Episodes

  • Understanding Conflicts: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka and the positionality of a PhD researcher

    Understanding Conflicts: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka and the positionality of a PhD researcher
    Nov 28 2025
    The Auxiliary Chamber is thrilled to present the third and final episode of its mini-series with the brilliant Shreya Shankar on her Leiden master's thesis exploring: why do non-state armed groups comply with international law - An identity based approach. In this episode, we are going to be assembling all we talked about, and present Understanding Conflicts, The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka and look at the positionality of a PhD researcher. In the three-episode series we will have dived into how and why rebel groups around the world comply with international law and human rights law, not only from a legal perspective, but also by exploring the impacts of psychology and language on law. Today, we are finishing this journey by applying the Case Study of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka. Further, looking at how international law could improve and the positionality of being an academic Shreya Shankar is a Tamil woman of colour, a migrant, whose journey weaves together academia, activism, and the corporate world. She has been working on a PhD that explores how identity shapes compliance with international law, and she has spent years tracing the ways stories influence justice and accountability. Her work has taken her from grassroots communities and indigenous voices to global research and teaching. Alongside this, she is building a career in the corporate sector, where she focuses on compliance and risk management with the same rigor and ethical lens. She brings to her work a deep commitment to equity, compassion, and the recognition of overlooked narratives. Her story is one of bridging worlds that often seem far apart, showing how identity and expertise can come together in transformative ways. She hopes to continue to carve spaces where human stories and institutional frameworks meet, challenging both to grow.
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    46 mins
  • Putting the Human in International Law: The Importance of Identity and Language on the Compliance of Non-State Armed Groups.

    Putting the Human in International Law: The Importance of Identity and Language on the Compliance of Non-State Armed Groups.
    Nov 3 2025
    The Auxiliary Chamber is thrilled to present the second episode of its mini-series with the brilliant Shreya Shankar on her Leiden master's thesis exploring: why do non-state armed groups comply with international law - An identity based approach. In this episode, we are going to be putting the human back into international law and exploring: The Importance of Identity and Language on the Compliance of Non-State Armed Groups. Following up from the first episode where we start to explore Shreya’s Leiden University thesis, with her unique methodology combining international law, psychology and linguistics, today we are focussing on how the concept of compliance, language, and identity. We explore how these concepts fit under psychology and intepraitonal law, its theories, and how they have been applied to non-state armed groups in the Donbas and Hezbollah. Shreya Shankar is a Tamil woman of colour, a migrant, whose journey weaves together academia, activism, and the corporate world. She has been working on a PhD that explores how identity shapes compliance with international law, and she has spent years tracing the ways stories influence justice and accountability. Her work has taken her from grassroots communities and indigenous voices to global research and teaching. Alongside this, she is building a career in the corporate sector, where she focuses on compliance and risk management with the same rigor and ethical lens. She brings to her work a deep commitment to equity, compassion, and the recognition of overlooked narratives. Her story is one of bridging worlds that often seem far apart, showing how identity and expertise can come together in transformative ways. She hopes to continue to carve spaces where human stories and institutional frameworks meet, challenging both to grow.
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    42 mins
  • Psychology and International Law: Why do Rebels Comply under Public International Law?

