
The ILA Committee
Urbanisation and International Law: Potential & Pitfalls
The International Law Association (ILA) Committee will examine and clarify how international law evolves in urban contexts and, in turn, why and how cities engage in international law and governance.
The Committee seeks to explore whether and how fundamental concepts of international law are shaped by the urbanisation of international law, including its impact on urban life and governance. A broader focus on urban contexts will enable the Committee to:
-
examine the normative processes through which cities and other urban actors engage with international law;
-
assess how their participation in institutional practices influences law, policy, and implementation; and
-
analyze the patterns of argumentation and discourse that define the urban turn in international law and governance, as well as the politics surrounding this discourse.
Committee Officers
The Committee welcomes new members and anticipates growing interest in the topic as ILA national branches become more actively engaged through member nominations. Given its global reach, the ILA provides a unique platform for the collaborative study of the urbanization of international law

Janne E Nijman
Co-Chair
Professor of History and Theory of International Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam and senior fellow of the Amsterdam Center for International Law (ACIL). She is also Professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.

Helmut Aust
Co-Chair
Professor of Law at Freie Universität Berlin where he teaches public and international law. He is also an Associate Fellow of the German Council on Foreign Relations.

Anél Du Plessis
Co-rapporteur
Professor of Law and the Chair in Urban Law and Sustainability Governance in the Faculty of Law, Stellenbosch University, South Africa where she lectures environmental law and sustainable development law.

Mirko Sossai
Co-rapporteur
Professor of international law at the Law Department of Roma Tre University, Rome. His research interests focus on human rights, international humanitarian law and the law of international organizations.
Committee
Members
Professor Helmut Aust (Germany) Co-Chair
Professor Janne E Nijman (The Netherlands) Co-Chair
Professor Anel Du Plessis (South Africa) Co-Rapporteur
Professor Mirko Sossai (Italy) Co-Rapporteur
Christiane Ahlborn (American, Germany)
Doctor Markus P Beham (Austria)
Professor Christina Binder (Austria, Germany)
Doctor Andres Caceres-Solari (The Netherlands)
Georgie Clough (Australia)
Advocate Oluwaseyi Ebenezer (Nigeria)
Professor Veronika Fikfak (British)
Professor Jonathan Hafetz (American)
Ms Masa Kovic Dine (Slovenia)
Mr Robert Lewis-Lettington (British)
Doctor Kaara Martinez (American)
Doctor W C L Muller (The Netherlands)
Professor LIU Nengye (China)
Justice Nicola Pain (Australia)
Professor Marius Pieterse (South Africa)
Professor Alejandro Rodiles (Mexico)
Professor Christopher Waters (Canada)
Professor Cathrin Zengerling (Germany)