Profile
Marzia Marastoni

Marzia Marastoni

PhD Candidate in International Law
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Spoken languages
English, French, Italian, Spanish
Areas of expertise
  • International Legal Theory
  • Critical Theory
  • Legal and Political Philosophy
  • Human Rights Law
  • International humanitarian law

PhD Thesis
 

Title:  To Perceive or Misperceive Crises in International Law: The Role of Black Swans in International Legal Discourse

PhD Supervisors: Nico krisch and Alexis Keller (Co-Supervisor)

Expected Completion Date: 2024

Crises have often been positioned as central to accounts of change in International Law, yet there is typically a lack of clarity regarding which crises are particularly relevant. Therefore, in this thesis, I will argue that while International Law is indeed a discipline of crisis, it is not concerned with every crisis; rather, it focuses on particular crises. In other words, certain crises seem to exert a unique influence on international legal discourse, and, drawing on insights from psychology and philosophy, I shall offer a compelling explanation for why this occurs.
 

Profile


Marzia Marastoni is a PhD candidate in International Law at the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. Currently, she serves as a Teaching Assistant in Legal and Political Theories at the University of Geneva and as a Human Rights Advisor at the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the UN in Geneva. Her academic interests span from legal philosophy to human rights law, international law in times of crisis, and the intersection of psychology with international law. Marzia earned her master’s degree in Political, Legal, and Economic Philosophy from the University of Bern, where she also worked as a Student Assistant. Marzia completed her undergraduate studies in Philosophy and Social Sciences at Cà Foscari University in Venice. In Italy, she has been actively involved in regional and national politics.
 

Research Interests
 

  • Legal and Political Philosophy
  • International Humanitarian Law
  • Human Rights Law
  • Global South Approaches to International Law 
  • Armed Conflict, Peace, and Security
  • Psychology and International Law

 

Academic Work Experience

 

Teaching Experience

Currently working as Teaching Assistant in Legal and Political Theories at the University of Geneva.

Previously: Graduate Student Assistant at the University of Bern (2017-2019).

Teaching Experience: Seminar "The Role of Crisis in International Law: A Philosophical Perspective", University of Geneva, Spring Semesters 2021-2022;

Weekly tutorial in Philosophy of Law, University of Bern, Spring Semester 2019.

 

Relevant publications and works
 

  • The U.N. Human Rights Council and the ICC Can Do More for Afghanistan. 2023. In Just Security.
  • Human needs or human wants? The impact of crises and catastrophes on human rights. 2022. In Filosofia: Revista da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto.
  • After a Year of Privation With the Taliban’s Return, the People of Afghanistan Deserve Better from the US and the World. 2022. In Just Security.
  • COVID-19 and Human Rights Law: A Legal and Philosophical Approach. 2021. In Humana.mente. Journal of Philosophical Studies.
  • Presentation: “Changes in International Law”: Unveiling the Legal Minds in Times of Crises” at the Oxford Spring School, University of Oxford. (April 2024).
  • Presentation “The Role of Regional and Military Humanitarian Crises in International Law” at The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights. (March 2023).
  • Presentation “To Think or Not to Think: The Ontology of Crisis in International Law” at GECOPOL, University of Geneva. (February 2023).