The tenth Annual Conference of the International Society of Public Law (ICON·S) on ‘The Future of Public Law: Resilience, Sustainability, and Artificial Intelligence’, took place 8–10 July 2024 at the IE University Law School in Madrid, Spain. The conference attracted a wide array of experts and researchers from across the globe, including several scholars from the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law as well as others from across the Max Planck Law network.
After the conference, we managed to catch up with Cristina Valega Chipoco (doctoral researcher | pictured second from left) and Prof. Dr Svenja Behrendt (senior researcher | pictured third from left) from the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law . Cristina presented a chapter she co-authored in the book ‘Women, Gender, and Constitutionalism in Latin America’, which critically assesses the recognition and realization of women’s and LGBTQ+ rights in Peru through constitutional law and litigation.
Reflecting on her experience at the conference, Cristina remarked, ‘The conference was interesting, enriching, and well-organized. The keynote speeches were thorough and thought-provoking, and the diverse range of panels covered a wide spectrum of public law topics from different regions.’
She further noted, ‘I was particularly impressed by the prioritization of issues related to marginalized social groups, climate change, and artificial intelligence’. Cristina also mentioned that the presentations generated lively discussions, allowing for a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Svenja Behrendt presented two papers. The first focused on legal obligations towards future generations, positing that these obligations are grounded in the relational character of human rights. The second, a collaborative project, explored the concept of constitutional identity with a focus on whether the concept is compatible with democracy and liberalism.
Overall, Svenja thought the conference ‘was very well organized’ but that ‘the variety of panels and papers was overwhelming’, having missed out on many she would have liked to participate in.
Zeynep Çaglar, our Communications and PR Manager as well as our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, also attended the conference, hosting a stand for Max Planck Law. Speaking about the event, Zeynep noted, ‘This was the biggest ICON·S conference to date, with over 2,000 participants and more than 500 panels’.
‘The presence of Max Planck Law aimed at publicizing recent publications and explaining academic opportunities within our network’, she explained. The outreach effort was met with significant interest from early career researchers and master’s students.
She continued, ‘Many visitors were surprised to learn that there are currently nine Institutes conducting legal research within the Max Planck Society. And it was a further pleasure for me to inform them of the many legal fields that we cover.’ Moreover, ‘they appreciated the open access publications we showcased’.
As a bonus, the stand also provided a platform for alumni and former guests to reconnect. ‘It was very interesting to be approached by researchers, alumni, and former guests, because that made me realize that we are really a diverse network of people coming from different Institutes and different fields.’
Image: Some of the Max Planck Law researchers at ICON·S, from Left to right:
Aleksandra Dzięgielewska | Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy
Cristina Valega Chopoco | Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law
Svenja Behrendt | Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law
Alexandra Kemmerer | Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law
Laura Hering | Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law