post by Favour Borokini (2022 cohort)
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From January 27-31, I was in the Netherlands attending the Dutch-Flemish Law & Society Association (VSR) PhD Days for Empirical Legal Studies. During the main conference, I had the opportunity to present findings from my first study as part of the Digital Governance and Vulnerability panel, organised by Gianclaudio Malgieri and Linnet Taylor, on the opening day.
It was my first time in mainland Europe, and it came unsurprisingly, as a Nigerian green “pali” holder, with associated visa issues – nothing quite as dire and humiliating as the German airport transit visa fiasco, but eh… IPNTS.
It was also my first time presenting findings from the entire study, which I worked on over the holiday, just in time for the conference, so I was really excited that I did get to go!
My research has sort of evolved to be more… ecumenical, I suppose. Take, for instance, the word “minor” which throughout the project, everyone I engaged with identified with as a feeling of relentless isolation, regardless of nationality, race and gender.
It’s interesting to think about how the law ought *and* ought not to respond to this, so it was really quite fortuitous that I got to attend a conference by socio-legal scholars. I was extremely impressed at the breadth of the work undertaken by lawyers on social issues impacting people from all walks of life, especially the non-doctrinal nature of it. It was such a marked contrast from the setting where I received my legal training, and I felt incredibly validated in my research, seeking people out, exploring what alternative forms of law could/look like. I suppose this is what conferences are for: to meet like-minded people.
I’m very thankful to my supervisors, Oliver Butler, Alan Chamberlain and Lydia Farina, for supporting my research and reviewing my abstract, as well as my sponsor Horizon CDT, especially Andrea Haworth and Laura Brian, for putting up with my many impromptu requests for assistance!
The conversations I had and the people I got to meet have me really looking forward to continuing the year doing some more research on this very important subject!
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