moderator), @francescapalmiotto.bsky.social, @deryaozkul.bsky.social, Joanna Parkin, Eleftherios Chelioudakis More information: cpdp.be/2851 #CPDP.ai #CPDP2025 #asylum

Ready for the last session of our #AFAR Colloquium this Spring semester? Churchill Fellow Katie Schwarzmann will discuss 'Automated Recommendation-Making Tools in Immigration Systems' in the aptly-titled 'The Computer Says So' Register here: https://tinyurl.com/28jnzrbj

It was a privilege to speak at the 🇵🇱 EU presidency event on the role of civil society in protecting the rule of law I talked about “scholactivism” You can 👀 a recording here: www.youtube.com/live/SSp7icB... (as of 6h56m36s) @rechten050.bsky.social @hertiecfr.bsky.social @verfassungsblog.de

On European human rights, frames, and critique. @jtheilen.bsky.social and I had a very insightful conversation with Daniela Rau from Völkerrechtsblog about studying European human rights, authoritarianism, climate change, and migration through the lenses of critique and framing.

I had a fantastic week at @eui-eu.bsky.social thanks to generous funding from @civica.bsky.social 🇮🇹📚☕ thanks to the team @hertieschool.bsky.social for giving me the opportunity to explain what a "faculty short visit" entails & how CIVICA supports our research methods workshop @hertiecfr.bsky.social

Join us at 12:00pm today for the next session of our Spring Colloquium! We're excited to welcome not one but two #AFAR researchers: PI @profccostello.bsky.social and @francescapalmiotto.bsky.social 🔗 Register: https://tinyurl.com/48etxh95

What drives public views of fairness in asylum decisions? New paper by #AFAR researchers Dr Lenka Dražanová & Prof Martin Ruhs shows how moral foundations, like care, loyalty, and authority, shape opinions in 🇩🇪 & 🇮🇹. Read it here 👉 https://hdl.handle.net/1814/78296

Over 100 NGOs have used Prof Violeta Moreno-Lax's study to challenge the EU's migrant smuggling reforms. The study, conducted for the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), warns the reforms could criminalise migrants & human rights defenders. More here: https://tinyurl.com/y47wwuwz

Next up! Not one but two #AFAR researchers are joining our next Spring Colloquium session on 23 April! Hear from PI @profccostello.bsky.social and @francescapalmiotto.bsky.social on "Theories of Procedural Fairness and their Implications for Automation." Register here: https://tinyurl.com/48etxh95

Did you miss our 'Defending Human Rights' keynote discussion last Wednesday? Check out our Event Highlight this weekend to learn the key points discussed during a compelling and honest exchange about the necessity and challenges of defending human rights today. 🔗https://tinyurl.com/29a6tdab

Our Postdoctoral Researcher @silviasteininger.bsky.social will be at EUI from 10–17 April, present a working paper on the Inter-American Human Rights System and chair a session on academic blogging at the EUI Seminar on Publishing. Don't miss the chance to engage with her! @eui.eu.bsky.social

Last week, Wiebke Judith of @proasyl.de joined our Human Rights & Global Governance class to discuss asylum politics today. It was an eye-opening session on the challenges facing asylum work and how the far right and conservatives have advanced anti-migrant agendas. @hertiecfr.bsky.social

Grateful to @hertiecfr.bsky.social in Berlin for hosting this week a thought-provoking keynote discussion on the challenges faced by human rights defenders. The situation may be bleak, but there are more people now working for human rights than ever before, and therein lies the hope.

Full house @hertieschool.bsky.social at the Centre's 'Defending Human Rights' keynote discussion. with @marylawlorhrds.bsky.social @ecchr.bsky.social @carlahinrichs.bsky.social @deonhumanrights.bsky.social

Join us at our 'Keynote discussion: Defending human rights' tomorrow! We will welcome a stellar lineup of speakers who will explore growing challenges faced by human rights defenders globally, including in Western democracies. More info here: https://tinyurl.com/4kfn946j

The Centre's Visiting Professor Violeta Moreno-Lax will be lecturing at the prestigious European University Institute Summer School in Florence in June. You can read the full programme here and apply by 4 April: https://tinyurl.com/3dudfxzw @eui-law.bsky.social

Join us this Wednesday at 3:30 pm as Aziz Huq, Professor of Law, University of Chicago delves into 'The Geopolitics of Digital Regulation' in the 3rd session of the AFAR Colloquium. Register here: https://lnkd.in/d996tbZY

Have you already signed up for our 'Keynote discussion: Defending human rights' event? We will welcome a stellar lineup of speakers who will explore growing challenges faced by human rights defenders globally, including in Western democracies. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/4kfn946j

Publication Alert: 14 years after the Arab Spring, democratic transitions in West Asia & North Africa remain elusive & authoritarianism is on the rise. My article @qantarade.bsky.social explores why civil society is key to change & why Germany & Europe must step up their support for CSOs in WANA.

Great insights from #AFAR PI Prof. Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen on 'Data-driven Approaches to Intl Refugee Law'. Next up: Prof Aziz Huq (UChicago) on 'The Geopolitics of Digital Regulation' on March 27 3:30 pm CET. 🔗 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/2u3e7684