Juan Amaya Castro

Nationality: Colombia, The Netherlands

Current Position within UPEACE
Since March 2004, I have been working as Co-director of the Department of International Law, and head, together with Gudmundur Eiriksson, the two Masters Programmes: “International Law and the Settlement of Disputes” and “International Law and Human Rights”. I first came to UPEACE in September 2003 as a visiting professor to teach part of the general introductory course on international law.

In my current capacity I am responsible for general management and further development of our two programmes, planning of the curriculum and academic calendar, and overall functioning of the department. I will be teaching in the general foundational courses, and also in some of the specialized courses in our programmes, as well as in other UPEACE programmes. I will also supervise many of the independent studies with which students conclude their ten month programme.

Before coming here and while working on my Ph.D. dissertation on the public/private distinction in human rights discourse, I lectured on both international law and human rights at a number of Dutch universities. I plan to defend my dissertation soon at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. Prior to assuming this position I spent six months as a visiting researcher with the European Law Research Center at Harvard Law School. My research interest generally concerns the integration of contemporary thought on power, knowledge, subjectivity, and language with our thinking about international law and human rights.

So far, I have found the multicultural and multidisciplinary diversity of the staff and students here at UPEACE intensely stimulating and rewarding and am looking forward to a very productive period.

Education and Qualifications:

· 1996 Full Degree (Doctorandus) in public international law, Leiden University, The Netherlands.

Professional Experience:

· September 2003-March 2004: Visiting Researcher, European Law Research Center, Harvard Law School.
· September 1998-March 2004: Assistent in Opleiding (Research Fellow or Ph.D.-candidate), Faculty of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
· April 1997-August 1998: Junior Docent (Junior Lecturer), Faculty of Law, Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
· July 1994-September 1996: Student assistant, Faculty of Law, Leiden University, the Netherlands.

Activities:

Lecturing:
· 1998-2001 To undergraduate students (in Dutch): “Introduction to Public International Law” (second year-students), “Human Rights” (third and fourth year-students), advanced course on public international law (third and fourth year students). To graduate students (in English): “Human Rights in International Law” (LL.M.-Programme).
· 1999-2002 “European Human Rights Law” (in English) (M.A. in European Law and Policy - Haagse Hogeschool, The Hague); as an external lecturer.
· 1997-1998 To undergraduate students (in Dutch): “Introduction to Public International Law and European Law” (first year-students); “International and European Institutional Law” (third and fourth year students).

Editorial boards:
· 1995-2002 Board of Editors, Leiden Journal of International Law.
· 2001-2002 Secretary of the Board of the Stichting NJCM-Boekerij, Foundation dedicated to publishing human rights publications for lawyers.
· 1998-1999 Correspondent on the European Court of Human Rights for the NJCM-Bulletin, the main human rights review in the Netherlands (8 issues p/year).

Various:
· 2001-2003: representative of Ph.D.-candidates on the Board of Directors of the Netherlands School for Human Rights Research (Onderzoeksschool voor de Rechten van de Mens (in which five universities participate).
· Since 2001: Co-founder and secretary of the Foundation for New Research in International Law (FNRIL), a foundation under Dutch law established to promote research activities and professional socializing in the field of international law. See www.fnril.org.
· 2001-2002: Coach of the Erasmus University team in the Jessup Moot Court Competition.
· 1995-2001: (co-)organizer of many conferences, workshops, seminars, etc. in the field of international law and human rights.
· 1996: attended the Hague Academy courses on public international law.
· 1995-1996: Chairperson of Habeas Corpus, Leiden University Student Association dealing with human rights, organizing conferences and excursions, inviting speakers, and publishing the Habeas Corpus Nieuwsbrief (three times per year).

Scholarships

· Fulbright scholarship, for the period of September 2003-March 2004.

Languages

· Dutch, Spanish, English (fluent), French (almost fluent) and German (passive)