Welcome to the latest interview of the Völkerrechtsblog’s symposium ‘The Person behind the Academic’! With us we have Prof. Philippa Webb, and through the following questions, we will try to get a glimpse of her interests, sources of inspiration and habits.
Welcome Prof. Webb and thank you very much for accepting our invitation!
May I first ask what it was that brought you to academia and what made you stay?
Every family has their stories that are repeated over the years at birthdays and other gatherings. One of our Webb family stories is that when I was 2 years old, the nursery teacher asked the class what they wanted to do when they grew up. The usual answers – become a fireman, a doctor, a ballerina. I said “I want to get a PhD”. I did not know what a PhD was. But I knew that was what my Dad said he was working on when I asked him what he was doing. And I wanted to do the same. He obtained a PhD in hydrology so I did not quite follow in his footsteps, but it was enough inspiration to carry me through many years of study in Australia, Japan and the United States. I have stayed in academia because of the freedom to research and write on what interests me, the opportunities for collaboration with interesting people and projects, and the constant learning from colleagues and students.
If you were not an academic or legal practitioner, what would you be?
I would be a jewellery designer (inspired by my dear friend, Jaqueline Barbosa, who has designed the “Pip Cuff” named after me), but sadly my aspiration is not matched by any creative talent!
What are three texts that you would wish all academics working on international law would read?
Rosalyn Higgins, Problems and Process: International Law and How We Use It – for its clarity of thought, fully-developed worldview and continuing influence over our field by a legendary scholar, barrister and Judge.
Brower, Donoghue, Murphy, Payne and Shirlow (eds), By Peaceful Means – Essays in Honour of David D. Caron – for the wide range of chapters tackling contemporary problems and its reflection of the multitudes contained in David D. Caron.
The Economist Style Guide – because we all need to communicate more crisply.
What is your favourite place to read and write? What is always near you when you read and write?
To work – at my desk in the beautiful, curving building of the Blavatnik School of Government. To read – under an ancient tree or on a beach. A properly made espresso macchiato is always a good aid to concentration.
What do you enjoy more, being an academic or being a practitioner?
To me, they are intertwined and each reinforces the other. I feel so lucky to be in a jurisdiction and a culture where being an academic-practitioner is possible. I can test ideas in the courtroom that originated in the library or the classroom, and I can share with my students the insights gained from practice, and their questions and comment in turn sharpen those insights. The Bar of England & Wales is also home to many deep thinkers who are reflecting on issues far beyond their current case. I would like to help bridge the worlds of academic and practice even more in the years to come.
What advice would you give to yourself at the early stages of your career?
The rules of 150% and 70%. Every impression is a first impression, so put in 150% every time. But apply for positions, promotions, opportunities when you think you are 70% qualified. I took a while to learn the second rule.
If you could, which unspoken rule of academia would you instantly erase?
Not just in academia, but more generally, I think the Tall Poppy syndrome should be erased. I’ve witnessed it hold back too many brilliant women from sharing their successes with others.
Ideally, whom would you want to find waiting for a meeting with you outside your office next Monday?
The Attorney-General of Tuvalu, Laingane Italeli Talia, so we could start brainstorming the next steps for turning the various international court advisory opinions on climate change into climate justice for her State.
What are you working on currently? What may we anticipate in the near future?
I’ve been thinking about how technology, in particular Artificial Intelligence, can unlock opportunities to increase access to justice at an exponential rate. At the moment, lawyers, tech experts and policy-makers tend to operate in silos. Imagine if we could pool expertise and coordinate efforts to harness AI to advance justice for victims of human rights abuses around the world? You can anticipate that I will be a part of various projects on “tech for justice” in the coming years.
Thank you very much, Prof. Webb, for participating in our symposium and for having taken the time to respond to our questions!
