Organized in cooperation with the Scientific Studies Association (İLEM), the Worldwide Lawyers Association (WOLAS), and the İlim Yayma Foundation (İYV), the 9th International ILEM Summer School commenced in Istanbul this year under the theme “Current World Order: Systemic Transformations, Vulnerabilities, and Alternative Perspectives.” The Opening Speeches and Keynote Address were held at the Rectorate of Istanbul University, in Beyazıt.
The opening speeches centered on the crises of the global system, the limitations of existing international structures, and the search for alternatives, with speakers collectively emphasizing the importance of intellectual responsibility.
In his address, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taha Eğri, Chairman of İLEM’s Board, stated that at a time when global crises are deepening, the Summer School offers a valuable intellectual platform to examine the inadequacies of current international institutions, the persistence of the Western-centric order, and the instability reinforced by crises such as the Russia–Ukraine war, the Iran–Israel conflict, the October 7 “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation, and the ongoing genocide in Palestine.
Enes Kafadar, Chairman of WOLAS, stressed that law is not merely a profession, but an enduring quest for justice intertwined with human dignity. Highlighting the potential of law to rethink and transform challenges in the context of human rights and international law, Kafadar noted that the International ILEM Summer School provides a meaningful platform to discuss these shared concerns.
Prof. Dr. Mahmut Cüneyt Yenigün, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Istanbul University, expressed his pleasure in welcoming academics from diverse regions to Istanbul. Emphasizing that the concept of the “world order” gains significance when addressed through the lenses of security, politics, and economics within ILEM’s academic setting, Yenigün remarked that such initiatives play a crucial role in seeking solutions to pressing global issues.
Delivering the opening keynote titled “Disruption, Uncertainty & the Future of the International Economic System”, Tarık Yousef stated that the global crises shaped by capitalism, globalization, uncertainty, disruption, and displacement offer critical insights into understanding our era and drawing lessons from the past. He underlined that such lessons can be derived without looking too far back in history, as similar ruptures have reemerged in recent times. In particular, Yousef drew attention to the shifting role of the United States in global hegemony, noting that since the Trump administration, the U.S. has moved from being the architect of the international system to becoming a principal source of chaos, with profound consequences for the global order.
Yousef further argued that correctly interpreting the historical trajectory shaped by the world wars, capitalism, globalization, and three decades of turbulence could present an opportunity for Muslims. Having once lived in a predictable world and now facing an intense environment of uncertainty, he underscored the difficulty of navigating such an intellectual challenge. Concluding his speech, Yousef called on participants to think boldly, sustain the debates, and continue intellectual production. Keynote Address concluded with a question-and-answer session.
