Breakfast Briefing with Martin Scheinin

Norms, Sources and Facts in International Law: Some Reflections on Theory, Methodology and Practice

Abstract

The presentation will consist of reflections, i.e., unfinished thoughts, concerning the separation of facts and norms in the context of international law - its theory, methodology and practice. The intermediary between facts and norms is, it is suggested, the category of sources of international law. They are factual, i.e., characterised by existence. In contrast, norms are characterised by their validity which is a deontological, rather than ontological, notion. What follows is a set of reflections related to sources, interpretation and norms in international law. The recognition of facts as a source of norms leads to further reflections of the role of facts, their verification and evidence-based assessments in international legal practice. 

About the Speaker

Martin Scheinin is part-time professor of international human rights law at the European University Institute and at Lund University. His current projects are about international human rights law in the Nordic countries (Lund) and about human rights assessment of AI applications (EUI). He was professor of constitutional, international or human rights law at Helsinki University (1993-1998), Åbo Akademi University (1998-2008) and the EUI (2008-2020), and British Academy Global Professor at the University of Oxford (2020-2025). He remains involved in human rights litigation, primarily related to indigenous peoples and climate change.

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See a list of all the Breakfast Briefings for Fall 2025.