Global Justice and the Rule of Law Workshop with the National Law School of India University (Part 1)

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) and the University of Zurich (UZH) held an in-person workshop on Global Justice and the Rule of Law on 07 and 08 May 2026 at NLSIU’s Bengaluru campus. The workshop brought together doctoral students, post-doctoral researchers, and early-career scholars from both institutions for a two-day programme of paper presentations and discussions. It is the second iteration of a collaborative workshop series between NLSIU and UZH, following the first iteration on the theme of Equality and the Law, with workshops held at NLSIU in December 2024 and at UZH in June 2025. The collaboration aims to promote ongoing research exchange between the two universities. The idea behind the workshop series is to provide a space for dialogue and exchange of ideas as well as to foster a mutually enriching collaborative research environment. A continuing long-term research cooperation is essential in fostering a meaningful and enduring relationship of constructive research exchange.

This year’s iteration of the workshop placed its thematic focus on global justice and the rule of law. The concept of the rule of law stands as a cornerstone of global justice, yet it is currently under heavy attack: On the domestic level populist movements undermine established norms, while internationally powerful nations pursue policies of domination that openly disregard the most fundamental rules of international law. The workshop thus aimed to explore how principles of the rule of law manifest themselves and operate across different legal systems worldwide, and to contribute to the conceptual clarification of this “essentially contested concept” as a central element to any system of global justice. Contributions ranged from theoretically oriented examinations of the conceptual and philosophical dimensions of the rule of law to more doctrinal analyses of specific legal questions and practical applications. The questions and problems addressed traversed disciplinary boundaries and resulted in a rich interdisciplinary discourse, connecting disciplines such as public international law, international criminal law, criminal law, legal philosophy, legal theory, legal history, and political theory.

Day 1: 07 May 2026

The workshop opened with introductory remarks by Prof. Arun Thiruvengadam, Prof. Matthias Mahlmann, and Prof. Daniel Moeckli, and was chaired by Dr. Harisankar K Sathyapalan and Dr. Akhila Basalalli. These introductory remarks were followed by a keynote address on the topic of Global Justice and International Law by Prof. B.S. Chimni, Distinguished Professor of International Law at Jindal Global Law School, a leading figure in Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL), and author of International Law and World Order.

The first day featured six paper presentations. Each paper was summarised and briefly discussed by a discussant as well as commented upon in a more extensive comment by a commentator who moderated the following open discussion round. Mona Gubler opened the substantive sessions with a paper on the territorial extension of EU climate protection measures, interrogating whether global climate justice can be legitimate without global climate democracy. Manpreet Singh Dhillon’s paper then examined the regulation of India’s National Human Rights Commission, surveying its role as a fourth power in the state. Harleen Singh Sandha’s paper addressed developmental asymmetries in digital trade governance, illuminating the disproportionate effects of the latter on developing countries. Jón Laxdal’s paper highlighted the importance of substantive moral principles in the rule of law, questioning whether legal formality can exist bereft of all substance. Manish’s paper turned to urban international law and legal theory in addressing slum rehabilitation policy and “good governance” in contemporary Delhi as a case study of global (in)justice. Yquem Zberg’s paper closed the day by trying to elucidate the rule of law through Hohfeldian rights analysis, emphasising the individual dimension of the rule of law.

The first day concluded with a conference dinner where discussions continued in an amicable and friendly atmosphere.

Day 2: 08 May 2026

The second day opened with Ronjini Ray’s paper examining the EU Deforestation Regulation as a case study for the rule of law beyond borders in transnational governance, critically analysing the unequal burdens placed on countries of the Global North and Global South. Arnav Sharma’s paper then located caste atrocities against Dalits within the framework of crimes against humanity under international criminal law, testing the possibility of a new category in the legal concept of crimes against humanity. Ashna Singh’s paper proposed an argument for caste-based asylum, arguing that caste could be considered a “particular social group” under the Refugee Convention. Benedict Elliott’s paper offered a conceptual analysis of hate speech, distinguishing between different conceptual approaches and finally introducing a working definition of hate speech. Meghashree Dev’s paper explored the limits of global justice through the lens of the structural erasures effected by the legal architecture of the protectorate framework, investigating the gendered statelessness of Ruth Lepcha and the annexation of Sikkim by India as structurally connected outcomes of this legal architecture. And finally, Dominik Kawa’s paper examined transformative constitutionalism from a Swiss perspective, analysing the concept and its possible meaning by applying the methods and criteria developed in the Swiss legal system for the interpretation of legal norms.

A highlight of the second day was a roundtable led by the Alternative Law Forum on the topic Fighting for the Rule of Law amidst Rule of Hate: Towards Fraternity. The Alternative Law Forum is a Bengaluru-based collective of lawyers combatting injustice by integrating alternative lawyering with critical research, alternative dispute resolution, pedagogic interventions, advocacy, stakeholder involvement and sustained legal interventions in various social issues. Their roundtable brought a practitioner's first-hand “on the ground” perspective to the academic discussions, grounding theoretical debates about the rule of law in the lived practical realities of marginalised communities. Their roundtable told the story of a morally harrowing case example of a mob lynching in broad daylight with an appalling lack of legal consequences and criminal prosecution, impressively illustrating the possible failures of the rule of law in a climate of fear, hate, and hostility, as well as the value in the virtues of the courage fight for justice, the selflessness to stand up for the neglected and oppressed, and the hope to hold on to and not lose faith in the good of humanity.

The workshop concluded with closing remarks by Prof. Matthias Mahlmann, Prof. Daniel Moeckli, and Prof. Arun Thiruvengadam.

Reflections and Outlook

Over two days, twelve papers and one keynote address covered a remarkably wide thematic arc, from climate justice and deforestation regulation to digital trade governance, caste-based asylum, hate speech, and transformative constitutionalism. What united the contributions was a shared engagement with the question of how the rule of law, understood as a core element of global justice, can be defended and reimagined in an era of crisis. The workshop format proved to be conducive to the kind of sustained exchange of ideas and dialogue that characterises this collaboration. The dual role of participants as both authors on the one hand and discussants or commentators on the other hand fostered a collegial atmosphere of mutual feedback and constructive criticism.

The workshop represents a further deepening of the academic partnership between NLSIU and UZH. Having explored equality and the law in the first iteration as well as global justice and the rule of law in this second iteration, the series continues to build a growing network of scholars across both institutions, one that is of importance in times of growing divide when conversations across cultures are becoming more difficult due to various barriers rising throughout the world.