Who are the humans behind Human Rights? A Sociology of Human Rights in Eastern Europe and Russia
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: School of Slavonic & East European Studi
Abstract
This project begins with a puzzling statistic: over 50% of all cases before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) come from only a handful of East European countries. Yet a great majority of these cases are also 'failed' cases - they never reach a judgment stage. While for legal scholars these 'failed' cases are of little analytical use, for socio-legal researchers this unprecedented human rights mobilisation constitutes a social fact and presents a window into the society: if human rights claims are made, but never materialize, what are the consequences?
My main research question is: How do claims-making before the ECtHR shape the lives of individuals and the development of societies in Eastern Europe and Russia? To address this question, I propose a paradigmatic shift from a law-first approach in human rights scholarship to the study of the 'social life' and the everyday mobilisation of the Convention, re-focusing from the law and onto the people - the humans behind the Human Rights - the applicants, lawyers, NGO activists, judges and state legal counsels in Eastern Europe and Russia.
The ultimate ambition for this project is to develop a brand new theory of the relationship between human rights mobilisation, ECtHR's legitimacy and the development of societies under the conditions of 'abusive constitutionalism' (Russia), open military conflict (Ukraine), deep transformations (Romania) and democratic backsliding (Poland and Hungary). To this effect, I will de-westernize human rights discourses in the region and lean toward the premise of conflict, reciprocity and disjuncture as core theoretical notions underpinning the geopolitics of knowledge on Eastern Europe and the Convention system.
This project is timely and academically urgent as the current human rights activism in Eastern Europe and Russia is particularly intriguing against the backdrop of human rights fatigue across Europe, further exacerbated by Brexit and populist sentiments.
My main research question is: How do claims-making before the ECtHR shape the lives of individuals and the development of societies in Eastern Europe and Russia? To address this question, I propose a paradigmatic shift from a law-first approach in human rights scholarship to the study of the 'social life' and the everyday mobilisation of the Convention, re-focusing from the law and onto the people - the humans behind the Human Rights - the applicants, lawyers, NGO activists, judges and state legal counsels in Eastern Europe and Russia.
The ultimate ambition for this project is to develop a brand new theory of the relationship between human rights mobilisation, ECtHR's legitimacy and the development of societies under the conditions of 'abusive constitutionalism' (Russia), open military conflict (Ukraine), deep transformations (Romania) and democratic backsliding (Poland and Hungary). To this effect, I will de-westernize human rights discourses in the region and lean toward the premise of conflict, reciprocity and disjuncture as core theoretical notions underpinning the geopolitics of knowledge on Eastern Europe and the Convention system.
This project is timely and academically urgent as the current human rights activism in Eastern Europe and Russia is particularly intriguing against the backdrop of human rights fatigue across Europe, further exacerbated by Brexit and populist sentiments.
Publications
Huszka B
(2023)
Restitutio Interruptus: Minority Churches, Property Rights and Europeanisation in Romania
in Europe-Asia Studies
Kubal A
(2024)
Queer Coalition? The Crisis of Justice in Poland and LGBTQ+ Rights Before the Polish Courts
in Europe-Asia Studies
Kubal A
(2023)
Who Are the Humans Behind Human Rights in Poland? Preliminary Remarks on a Sociological Profile of Victims Before the ECtHR
in Europejski Przeglad Sadowy
Kubal A
(2024)
Pushback or Backlash against the European Court of Human Rights? A Comparative Case Study of Russia and Democratically Backsliding Poland
in Russian Politics
Kubal A
(2023)
The Women's Complaint: sociolegal mobilization against authoritarian backsliding following the 2020 abortion law in Poland
in Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe
Related Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Award Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/X024695/1 | 30/09/2022 | 29/09/2024 | £1,292,657 | ||
| EP/X024695/2 | Transfer | EP/X024695/1 | 30/09/2024 | 29/09/2027 | £857,049 |
| Description | *Key Discoveries and Achievements for a Non-Specialist Audience* Significant Achievements of the HuRiEE Project (Years 1 & 2) 1) Generation of New Knowledge The HuRiEE project, led by Dr. Agnieszka Kubal at the University of Oxford, is a ground-breaking five-year research initiative investigating the unprecedented mobilisation of human rights in Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, and Russia. These countries have historically been among the most active in filing claims with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and the project shifts the focus from legal institutions to the human side of human rights activism-exploring the roles of lawyers, applicants, activists, and judges in shaping these legal battles. In its first two years, the project has generated significant new knowledge by completing two major phases of research: -- Archival Research: The team has collected and analysed over 4,000 historical documents from national, regional, and specialist archives, including the Open Society Archives (Budapest), the Bremen archives on Eastern European dissidents, and wartime archives in Ukraine. This extensive archival work sheds light on the historical roots of human rights mobilisation in the region. -- Extensive Fieldwork and Interviews: More than 300 in-depth interviews have been conducted with ECtHR applicants, human rights lawyers, judges, and activists. Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and Russia's withdrawal from the European Convention system, interviews in these regions were adapted to online formats and expanded to include insights from diasporic communities and political exiles. This research has produced a key theoretical breakthrough: shifting from a purely legal perspective on human rights to a people-centered approach that investigates how everyday individuals experience and mobilise human rights. The findings from this research will be published in a forthcoming book, contracted with UCL Press, which will offer an open-access, interdisciplinary perspective on how human rights are lived, contested, and defended beyond formal legal institutions. 2) High-Impact Publications and Academic Engagement The HuRiEE project's research findings have already reached wide academic audiences through leading peer-reviewed journals, attracting significant engagement: --Dr. Agnieszka Kubal's article Judicial relational legal consciousness: authoritarian backsliding as a catalyst of change (2024, Journal of Law and Society) has been viewed 696 times. --Her piece Queer coalition? The crisis of justice in Poland and the LGBT rights before the Polish courts (2024, Europe-Asia Studies) reached 587 viewers. --Her co-authored article Pushback or Backlash against the European Court of Human Rights? (2024, Russian Politics) has already attracted 784 viewers. --One of her most widely read articles, The Women's Complaint: Sociolegal Mobilization Against Authoritarian Backsliding Following the 2020 Abortion Law in Poland (2023, Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe), has 1,526 views and has been cited in two academic articles. --Dr. Béata Huszka's article Restitutio Interruptus: Minority Churches, Property Rights and Europeanisation in Romania (2023, Europe-Asia Studies) has been viewed 637 times. These publications demonstrate the project's growing academic influence, with findings informing debates on authoritarianism, minority rights, LGBTQ+ legal struggles, and human rights mobilisation in Eastern Europe. 3) Development of New Research Collaborations and Networks The project has also fostered new collaborations and international research networks, leading to further research opportunities and funding. A) British Academy Knowledge Frontiers Symposia Follow-On Funding Dr. Agnieszka Kubal has been awarded the British Academy's Knowledge Frontiers Symposia follow-on funding for the project "Activism As A Modality Of Resistance And Communication? Comparing Judicial Activism Across Eastern Europe". This initiative is supported by: Dr. Béata Huszka (HuRiEE team, University of Oxford) Professor Birgit Apitzsch (University of Bochum) Professor Ramona Coman (Université Libre de Bruxelles) This collaboration builds on HuRiEE's core research themes, expanding investigations into judicial activism and resistance in Eastern Europe. B) UKRI-Funded Project: Mobilizing Human Rights and Resistance Dr. Agnieszka Kubal has been awarded a UKRI-funded Polarities network grant for a new research project "Mobilizing Human Rights and Resistance: Ukrainian Media, Lawyers, and Accountability in War" (£13,841.99) Supported by: Hanna Oliinyk (HuRiEE team) Start & End Date: 1 April 2025 - 31 March 2026 Awarded in full to HuRiEE (non-consortium project) This project will investigate the role of Ukrainian media and legal professionals in shaping accountability mechanisms during the war, reinforcing HuRiEE's commitment to real-time research on human rights mobilisation in conflict settings. These projects demonstrate the HuRiEE team's success in securing external funding and expanding the project's impact and research capabilities. 4) Training and Increased Research Capability The project has contributed to developing research capacity by training team members and early-career researchers in specialist skills, including: -- Archival research methodologies -- Qualitative fieldwork techniques in politically sensitive environments -- Cross-national comparative socio-legal analysis These skills have strengthened the research team's expertise and enhanced the project's methodological innovation. Conclusion: A Strong Foundation for Future Impact -- HuRiEE's first two years have been dedicated to data collection and foundational research, setting the stage for major theoretical contributions, policy engagement, and academic impact. The project's focus on human rights mobilisation in Eastern Europe is already attracting attention from academic, legal, and policymaking communities, with future applications in legal frameworks and advocacy strategies. As the project progresses into its next phase, it is well-positioned to shape policy discussions, legal scholarship, and broader debates on human rights mobilisation in the region. |
