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Workshop at the Faculty of Law at UiT Explores Challenges in Combating Human Trafficking
On March 24th and 25th, the research group on Crime Control and Security Law (CCSL) hosted a workshop on the persistent challenges posed by human trafficking. The event gathered national and international experts and scholars to exchange ideas on combating this severe human rights violation, discussing possible legal frameworks, detection methods, and prosecution strategies.
The workshop highlighted the complexity of human trafficking, a crime that often involves transnational organized criminal networks and has become increasingly difficult to address due to its clandestine nature and digital dimension. A multitude of different froms of trafficking were covered, ranging from forced labor and sexual exploitation to illegal adoptions and trafficking of human remains.
Dean of the Faculty of Law, Tore Henriksen, opened the event by emphasizing the relevance and gravity of the topic. Nathalie Ottosson, PhD candidate at UiT and main organizer of the workshop, introduced the theme with her presentation on the intersection of European and international criminal law, exploring how these legal frameworks work together to address human trafficking.
One highlight of the workshop was the keynote lecture by Hans-Jörg Albrecht from Germany, who provided a critical perspective on human trafficking. Following the keynote, a series of empirical presentations offered insights into the global scope of trafficking. Aleksandar Maršavelski presented on human trafficking in Croatia, and Liling Yue on human trafficking in China. They presented data on the demographics of offenders and victims, and the evolving challenges faced by law enforcement agencies.
The workshop also explored less commonly discussed aspects of human trafficking, such as trafficking at sea.
Jessica Schechinger and Youri van Logchem examined the forced labor that takes place on fishing vessels, while Eva van der Marel highlighted the link between illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and human trafficking.
Further into the workshop, discussions turned to innovative approaches to tackling human trafficking. Nandor Knust and Michael Riegler presented on the use of satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to advance transnational crime control.
Another fascinating contribution came from Gor Samvel, who discussed the normative order of radical environmental movements and their intersection with human trafficking, particularly in the context of wildlife trafficking and the trafficking of human remains for medical and spiritual purposes. Gaiane Nuridzhanian presented on "The Principle of Ne Bis in Idem and Transnational Crime," discussing how this legal principle —ensuring that no one is tried twice for the same crime— applies to cross-border offenses, including human trafficking. She examined the challenges of enforcing this principle in transnational cases and its implications for international cooperation in criminal justice.
To end the workshop, criminologist John Winterdyk from Canada addressed "The Use of Social Networking Technology to Reduce the Demand for Commercial Sex/Sex Trafficking." His presentation focused on how digital tools and online platforms can be leveraged to shift perceptions, discourage demand, and combat human trafficking.
The event provided a platform for scholars and practitioners to share expertise and discuss potential solutions. The relaxed and collaborative atmosphere allowed participants to engage in meaningful exchanges of ideas and establish connections for future research. The workshop emphasized the urgent need for global cooperation and innovative solutions to combat human trafficking, with experts from diverse fields coming together to explore ways forward in tackling this pressing issue.
Published: 31.03.2025
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Exploring Legal Hermeneutics and Technology: Two Upcoming Events You Don't Want to Miss!
On October 9th and 10th, we are hosting a masterclass and an interdisciplinary workshop in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law.
To attend any or both of the events please register by sending an e-mail to nandor.knust@uit.no.
October 9th: Masterclass - What does it mean to apply the law? Insights from Legal Hermeneutics
Featuring Ralf Poscher from the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security, and Law.
Applying the law is a practice which encompasses a variety of different analytical instruments. Most of these distinctions are deeply rooted not just in the legal methodological but also in the doctrinal and even institutional tradition. Likewise, and contrary to monistic accounts, hermeneutics is a set of distinct practices that are of variable relevance for different hermeneutical situations. It follows that when a lawyer applies the law to a given case, they will rely on a diverse range of hermeneutical activities. The complexity of legal hermeneutics is linked to the complexity of legal contexts, like legal interpretation, rule-following, legal construction, association, the exercise of discretion, and judgments on the significance of a legal provision. By highlighting how all of these distinct practices are linked to particular debates in analytic philosophy, this workshop seeks to shed light on a question that is vital to all lawyers: What does it mean to apply the law?
October 10th: Interdisciplinary Workshop - Modern Technologies and Self-Determination
Big data promises to radically expand our cognitive reach, allowing us to collect and process data and thus to generate knowledge on a scale we have never done before. This creates, according to a commonly held belief, an abundance of opportunities for furthering human agency such as more efficient policing, better protection of the environment, or a more targeted delivery of state services. It also, however, challenges a set of commonly held values of our legal orders. As we introduce automation into them, some of the values we hold dear may forever be transformed or even eroded.
This is why, in our workshop, by embarking on an interdisciplinary research endeavor, we want to assess how our legal societies can reap the benefits of modern technologies while still maintaining human self-determination. We do so by exploring challenges for legal concepts which are typically regarded as emanations of human self-determination, such as data protection, the transparency and explainability of legal decisions or the connectedness of legal processes to human communication
This exploration is clustered into three thematic sessions the diversity of which reflects both the fundamental ambivalence and discipline-transcending impact of technological progress. In a first session, scholars from the legal and philosophical disciplines will analyze how such technological innovations could pose a challenge for human self-determination. In a second session, computer scientists will presenting some of the technological innovations which could transform our field. The third session forms the synthesis of the first two. In it, we will discuss specific projects which aim at reaping AI’s promise while at the same time reigning in its peril.
Published: 05.10.2023
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