Call for Abstracts | European Yearbook on Human Rights 2025
Call for Papers: A Tripartite Anniversary – Reflecting on 75 Years of the European Convention on Human Rights, 50 Years of the Helsinki Final Act, and 75 Years of the Schuman Declaration
The European Yearbook on Human Rights (EYHR) invites submissions for a special issue dedicated to the interconnected legacies of three pivotal moments in European history: the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration. This special issue aims to explore the profound and lasting impact of these foundational documents on the development of human rights, security, and European integration, while also critically examining the current challenges they face. The anniversaries offer a unique opportunity to reflect on the achievements, shortcomings, and future prospects of these cornerstones of the European project and human rights protection in Europe.
We encourage submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
The ECHR at 75: We welcome articles analyzing the ECHR’s evolution, its successes and failures in protecting human rights across Europe, and its ongoing adaptation to contemporary challenges such as
- The impact of the expanding jurisdiction of the Court.
- The effectiveness of the ECHR in addressing systemic human rights violations and its potential regarding challenges such as climate change and the protection of vulnerable groups
- The relationship between the ECHR and national legal systems and its future in an increasingly fragmented Europe
- The potential and limits of strategic litigation and the challenge to secure the execution of judgements of the ECtHR
The Helsinki Final Act at 50: This section seeks contributions examining the legacy of the Helsinki Final Act and its influence on the development of human rights and security in Europe, including:
- The impact and relevance of the ‘Basket III’ provisions on civil society and human rights
- The current role of the OSCE in the security and human rights architecture in Europe and the way forward
- The OSCE’s response to contemporary challenges such as hybrid warfare and disinformation
- The relationship and cooperation between the OSCE and the EU in promoting human rights
The Schuman Declaration at 75: This section encourages submissions exploring the current state and challenges to the EU fundamental rights system, including:
- The effectiveness of EU mechanisms for enforcing fundamental rights in the context of migration and asylum.
- Data protection and human rights in the digital age and the potential of the EU AI Act
- The impact of the rule of law crisis on human rights protection in EU member states
- Environmental rights and their intersection with other fundamental rights in EU law
- The effectiveness of EU anti-discrimination law in addressing intersectional discrimination
- The role of the EU in ensuring human and fundamental rights protection through instruments such as the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act
Comparative Perspectives and Intersections: We particularly welcome submissions that explore the intersection and comparative aspects of the ECHR, the Helsinki Final Act, and the EU fundamental rights system. How have the three institutions and their instruments interacted and influenced one another over time? What are the synergies and tensions between them?
Submission Guidelines:
- Articles should be original, unpublished work and written in English and approximately 5,000-10,000 words in length, excluding footnotes.
- Please submit your abstract (maximum 500 words) and a short CV by 20 November 2024 to lisa.heschl@uni-graz.at; notifications of acceptance will be sent within 10 days.
- The deadline for the final submission of full papers is 28 February 2025.
The Yearbook is edited by Philip Czech (Austrian Institute for Human Rights, University of Salzburg), Lisa Heschl and Gerd Oberleitner (both European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, University of Graz), Karin Lukas (Department of Legal Studies, Central European University), Manfred Nowak (Global Campus of Human Rights) and Hannes Tretter (Vienna Forum for Democracy and Human Rights). It is published by Brill and all contributions are subject to a double-blind review process ensuring the highest academic standards.
The EYHR editorial board looks forward to receiving your contributions to this important and timely special issue. We believe this initiative will provide valuable insights into the evolution of human rights and security in Europe and beyond.