| Exploitation Route | As the project is still in its early stages, with the first two years primarily dedicated to data collection, it is too early to fully assess its impact. However, the research has significant potential to be taken forward in academic debates, policy discussions, and legal frameworks related to human rights mobilisation in Eastern Europe. The findings from the HuRiEE project definitely have the potential to shape academic, policy, and legal frameworks in several ways: 1) For policymakers and human rights organisations: By highlighting the lived experiences of human rights claimants and legal practitioners, our research can inform strategies for protecting judicial independence and enhancing legal support mechanisms for human rights cases, particularly in authoritarian or transitional contexts. One early example of potential policy impact is Denis Shedov's involvement in the Sunflower Declaration. Shedov, a Research Associate on HuRiEE, was part of the drafting committee for this declaration, representing Memorial Society-one of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Launched at the Nobel Peace Conference in Oslo (August 2023), the Sunflower Declaration is a global call to protect human rights defenders at risk, providing specific recommendations for governments, international organisations, businesses, cities, and universities. Shedov's contribution to the Sunflower Declaration was informed by his HuRiEE field research, particularly his interviews with Russian human rights lawyers. The Declaration has since been endorsed by 13 Nobel Peace Laureates, over 50 NGOs (including Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, and Front Line Defenders), and prominent individuals such as Turkish journalist Can Dündar. It has also been embraced by shelter cities like York, Tbilisi, Lyon, and Cotonou and universities worldwide. This early example highlights how research conducted within HuRiEE can contribute to real-world human rights advocacy efforts. As data analysis and publications continue, the project is expected to generate further practical and theoretical contributions to human rights scholarship and policymaking in the coming years. 2) For legal professionals and activists: The insights gained from case studies of grassroots legal mobilisations in Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine can serve as models for legal advocacy efforts elsewhere. 3) For academic communities: This research challenges existing Western-centric human rights discourse by introducing a new theoretical framework that considers the conflict, disjuncture, and reciprocity inherent in human rights struggles in Eastern Europe. 4) For the general public and civil society groups: By making research findings open access (including through the upcoming book and ongoing video series on key human rights topics), this project helps broaden public engagement with human rights issues. The project continues to evolve, and as further data analysis and publications emerge, its impact will expand, contributing to both academic knowledge and practical legal advocacy efforts across Eastern Europe and beyond. |
| Sectors | Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/huriee |
| Description | *Details of Emerging Societal Impact* The HuRiEE project has made significant progress in engaging diverse public audiences on critical human rights issues, in the two years of active implementation since its launch in October 2022. Through collaborations with prestigious academic institutions such as the University of Oxford's Bonavero Institute and Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, the project has fostered valuable public discussions on judicial independence, human rights, and legal mobilization. A major highlight of this engagement was the screening of "Judges Under Pressure" on 12 February 2025, which addressed threats to judicial independence, especially in Poland. The event drew a diverse audience of approximately 100 participants, including academics, students, and members of the general public, and sparked in-depth discussions with legal experts and scholars. This initiative, among others, has contributed to increased awareness and public engagement on issues of judicial autonomy and the broader implications for human rights (https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/content/event/judges-under-pressure-documentary-screening-and-discussion-panel) The impact of the HuRiEE project also extends to the policy sphere. Denis Shedov, a HuRiEE team member, played a key role in drafting the Sunflower Declaration, a pivotal policy document advocating for the protection of human rights defenders at risk (https://www.nobelpeacecenter.org/en/sunflowerdeclaration). Co-authored by the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureates-the Centre for Civil Liberties, Memorial, and Viasna (on behalf of Ales Bialiatski)-along with other leading human rights organizations, the declaration was launched at the Nobel Peace Conference in Oslo in August 2023. It quickly garnered global support, receiving endorsements from 13 Nobel Peace Laureates, more than 50 NGOs, and prominent institutions such as Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, the African Human Rights Coalition, and Front Line Defenders. The declaration also attracted support from notable individuals like Turkish journalist Can Dündar and Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of United Nations Watch, as well as cities and universities, including several shelter cities such as York, Tbilisi, Lyon, and Cotonou, along with academic institutions like Hajvery