Charlesworth, Hilary

Katsoni, Spyridoula

English

<intR>²Dok

Chatting with Hilary CharlesworthSpyridoula Katsoni, Hilary Charlesworth 2024-02-09T08:00:27Welcome to the latest interview of the Völkerrechtsblog’s symposium ‘ThePerson behind the Academic’! With us we have Judge Hilary Charlesworth,and through the following questions, we will try to get a glimpse of herinterests, sources of inspiration and habits.Welcome Judge Charlesworth and thank you very much for accepting ourinvitation!May I first ask, what it was that brought you to academia and what made youstay?After my undergraduate studies in law, I intended to become a barrister, or advocate.My plans changed once I completed my graduate degree in the United States. Thiswas my introduction to theories about law, which seemed very exciting after myrather traditional legal education. I encountered many brilliant teachers there andI was inspired to follow in their footsteps and become an academic. I have foundacademia intensely rewarding as a career, particularly through the marvellousstudents and colleagues who I have worked with over the years. I have also valuedthe freedom to pursue research questions that interest me.What would you say is the most difficult part of the academic life?Academics must balance many types of activity—teaching, research, administrationand public engagement—without much support. So, you have to become an expertjuggler and there is always a fear that you will drop the balls in a spectacular fashion.If you were not an academic, what would you be?I have now left the academic world to work as a judge. This was a quite unexpecteddevelopment, and I am still getting accustomed to the world of the judiciary, with itsnon-malleable deadlines and its requirement to reach a decision on a given dispute. Ifeel very fortunate to have this chance to contemplate legal ideas in a concrete way.Which are three texts that you would wish all academics working oninternational law would read?John Braithwaite and Peter Drahos, Global Business Regulation (2000)Sally Engle Merry, Human Rights and Gender Justice (2005)Karen Knop, Diversity and Self-Determination in International Law (2002)Would you say that your upbringing has had an impact on your researchinterests or your perception of justice?- 1 -My parents were both interested in questions of justice—my father as a philosopherand my mother as a social worker. They have deeply influenced the type ofquestions that intrigue me, although I think that they both considered my research asrather eccentric.What is your favourite place to read and write? What is always near you whenyou read and write?I love working while looking out at the ocean on the south coast of New SouthWales, Australia. In some seasons there, you can see whales diving and breachingnot too far out to sea. I usually have a teapot close at hand while working, with afavourite tea brewing.What is an energy and inspiration booster, at times when you have none?I find walking is the perfect boost for such times. There is something about theregular physical movement that energises the mind and helps you think throughintellectual puzzles.Have you ever drawn influence from any form of art in your work? Is thereanything artistic about teaching or writing academic texts?In the past few years, I’ve become interested in the way that art interacts withinternational law. There are many aspects to this question, including the regulation ofart by international law and the way that art can influence the discipline. A favouriteartist of mine is Lubaina Himid. Among other brilliant work, I love Himid’s “Freedomand Change” (1984) which takes Pablo Picasso’s small painting “Two WomenRunning on the Beach (The Race)” (1922) as its reference point. While Picasso’spanel depicts the women as solid, white, athletic figures in neutral, almost classical,garb, Himid’s version is much larger, painted on a pink bed sheet and featurestwo black women dressed in colourful clothing taking their dogs for a joyful walk.There are two bald white men’s heads made of plywood positioned to the left of thesheet. They are at ground level, so the men’s bodies appear buried in the sand.I think there are parallels here with feminist projects in international law. Just asHimid reworks Picasso’s image, feminist scholars often study classic internationallaw doctrines and concepts, pointing to their limitations and re-imagining them in abroader and more inclusive manner.Which of your publications is your favourite one? And which of them is yourleast favourite?My attitude to my own publications is shaped by the memories I have of thecircumstances in which they were written—surrounding conversations, the weather,what my family was up to at the time, the difficulty of finding words to express ideas.For example, whenever I think of “Feminist Approaches to International Law” (1991),I recall being pregnant, then working alongside a sleeping baby, long phone callsand faxes with my wonderful co-authors Christine Chinkin and Shelley Wright,and the stern but helpful critique of Tom Franck, editor of the American Journal ofInternational Law and Anna Ascher’s meticulous copy editing.- 2 -Which advice would you give to early career scholars reading this interview?Be patient! Resist traditional deadlines for what is considered ‘career progression’.Take your time to find the right path for you and don’t be hurried into a specialisationearly. Collect as many experiences as you can, even if they don’t seem to beobvious steps in one direction. A good path to take often emerges slowly andhaphazardly. If you could, which unspoken rule of academia would you instantly erase?The idea that academic productivity is measured in publications and grants.Have you experienced or witnessed discrimination in academic circles? Howhave you reacted to these instances?Many forms of discrimination shape academic life, in my observation. These includediscrimination based on race, gender, sexuality and physical ability. Few academicinstitutions have systems that respond adequately to discriminatory practices. I don’thave an impressive reaction to share, alas. Early in my academic career, I joinedsome women colleagues in a complaint that only male lecturers had been invitedto apply for promotion in a particular year. After a number of letters and meetings,the university authorities simply batted away our concerns. The whole process wasdispiriting and exhausting. I wish now that I had been more persistent or at leastchronicled the experience in some way.Would you like to share with us a ‘sacrifice’ that you have made for your work?Do you regret it?I have gained so much from my academic work, and I don’t feel that I have madesacrifices for it along the way. I should say that I’ve benefitted from having anencouraging and generous partner and family who have supported me in manyways. Being based in the Hague now, I keenly miss the day-to-day contact with mychildren and grandchildren.Ideally, whom would you want to find waiting for a meeting with you outsideyour office next Monday?One (or some) of my former PhD students. I’ve supervised many fantastic studentsover the years and have learned a great deal from them. It’s always a pleasure tosee what paths they go on to take.Thank you very much, Judge Charlesworth, for participating in our symposiumand for having taken the time to respond to our questions!- 3 -

Chatting with Hilary Charlesworth

https://intr2dok.vifa-recht.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/mir_derivate_00016433/Chatting_with_Hilary_Charlesworth.pdf

Chatting with Hilary Charlesworth

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

<intR>²Dok