Venice Academy of Human Rights

Human Rights often form the basis for integration processes into various communities, be they national, regional or international. In this context, human and fundamental rights are hailed as shared values and foundations of communal convergence. Yet other voices highlight the homogenising, civilising and excluding effects of these integration processes.

The Venice Academy of Human Rights 2015 will look at international, regional and transnational integration processes from an institutional, policy, dogmatic and interdisciplinary perspective. The discussion addresses communities of various actors, including citizens, peoples, minorities, but also communities of international and regional organisations, courts and private bodies. How become communities imaginable and how are they constructed? What role do fundamental and human rights play in building and consolidating these communities? How do courts and judicial bodies forge communities and integration processes? What happens to differences and diverse identities? And what are the darker sides of these processes for those on the periphery or outside the community? These are but some of the questions that the Venice Academy of Human Rights will raise and discuss.

Courses during the first week will focus on topics of multiculturalism, minorities and courts. The second week focuses on the European integration project.