University in Pakistan and several universities in Sweden. This accomplishment highlights the real-world policy impact of HuRiEE's research, showing how the project's findings have moved from academic inquiry to global human rights advocacy. Denis's contribution to the Sunflower Declaration was directly informed by HuRiEE's field research, particularly his interviews with Russian human rights lawyers. The declaration has since mobilized widespread support from NGOs, individuals, and institutions on a global scale, further demonstrating the profound societal impact of HuRiEE's work. *How Findings from the Award are Impacting the Public, Private, and Voluntary Sectors* The findings of the HuRiEE project have had wide-ranging effects across multiple sectors. In civil society, the project's research has informed key advocacy efforts. For example, Beáta Huszka's op-ed on EU enlargement and human rights, published in EU Law Live on 7 June 2024 (co-authored with Zsolt Körtvélyesi), was widely disseminated among legal professionals and shared by the Judges' Forum of Romania. This contribution was part of the EU Law Live Symposium on 'The 20th Anniversary of the 'Great' EU Enlargement' (https://eulawlive.com/op-ed-the-impact-of-enlargement-on-human-rights-in-the-eu-disentangling-negative-trends/) Similarly, Agnieszka Kubal's participation in an LGBTQ+ rights panel on 24 April 2024, followed by a screening of 'Woman of...' at the Bloomsbury Theatre, engaged 100 attendees from various backgrounds (NGOs, general public, diaspora LGBTQ+ activists from Central and Eastern Europe). These events reinforced the role of academic research in shaping public discourse, particularly around LGBTQ+ rights (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/events/2024/apr/lgbtq-rights-poland-quo-vadis) Additionally, the HuRiEE project's website continues to serve as a platform for disseminating findings to diverse audiences, with vlogs covering significant topics such as the Helsinki Accords' impact on Ukraine and abortion rights in Poland (https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/human-rights-in-eastern-europe-and-russia-huriee/vlogs) *Challenges Overcome to Achieve Impact* A key challenge in achieving the impact outlined above was ensuring the effective and widespread dissemination of research findings, particularly given technical issues such as the migration of the project's website from UCL to Oxford University's YouTube, which resulted in temporary difficulties in recording viewing analytics and maintaining engagement across different sectors, ensuring sustained impact. These efforts highlight the importance of cross-sector partnerships in facilitating the dissemination of research and ideas. Despite this, the HuRiEE team overcame these challenges by building strong strategic partnerships with universities (University of Oslo, University Libre Brussels, University of Bochum, UCL, Polish Academy of Sciences - Institute for Law Studies), NGOs, and legal bodies (judicial associations in Poland, Romania, Hungary), facilitating the ongoing reach of the project's research. Additionally, leveraging digital platforms and diversifying outreach methods ensured that the project continued to make a substantial impact across different sectors, from academia to policy-making to civil society. *Significant Impact within Academia* In the academic sphere, the HuRiEE project has made substantial contributions to the fields of human rights, legal mobilization, and judicial independence. The project has fostered active participation in several academic conferences, with team members contributing valuable insights. -- Agnieszka Kubal's recent seminar at the University of Oslo on 14 February 2025, which explored legal strategies within rights movements, attracted an audience of 100 academics, furthering the dialogue on human rights advocacy and legal strategies in Eastern Europe. -- Agnieszka Kubal's research on socio-legal mobilization, particularly against authoritarian backsliding in Poland, was also prominently featured at the ASEEES 2024 convention in Boston (22 November 2024), where it was discussed by leading scholars of legal authoritarianism. These events not only showcased HuRiEE's research but also contributed to the global academic discourse on human rights issues. -- Beata Huszka's presentation at the Representing Law conference in Bangor (3-6 September 2024) addressed the issue of legal mobilization for sexual minorities in Hungary and Romania, -- Hanna Oliinyk's participation in the Witnessing the War in Ukraine Summer Institute in Wroclaw (27-30 August 2024) highlighted the significance of testimony in wartime justice. These contributions further solidified HuRiEE's role in advancing legal and socio-political research. -- Agnieszka Kubal's keynote at the 22nd Aleksanteri Conference in Helsinki (25-27 October 2023) and her presentation on the legal strategies used to combat authoritarian backsliding in Poland, presented at the 2023 ASEEES convention in Philadelphia, have led to new research discussions and academic inquiries into these critical topics. These engagements highlight the growing academic significance of HuRiEE's work, positioning the project as a leader in the field of human rights research. HuRiEE's research has led to several high-impact publications that have significantly contributed to academic knowledge. For example, Agnieszka Kubal's article in the Journal of Law and Society (2024) on judicial relational legal consciousness has