Freek van der Vet
Socio-Legal Researcher / Social Scientist
Welcome
I am a socio-legal researcher (PhD. Sociology, 2015, University of Helsinki) working on legal mobilization under authoritarianism, strategic litigation at international courts, and the protection of human rights defenders at risk.
I am working on two projects:
- A book manuscript on how an international network of lawyers litigates at the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of victims from the conflicts in Chechnya, Georgia, and Eastern Ukraine.
- Several articles on legal mobilization against state surveillance and civil society repression under authoritarianism.
I am a Kone Foundation postdoctoral research fellow at the Erik Castrén Institute for International Law and Human Rights, University of Helsinki, Finland. Previously, I had positions at the Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, Canada, and the Aleksanteri Institute for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Helsinki, Finland.
I am part of Russia Media Lab and co-founded the international network on Legal Mobilization and International Courts.
Publications
Peer-reviewed articles
Our special issue was endorsed by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders:
"In the face of growing attacks on human rights in many countries, the risks faced by people who defend their universality have intensified. Human rights defenders increasingly face criminalization, persecution, arbitrary arrest and detention. They are threatened, physically attacked and assassinated. As we mark the 17th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders we should ask ourselves what more must be done to better protect defenders and promote their work. I welcome this Special Issue of the International Journal of Human Rights. It compels us to confront these challenges and to discuss critical questions, both among scholars and practitioners. Our next common goal is to translate this research into practical tools to strengthen the protection regime for human rights defenders", Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders
Book Chapters
Forthcoming. "From 'Like' to Prison: The Criminal Prosecution of Social Media Users under Authoritarianism", in Freedom of Expression in Russia's New Mediasphere, edited by Mariëlle Wijermars and Katja Lehtisaari. Routledge: London, New York.
Other Articles in Academic Journals
2017. Comment: A.H. and Others v. Russia, European Court of Human Rights, European Human Rights Cases] [Noot:A.H. and Others v. Russia, Europees Hof voor de Rechten van de Mens, European Human Rights Cases
2015. Lectio Praecursoria. Venäläiset Euroopan ihmisoikeustuomioistuimessa. Idäntutkimus 1 (2015). Translated into Finnish by Hanna Ruutu
2012. "Human Rights in Russia: Going beyond the Perils of Activism". Baltic Worlds (3-4): 54-59.
Feature articles, policy papers, and blog posts
24 March 2015. "Who is Afraid of Human Rights in Russia?" AllegraLab
2008. "Over Poetin's Jongerenbeweging en de Oppositie" Tegenlicht/Backlight
2007. "The Honest Boxer, Grigory Yavlinsky Makes Another Run for the Presidency". Russia Profile
2007. "Putin's Plan?" European Forum for Solidarity and Democracy
2007. "Elections in Russia: the Party of Putin Wins". European Forum for Solidarity and Democracy
2006. "De 'Nasji' Generatie" Alfred Mozer Foundation
2006. "De Soldaten Moeders en hun Adviesgroepen in Rusland" Alfred Mozer Foundation
Doctoral Dissertation
Book reviews
2012. "Book Review of Human Rights Matters: Local Politics and National Human Rights Institutions" by Mertus, Julie. 2009. Stanford: Stanford University Press, in Suomen Antropologi
2010. "Book Review of Surrendering to Utopia, an Anthropology of Human Rights", by Goodale, Mark. 2009. Stanford: Stanford University Press, in Suomen Antropologi 35 (3): 96-97
Funding and Awards
My work has received several grants and awards, including a VSBfonds grant, a Hendrik Muller Foundation grant, the Finnish Centre for International Mobility (CIMO) grant, a Cultural Exchange Grant of Nuffic-the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education, Mobility Grants of the Academy of Finland, the Kone Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015, 2017-2019) , the Swedish Cultural Foundation (Svenska Kulturfonden) Postdoctoral Fellowship, a connection grant of the Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council (co-investigator), and a Visiting Fellowship at iCourts - the Centre of Excellence for International Courts at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
I am...
Teaching
- "Human Rights in Russia", Autumn 2017, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Law
- "Human Rights and Environmental Security in Practice", a course designed with Emma Hakala at the Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
- methodology lectures on qualitative interviewing and fieldwork.
- "Social Change and Environmental Questions in Russia and Eastern Europe", an online course designed together with Markus Kainu in the framework of the Master School of the Aleksanteri Institute.
- "Activism, Protest, and Human Rights in Russia", a course designed together with Dr. Laura Lyytikäinen in the framework of the Master School of the Aleksanteri Institute.
Learning
- Git/GitHub
- TileMill
Contact
freekvandervet@gmail.com or visit my Linkedin profile or University of Helsinki profile for further information on my activities