Dublin Law and Politics Review

How do the EU and its member states respond to "illegal" immigration? Are readmission agreements successful? In this episode, Elsa Fernando Gonzalo discusses her research on EU's informal migrant readmission deals with third countries.

Are minority language speakers impacted when to comes to accessing their right to a fair trial? How are they treated by the justice system? What laws protect their human rights? PhD candidate Gearóidín McEvoy explains her research in this area, specifically concerning Irish and Irish Sign Language speakers.

The controversial trade deal known as CETA or the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement has become an issue in the Irish government recently. Many are questioning the impact ratifying this deal would have in Ireland. Barry Finnegan, a senior lecturer at Griffith College discusses the problems with the Investor Court System in CETA.

In this episode, we talk with Hasmik Grigoryan, a PhD research at Dublin City University, about her research on the political positions of Armenian political parties towards the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as how they have evolved over the last three decades. We also discuss the difficulties in conducting archival research.

Violence organisations have been using visuals for years to recruit people to join their forces. This applies to both legal and illegal violence organisations. This week on the Dublin Law and Politics Review podcast, Sheelagh Brady, a former Garda Sargent and a former senior security analyst, delves into her PhD research on comparing recruitment videos of legal and illegal violence organisations. She discloses the similarities found, the cues and myths the videos pander to and what she has found so far, in an effort to answer how and why people join these organisations.

In this week's episode, we talk with Miraji Mohamed, a PhD researcher at Dublin City University about her research on how Kenya has been tackling various forms of violent extremism. For further insights, you may read Miraji's recent article on Kenya's War on Terror.

What does it mean to be a citizen of Abkhazia, South Ossetia or any other de facto state? Are the people living in such territories stateless? What are some of the precarious situations they are faced with? In this episode, Ramesh Ganohariti, a PhD student from Dublin City University, shares his research on Citizenship in post-Soviet de facto States. Ramesh's research is funded by the Irish Research Council.

If you're confused about the controversy surrounding the AstraZeneca vaccine contract and the EU, don't worry, you are not the only one. Should the EU be given vaccines produced in the UK? Does the UK's contract take priority over the EU's? What happens if the EU sues AstraZeneca? Dr Eoin O'Dell, an associate professor at Trinity College Dublin explains all in this episode.

Dr Brian Barry, Lecturer at the Technological University Dublin and Caoimhe Kiernan discuss Dr Barry’s new book, ‘How Judges Judge: Empirical Insights into Judicial Decision-Making’, the idea of ‘perfect justice’, and some insights on the future of judging in Ireland.

Why does FIFA not allow the participation of some national teams? How many national football teams are there? What is the relationship between football & politics? Here is our latest episode, where we discuss the above questions, with this week's guest Sasha Düerkop. Recommended literature Blood and Circuses: A Football Journey Through Europe’s Rebel Republics by Rober O’Connor CONIFA: Football for the Forgotten: The Untold Story of Football’s Alternate World Cup by James Hendicott Forgotten Nations: The Incredible Stories of Football in the Shadows by Chris Deeley. One Football No Nets by Justin Walley. Invisible Countries: Journies to the edge of Nationhood by Joshua Keating

In November 2020, over 140,000 intimate and sexual photographs of Irish women, including underage girls, were shared without their consent and distributed through a Discord server. In this episode, Dr Sorcha McCormack from Leeds Beckett University discusses how image-based sexual abuse has been addressed through legislation and what needs to be done to protect victims of this crime.

To close Season 2, Dublin Law and Politics Review bring forward a longer podcast developed from the UN75 Dialogue on Inequality & Financial Crises held last month. In this podcast, four experts Dr. George Georgopolous, (York University, Canada), Prof. Dr. Atiur Rahman, (10th governor Central Bank of Bangladesh), Dr. Ane Fernandez de Aranguiz, (Antwerp University), and Annelieke Mooij (PhD candidate, Dublin City University) discuss why the rich get richer and the poor poorer during times of financial instability?

Controversy arose when an Irish Supreme Court judge, Séamus Woulfe, attended an Oireachtas golf society dinner during the COVID-19 pandemic. After public backlash, questions came about surrounding the need for codes of ethics and detailed impeachment procedures for judges. Dr Laura Cahillane and Dr Tom Hickey, both lecturers of law, discuss these topics.