attracted 696 views, while her research on LGBTQ+ rights in Poland, published in Europe-Asia Studies, has garnered 587 views. Her article on Polish women's mobilization against authoritarian backsliding, published in the Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe (2023), has become a major reference point in the field, receiving 1,526 views. These publications exemplify the academic impact of HuRiEE's work and demonstrate its growing influence within the field of human rights and legal studies. Challenges Overcome to Achieve Impact One of the main challenges within academia has been ensuring the integration of HuRiEE's findings into interdisciplinary academic spaces. The team addressed this by diversifying publication platforms and presenting findings at both socio-legal and area studies major conferences. This multidisciplinary approach has facilitated wider access to HuRiEE's work, ensuring it resonates with diverse academic audiences. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2025 |
| Sector | Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | The Sunflower Project |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The Sunflower Declaration encourages public engagement in legal questions, putting pressure on organisations and governments to support human rights defenders. |
| URL | https://www.nobelpeacecenter.org/sunflowerdeclaration |
| Description | Activism As A Modality Of Resistance And Communication? Comparing Judicial Activism Across Eastern Europe |
| Amount | £49,999 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | KFSFF\100007 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 12/2024 |
| Description | Horizon Europe |
| Amount | € 3,024,240 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 101094828 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 04/2023 |
| End | 10/2026 |
| Description | Mobilizing Human Rights and Resistance: Ukrainian Media, Lawyers, and Accountability in War |
| Amount | £13,849 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 03/2026 |
| Description | Resisting Exclusion: Legal Culture, Trauma, and Adaptation Among Russian Human Rights Lawyers in a Polarising World |
| Amount | £15,750 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 03/2026 |
| Description | Membership of Centre for Immigration Law Studies |
| Organisation | Polish Academy of Sciences |
| Country | Poland |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The project PI, Dr Agnieszka Kubal, is a member of the Centre for Immigration Law Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | TBC |
| Impact | TBC |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Memorial |
| Organisation | Memorial |
| Country | Russian Federation |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Denis Shedov is a member of Memorial. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Memorial provides access to some of the archival documents for Denis' research. Furthermore, they graciously hosted the team away day in Berlin, thereby lowering costs. |
| Impact | Access to research and resources. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association. |
| Organisation | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe |
| Country | Austria |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Denis Shedov was appointed to the ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association, a voluntary mandate for the 4 years aimed to provide expertise to the OSCE human dimension institutions. This year, Denis provided information on the problem of Russian-style foreign agent legislation on other countries of the OSCE region (monitoring, preparing reports, etc). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation in this panel provides an overview of the human rights context in our region, and connections with with other experts from Ukraine, Poland, and other countries. It provides an insight into the OSCE's internal mechanisms , which are also connected with our research. |
| Impact | Connections and partnerships that influence the direction of research onto the project. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | 2023 Aleksanteri Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Denis Shedov was on the organizers' community for the conference and was responsible with some other colleagues for forming panels on the politics track. He also provided a report on "Another Side of Islam and State Relations: Criminal Prosecution of Muslims by Russian Authorities''. The project PI was also one of the keynote speakers (listed separately). Denis was able to make connections with several key interviewees for the project during the conference. He was also able to raise the profile of the project, share the project website and highlight forthcoming publications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/decolonizing-space-global-east |
| Description | 2023 Aleksanteri Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Denis Shedov was on the organizers' community for the conference and was responsible with some other colleagues for forming panels on the politics track. He also provided a report on "Another Side of Islam and State Relations: Criminal Prosecution of Muslims by Russian Authorities''. The project PI was also one of the keynote speakers (listed separately). Denis was able to make connections with several key interviewees for the project during the conference. He was also able to raise the profile of the project, share the project website and highlight forthcoming publications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/decolonizing-space-global-east |
