The Warfare of Tomorrow
The Minerva Center for the Rule of Law under Extreme Conditions (RLEC) at the University of Haifa, Faculty of Law and the Geography and Environmental Studies Department, invite submissions for participation in the fifth young researchers workshop on “Terrorism and Belligerency”. The workshop will be held at the Minerva Center, University of Haifa.
Subject-Matter of Workshop
Albert Einstein is often quoted as having said: “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” Indeed, the nature of wars and armed conflicts have changed dramatically throughout the years. From large militaries and trench warfare in WWI, to large bombardments of cities in WWII, and the use of long distance assault drones, and hypersonic missiles in current days. What do we know about the warfare of tomorrow? And what about the day after that?
Law is always one-step behind technology development, and the actual effects and impacts of cyber warfare, artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomous weapons and robots on the battlefield is unknown. Will they improve accuracy and reduce the cost of human lives in armed conflicts or are we heading towards a science fiction rendition of the “terminator” doomsday vision of war against the machines?
The Minerva Center for RLEC will hold its fifth young researcher’s workshop in November 2022. Papers are welcomed on theoretical or practical legal issues related to “The Warfare of Tomorrow” from varied disciplinary perspectives, such as history, philosophy, sociology, geography, technology, economics, politics and law.
The workshop will focus on the framework of “the warfare of tomorrow” from legal, moral, technological, comparative, and doctrinal perspectives. A non-exhaustive list of possible subjects includes:
- International law applicable to the warfare of tomorrow and possible adjustments that may be required
- Ethical considerations of future warfare
- Technological developments that will affect the battlefield of tomorrow
- The players in the warfare of tomorrow – will States remain key players or will the focus move to non-state armed groups and mega corporations?
- The treatment of victims of the warfare of tomorrow – combatants and civilians (including children and the elderly) – during and after the armed conflict
- Can we regulate the warfare of tomorrow and how?
Purpose of Workshop
The purpose of this workshop is to convene a group of scholars for discussions on enduring and emerging questions regarding law and policy related to terrorism / belligerency. This workshop will offer participants a balanced combination of rigorous scholarly discussion and more relaxed social interaction.
Purpose of Workshop
The purpose of this workshop is to convene a group of scholars for discussions on enduring and emerging questions regarding law and policy related to terrorism / belligerency. This workshop will offer participants a balanced combination of rigorous scholarly discussion and more relaxed social interaction.
Structure of Workshop
This workshop will feature up to twelve papers selected from the submissions to this call. The expected formation will include researchers both from Israel and abroad. The workshop will be held over a 12 day period; participants from abroad will be offered residency in the university dormitories
Workshop Sessions:
The participants will convene 2-3 times a week for full day sessions of presentations and discussions. During each session, selected participants will present their papers to the workshop group (approximately 20-30 minutes). Senior researchers and practitioners will be invited to the sessions to provide feedback, as well as a weekly keynote presentation. Following each presentation there will be an open discussion among the workshop participants.
Eligibility
Submissions are invited from young researchers, namely PhD candidates, Post-Doctoral fellows, and scholars up to 5 years after the completion of their PhD.
Submission Instructions
Interested scholars should email an abstract of up to 500 words along with a current CV by Thursday, July 7, 2022 to the following address: minervaextreme@univ.haifa.ac.il. Researchers asking for support for travel expenses (see article 8 for details) should also submit a letter of request. Abstracts should reflect papers that have not yet been published. Researchers should identify their submission with the following subject line: “Minerva Center— Terrorism and Belligerency Workshop 2022.”
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