“Third World Approaches to International Law: More Than An Invasive Species” – Prof. James Gathii

Thursday, February 15, 2018, 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm — Osgoode Hall Law School (Ignat Kaneff Building), Room 1003

The International Law in the Global South Research Seminar Series was proud to host Professor James Gathii for its final seminar of the 2017-2018 year. Professor Gathii presented his research on “Third World Approaches to International Law: More Than An Invasive Species“, which captivated the audience in attendance. In his presentation, Professor Gathii discussed claims surrounding Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) and touched on the legitimacy of the perspective as well as its implications for the study of international law. This prompted an engaging post-seminar discussion, raising questions about the future of TWAIL research and possible intersections with other areas of legal research (e.g. disability law, global administrative law). ILIGS thanks Professor Gathii for joining us and for helping us end another academic year on a high note.

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James T. Gathii has served as a professor of law and the Wing-Tat Lee Chair in International Law at Loyola University Chicago School of Law since July 2012. He is a graduate of the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and Harvard Law School. He sits on the board of editors of the American Journal of International Law, the Journal of African Law and the Journal of International Trade Law and Policy, among others. His research and teaching interests are in Public International Law, International Trade Law, Third World Approaches to International Law, (TWAIL), African Constitutionalism and Human Rights. Professor Gathii is an Independent Expert of the Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment, and Human Rights Violations in Africa formed by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. He is also an expert member of the Working Group on Agricultural Land Investment Contracts of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDRIOT). He has sat as an arbitrator in two international commercial arbitrations hosted by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. He is a founding member of the Third World Approaches to International Law, (TWAIL), network. He is an elected member of the International Academy of International Law. He has consulted for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, (OHCHR), and the Economic Commission for Africa, (ECA), among others. Professor Gathii is also widely published.

Watch Professor Gathii’s Lecture in the ILIGS Series Here

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“‘Twailing’ – The Minimum Core Concept: Re-Thinking the Minimum Core Concept of Economic and Social Rights in the Third World” – Prof. Caroline Omari Lichuma

Wednesday, January 31 2018, 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm — Osgoode Hall Law School (Ignat Kaneff Building), Room 2001

The International Law in the Global South Seminar Series extends its sincerest thanks to Ms. Caroline Lichuma for presenting her research entitled “‘Twailing’ – The Minimum Core Concept: Re-Thinking the Minimum Core Concept of Economic and Social Rights in the Third World“. The seminar was very well attended and attendees asked deeply engaging questions, sparking a lively post-seminar discussion. We look forward to having Ms. Lichuma join us again in the near future.

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Caroline Lichuma is a lecturer at Riara Law School in Nairobi, Kenya. She graduated from the University of Nairobi in 2010 with a Bachelor of Laws Degree. She received the Hamilton, Harrison and Mathews – Le Pelley Prize for the best third year student in the school of Law for the academic year 2008/2009. She thereafter undertook her Master of Laws degree at the New York University School of Law where she was a Dean Graduate scholar. She graduated with an LLM in International Legal Studies in 2012. Caroline is also a Certified Public Accountant in Kenya. Caroline has been in academia for close to seven years and has previously offered lectures in Commercial Law, Company Law as well as Accounting (As part of ACCA and CPA) as well as Law of Evidence, Public International Law, Insolvency Law, Public Procurement Law among others (As part of the LLB undergraduate degree). Her key areas of academic interest span the breadth of Public International Law with specific emphasis on International Human Rights Law, Comparative Constitutional Law and Economic and Social Rights Law. She was the 2014 Emer De Vattel Scholar at The Hague Academy of International Law’s Public International Law Summer School and received a diploma in Justiciability of Economic and Social Rights from the Abo Akademi University in Turku, Finland in 2016. In 2017 she was one of ten participants selected to present a paper at the Stanford Law School and University of Pennsylvania International Junior Faculty Forum.

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“Local Communities and Natural Resource Extraction in Africa” – Prof. Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu

November 14, 20173:30 – 5:30 — Osgoode Hall Law School (Ignat Kaneff Building), Room 2003

The International Law in the Global South Seminar Series would like to thank Professor Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu for delivering a fascinating presentation on November 14, 2017 entitled “Local Communities and Natural Resource Extraction in Africa“. The topic drew a full-house audience to hear Professor Odumosu-Ayanu speak and inspired a fruitful post-seminar discussion. We look forward to seeing more on the topic from Professor Odumosu-Ayanu in the future.

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Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu is an Associate Professor at the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan. She was a Sessional Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia where she earned her PhD in Law. She has also worked for the Canadian Institute of Resources Law. Dr. Odumosu-Ayanu has served as a consultant for the United Nations University (UNU) on a UNCTAD/UNU project. She is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She has served on several boards including serving as Vice President of the Canadian Law and Society Association. Dr. Odumosu-Ayanu has received several research grants including a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Standard Research Grant, a SSHRC Insight Development Grant, a SSHRC Connections Grant and a Foundation for Legal Research Grant. She serves on the editorial boards of journals including the Law and Society Review, the Journal of African Law, and the Transnational Human Rights Review. Her research interests include natural resource development and law, local communities in the global economy, international investment law, human rights, Africa and international law, legal and international relations theory, and socio-economic development. Her articles on these subjects have appeared in several leading journals. Dr. Odumosu-Ayanu received the University of Saskatchewan’s Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2012.

Watch Professor Odumosu-Ayanu’s Lecture in the ILIGS Series Here

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“The Limitations of the Human Rights Discourse in the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence in Zambia: A Problem of Culture?” – Ms. Misozi Lwatula

September 28, 2017, 3:30 – 5:30 — Osgoode Hall Law School (Ignat Kaneff Building), Room 2010

The International Law in the Global South Seminar Series launched a new academic year with the help of Ms. Misozi Lwatula, who delivered a fascinating presentation entitled “The Limitations of the Human Rights Discourse in the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence in Zambia: A Problem of Culture?” on September 28, 2017. The presentation was well attended and inspired a lively post-seminar discussion amongst attendees.

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Misozi Lwatula is a lecturer at the University of Zambia Law School and is currently studying for her PhD in the Department of Law at the University of Sussex. The topic of her research is entitled ‘Gender Based Violence in Zambia: A Feminist Legal Critic’. She has served as assistant dean postgraduate at the University of Zambia Law School and was a member of the Law Reporting Council of Zambia. In addition, she has been involved in a number of projects as a consultant involving women’s rights, human rights, public participation in Zambia and disaster management mitigation. Her research and teaching focuses on gender and the law, postcolonial feminism, criminal law, international law and human rights.

Watch Ms. Lwatula’s Lecture in the ILIGS Series Here

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