| Description | ASEEES Convention: "Women's Complaint as a Window into the Polish Society: Legal Mobilization against Authoritarian Backsliding Following the Abortion Law" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The PI, Dr Agnieszka Kubal, was accepted to speak at the ASEEES convention. This is the major international conference for the field. Unfortunately, due to illness, she was unable to attend. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Blog on Reproductive Rights and the Rule of Law in Poland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | For International Women's Day, Dr Kubal published a short blog with Dr Ratecka from the University of Stockholm about the example of Poland in terms of abortion access and the rule of law. This allowed us to share Dr Kubal's research with wider audiences, and emphasise the importance of Poland as a case study. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/reproductive-rights-and-the-rule-of-law-poland/ |
| Description | Chair for Keynote of Dissensus over Liberal Democracy event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal is chairing the keynote lecture for the event 'Dissensus over Liberal Democracy: Insights from European Judges and Civil Society Organisations' at the University Libre Brussels. The event brings together judges from across the EU member states, civil society organisations and representatives of professional organisations of judges across the region. Participants will reflect on the forms taken by the dissensus over liberal democracy and their implications. It is designed to support experience-sharing and discussion of best practice. The lecture will be given by Professor John Morijn (Dutch Human Rights Commissioner and Professor, Groningen University). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Discussant for Book Colloquium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal was the discussant at a Book Colloquium for Christopher Thornhill's 'Democratic Crisis and Global Constitutional Law' at Wolfson College, Oxford University. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Documentary Screening and Discussion - Judges Under Pressure |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In collaboration with the University of Oxford's Bonavero Institute and Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Dr Kubal hosted a screening of the documentary Judges Under Pressure, followed by a thought-provoking discussion panel on 12 February 2025. The event explored the growing threats to judicial independence, particularly in Poland, and featured insights from legal experts and academics. The event was attended by around 100 participants, Oxford academics, students and people from the general public. It led to a lively discussion, with extensive questions from the audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/content/event/judges-under-pressure-documentary-screening-and-discussion-pa... |
| Description | Hosted Professor Alice Margaria |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The HuRiEE project hosted Professor Alice Margaria, co-director of the University Research Priority Programme 'Human Reproduction Reloaded' at the University of Zurich, to give a talk 'Juggling Justice: Insights from the Strasbourg Bench' at University College London. She shared preliminary research data that demonstrates the diversity of stakeholders involved with the European Court of Human Rights. This allowed for British researchers to access data and conclusions that would otherwise not be accessible for several years. The event was well attended and lead to a lively discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/events/2024/feb/juggling-justice-insights-strasbourg-bench |
| Description | Human Rights Against Democratic Backsliding Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal organised a two-part conference 'Human Rights Against Democratic Backsliding'. It consisted of a panel discussion and a British premiere of a documentary Judges under pressure (dir. Kacper Lisowski, Lollipop Productions). The panel discussion contained presentations from the PI, European academics and judges/legal practitioners (Professor John Morijn, Dr Marcin Mrowicki, Judge Joanna Hetnarowicz-Sikora). The event was attended by over seventy participants of different academic standing (both senior, medium and early career researchers, students, general public) and was sold out. The panel discussion was followed by the documentary screening and a Q and A with activists' judges - Waldemar Zurek, Igor Tuleya, Joanna Hetnarowicz-Sikora, and the film director. The event was attended by 100 people, and it was also sold out. The final project event 'Human Rights against democratic backsliding' was disseminated using SSEES UCL social media channels - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, with impressive engagement statistics. The event has reached 192 people on Facebook, it had 5,309 impressions on Twitter (and 65 engagements), 474 organic impressions on LinkedIn and 401 accounts reached on Instagram. The event was also widely commented on in Polish independent (i.e. non-state) media, see for example an article in an award-winning OKO.press: https://oko.press/prof-morijn-holender-walczy-o-praworzadnosc-w-polsce-nie-wolno-milczec-i-stac-z-boku (in Polish). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/events/2022/oct/human-rights-against-democratic-backsliding-poland |