Following the war in Kosovo, numerous international actors got involved in its state-building process. One institution, which has now taken on the primary role, is the European Union. However, the question remains whether the EU is truly succeeding in this state-building project? To answer this and other questions we are joined by Ramadan Ilazi, a PhD candidate at Dublin City University, who will share his research on everyday state-building approaches of the EU in Kosovo.

On the 22nd of October, the Dáíl voted on a Bill to “seal” the records gathered by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. The Seanad passed the Bill the next day. This new legislation caused quite the controversy, causing an uproar on social media and within the Oireachtas. This week, the Dublin Law and Politics Review Podcast is speaking to one of the Oireachtas’s most vocal critics, Senator Alice-Mary Higgins. Join our discussion on where and why the Legislation was brought in, where the record is actually going, and are they actually sealed?

Questions around the concept of citizenship have become commonplace within the European Union since Brexit. How has this development changed citizenship, and who can access it? What effect would a new interpretation of citizenship have on member states and their national identity? Professor Ulrike Guérot, the founder of the European Democracy Lab, talks about her opinions on a European Republic and as a co-plaintiff in a case in the European Court of Justice surrounding British people’s citizenship rights.

In this episode with talk with Katharina Krüsselmann, a PhD researcher at Leiden University, whose research focuses on the prevalence and impact of gun violence in Europe. In particular, we focus on issues surrounding the drafting and implementation of firearm legislation in the EU, as well as discuss the challenges in fighting firearm violence. Tune in for this episode to find out.

What is the relationship between law and art? Does art inspire law or law inspire art? In this podcast we talk to Dr Sophie Doherty who has written her PhD on the relationship between law and art. She describes the different visualizations of Susanna and the elders by artists depending on their vision of the law. We further talk about the use of art to explain legal concepts and how art can change the view on law.

Why cannot all people be prosecuted under international law? What makes someone immune to prosecution even when they have committed the most heinous crimes. Is this diplomatic immunity still appropriate for today's world? We discuss these questions with Luisa Giannini whose research focuses on these questions in light of the Al Bashir case.

As part of its European Semester the EU has pledged to lift 20 million people from poverty in the European Union. It didn't achieve this goal but despite an economic crisis managed to lift many people from poverty. Many of its actions aimed at lifting from poverty have been prevented based upon 'illegality'. In this podcast we talk to Ane Fernandez de Aranguiz researcher at the University of Antwerp about the legal framework of the European Union and whether its social actions can be taken. Additionally we discuss whether it is the EU or the Member States who should be primary responsible for poverty reduction.

In this episode we talk to Elisabetta Baldassini whose research focusses on China's impact on defining the "crime of aggression". China was one of the first countries to prosecute the international crime of aggression for the crimes committed at Nankin. Since it has been aiming to influence how the crime of aggression is defined and more importantly who defines aggression? The International Criminal Court or the UN Security Council? Furthermore what role does China's culture have upon this behaviour? Tune in for this episode to find out.

In this episode we talk to Hasret a phd candidate at the Irish Centre for Human Rights. Her work focusses on the everyday role that honour or Namus plays in the lives of Kurdish women. We mainly know of "honour" through "honour-killing", which is an extreme manifestation of "honour". I am focusing upon the everyday non-violent "honour" and what it means for people that live with it. In human rights discourse "honour" is known only as a harmful practice and as such being a site of gender oppression. I argue, leaning on Saba Mahmood and Judith Butler, that the subject of "honour" has to be rethought and seen through a different lens than that of the liberal-secular subject as found in human rights. Essentially then, the topic becomes one of understanding what "honour" achieves in the making of subjects, or the self, and how Kurdish women reason about, and live with and through the social authority of namus.

In this episode we talk to Michal Dorociak from the Warsaw University. His research focusses on the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive that was introduced post financial crisis. The aim of the system is to allow for a controlled solution for large banks and counteracts the too big to fail conundrum. In this episode we discuss the system and whether it introduced the market discipline that is aimed for.

In Indonesia "Agama" is a requirement upon your identity card, thereby forcing people to chose a religion. But Agama only recognizes six major religions and not the minorty religions or atheism. The Agama on your identity card determines many aspects of your life. In this episode we talk to Gugun Gumilar whose research focusses on inerreligious dialogue in Indonesia. He discusses the need for more understanding of the various religions. Gugun is a phd researcher at Dublin City University and advocates for more pluralism and tolerance, his research focusses on how to create better understanding.

