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Faculty of Law Prof. Dr. iur. Gian Ege

Seminar FS 25

Seminar: Organised Crime and Trafficking in Cultural Artefacts and Antiquities in Ferrara

Lecturers

Professor Dr Gian Ege, University of Zurich

Professor Dr Serena Forlati, University of Ferrara

Professor Dr Andreas Schloenhardt, University of Queensland and University of Vienna

Professor Dr Christian Schwarzenegger, University of Zurich 

Professor Dr Bettina Weisser, University of Cologne

Contact

MLaw Lisa Reggiani, lisa.reggiani@ius.uzh.ch

Suitable for 

Master students

Dates and Places

9 February - 14 February 2025, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

The Seminar Series "Transnational Organised Crime"

The Chair of Professor Christian Schwarzenegger and Professor Gian Ege have been conducting the seminar series "Transnational Organised Crime" in cooperation with the Universities of Vienna and Queensland for several years. This year, for the second time, the University of Ferrara and Cologne will participate. Each year, mainly master students from each university address a current topic from the field of transnational organised crime and publish their findings. In doing so, they do not only gain new insights, but also form relations across universities and nations.

As in previous years, the seminar papers are to be published if they reach the required quality. The seminar, therefore, offers the students an excellent opportunity to publish their first own scientific papers under guidance. In order to acquire the necessary soft skills, the students take part in different trainings (the participants will be told the dates in due time):

  • Research training: The students receive an introduction to scientific research.
  • Presentation training: The students will receive training in structuring scientific presentations and in various presentation-techniques.
  • Academic writing training: The students will be schooled in scientific writing also concerning the publishability of their papers.

At the seminar in Ferrara, students present their topics and receive feedback from instructors and fellow students which they can include in their papers. The seminar involves extra work for students but offers unique opportunities as students learn skills related to legal and academic work.

The deadline for submitting the seminar papers is 5 May 2025.

This Year's Topic

This year's Transnational Organised Crime series seminar will focus on organised Crime and Trafficking in Cultural Artefacts and Antiquities.

The 2024–2025 Transnational Organise Crime programme broadly explores the trafficking in cultural artefacts and antiquities and the involvement of criminal organisations in this crime type. This includes the origins, transit, points of trafficked artefacts and antiquities, the patterns and people involved in this crime type, the laundering and confiscation of proceeds, international and national legal frameworks and other measure to prevent and suppress such trafficking, as well as questions about restitution.

Topics 

The list of topics will be provided for those who will be enrolled in the seminar. Participants will be able to choose from topics from the following subject areas:

  • Concepts and definitions: The first set of topics explore and explain basic terms and concepts relating to trafficking in cultural artefacts and antiquities, variations in definitions and international and national laws, and the evolution of these concepts, of countermeasures, and the literature.
  • Origins: The following topics explore selected sources of trafficked cultural artefacts and antiquities, the relevant historical and political settings, the types of objects that are commonly taken (looted), the criminal elements involved, the patterns of offending and trafficking, the profits made, and the demand. Generally, the focus here is more on the criminology though time and space permitting relevant legal frameworks (or a lack there of) in the country of origin may also be examined.
  • Destinations: The following topics critically explore selected markets (destinations) for trafficked cultural artefacts and antiquities. Each project serves to document how such objects are imported, advertised, sold, and acquired, the (criminal) elements involved, profits and proceeds of crime, and the demand that is driving this illicit trade. Generally, the focus here is more on the criminology though relevant legal frameworks and other countermeasures in the destination countries may also be examined.
  • Players and perpetrators: The following topics examine various (criminal) elements, groups, individuals, and institutions who, wittingly or unwittingly, play a part in (facilitating) trafficking in cultural artefacts and antiquities. These projects serve to profile the type of perpetrators, their role and modi operandi, as well as legal and practical measures to stop and deter them.
  • International frameworks: Topics in this category explore individual international treaties and other frameworks that, directly or indirectly, seek to prevent and suppress trafficking in cultural artefacts and antiquities. The projects should explore the general context, content, and evolution of the relevant framework but examine chiefly and primarily those provisions (and their application) that are relevant for trafficking in cultural artefacts and antiquities.
  • Domestic Laws: These following topics critically canvas domestic laws relating to the protection of, import, export, and trade in cultural artefacts and antiquities, with a particular focus on relevant criminal offences.
  • Investigation, Confiscation, and Restitution: These topics assess the investigation, confiscation, and restitution of trafficked cultural artefacts.
  • Prevention: The final set of topics looks at measures to prevent trafficking in cultural artefacts and antiquities (deter offenders, reduce demand, raise awareness, …).

Preliminary discussion/topic allocation

As soon as the provisional participants have been determined, we will contact you with a Doodle poll. At the preliminary meeting, the topics will be assigned and the dates for the further procedure will be announced.

Grading 

The presentation accounts for 40%, the written paper for 60% of the final grade.

Language

The participants can write their papers either in German, English or French. However, the presentation must be held in English.

Application 

Students have to apply for this course via the faculty's booking tool.

For questions, please contact MLaw Lisa Reggiani (lisa.reggiani@ius.uzh.ch).