Global Harm, Local Justice: The Future of Cross-Border Torts

We invite submissions for the virtual conference "Global Harm, Local Justice: The Future of CrossBorder Torts", which will take place on 6 February 2026. This conference is designed specifically for early-career scholars working in the field of private international law.

About the Conference

This event aims to create a dynamic and supportive environment for emerging scholars to present their work, engage in critical discussion and receive constructive feedback from established academics and peers. We welcome theoretical, comparative and practice-oriented contributions that address the growing complexity of tort-related issues in a globalised, digital and technologically mediated world.

The conference will provide early career researchers with the unique opportunity to present their work and receive feedback from leading experts in the field of substantive tort law and private international law. This dual perspective allows participants to engage both with private international law and the foundations of liability and remedies offered by substantive tort law. While private international law frames the jurisdictional and choice-of-law dimensions of cross-border disputes, any analysis requires grounding in the substantive principles that govern liability, causation and remedies within domestic tort systems. Substantive law expertise will help to uncover how divergences between legal systems shape conflicts problems.

Key Topics Include (but are not limited to)

• Jurisdiction and applicable law in cross-border torts
• Torts arising from AI-related harm, automated decision-making and algorithmic bias
• Digital torts, defamation and harm through online platforms
• Environmental harm
• Business and human rights
• Privacy
• Cross-border collective redress
• Product liability in global supply chains, including AI-integrated goods
• The interface between public and private international law in tort

Contact and Further Information

dr. M.A.S. (Martin) Bulla (m.a.s.bulla rug.nl)
dr. K.C. (Kirsten) Henckel (k.c.henckel rug.nl)