| Description | Invitation to British Academy reception celebrating UK's association to Horizon Europe |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal was invited to attend a reception at the British Academy on the 18th September 2023 to celebrate the UK's association to Horizon Europe. Maria Leptin, the President of the European Research Council, was in attendance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Joint presentation at the Leicester Law School workshop with Dr. M. Mrowicki |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal presented the paper 'Between backlash and pushback? A Comparative Case Study of Russia and Democratically Backsliding Poland' with M. Mrowicki at the Leicester Law School workshop 'Rule of Law Backsliding'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | LGBTQ+ Rights Discussion and Film Screening |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Kubal hosted and chaired a discussion panel on LGBTQ+ rights in Poland on 24 April 2024, followed by a film screening 'Woman of' at Bloomsbury Theatre by Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert. The event was attended by 100 people, many of whom were LGBTQ+ activists from the Central and Eastern European region. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/events/2024/apr/lgbtq-rights-poland-quo-vadis |
| Description | Op-Ed for EU Law Live |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Huszka published an op-ed (with a co-author, Zsolt Körtvélyesi) in the EU Law Live Symposium entitled "The Impact of Enlargement on Human Rights in the EU: Disentangling Negative Trends". This came about due to her participation in the EU Law Live Symposium on 'The 20th Anniversary of the 'Great' EU Enlargement'. No statistics are available about viewing numbers, yet it was shared by the Judges' Forum of Romania (Forumul Judecatorilor din Romania) on X with 321 followers, mostly judges. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://eulawlive.com/op-ed-the-impact-of-enlargement-on-human-rights-in-the-eu-disentangling-negati... |
| Description | PI Presentation for the Columbia Law school workshop on Authoritarian Law |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal presented the paper 'Reproductive rights cases from Poland to ECtHR as resistance against authoritarian backsliding' at the Columbia Law School workshop on Authoritarian Law. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | PI presentation for University Libre Brussels workshop on Judicial Resistance in Europe |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal presented the paper 'Judicial Legal Consciousness in Poland - authoritarian backsliding as a catalyst of change?' at a workshop on Judicial Resistance in Europe run by the University Libre Brussels. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Panel discussion on EU Migration |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal was invited to participate in a panel on EU migration and its impacts for post-Brexit UK. She was invited by Hannah Tomczyk, a Youth Ambassador of Wilton Park, an executive agency of the UK FCDO. The event was supported by the FCDO. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participation at the judges' conference: Equal Opportunities in the Courtroom, Access to Justice for Vulnerable Social Group: Challenges and Solutions in Europe |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Beáta Huszka attended the international conference organized for judges by the Res Iudicata Association and the Hungarian Ombudsman's Office. This event allowed for networking with judges from the region and informing them about the HuRiEE project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://nemzetisegijogok.hu/documents/2657648/7830678/Konferenciakiadv%C3%A1ny.pdf/2c348009-12b4-038... |
| Description | Russia and the ECtHR Workshop - Joint Presentation with Dr M. Mrowicki |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In March, Dr Agnieszka Kubal and Dr Marcin Mrowicki presented the paper 'Between backlash and pushback? A Comparative Case Study of Russia and Democratically Backsliding Poland' at the Russia and the European Court of Human Rights workshop. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Telegram publication for 'Memorial' organisation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Denis Shedov participates in campaigns supporting Russian political prisoner Alexei Gorinov. As part of his research for HuRiEE, he has been working with documents of the Initiative Group for the Defense of Human Rights in the USSR. In so doing he found a letter to the European Commission of Human Rights from 1976. The letter was on the poor conditions for the political prisoners in prisoner camps of the Vladimir region, Soviet Russia. The description of the conditions was very similar to the current conditions for Alexei Gorinov in one of the prisoner camps of the Vladimir region, modern Russia. He produced a post about it, which was shared by the organisation Memorial on their Telegram. Working with materials for the HuRiEE project thus inspired discussion about the history of modern human rights issues in a format appropriate for a wider public audience through the Gorinov campaign and Memorial. This increases access to information and may help change discussions going forward. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://t.me/c/1960991760/2686 |