    Psychology and International Law: Why do Rebels Comply under Public International Law?
    Sep 29 2025
    The Auxiliary Chamber, is thrilled to present the first episode in a new mini series with Shreya Shankar, exploring why do Non-State Armed Groups Comply with International Law? - An identity based approach In this first episode of a three-part series, we will be exploring Shreya’s unique methodology combining international law, psychology and linguistics, and largely answering questions such as: How does psychology impact the way we interpret the law? What are the legal and psychological frameworks that set out different non-state actors and compliance? How does language play a role in the definitions of non-state armed groups, and how does this impact compliance? Shreya Shankar is a Tamil woman of colour, a migrant, whose journey weaves together academia, activism, and the corporate world. She has been working on a PhD that explores how identity shapes compliance with international law, and she has spent years tracing the ways stories influence justice and accountability. Her work has taken her from grassroots communities and indigenous voices to global research and teaching. Alongside this, she is building a career in the corporate sector, where she focuses on compliance and risk management with the same rigor and ethical lens. She brings to her work a deep commitment to equity, compassion, and the recognition of overlooked narratives. Her story is one of bridging worlds that often seem far apart, showing how identity and expertise can come together in transformative ways. She hopes to continue to carve spaces where human stories and institutional frameworks meet, challenging both to grow.
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    54 mins
  • Keeping the Peace, What is the role of UN Peacekeepers in the 21st Century?

    Keeping the Peace, What is the role of UN Peacekeepers in the 21st Century?
    Aug 8 2025
    The Auxiliary Chamber is thrilled to present part two of its mini-series on United Nations Peacekeepers with Suraj Pratim Saikia. Today, we are talking about: 'Keeping the Peace, What is the role of UN Peacekeepers in the 21st Century?' In today’s brilliant episode, we discuss notably how peacekeeping has evolved over time, the modern mission and applications, how effective peacekeepers are, and explore the UN financial liquidity crisis and its impact on future and current peacekeeping missions. Suraj is an Indian qualified lawyer with an Advanced LL.M. in Public International Law from Leiden University. Specialising in Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding, International Organisations and Armed Conflict, his past work experiences include working with India’s National Security University, alongside various Ministries of the Government of India, the International Law Commission, and most recently with the United Nations’ Department of Peace Operations in New York. Keeping with his love for international organisations, he is also an Assistant Editor with the International Organisations Law Review Journal, published by Brill.
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    49 mins
  • The Misconduct and Accountability of United Nations Peacekeepers

    The Misconduct and Accountability of United Nations Peacekeepers
    Jul 21 2025
    🎙️New Episode: The Misconduct and Accountability of United Nations Peacekeepers🎙️ The Auxiliary Chamber is thrilled to present part 1 of its new mini-series with Suraj Pratim Saikia on the Misconduct and Accountability of United Nations Peacekeepers. In today’s brilliant new episode we discuss; the history and legal foundations of UN peacekeepers; Suraj’s Leiden University thesis topic on Navigating Peacekeeping Limits: Accountability of the United Nations and Troop-Contributing Countries for Misconduct in Chapter VII Mandated Mission; limits of accountability under both national and international law; and finally tackling legal issues and barriers for victims seeking justice. Suraj is an Indian qualified lawyer with an Advanced LL.M. in Public International Law from Leiden University. Specialising in Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding, International Organisations and Armed Conflict, his past work experiences include working with India’s National Security University, alongside various Ministries of the Government of India, the International Law Commission, and most recently with the United Nations’ Department of Peace Operations in New York. Keeping with his love for international organisations, he is also an Assistant Editor with the International Organisations Law Review Journal, published by Brill.
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    54 mins
  • Institutions, Negotiations, and the Classroom: A Life in International Law with Dr. Niels Blokker

    Institutions, Negotiations, and the Classroom: A Life in International Law with Dr. Niels Blokker
    Jun 23 2025
    Welcome back everyone to the Auxiliary Chamber with your host Bram Burger and today I am honoured to present episode 39, with the inspiring and retiring Leiden University Professor Dr. Niels Blokker. In today's episode titled: Institutions, Negotiations, and the Classroom: A Life in International Law with Dr Niels Blokker, we are starting with a retrospective on the most important and favourite movements of his career spanning over four decades at Leiden University and the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs. We discuss how times at the university, ministry and within international law have changed and his decades-long process of writing the famous International Institutional Law textbook after taking over the project from Professor Dr. Schemers. Finally, we end the episode with a discussion on the importance of working in practice within international law and the future of multilateralism in these uncertain times. As a brief background to Dr. Blokker’s illustrious career, Dr. Niels Blokker was an Emeritus Professor of International Institutional Law at Leiden University’s Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, holding the Schermers Chair since 2003. Alongside his career at Leiden, he formerly worked as Deputy Legal Adviser at the Dutch Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and is widely known for his work on International organisational Law and authored multiple versions of the "International Institutional Law" textbook (whose 7th edition, has come out this year 2025). Dr. Blokker was also a pivotal professor in Leiden University's Public International Law regular and advanced LLM.
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    53 mins
  • What is Quantum doing in International Law and at the United Nations?

    What is Quantum doing in International Law and at the United Nations?
    Apr 4 2025
    Welcome back everyone to the Auxiliary Chamber, I am thrilled to present episode 38, with the brilliant Anh, discussing: What is Quantum doing in International Law and at the United Nations? Today, we are going to be discussing the role of Quantum Technologies within the UN and International law. Specifically, in this episode, we explore Quantum Technologies, the role of United Nations International Years, the launch in Paris, innovative technologies in international law, and finally a discussion on power politics and access and ring-fencing issues around technology in international law. Anh is a PhD researcher in the Law and Governance of Quantum Technologies research group at the University of Amsterdam Law School. Her PhD looks at legal dynamics in quantum technology innovation value chains. The project delves into the role of law in the ring-fencing of material resources, the politics of knowledge production, and value extraction from techno-scientific research. Her most recent publications are: - Anh Nguyen, “Short-Circuiting Technological Sovereignty? Assessing the Governance of Semiconductor Supply Chain (Chokepoints) Through the Lens of Emerging Multilateral Export Control Regimes” (2025) European Yearbook of International Economic Law - Anh Nguyen, “Export Controls as Technological Ringfencing – Legal Dynamics in EU Governance over Critical and Emerging Technologies Supply Chains” in Narin Idriz, Eva Kassoti, Joris Larik (eds), The Legal Implications of the EU’s Geopolitical Awakening (CLEER Papers 2025/1, TMC Asser Institute) - Anh Nguyen, “Export Controls as Innovation Marketing? Sociotechnical Imaginaries in the Ringfencing of Quantum Technologies” (2025) 7 (1) Law, Technology and Humans (forthcoming)
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    45 mins
  • Rising PhD Researchers: A long-awaited update! A yearly review of their International Law and Legal Governance of Quantum Technologies PhD Journeys

    Rising PhD Researchers: A long-awaited update! A yearly review of their International Law and Legal Governance of Quantum Technologies PhD Journeys
    Dec 16 2024
    The Auxiliary Chamber is thrilled to present the last episode of 2024 and another entry in the Rising PhD Researchers series, a long-awaited update! In this episode, the podcast is honored to welcome Julia Galera Oliva and Anh Nguyen onto the podcast again to discuss their experience since we last spoke a year ago on their International Law and Legal Governance of Quantum Technologies PhD journeys. Together we dive into their current PhD research, the wider academic legal community, main deliverables and early findings, the role of AI and general tips they wish they had known at the start of their journey! Anh is a PhD researcher in the Law and Governance of Quantum Technologies research group at the University of Amsterdam Law School. Her PhD looks at legal dynamics in quantum technology innovation value chains. The project delves into the role of law in the ring-fencing of material resources, the politics of knowledge production, and value extraction from techno-scientific research. Julia is a second-year Ph.D. researcher at the European University Institute in Florence, specializing in the intersection of international legal history and theory. Her research delves into the concept of friendship as a foundational element of international law. Drawing on philosophical and legal theories, she investigates the historical evolution of the discourse of friendship, charting its transformation from a presumption of natural human sociability to a potential positive legal obligation in the international order. Finally, the book recommendations are: The Black Prince (Iris Murdoch), Hyperion (Dan Simmons), and The Annual Banquet of the Gravediggers' Guild (Mathias Énard).
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    1 hr and 4 mins