Fifth Annual Symposium on Pop Culture and International Law: An Introduction

[Dr Sarah Zarmsky is a Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast School of Law and Deputy Managing Editor of Opinio Juris

Dr Alonso Gurmendi is a Fellow in Human Rights and Politics at the London School of Economics & Political Science and a contributing editor at Opinio Juris]

It’s that time of year again–we are pleased to introduce the fifth annual symposium on pop culture and international law here at Opinio Juris! 

This year, we are bringing you eleven amazing contributions from all over the world. The Symposium will run two to three articles per day throughout this entire week. Today, Tamara Grigoras opens with an analysis of Pokémon and hierarchies of life in international law. Next, Luke Moffet considers the nature of warfare in the Fallout videogame series. 

Tuesday, Jyotsna Manohar assesses the United States and ‘trade bullying’ through the lens of the film Mean Girls (even though, on Wednesdays we wear pink). Next, Eirini Fasia analyses what the series Squid Game can teach us about exploitation and power. Finally, Erick Guapizaca Jiménez discusses modern slavery and indigenous peoples in the Ecuadorian novel Huasipungo. 

On Wednesday, Sergey Sayapin considers modern international law through the lens of  the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Following this, Laurence Atkin-Teillet analyses the genocide of the Reachfolk in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. 

Thursday, Davit Khachatryan examines the origins of humanitarian law in relation to Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Next, Christiana Essie Sagay analyses sovereignty in the age of cyber crime through the lens of the crime thriller To Kill a Monkey. 

On Friday, things get spooky for Halloween! Ruby Rosselle ‘Ross’ Tugade analyses how time and hope are perceived in international law in relation to the play Hadestown. Last but not least, Reabetswe Mampane and Babatunde Fagbayibo consider colonial tensions and international law in the horror film Sinners. 

Thank you to all our contributors for their hard work this year, and we hope you enjoy the symposium!