| Description | The Rule of Law Crisis in Poland public event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal organised a public lecture, given by Professor Adam Bodnar (former Polish Ombudsman, Dean of Law Faculty at SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw) on the extent of the rule of law crisis in Poland. He explored ways to overcome the crisis, drawing on a plethora of legal, social, and political tools. The event was sold-out and generated enthusiastic discussion between attendees and the speakers. Dr Kubal moderated the Q&A and discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/events/2023/sep/rule-law-crisis-poland |
| Description | Visit to the Open Society Archives in Budapest |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | In September 2023 Beata Huszka visited the Open Society Archives in Budapest to research the International Helsinki Federation files. She held discussions with researchers of the archives about the HuRiEE project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Vlog - Abortion Rights in Poland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | HuRiEE created and released a public-facing short video to share information about abortion rights in Poland, based on the research of Dr Agnieszka Kubal. With the global retrenchment in abortion access, this information in particularly timely and relevant. The vlog discusses Poland's restrictions on abortion in 2020, which sparked mass protests and led many women to challenge the ruling at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In a landmark case, the ECtHR found that the Polish Constitutional Tribunal's decision violated the right to private and family life. It therefore also helps to clarify the role and work of the ECtHR. The video has currently been viewed 89 times. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6hTxwUnMes |
| Description | Vlog - Human Rights in Romania under Communism |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The HuRiEE team created and released a short video about the history of Human Rights activism in Romania under Communism. This was based on the archival research conducted by Dr Huszka. It therefore makes this history accessible to lay audiences without the skills or access required to undertake such research. It has currently been viewed over 100 times. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk-P_5VfnTs |
| Description | Vlog - The Helsinki Accords and their Impact in Ukraine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | HuRiEE produced a short video sharing updates from our research about the impact of the Helsinki Accords in Ukraine. This is based on the archival historical research conducted by Hanna Oliinyk through the HuRiEE project. This is information that is rarely available in English for a lay audience. It is also unusual in highlighting the specific experience of Ukraine during the Soviet period, which is often ignored in favour of research focussed on the Russian Soviet Republic. The video had to be transferred to the University of Oxford media from UCL, so there was a loss of analytics from earlier viewers. However, at the time of writing, it has been watched 99 times, so will have reached a larger audience including viewers on the previous hosting page. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwzB-YBSOdg |
| Description | Vlog - Ukrainian Women and the Helsinki Accords |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | HuRiEE produced and released a short video about the role of women in the Ukrainian Helsinki Group, formed in 1976. This is based on archival research by Hanna Oliinyk conducted over the course of the HuRiEE project. This information is therefore not otherwise accessible to lay audiences, especially those without Ukrainian language skills. This research is particularly important in the current political moment, given the devastation caused to Ukrainian archives and historical centres due to the Russian war of aggression. It also highlights the voices of women who are otherwise often excluded from narratives about this period. The video had to be transferred from UCL's hosting to that of the University of Oxford, so some analytic data has been lost. We hope to increase its profile now that the project transfer is complete. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmxtMU0CJ6s |
| Description | Women's Complaint to ECtHR as a window into the Polish society - Presentation at Indiana University, Bloomington |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Agnieszka Kubal presented her research into the 'Women's Complaint' applications to the European Court of Human Rights at the Polish Studies Centre at Indiana University. The 'Women's Complaint' (in Polish: Skarga Kobiet) was a mass legal mobilisation against the decision by the Constitutional Tribunal to further curtail access to abortion in Poland, removing the right to terminate a pregnancy on account of severe and irreversible foetal impairments. Over 1000 applications were submitted. In the talk, Dr Kubal demonstrated that Women's Complaint provides a window into Polish society, highlighting the deep conflict, rule-of-law crisis, and the Law and Justice (PiS) strategies for rule. The talk occurred in the immediate aftermath of the repeal of Roe v Wade in the USA and generated discussion about the international backlash against reproductive rights and the specificities of national examples. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |