PhD 50% / Lecturer 50% (Creating New International Courts)

The position includes PhD research (50%) and teaching (50%) for a period of maximum 8 years. The PhD project will study the creation of new international courts, focusing on the proposed International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) as a case study

The creation of new international courts has been described as “nothing short of a miracle”. International courts provide checks and balances on state sovereignty, and modern international courts are distinguished by their compulsory jurisdiction and the provision of direct access for non-state actors. Once states have delegated authority to such international judicial institutions, these bodies begin to develop and influence global and domestic politics. Importantly, the creation of new courts is not solely a state-driven process; national and transnational networks, as well as individuals also play a significant role. Therefore, it is crucial to study the conditions under which new international courts are created. Additionally, the factors that influence the creation of new international courts also shape the authority of these institutions in the future.

The IACC has been first proposed in 2012 and negotiations regarding its statute and creation are still ongoing. The developments during this process raise several issues that could be uncovered and theorized in a sociolegal doctoral research project. This new international court is expected to focus on “grand corruption” - the abuse of public power for private gain by a nation's leaders. It builds upon existing national and international legal frameworks against corruption, including criminal laws, regional and international treaties, which have already been interpretated by national, regional and international courts. Moreover, the responsibility of heads of state as well as the subsidiarity principle have been a contentious issues in international criminal justice, triggering backlash. A multitude of actors, including national and international officials as well international lawyers, to non-governmental organizations, think tanks and academics, have been attempting to influence the process of establishing this new jurisdiction.

We invite candidates to submit their proposals for a doctoral research project, articulating a particular approach to the creation of new international courts, with a specific focus on the IACC. We welcome diverse approaches, which could focus on angles such as the development of a professional field around a new institution, the role of non-state actors, the role legal neo-colonialism and decolonial perspectives, the politicization of international criminal justice, backlash against international courts or comparative approaches.

In this PhD project the student will be working under the supervision of dr. Pola Cebulak, dr. Prosper Simbarashe Maguchu, and prof Galina Cornelisse. The candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to the foundational literature on the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC), addressing both its promises and perils. Additionally, the candidate will gain direct access to the Working Group responsible for the IACC treaty, allowing for a critical examination of the treaty. The analysis could be further enriched by comparative studies with other international courts, such as the International Criminal Court or the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights, whose jurisdiction has been amended by the Malabo Protocol to include criminal jurisdiction over transnational crimes, such as corruption.

Your duties

• independently conducting doctoral research
• teaching courses based on departmental needs

Requirements:

• You hold a Master in law or related discipline, which included a certain amount of credits from legal courses
• You are strongly motivated to conduct long-term research on the theme of the project and committed to teaching in higher education
• You enjoy working in an international team and are eager to engage with students from a diverse background
• You have demonstrable knowledge/interest in international law, in particular International Criminal Law as well as the study international courts
• You are interested in sociolegal methods and studying law in context
• You can demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills
• You have an advanced command of English and are, at least, willing to learn Dutch

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Salary Benefits:

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of minimum € 3.226,00 (Scale 10) and maximum € 5.090,00 (Scale 10) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Teacher 4, Researcher 4. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
• a position for at least 0.8 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 8 year. Candidates can also finish the dissertation project and the contract earlier. If you complete your Ph.D. program successfully and there is formative space available, there is a prospect of a permanent contract.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• hybrid working enables a good work-life balance
• contribution to commuting expenses
• discounts on collective insurances (healthcare- and car insurance);

De Boelelaan 1077