SLS Small Projects and Events Fund – Devolution in the UK and International Law

Dr Jane Rooney, University of Durham & Dr Conor McCormick, Queen’s University Belfast:

We invite PhD students to apply to participate in a workshop entitled ‘Devolution in the UK and International Law’ taking place online at 10am-12pm, Monday-Wednesday 13th-15th September 2021.

The workshop brings together colleagues from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to investigate the allocation of powers and responsibilities in legislating and enforcing international obligations applicable to the UK across a range of subject matters, including under retained European Union (EU) law, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and other international obligations that have acquired recent significance.

The workshop seeks to address the following questions:

• To what extent do devolved nations have competence to decide upon the content of indeterminate international obligations within their own nation?
• To what extent can, and should, central government intervene when a devolved nation fails to afford its inhabitants the rights ensuing from international treaties?
• To what extent do devolution arrangements provide fixed rules on division of competences in the observation and implementation of international obligations?

A PhD student will be assigned to each panel below to provide a 5 minute discussion on how their own PhD research relates to the subject matter and to ask the first question to presenters following the public presentations. They will also have the opportunity to participate in the closed workshop discussions following the public presentations and liaise with other academics in the field.

To apply please send a 300 word abstract on how your PhD research fits with one of the panels of the workshop to Adam Rowe adam.r.rowe@durham.ac.uk by 1st August 2021.

Monday 13th September 2021 10.00am -12.00pm

Panel 1: Human Rights and Devolution (Session 1)

‘Gender, Devolution, and Northern Ireland’ Dr Jane Rooney (Durham University)

‘Welsh Prisoner Voting, Human Rights, and Devolution’ Dr Gregory Davies (Cardiff University)

‘Incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Scotland’ Dr Kasey McCall-Smith (University of Edinburgh)

Tuesday 14th September 2021 10.00am-12pm

Panel 2: (Retained) EU Law, Brexit, and Devolution

‘Delegated Legislation, Brexit, Devolution and Northern Ireland’ Professor Aoife O’Donoghue (Durham University)

‘Delegated Legislation, Brexit, Devolution and Wales’ Professor Joanne Hunt (Cardiff University)

‘Brexit, Devolution, and Scotland’ Dr Christopher McCorkindale (University of Strathclyde)

Wednesday 15th September 2021 10.00am-12.00pm

Panel 3: Human Rights and Devolution (Session 2)

‘The Future of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Scotland: Prospects for Meaningful Enforcement’

Dr Katie Boyle (University of Stirling)

‘Devolution and International Human Rights Monitoring Mechanisms’

Professor Brice Dickson (Queen’s University Belfast)

‘UN Human Rights Mechanisms in the Welsh Context’

Dr Huw Pritchard (Cardiff University) and Dr Hayley Roberts (Bangor University)