European Society of International Law Webinar: Taxation, Racial Capitalism, and the Rule of Law: Historical Legacies and Contemporary Challenges in Global Economic Governance on July 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM EST:

The inaugural webinar, Taxation, Racial Capitalism, and the International Rule of Law: From Colonial Slavery to Global Governance, marks the launch of the European Society of International Law (ESIL) Interest Group on European and International Rule of Law Webinar Series.

Through the insights offered by Anthony C. Infanti (University of Pittsburgh School of Law) and Steven A. Dean (Boston University School of Law), this inaugural event  sets the tone for a series committed to examining difficult questions, challenging conventional assumptions, and fostering meaningful dialogue across disciplines and jurisdictions.

The conversation will be chaired by Paolo Davide Farah (University of Tulsa College of Law), who will serve as moderator and discussant, facilitating the dialogue between the authors and situating their contributions within broader debates on the rule of law, epistemic authority, international governance, and fiscal justice. Carliss N. Chatman (SMU Dedman School of Law) will also serve as discussant, contributing additional reflections on the contemporary implications of taxation, inequality, and legal institutions. Together, the discussion aims to foster an interdisciplinary and critical exchange on the historical legacies and present-day challenges explored in these important works.

Moving from the fiscal architectures of colonial America to the contemporary global tax order, the discussion examines how legal and fiscal systems have historically contributed to systems of domination, exclusion, and racialized inequality. Infanti’s work reveals how taxation functioned not merely as a neutral tool of governance but as an instrument that helped structure, sustain, and legitimize slavery. Dean’s analysis extends this inquiry into the international sphere, uncovering how global tax rules have been shaped by, and continue to reproduce, forms of racial capitalism and structural inequality.

By placing these perspectives in conversation, the webinar seeks to interrogate the ambivalent role of the rule of law: not only as a framework that aspires to justice and accountability, but also as a system that has, at times, facilitated exploitation and entrenched disparities. The discussion will also consider whether and how law, particularly in the context of European and international governance, can serve as a tool for redress, reform, and more equitable global fiscal arrangements.

Engaging with historical legacies and contemporary challenges, this conversation invites participants to reflect on key questions at the intersection of law, political economy, and global governance: To what extent can the rule of law confront its own complicity in past and present injustices? What lessons do these histories hold for current debates on international taxation, reparations, and fiscal justice? And how might evolving legal frameworks within the EU and beyond contribute to reshaping a more inclusive and equitable global order?