Centre on Human Rights in Conflict
Research programme
The Centre engages in policy-oriented research in several important areas at the intersection of human rights and contemporary conflict.
Research activities include work on:
- Building a Just and Durable Peace by Piece:
The CHRC recently concluded a European Commission Framework Programme VII Collaborative Research Project, which was coordinated by the University of Lund. As part of the project the members of the Centre have researched the role of justice in achieving and consolidating peace. They have produced several working papers and policy briefs which are availabe in our publications page. More information is available from the project website.
- Business and Human Rights in Conflict: The CHRC is currently part of an international research project led by the University of Sevilla (Spain) on “The responsibility of Spanish transnational corporations with regards to human rights: towards a general framework for public policy”. This project is coordinated by Dr. Marquez Carrasco and financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology. The three years project aims at analysing the complex discussion surrounding the responsibility of transnational corporations with regard to the respect of human rights in the specific context of Spain. This is a timely project as Spanish companies are playing an increasing role in the global economy, with leading investment in, but not exclusively, Latin America. Spanish authorities, civil society, and corporate actors are currently engaged in a debate to develop the necessary standards to reflect such prominent position.
Dr. Olga Martin-Ortega is part of an international team of researchers which include, together with Dr. Marquez Carrasco (University of Sevilla), Dr. Memo Kamminga (Maastricht University), Dr. Elisabeth Salomon (Universidad Pontificia Catolica de Peru), Dr. Dr.Fabrizio Marrella (European Inter–University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation -EIUC); Dr. Wouter Vandenhole (Antwerp University); Dr. Patrick Macklen (University of Toronto); Vanessa Casado (Universidad Pablo Olavide de Sevilla) and ); Dr. Assier Martinez de Bringas; Dr. Marco Aparicio Wilhem (University of Girona); Dr. David Bondia; Dr. Jaume Saura Espata (University of Barcelona) Dr. Pablo Gutierrez Vega; Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez Lopez and Dr. Luis Rodriguez Pinero (University of Sevilla).
The CHRC has held several seminars on the topic, including a research workshop on Business and Human Rights in Conflict (2007), which sought to explore the role of private sector in situations of armed conflict, with focus on specific case studies, legal responses and policy, advocacy and business responses. Seminar information and materials can be found here.
Dr. Olga Martin-Ortega teaches at the LLM Programme at the University of East London on Business and Human Rights, and had lead several courses in the Open University of Catalunya and the Universidad Pontificia Catolica de Peru, on the subject. She is the author several publications on the topic (see publications).
- Surviving Field Research: Working in Violent and Difficult Situations
In collaboration with colleagues at the American University in Washington, DC, Professor Chandra Lekha Sriram, Dr. Olga Martin-Ortega and Johanna Herman have produced an edited volume addressing key challenges of fieldwork in situations of armed conflict, repression, and gross human rights violations. Surviving Field Research: Working in Violent and Difficult Situations was published by Routledge in May 2009.
- War, Conflict and Human rights: Theory and Practice: Professor Chandra Lekha Sriram, Dr. Martin-Ortega and Johanna Herman authored a textbook for postgraduate-level courses in conflict theory and resolution, international human rights, international humanitarian law, and courses which combine elements of each. War, Conflict and Human Rights: Theory and Practice was published by Routledge in July 2009.
