Contestation and Constitution of Norms in Global IR

Antje Wiener has completed a two year Opus Magnum Fellowship of the Volkswagen Foundation (2015-2017). The research project is titled “Normativity, Diversity and Cosmopolitan Contestation: International Relations as Intercultural Relations”. During this time she received further fellowships:

• 2018 (1-3) Visiting Fellow, Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, Wolfson College and Hughes Hall, Cambridge University
• 2016 (9-12) Visiting Fellow, Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, Wolfson College and Hughes Hall, Cambridge University
• 2016 (3-6) Visiting Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH), University of Edinburgh

The project explores the co-constitution of normativity through practices of contestation with reference to three global norm conflicts: fundamental rights of individuals, the prohibition of torture and the prohibition of sexual violence. The empirical research accounts for interventions on behalf of those affected by breaches of norms and identifies constraints and opportunities for stakeholder participation in a fragmented global society. In doing so, it considers cultural and institutional diversity with regard to the co-constitution of norm change. This is achieved by a clear framework to operationalize research on contested norms. The project contributes to the Global IR project by offering an agency-centred approach illustrated by three case scenarios. It speaks to the interests of scholars and advanced students of international relations, international political theory, and international law.

Antje Wiener received the ISA ILAW Book Award 2020 for her book "Contestation and Constitution of Norms in Global International Relations" which was published within the framework of this project. Click here for further information.

Outcomes:

• Wiener, Antje (2018). Contestation and Constitution of Norms in Global International Relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Website).
• Wiener, Antje (2017). Agency of the governed in global international relations: access to norm validation. Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal, 1-17 (Journal Website).
• Lang, Anthony F. & Wiener, Antje (eds.) (2017). Handbook on Global Constitutionalism. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing (Website).
• Wiener, Antje (2017). A Theory of Contestation—A Concise Summary of Its Argument and Concepts. Polity, 49(1), 109-125 (PDF & Special Issue).
• Wiener, Antje (2017). A Reply to My Critics. Polity 49(1), 165-184 (PDF).

Activities:

• Opening Lecture "How to live with norm contestation?" at the European Cyber Diplomacy Dialogue 2020 in Florence, Italy (link).

Picture of the workshop 'Dynamics of Dissent' at the University of Oxford, 2-3 June 2017.