Intersex is the naturally occuring phenomenon when a person is born with both male and female genital identification. The medical vision was to intervene as early as possible with intensive surgery. Is this the right way to go? What is the life experience of intersex people and what is the best government policy? In this episode we talk to Dr. Tanya Ni Mhuirthile who researches the lived experience of Intersex in Ireland. This research is part of a pan-European research project and is highly needed as no longterm research has been done in this area. If you are interested in this project or wish to participate in the project please find more information on www.dcu.ie/intersex

What is the right to freedom of religion? How does it quantify under Islamic and International law? In this episode we talk to Sahar Ahmed researcher at the Trinity Long Room Hub. Her work demonstrates the various ways in which freedom of religion takes shape under the different laws. Her work demonstrates the complexity of the situation to the extend that not even the different human rights courts agree.

What role do NGO's have in protecting the environment and how to deal with NGO's with multiple interests? In this episode we talk to as. prof. Anastas Dzurovski from St Clement University of Bitola in Macedonia. His research focusses on the protection of the Galičica National Park in Macedonia and the role of Non Governmental Organisations. Questions, comments or want your research featured in one of our podcasts? email us at: contact@dublinlpr.ie

Is COVID19 the possibility to change the structure of Central Banks for good? Can Central Bank eradicate poverty and increase social justice? And should they contribute to fighting climate change? In this episode we interview prof. Atuir Rahman the 10th governor of the Central Bank of Bangladesh and professor at Dhaka University. With him we discuss the role of central banks in social challenges such as climate change, gender equality and eradicating poverty. He explains how his policies contributed to a better Bangladesh and why it is the Central Bank's job to conduct such policy. He furthermore comments on the FED and ECB approach to the financial crisis.

What turns a public space into a forum for discussion? Do we see a revival of the French salons in Kerala? Together with Dr. Hari Krishnan we discuss his work on the role of public spaces on political debate. What makes a public space suitable for starting a civil movement and what influence does it have upon the movement? Can digital spaces ever take that space?

What are the global cyber threats and how do we deal with them? In this podcast Jess talks to Justin Sherman, non-resident fellow at The Atlantic Council. He explains and shares his worries and visions upon global cyber threats and whether we are ready for them or not.

In this podcast Jess talks to Sam Byers author of Perfidious Albion. The role of media and politics is discussed and the power that social media brings to our opinions. A click of a single button on twitter may not mean much too you but when thousands click it amplifies a message - without much thought. The role of opinions is highly over estimated and gives fuel to those making a living of antagonizing others. A very interesting conversation with author Sam Byers.

The COVID-19 crisis has forced more workers to work from home. There is an increased amount of cybermeetings and webinars but is this the future? What are some of the safety implications of working from home? What does our environment secretly give away and why care if others listen in to our coffee conversation? Plus is a digital coffee chat the same as a physical encounter? Can people generate the same social satisfaction from digital meetings? We ask these questions to Catherine Friend a cyberpsychology and legislation researcher at Waterford Institute of Technology.

What is the current "stateness" of Islamic State? How have they been impacted by COVID19? We ask these questions to Moign Khawaja a DCU PhD candidate on visual online propaganda, performance of "stateness" by non-state actors & social media's use by jihadists. In his vision IS has been profiting from the COVID19 crisis and states should be vigilant now more than ever.

The COVID19 crisis will have a major impact upon the European Economy. In order to mitigate the effect and restore its transmission channels the European Central Bank (ECB) introduced its Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP). This programme has not been left uncriticised and its legality questioned. Its financial crisis counterpart the Public Asset Purchasing Programme has caused a clash between the German Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice. In this episode we will be discussing the legality of the PEPP and the impact upon the ECB's mandate with PhD Candidate Annelieke Mooij. Will the ECB ever be the same?

How to solve the housing crisis? What plans to the candidates have to improve access to housing? We discussed these issues with Dessie Ellis from Sinn Fein and Noel Rock from Fine Gael.

What are the plans of the candidates for your pension? Will they change the pension system and how will they guarantee you can enjoy your pension? Discussing this topic is Noel Rock running candidate for Fine Gael and Dessie Ellis running candidate for Sinn Fein.

The tensions between the US and the Iran have intensified severely over the past few years and months. With the most recent developments of the assassination of an Iranian General by the US and the take down of a civilian plane by Iran. Where do the tensions come from and where will these developments lead? We discuss these issues with Dr Mohsen Moheimany who got his PhD in political science from the DCU School of Law and Government. If you like this podcast please follow us on social media (@DublinLPR) or visit our website at dublinlawandpolitics.wordpress.com