City Law School Graduate Receives Georg Schwarzenberger Prize in International Law
The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies is pleased to announce that Dr Andrea Maria Pelliconi is this year’s recipient of the Georg Schwarzenberger Prize in International Law.
The prize was endowed by friends and former students of the late Professor Georg Schwarzenberger, a distinguished academic who taught international law at the University of London from 1938 to 1975. It is awarded to a student in one of the law schools of the University of London on the basis of outstanding performance in Public International Law.
This year’s winner, Andrea Maria Pelliconi, already has a distinguished academic record. She graduated from Bocconi University in Milan with a BA and MA in Law, majoring in Public International Law. She then completed an Advanced Masters Degree on the International Protection of Human Rights from Sapienza University in Rome. In 2024, she graduated with a PhD in Law from The City Law School, City, University of London, having been awarded a full doctoral studentship in 2019. Andrea’s thesis, entitled ‘Demographic Engineering and International Law’, explores authority-sponsored alteration of demography under international law. Nominating Dr Pelliconi, Dr Jed Odermatt of City, explained:
‘The thesis breaks new ground by developing a novel framework for understanding and applying the concept of demographic engineering in international law. It not only shows a deep understanding of international law concepts, but also demonstrates an ability to apply concepts from political science, history, and anthropology. The thesis brings together insights from various fields of public international law, human rights law, and international criminal law.
Currently, Andrea is working as a Teaching Associate at the University of Nottingham, having previously worked at the London School of Economics (LSE) and the University of Hertfordshire. She has held visiting fellowships at the University of Bologna (Young Investigator Training Programme) and at the Max Planck Institute for International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law in Luxembourg. She is the co-coordinator of the ICON-S Interest Group on Migration and Climate Change, and co-head of the Programmes Committee of the Young International Criminal Lawyers Association (AYICL).
Dr Pelliconi is a qualified lawyer (non-practicing) at the Rome Bar Association. She has worked in private practice and for two international human rights organisations, namely the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC).
The Director of the Institute, Professor Carl Stychin, offered his congratulations to this year’s winner:
The Institute is very proud to manage the Georg Schwarzenberger Prize on behalf of the University of London. This year’s winner, Andrea Maria Pelliconi, is an outstanding early career scholar who already has amassed a wide range of accomplishments in the field of public international law. She is a very worthy addition to the prestigious list of winners of the Georg Schwarzenberger Prize.
Dr Pelliconi said:
I am delighted and honoured to receive the Georg Schwarzenberger Prize in International Law, following in the footsteps of the distinguished recipients from previous years. I am grateful to the selection committee and to all those who have supported and inspired me along the way, including Dr Odermatt, who nominated me, and the City Law School for supporting my nomination. I hope to continue contributing to international law and human rights scholarship with my future work.