Congratulations to Prof Anne Saab for obtaining an SNF grant for a four-year project on ‘Emotions and International Law’, which will run from September 2023. A starting assumption in this project is that the binary often held in international law between reason and emotion is artificial, and that international lawyers and legal scholars must take account of the role of emotions in their study and work to ensure the continued relevance of international law in addressing real world issues.

The project will consist of three detailed case studies that will demonstrate that international law should take emotions seriously, as a constitutive part of, rather than a threat to, reasoned decision-making.

Anne Saab as the Principal Investigator will run a case study on fear and anxiety in international environmental law and food safety regulations. A Postdoc Researcher in the International Law Department will run a case study on empathy, compassion, and dignity in the use of artificial intelligence in warfare. A PhD researcher to be recruited in the International Law Department will run a case study on stigma, shame, and guilt in combating infectious diseases in global health law.

The overall objective of the project is to create a new space for academic reflection by examining the reciprocal influence of emotions on international law and of international law on emotions.

The project will be based at the Center for International Environmental Studies. The research team will also be integrated into the International Law Department.

*** The Swiss National Science Foundation salary rates are available here. ***