The European Union is facing unprecedented social, economic, and environmental challenges in the 21st century. How can we foster a sense of belonging and solidarity among the diverse peoples of Europe? How can we ensure a fair and sustainable development for present and future generations? How can we address the causes and consequences of climate migration within and beyond the EU borders?

These are some of the questions that will be explored in the conference on challenges and opportunities for the elaboration of a European social contract, organized by the reseach group GLOBAL INTEL within the Department of Public Law of the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The conference will take place on 9 February 2024 at the Faculty of Law of the UAB.

The conference will consist of three sessions, each focusing on a specific aspect of the European social contract:

  • Session 1: The concept of an inhabitant of the European Union as an alternative to European citizenship. This session will examine the potential and limitations of the notion of inhabitant as a way of defining the rights and duties of the people living in the EU, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or legal status.
  • Session 2: Sustainable development as a methodology for building a social contract. This session will discuss how the principles and practices of sustainable development can contribute to the creation of a social contract that balances the needs of the environment, the economy, and the society.
  • Session 3: The immediate and future challenges of climate migration for the European Union. This session will analyse the causes, patterns, and impacts of climate migration on the EU and its member states, as well as the possible responses and solutions that the EU can adopt to cope with this phenomenon.

We invite researchers, scholars and PhD candidates from various disciplines and backgrounds to submit abstracts for oral presentations related to the topics of the conference. The abstracts should be no longer than 300 words, and should include the following information:

  • Title of the presentation
  • Name and affiliation of the author(s)
  • Contact details of the corresponding author (email and phone number)
  • Keywords (3-5)
  • Session preference (1, 2, or 3)
  • Presentation format preference (online or presencial)

The abstracts should be sent to the following email address: cristina.blasi@uab.es by 3 January 2024. The acceptance of the abstracts will be notified by 15 January 2024.

The conference is free of cost and will be held in English and Spanish. It includes lunch and coffee breaks. More details will be sent to the accepted participants along with the confirmation email.

We look forward to receiving your abstracts and seeing you at the conference!