The politics of world heritage: visions, custodians, and futures of humanity

Wednesday 4 March 2026
6.30pm - 8pm
In-person and online public event (Malaysia Auditorium, Centre Building)

In this book launch, Elif Kalaycioglu, will present her new book, The Politics of World Heritage: Visions, Custodians, and Futures of Humanity, followed by a discussion and Q&A.

The book examines the permutations of a global cultural history of humanity that has emerged through decades of World Heritage politics. Within this history, Dr Kalaycioglu excavates the exclusions, hierarchies and contradictions that challenge UNESCO's mandate of fostering global peace and solidarity; and offers an internal critique of UNESCO's "nested constructions of humanity".

Meet our speakers and chair

Elif Kalaycioglu is Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama’s Department of Political Science. 

Alvina Hoffmann is a Lecturer in Diplomatic Studies at SOAS University of London. 

Sinja Graf is Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at LSE. 

This public event is free and open to all, but pre-registration is required.

In-person: You can request one ticket via the online ticket request form, which will be open after 12noon on Monday 9 February. The ticket line will stay open until all tickets have been allocated.

Online: Registration will open in early January.

Find out more and register

If you have a query see our Events FAQ or email events@lse.ac.uk.

Report Launch: Strengthening the Representation of Women in Diplomacy: Lessons from the Field

Thursday 05 March 2026
6.30pm to 8.00pm
Room: MAR.1.04 and online

Hosted by LSE IDEAS and the Department of International Relations

Following the publication of the ‘Women in Diplomacy’ (WiD) inaugural report in June 2024, the WiD team has convened a series of workshops and consultations, internationally, with women diplomats and practitioners to reflect on the findings and deepen understanding of the core barriers and enablers to women’s representation in diplomacy and foreign policy.

The insights gathered from these conversations now inform the second edition of the report, which integrates lived experience with policy-relevant analysis and offers concrete, evidence-based guidance for advancing gender equality in international affairs.

This launch event will present key findings from the report and bring together practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to reflect on lessons from the field and discuss pathways for change. The event offers an opportunity to engage in an open, informed discussion on strengthening women’s representation and leadership in diplomacy.

Speakers

HE Dr Fatou Bensouda served as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court from 2012 to 2021, becoming its first female Prosecutor after election by consensus with African Union support. She strengthened the Office through strategic reforms, overseeing fourteen investigations and numerous preliminary examinations worldwide.

Dr Sara Chehab is the acting Academic Director and a Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Dr Chehab curates the ‘Women and Diplomacy’ research programme at AGDA. She also trains diplomats on the Women, Peace and Security agenda and contemporary global and economic affairs.

Alexander Evans is Associate Dean for Strategic Development at the LSE School of Public Policy, Professor in Practice in Public Policy, and Director of the LSE IDEAS Ratiu Forum. 

Marta Kozielska is the co-founder and manager of the Women in Diplomacy Project . Marta also manages the LSE IDEAS Alumni Network.

HE Laura Popescu is the Ambassador of Romania to the United Kingdom and the country’s first woman ambassador in London. 

Chair

Karen E Smith is Professor of International Relations at LSE. Her main research interests lie in the fields of foreign policy analysis and the study of international organisations. 

This public event is free and open to all but pre-registration is required.

Find out more and register for the event

For any queries email ideas.events@lse.ac.uk.

Judging under constraint

Tuesday 10 March 2026
6.30pm - 8pm
In-person public event (Old Theatre, Old Building)

International courts are regularly called upon to address some of the most pressing issues of international and regional affairs. Policymakers, practitioners, and scholars observe variation in how international courts respond to the cases brought before them. At times, international courts defer to states, whereby they accept a state’s exercise of authority. Other times, they reject states’ exercise of authority. How can we explain this variation in judicial deference?

During this event, Dr Theresa Squatrito will present her new book, which examines deference by international courts. She will explain how a judicial deference is shaped by judicial independence and the political preferences of states. She will demonstrate this argument based on evidence on the East African Court of Justice, Caribbean Court of Justice, and African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Meet our speaker

Dr Theresa Squatrito is Associate Professor in International Organisations in the Department of International Relations at LSE. She teaches international organisations and international institutions at LSE. 

Discussants

Kofi Oteng Kufuor is Professor of Law in the University of East London. He is the author of The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement: The Development of a Regional Rules-Based Trading Order (2024) Routledge; and World Trade Governance and Developing Countries: the GATT/WTO Code Committee System, (2004) Blackwell.

Mark A Pollack is Thomas J. Freaney Professor of Political Science and Law and Jean Monnet Chair at Temple University. His research focuses on international law, international organizations, and EU law and politics. He is the co-host, with Katerina Linos, of the Borderlines CJEU Profiles series of interviews with judges and advocates general of the European Court of Justice.

Chair

Jens Meierhenrich is Professor of International Relations in the Department of International Relations at LSE.

This public event is free and open to all. No ticket or pre-registration is required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis.

For any queries email ir.events@lse.ac.uk.

Find out more about the event and speakers