Before we begin, we would like to introduce ourselves. We are the UPF team participating in this year’s EUtopia Project: Manel Bautista, Aurora Peggion, Greta Pescosolido, Isabelle Hannam, Eduardo Córdoba, Lauren Ferrie, Annika Cross, Ellie Cullen and Guillem Marcer.
This post is dedicated to a global assessment of our Peak Event presentations:
- “From Internment to Reparation: The French State and Spanish Exiles” by Aurora Peggion, Manel Bautista and Greta Pescosolido.
- “The Repression of Republicans During and After the Spanish Civil War” by Lauren Ferrie, Annika Cross and Guillem Marcer
- ‘’The Foundations of New Europe after WWII: The Case of the European Coal and Steel Community’’ by Isabelle Hannam, Ellie Cullen, Matilde Gremmo and Eduardo Córdoba
Why did you join?
Our participation in the EUtopia Project began with an invitation from our professor, who introduced us to the initiative at the beginning of the academic year. The idea of joining a transnational learning community centered on legal history immediately caught our attention.
As law students, we are often trained to focus on technical legal interpretation. However, this project offered the opportunity to explore how law operates within broader historical and political processes, changing our habitual task of static or direct interpretation to a panoramic and evolutional view.
We saw this as a unique opportunity to challenge ourselves academically, collaborate beyond the standard curriculum, and experience legal research in a more dynamic and international setting. For these reasons, we did not hesitate to join.
What did you work on?
Manel, Aurora and Greta’s research focused on the transformation of Spanish Republican exile after the Civil War into a system of administrative internment in France. In particular, they analyzed: the historical context of La Retirada in 1939; the creation of the French internment camp system; the legal framework that allowed administrative detention without trial; the role of the Camp de Rivesaltes within this broader system and the 2022 Spanish Law of Democratic Memory as a form of symbolic and democratic reparation.
Lauren, Annika and Guillem’s presentation focused on the legal repression of Republicans during and after the Spanish Civil War, through military trials and special jurisdictions. The presentation discussed how terror was used as a means of control, and how it co-existed with the ordinary legal system. The presentation examined both how the legal repression was introduced and its operation, and its aftermath. Due to time constraints, the presentation focused primarily on extraordinary jurisdictions and military trials, however, the team also researched how private law was used as a tool of repression, which will be included in the final report.
Isabelle, Ellie, Matilde and Eduardo’s research detailed the aftermath of WWII, and how Europe moved forward to prevent another large-scale conflict. The creation of the ECSC was a key milestone in creating long lasting peace, and so they analysed how the creation, design and application of the community allowed this. They explained specific state case studies, the founding fathers and the different organs of the ECSC. Importantly, they also explained the legal basis for the Community, which was the Treaty of Paris 1951. The different sections lead to show how the ECSC was ultimately successful, and a huge factor in creating the Europe that we know today.
How have you been working until now?
Since the beginning of the project, we understood that working together as a team was essential to give coherence to our research so we met to decide how to structure the presentation, how to connect the different sections, and how to build a clear and logical narrative.
A significant part of our work focused on discussing the overall approach: how to balance the historical reconstruction with the legal analysis, how to avoid being too descriptive, and how to ensure that our argument remained consistent throughout. These conversations helped us refine our ideas and clarify the key message we wanted to convey.
Although we are all law students, we come from different academic and cultural backgrounds. This diversity influenced the way each of us approached sources and interpreted legal concepts. Bringing these perspectives together allowed us to combine different methods and sensibilities, ultimately strengthening the depth and coherence of our project.
What is the added value of meeting at the Peak Event?
The added value of meeting at the Peak Event was undoubtedly the face-to-face exchange with other students and professors.
Academic life in recent years has often been mediated by online platforms. The opportunity to present our research in person created a completely different dynamic, and enabled more natural and spontaneous discussion. The exchange of ideas was more fluid and engaging, transcending a mere exposition and encouraging us to develop debates and enhance in talks.
Presenting in front of students from different European universities also encouraged us to clarify our arguments and make them accessible to a broader audience. The event transformed our project from an academic assignment into a shared intellectual experience.
What did you learn from the others?
One of the most enriching aspects of the Peak Event was discovering how different universities approach legal history.
Some delegations adopted a more doctrinal/jurisprudencial perspective, while others emphasized sociological or political analysis. This diversity showed us that there is no single way to conduct legal research. Instead, methodology depends on academic culture, institutional traditions, and personal interests.
We also learned how themes such as minority rights, state power, and legal pluralism manifest differently across European contexts. Despite national differences, many projects revealed common tensions between protection and exclusion, authority and rights. It was fascinating to learn about history from different regions, and broaden our personal knowledge and understanding of European history
This comparative dimension significantly broadened our understanding of the role of law in shaping social realities.
How was the interaction with lecturers/experts?
The presence of lecturers and experts contributed to the overall academic depth of the event. Even when not directly intervening in each individual presentation, their role framed the discussions within a broader scholarly perspective and reinforced the importance of methodological rigor. Knowing that our work was being presented in an environment shaped by experienced academics encouraged us to be particularly precise in our arguments and careful in our use of historical and legal sources. Their participation also highlighted the value of connecting student research with wider academic debates. More generally, the structure of the event emphasized dialogue between different levels of academic experience, reminding us that research is not an isolated activity but part of an ongoing intellectual conversation.
Did you take part in EUtopia Project activities? How was it?
Manel Bautista: I had the pleasure of offering a guided tour of the campus to several professors and students from other universities who visited as part of the EUtopia project. During the tour, I briefly explained how our university was founded on the site of what had previously been military barracks, as well as the historical symbolism that this confers upon our campus. We visited the library, which is of significant artistic and cultural value, and the memorial that pays tribute to university professors who were persecuted under the Francoist regime.
