CSLS Annual Lecture 2025: Professor Martti Koskenniemi on International Law and the Social (Watch Online)

The Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies was honoured to host Professor Martti Koskenniemi, who delivered a compelling and historically rich lecture on "International Law and the Social: Elements of a Conceptual and Political History". The event, held on Wednesday, 28 May in collaboration with the Law and Societies research cluster at Wolfson College, attracted a strong and engaged audience of approximately 80 attendees.

Professor Koskenniemi, a leading figure in the field of international law, guided the audience through a fascinating history of the discipline's engagement with the "social". His lecture examined the evolution from legal formalism to later considerations of governance, pluralism, and the transnational legal field, highlighting key intellectual shifts and debates.

Commenting on the lecture's impact, Director of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Fernanda Pirie, said:

“I have long been an admirer of Professor Koskenniemi’s writings on international law and the questions he raises about ‘what it is for’. This lecture, examining the concept of ‘the social’, as understood by leading figures in the field, sheds fresh light on the role and impact of international law in different global contexts. It will be of great interest to many scholars of law in society"

Each year, the Centre's annual lecture provides a platform for engaging with the ideas of leading scholars, whose work contributes in different ways to the ever-expanding field of socio-legal studies. Professor Koskenniemi's insightful historical analysis and critical engagement with the foundational concepts of international law made for a truly memorable event.

For those who were unable to attend this thought-provoking lecture, or for attendees wishing to revisit its insights, a recording is now openly accessible on the Faculty of Law's YouTube channel. We encourage everyone interested in the historical and social dimensions of international law to watch.

Established in 1972, the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies remains dedicated to multidisciplinary research on critical issues including access to justice, law beyond the state, law in a digital world, regulation and governance, and the lived experiences of human rights. Find out more about our work on our website.