Upcoming event: The Legacy of Liu Xiaobo, University of Helsinki: 12 January 2018

Logo of the Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights, University of Helsinki

University of HelsinkiFinnish China Law Center member institution, the University of Helsinki, will hold a day-long conference ‘The Legacy of Liu Xiaobo’ on 12 January 2018.

The life and choices of Liu Xiaobo, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and recently deceased, stand as an example of political and ethical activism in a world yearning for such examples.

This event evokes Liu Xiaobo’s experience, investigates its legacy and reflects on broader themes of China’s constitutional, rights, ethics and international relations thinking and practice.

This international conference, featuring participants from China, Singapore, USA, Britain, Finland and elsewhere, is organized by Professor Jan Klabbers and Post-Doctoral Researcher Guilherme Vasconcelos Vilaça of the Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights, University of Helsinki.

Time and date: 0930 – 1630, Friday 12 January 2018

Location: Room P674, Faculty of Law (Porthania Building), University of Helsinki, Yliopistonkatu 4

Registration: The event is free and registration can be made through this link: https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/85190/lomake.html

Program

9:30 – 10:10 Key note speech: Jean-Philippe Béja (Centre national de la recherche scientifique & Centre de recherches internationales): “Liu Xiaobo’s Legacy: Life in Truth, the Magic Weapon Against Post-Totalitarian Lie”

10:10 – 10:30 Hermann Aubié (Aston University): Unlearning Enmity and Hatred: Listening to Liu Xiaobo’s Voice of Conscience by Revisiting his Struggle for Human Dignity and a Future Free China”

Coffee Break until 11

1. Rights, Constitutionalism, Democracy (Chair: Maria Varaki)

11:00 – 11:20 Fu Hualing (University of Hong Kong): “Public Interest Lawyering in China: Escalation and Backlash?”

11:20 – 11:40 Panu Minkkinen (University of Helsinki): “Why Are Human Rights Important (Even For A Crit)?”

11:40 – 12:00 Eva Pils (King’s College, London): “China’s Dual State And Its ‘Enemies’ Under Xi Jinping”

12:00 – 12:20 Michael W. Dowdle (National University of Singapore): “China and Dual Constitutionalism”

Discussion until 13

Lunch 13:00 – 14:30

2. Ethical Leadership and Chinese Ethics (Chair: Pamela Slotte)

14:30 – 14:50 Jan Klabbers (University of Helsinki): “On Ethical Leadership”

14:50 – 15:10 Justin Tiwald (San Francisco State University): “Character-centered Theories of Governance in Confucian Political Thought”

15:10 – 15:30 Ralph Weber (University of Basel):  tbd

15:30 – 15:50 Guilherme Vasconcelos Vilaça (University of Helsinki): “Values and the Belt & Road Initiative”

Discussion until 16:30

Conference Dinner

Further information

Please contact Project Coordinator Hector Nystedt at hector.nystedt (at) helsinki.fi.