The threat of nuclear war between the United States, Russia or China is greater today than at any time in the past 60 years. The talk will analyze the nature of the threat and argue that the deterrent of mutually assured destruction (MAD), though continuing to impose a disciplining  effect, is an unreliable safeguard against nuclear escalation, generally and particularly in today's strategic landscape. A radical focus on strengthening and building a legal and political infrastructure aimed at avoiding and ultimately, precluding, great power conflict is necessary.

11 March 2020 - Coronavirus: update
All public events at the WZB have to be cancelled with immediate effect. This measure will be effective until 20 July 2020. It is based on today's decision by the Governing Mayor of Berlin to introduce a range of urgent measures for Berlin's research institutions to counter the further spread of the Corona-virus.

Workshop and Discussion of the book by Alec D. Walen in the presence of the author

Comment by Irina Mützelburg (CMB)

Drawing boundaries is one of the main functions of modern law. Legal boundaries deeply shape modern societies. They define inclusion and exclusion and differentiate legal status, by that determining who belongs to a society or group – and who does not. This fundamental function of law to define belonging is at the heart of a lecture series organized by the Center for Global Constitutionalism (WZB) together with the Centre Marc Bloch.

The Scholars Workshop will discuss papers on global constitutionalism/global governance/human rights. One of the goals of the Workshop is to advance global constitutionalism as an interdisciplinary field. Another is to promote the creation of networks of scholars working in similar fields. Thus, the Center invited submissions from a broad range of disciplines including International Law, Political Science, International Relations, Comparative Constitutional Law, Comparative Politics, Political Theory and Philosophy.

"The Internationalists. How a Radical Plan to Outlaw War Remade the World" claims that the prohibition of the use of force brought about a radical change in the nature of international law — the Kellogg-Briand Pact, its apparent failure to stop the Second World War and then anchoring of the prohibition of the use of force in the United Nations Charter as a kind of major constitutional moment of the international community. 

We are pleased to be able to welcome Professor Robert Alexy (University of Kiel) as guest speaker to this year's Berlin Colloquium on Global and Comparative Public Law.

This event is part of this semester’s Berlin Colloquium on Global and Comparative Public Law, which is organized by Mattias Kumm.

Die Berliner Stadtmitte ist ein „gewonnener Ort“. Er ist frei für Entwicklungen, die seinem Gewicht in der Vergangenheit entsprechen oder dieses übertreffen. Hier eröffnet sich die Chance, in die Zukunft hinein neuen Anforderungen gerecht zu werden.

Den Umgang mit der Berliner Mitte sowie deren Sinn und Aufgabe für die Gesamtstadt zu klären, ist eine Aufgabe, die Politik und Gesellschaft gemeinsam bewältigen müssen.

Moderated by Klaus Schlichte


Neil Smelser will identify recurrent and possibly insoluble issues in defining, explaining, and defending against contemporary terrorism. He will also explore a number of special „entrapments“ in our response to terrorism, including the role of the mass media, the tension between security and civil liberties, and the tension between the tendencies toward national unity and partisanship in the face of terrorist threats and attacks.

7. April
Postcolonial Pluralities: Towards a Habitable Multiculture mit Paul Gilroy


8. April
Kanak Attack Reloaded (Reading of the English Part: Harvey Friedman) mit Feridun Zaimoglu

9. April
Human Rights Revisited: Constitutionalism under Contemporary Global Conditions mit Susanne Baer

Im Herbst 2007 endete in Pakistan offiziell die Militärherrschaft von Pervez Musharraf. Wahlen im Frühjahr 2008 setzten eine zivile Präsidentschaft ein. Die pakistanische Zivilgesellschaft hatte vor allem durch eine starke, spontane Protestbewegung der Anwälte gegen militärische Justizwillkür großen Anteil an diesem hoffnungsvollen, demokratischen Neuanfang. Heute, zwei Jahre später, entwickelt sich Pakistan innenpolitisch wieder zunehmend krisenhaft. Die Sicherheitslage bleibt schwierig. Die wirtschaftliche Situation und die Energieversorgung sind fragil.