2026 ESIL Annual Conference on 'International Law and Conflict: An Enduring Tension?'
**2026 ESIL Annual Conference on "International Law and Conflict: An Enduring Tension?"** is a professional academic conference held September 3–5, 2026, in Málaga, Spain. Participants engage with scholarly research and expert presentations on international law and its relationship to armed conflict and dispute resolution. The conference brings together academics, practitioners, and specialists to discuss contemporary issues at the intersection of international legal frameworks and global conflicts.
Why it matters
For students and delegates interested in public international law, this conference theme points directly to a central and enduring question in the field: how law interacts with conflict. It is especially relevant for those studying international legal institutions, the use of force, humanitarian issues, and dispute resolution.
Because this is a professional, in-person event, it can also be a useful reference point for understanding how major legal themes are framed in contemporary academic and practitioner conversations. Following or attending a conference like this can help delegates sharpen both subject knowledge and legal vocabulary.
How to prepare
A strong way to prepare is to build a foundation in the core areas that connect international law and conflict: the UN Charter framework on the use of force, international humanitarian law, state responsibility, international criminal law, and peaceful dispute settlement. Even without listed committees, these themes are closely aligned with the conference title and can guide your background reading.
It may also help to prepare a short personal research agenda before attending. Identify 2–3 questions you want to explore, such as how legal rules constrain conflict, where legal frameworks struggle in practice, or how accountability mechanisms operate during and after armed conflict. This will make sessions easier to follow and help you engage more purposefully with the event.