Teaching International Human Rights Law – in times of Normative Contestation
The teaching of international human rights law is undergoing profound transformation. Armed conflicts, political polarization, technological change and new forms of geopolitical competition increasingly shape the contexts in which human rights are interpreted, contested and taught.
This conference brings together leading scholars from Europe, Israel and beyond to reflect on the challenges and responsibilities of teaching human rights today. It explores how human rights law can be taught in times marked by normative uncertainty, institutional pressure and competing political narratives.
Particular attention is given to the intersections between human rights law, international criminal law, humanitarian law and transitional justice, as well as to questions of academic freedom, digital transformation and minority protection.
The event will be held in hybrid format and is open to participants worldwide.
Monday, 8 June 2026
09:00 | AULA
Opening Remarks
Peter Hilpold & Ivo Hajnal – University of Innsbruck
Panel I Teaching Human Rights, Criminal Law and Transnational Justice
09:30 | AULA | Chair: Peter Hilpold, University of Innsbruck
Ruti Teitel, Ernst C Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law, New York Law School and Affiliated Faculty New York University MAIR
“Teaching Transitional Justice in an Era of Urgent Need for Responsibility and Reconciliation.”
Gerry Simpson, London School of Economics
“Teaching and Thinking Crimes Against Humanity.”
11:00 | AULA | Chair: Ivo Hajnal, University of Innsbruck
Ziv Bohrer, Bar-Ilan University
“Teaching International Criminal Law in a Time of [Armed] Conflict.”
Shelly Aviv Yeini, Reichman University
“Teaching Humanitarian Law – To Students Affected by War.”
12:30 | Uni Lounge | Lunch Break
Panel II Methods and Contexts of Human Rights Teaching
14:30 | AULA | Chair: Peter Hilpold, University of Innsbruck
Lucas Lixinski, UNSW Sidney & Ayla do Vale Alves, Adelaide University
“Can the Teacher’s Tools Dismantle the Teacher’s House? Balancing Emancipation and Imperialism in English-Language Human Rights Textbooks.”
Sana Khan, University of Karachi Pakistan
“Teaching international Human Rights Law in Islamic countries: Methods, Aims, further Prospects.”
Christina Binder, Universität der Bundeswehr, München
“Universities as human rights agents.”
Tuesday, 9 June 2026
Panel III Teaching Human Rights in Times of Normative Contestation
09:00 | AULA | Chair: Giuseppe Nesi, University of Trento
Marco Pertile, University of Trento
“Axiological Neutrality and Teaching Human Rights: Revisiting Max Weber in the Age of Normative Contestation.”
Antonino Alì, University of Trento
“Teaching International Law in Times of Bulk Data Collection: Challenges for Human Rights Education.”
10:30 | Uni Lounge | Coffee Break
11:00 | AULA | Chair: Peter Hilpold, University of Innsbruck
Jan Wouters, KU Leuven
“Teaching about the EU and Human Rights.”
12:00 | Uni Lounge | Lunch Break
Panel IV Defending Academic Freedom
13:30 | AULA | Chair: Vera Dietl, University of Innsbruck
Gerd Oberleitner, University of Graz
“International Law as Performance: the Power and Pitfalls of Experiential Human Rights Learning.”
Dirk Rupnow, University of Innsbruck
Mordechai Kremnitzer, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
“Populism and Academic Freedom.”
15:30 | Uni Lounge | Coffee Break
16:00 | AULA | Chair: Peter Hilpold, University of Innsbruck
Giulio Bartolini, University of Roma 3
“Academic Freedom: The Role of the International Law Teacher.”
Matthias Kettemann, University of Innsbruck
“Academic Freedom and AI”
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Panel V Teaching International Minority Rights
14:30 | AULA | Chair: Stefania Baroncelli, University of Bolzano / Roberta Medda-Windischer
Jennifer-Jackson Preece, London School of Economics
Petra Roter, University of Ljubljana
Jens Woelk, Mattia Zeba & Andrea Carlà, Eurac, Bozen-Bolzano
Panel VI Closing Roundtable
16:00 | AULA | Chair: Peter Hilpold, University of Innsbruck
17:30 | Uni Lounge | Coffee Break
Special Evening Lecture
18:00 | HS3 | Chair: Ivo Hajnal, University of Innsbruck
Ziv Bohrer, Bar-Ilan University
“The centuries-long [pre-1945] forgotten history of International Criminal Law.”