Boğaziçi University International Law Conference
Justice and Reconstruction in Post-Conflict Societies
5–6 July 2025
Boğaziçi University
Albert Long Hall
Conference Theme: “Justice and Reconstruction in Post-Conflict Societies”
Purpose of the Conference:
BILC 2025 aims to evaluate the impact of international law on justice and reconstruction processes in post-conflict societies. The conference seeks to discuss the contributions and limitations of existing structures of international law to justice and sustainable peace, focusing on case studies such as Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Palestine.
Conference Topics:
Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the conference will cover a variety of topics, including but not limited to:
• Security and Order: Processes of establishing security and restoring social order in post-conflict societies.
• Refugees, Return, and Rebuilding: The return of refugees, their relations with host countries, and challenges of reintegration.
• The Contentious Terrain of Constitution-Making: Constitution-making processes in societies with deep societal divisions and the challenges faced.
• International Economic Law (IEL) and Post-Conflict Recovery: Economic reconstruction, the role of international investment, and trade regimes in post-conflict societies.
• Whither Sanctions: Recovery or Isolation? The impact of sanctions on recovery and isolation in post-conflict societies.
• International Courts and Post-Conflict Justice: While international courts play a significant role in ensuring justice and supporting stability, their effectiveness can be limited by geopolitical influences, lack of enforcement, and selective application. Western-centric models often exclude local approaches. This theme discusses how institutions like international and regional courts and hybrid tribunals shape post-conflict accountability and explore alternative legal pathways.
• The Ecology of War and Peace: Addressing environmental destruction and ensuring environmental justice after conflict.
• Maritime Rights and Reconstruction: Sovereignty and boundary disputes in the context of maritime law.
• Civil Society, Regional Organizations, and Reconstruction: Although post-conflict reconstruction is often led by states or international actors, non-state actors such as civil society play a crucial and sometimes contested role in justice, governance, and economic recovery.
The conference aims to bring together academics, legal professionals, and human rights defenders to rethink the role of international law in post-conflict justice and reconstruction and to develop alternative approaches.
Abstract Submission Guidelines:
Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and must be submitted in English through the conference website. Selection criteria include originality and relevance to the conference theme.
Submission Method: Abstracts must be submitted online via the Abstract Submission page on the official conference website.
Participation Fee and Financial Support:
Participation in the conference is free of charge. Limited financial support is available for travel and accommodation for selected papers.
Conference Organizers: WOLAS, BILC
Important Dates:
• Deadline for Absract Submission: 27 April 2025
• Annoucement of Accepted Papers: 10 May 2025
• Full Paper Submission (2000 words): 10 June 2025
• The Conference Date: 5–6 July 2025
• Submission of Journal Articles: 10 October 2025
Tentative Date for the Publications of Articles: 31 June 2026
Organising Committee:
• Dr. Hasan Basri BÜLBÜL
• Dr. Ömer Erkut BULUT
• Dr. M. Beheşti AYDOĞAN
• Dr. Mustafa Metin BAŞBAY
• Dr. Ayşe Didem SEZGİN
• Hüseyin DİŞLİ
• Bayram Veli YUVALI
• Kerem Baha APUHAN
• Muhammed BARDAKCI
• Cengizhan ÖZDEMİR
Scientific Committee:
• Prof. Ali Emrah BOZBAYINDIR
• Prof. Berdal ARAL
• Prof. Mohsen AL ATTAR
• Prof. Satvinder JUSS
• Dr. Deniz TEKİN APAYDIN
• Dr. Hasan Basri BÜLBÜL
• Dr. Ömer Erkut BULUT
• Dr. M. Beheşti AYDOĞAN
• Dr. Ayşe Didem SEZGİN
• Hüseyin DİŞLİ
Conference Venue:
The conference will be held in person at Albert Long Hall on the South Campus of Boğaziçi University.
Confirmed Speakers:
• Richard Falk
• Mohsen al Attar
• Satvinder Juss
• Carsten Stahn
• Patrick Dumberry
• Mutaz Qafisheh
• Bahia Mardini
• Babatunde Fagbayibo
• Ali Wardak
• Selver Şahin
• Yaser Tabbara
• Deniz Tekin Apaydın
• Jens Iverson
• Zahra Albarazi
• Illia Chernohorenko
• Niccolò Ridi
• Sara L. Ochs
• Mukhtar Hajizada
• Illia Chernohorenko
• Zahra Albarazi
• Haian Dukhan
• Zeynep Erhan Bulut
• Naziye Dirikgil
• Nasir Qadri
• Leon Seidl
• Kennedy Owor
• Jonas Sindani
Full Programme:
The programme will be announced by the end of May 2025.
Registration Form
For detailed information and registration, please visit the official website: bilc.bogazici.edu.tr