Overall, it was a highly enriching experience to exchange perspectives with other professors and students regarding the importance of universities as concrete spaces, with a past and a history that invite us to value higher education in communion with our heritage and to reflect upon its significance for the future.
Greta Pescosolido: I took part in the visit of the two exhibitions at MNAC: the Catalan National Museum of Art. During our visit, a new exhibition titled “Recuperado del Enemigo” had just been inaugurated. The exhibition explores how artworks were managed by the Spanish Republic and later by Franco’s regime during and after the Spanish Civil War. I found it particularly engaging because it highlighted how cultural heritage becomes deeply involved in times of conflict. The themes of loss, recovery, and political control over art strongly resonated with the concept of the “End of War.” For this reason, the visit was especially meaningful in connection with the Peak Event of the EUTOPIA Project, which focused on this theme.
Isabelle Hannam: The first Eutopia activity I took part in was the guided tour of the archaeological site in El Born. We got to walk through the remains of old streets, seeing the canal, houses, workshops and various artifacts. This was really interesting as it created a clear image of how society functioned before the war- and how it was then transformed. I also visited the Catalan National Museum of Art. The Recuperado del Enemigo really emphasised the effects of the war beyond just the battlefield. It also showed the power of art and how it can be used as a method of control to fulfil political motives. Art can also be essential in shaping the remembrance of historical events such as wars, and so I felt that seeing and learning about this art was a really insightful experience. This museum itself is on Montjuic Hill, offering a wide view over Barcelona and reinforcing its emphasis on the identity and history of Catalonia. This last activity was also a great way to conclude the EUTOPIA Peak Event.
Eduardo Córdoba: I had the opportunity to show the campus to some professors and peers from other universities, entering in very interesting conversations drawing parallels between the histories and academic ambiances of our different countries. Particularly, we covered the history of the buildings in our campus and the spaces dedicated to homaging the exiled Catalan teachers and also Pompeu Fabra, the father of the Catalan grammatics. Furthermore, we got to chat about our universitarian systems, discovering how our backgrounds sometimes are more similar or different than what we may think in some areas.
Lauren Ferrie: As an exchange student, I really valued the opportunity that Eutopia provided for me to engage in legal history that I have previously haven’t had exposure to as a student in the UK. Aside from conducting and presenting research on the repression of Republicans during and after the Spanish Civil War, I enjoyed engaging with the work of fellow students, covering topics ranging from developments in private law following WWI in Belgium, to post-war conceptions of constitutional rights and their impact on reproductive rights in late 20th-century Slovenia.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the cultural activities in Barcelona, such as visiting the archeological site in El Born and the visit to the Catalan National Museum of Art. Both the visits were insightful and engaging, and I was fascinated to learn more about Barcelona’s history, through a non-legal lens.
Guillem Marcer: In these times of political chaos and uncertainty, initiatives such as Eutopia bring a much needed breath of fresh air and hope. This event was an awesome opportunity to strengthen the bridges between our countries, and through the study of the past we enhance our legal knowledge, and we become better citizens of this common democratic project.
All in all, the atmosphere that we shared by commenting on both the campus and its history and relevance —while I tried my best to explain the spaces we visited— and their campuses and cultures was really pleasing and stimulating. I had the chance to enhance my exposition skills while also enjoying instructive and pleasant talks with our Eutopian colleagues.
Ellie Cullen: I first took part in the social dinner the evening before the peak event at UPF. It was an excellent way to meet the new students and get to know everyone before the presentations began. The next day was the Peak event which was the presentations from each delegation. It was fascinating to hear everyone's different topics and I learned a lot through the discussions at the end. The following day I took part in the historic tour around the archaeological site in El Born, we got to travel in time and see the old streets and shops that used to be there and I got a valuable insight into the way of life back then. Overall the whole experience was enlightening and I gained so many new skills, knowledge and friendships.
Is this different from what you would do in the standard curriculum?
Yes, in many ways. In the standard curriculum, legal study often focuses on analyzing current legislation and case law within a national framework. This project required us to move beyond that approach, to work with and interpret historical sources, and critically examine how legal norms functioned in practice.
Moreover, presenting our research at an international event introduced an element of public academic engagement that is not typical in ordinary coursework. It required not only understanding the material but being able to communicate it clearly and confidently, this pushed us outside of our comfort zones and strengthened both our analytical and presentation skills.
In particular, for the exchange/erasmus students that took part, this presented an opportunity to engage with history from countries beyond our own legal systems, which wouldn’t be possible in our home curriculums. It was interesting to see similarities and differences between legal history in our own countries compared to the regions that we researched for our final reports, and that we learnt from other students presentations at the Peak Event.
Do you see multilingualism as a benefit? If so, how would that play out in this specific case?
We consider multilingualism to be a significant benefit in a project like this. Although English served as our common academic language, the historical materials we worked with were in Spanish and French. Being able to engage with sources in their original language allowed for more precise interpretation and deeper understanding.
At the Peak Event, multilingualism also facilitated informal exchanges. It was interesting to discover shared linguistic backgrounds and to experience how communication can occur across different languages, even imperfectly.
Beyond language itself, multilingualism reflects openness, an essential quality for a transnational academic community.
Final Reflection
Our Peak Event experience demonstrated that law is not merely a technical instrument but a powerful social force.
Participating in the EUtopia Project has allowed us to connect historical analysis with contemporary concerns and to experience research as a collaborative European endeavor.
For us, this has been not only an academic project, but a formative experience in understanding the broader responsibilities of legal scholarship.
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