Cancelled: Abolitionists, Freedom of the Seas and the Rise of International Law

Please note, this event has been cancelled. 

The International Law Reading Group (ILRG) is happy to announce a session as part of its Early Career Research Exchange (ECRE) Series, hosting Matilde Rocca who is a postdoctoral researcher at SOAS University of London. Matilde will be exploring the relationship between slavery and international law. The ILRG is looking forward to discussing and exchanging ideas on this exciting topic.

The full abstract of Matilde's research could be found below:

The enduring connection between slavery and international law remains underexplored despite its significance. More specifically, the critical role that many individuals played in the abolition of the slave trade and slavery and its relation to the making of international law necessitate further enquiry. This contribution focuses on abolitionists as ‘lawmakers’ and revisits their efforts to counter the slave trade and different forms of slavery throughout the 19th century and early 20th century. Leveraging the principle of freedom of the seas as an enabler of such developments, I explore the historical development of international law related to the abolition of the slave trade and slavery and its critical relation to the principle of freedom of the sea.