On the 8-9 September, the Glasgow Centre for International Law and Security (GCILS) hosted the Sixth Scottish Conference on International law at the University of Glasgow, on the topic of ‘The International Court of Justice at 80’. Over this two-day event, leading scholars, judges and practitioners, from around the world came together to discuss the ICJ’s evolving role, influence and the challenges it faces today.
The event featured six panels, introductions from Professor James Devaney, Professor Christian J. Tams, a keynote speech from Alison Macdonald (KC), and a fireside chat with Patrick Wintour, diplomatic editor at the Guardian. Discussions ranged from the ICJ’s complex relationships with powerful states to fresh insights on judicial avoidance, regional dynamics and the court’s diverse caseload.
Panels also explored courtroom dynamics, including the study of courtroom dialogue and questioning, the use of art in legal argumentation, the role of dissenting and individual opinions, and the right to be heard in international proceedings. The conference also looked ahead to challenges in evidence and knowledge governance, exploring how Artificial Intelligence, satellite imagery and social media statements can and are changing legal practices.
A highlight of the conference was the fireside chat delivered by Patrick Wintour (diplomatic editor for The Guardian), who offered reflections on the political significance of the ICJ in a turbulent international environment, whilst providing a unique media perspective on the Court’s public profile and the broader implications for global governance.
Day two dove into strategic litigation and procedural issues, with presentations covering the Court’s ongoing procedural struggles with CERD’s requirements amid multi-forum racial discrimination disputes, the issue of abuse of process before advisory proceedings, and the increasing judicialisation of geopolitical conflicts within the UN system. The conferences’ fifth panel explored the ICJ’s engagement with the concept of time, temporality and historical interpretation in its decisions.
The final panel, composed of Judge Joanna Korner (ICC), Sir Michael Wood KC, Naomi Hart and Ben Brzezicki (FCDO), confronted the complex intersection of the ICJ and the law of genocide, questioning the importation of criminal law standards into the Court’s civil jurisdiction.
The conference wrapped up with reflections from GCILS academics, who underscored the ICJ’s enduring significance and evolving role as a central institution of international law, governance and diplomacy over its 80 year history.
You can watch the full conference on the GCILS YouTube channel here
The programme and abstracts of the conference speakers’ research can be found here