Open Letters and Statements
Völkerrechtsblog publishes Open Letters and Statements by individual scholars, groups of academics, academic communities and associations or academic institutions. The blog does not claim “neutrality” or “impartiality” in hosting such contributions. They must align with the mission of the blog as outlined on our website. Specifically, “Völkerrechtsblog was established (…) with the idea to use the possibilities and spaces of the internet to foster scholarly discussion and exchange about international law. (…) One of the core aims of Völkerrechtsblog is therefore to contribute to opening up and diversifying the discourse in international legal scholarship.”
In pursuing its mission, the blog welcomes the submission of Open Letters and Statements that purport to inter alia: highlight controversies specific to German and European academia, considering the blog’s roots in German academia; draw attention to or initiate important debates, in particular about academic freedom and integrity; raise concern about authoritarian push-backs against academia and the attempts at academic silencing globally; underline academic concerns regarding the disregard of international law and of the rule of law; and give space and visibility in particular to initiatives defending academic freedom and integrity and to marginalised groups and voices. In publishing Open Letters and Statements we aim to generate visibility for those debates and create an opportunity for exchange. The Open Letters and Statements are not subject to peer review. We do not publish Open Letters and Statements that that do not serve the mission of the blog, or contain elements such as ad hominem attacks, hate speech, abusive or defamatory language, misinformation, or factual misrepresentation.
The decision on whether a submitted Open Letter or Statement meets the above requirements is made collectively by the Editorial Team.
Good Academic Practice
Völkerrechtsblog is committed to good academic practice. By submitting an Open Letter or Statement to Völkerrechtsblog, (the) author(s) commit(s) to complying with applicable law and good academic practice as laid down in the DFG “Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice”.
No Automatic Endorsement of Content by the Blog’s Editors, Scientific Advisory Board, Partners and Funders
The views reflected in the Open Letter or Statement are not necessarily endorsed by the blog’s Editorial Team, Scientific Advisory Board, Partners, and Funders. Although the Open Letters and Statements that the Editorial Team decides to publish reflect the mission of Völkerrechtsblog in a broader sense, they should not be read as reflecting the opinion of every individual Editor or person or institution supporting the blog. Instead, individual support of the blog’s editors or partners may be expressed/refused individually through their decision to sign or to not sign the Open Letter or Statement at issue.
Call for Engagement with Open Letters and Statements Published on the Blog
The blog welcomes engagement with Open Letters and Statements to further serve its mission and to ensure that, through the publication of Open Letters and Statements, the blog does not contribute to cutting debates short, but rather aids in enhancing conversations that could give rise to fruitful solutions. These may take the form of comments in the comment section of the published Open Letter or Statement or blog posts engaging (also critically) with the arguments put forward in it. Contributions that take the form of a regular article will be subject to the blog’s standard peer review and editing process.
To promote such meaningful academic exchange and to better advance its mission, the blog may, if the Editorial Team deems it necessary, take additional action. This includes putting links to a specific Open Letter or Statement in the blue announcement box on the front page and/or giving the opportunity to the persons or institutions that are being addressed in the published Open Letter or Statement at issue to respond thereto via a corresponding contribution on the blog.