Humanitarian Action in Armed Conflict: Law, Principles, Practice - Unit 1

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Oberprantacher, MA

is Professor of Practical Philosophy at the University of Innsbruck, where he heads the Unit for Peace and Conflict Studies and serves as Academic Coordinator of the MA Programme Peace and Conflict Studies. His research and teaching move at the intersection of political philosophy and Critical Peace and Conflict Studies, with a focus on contested citizenship, displacement, and the changing character of violence and war, including recent work on the security industry and algorithmic warfare. He has taught and lectured widely internationally, including in regions affected by armed conflict.

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Oberprantacher, MA

is Professor of Practical Philosophy at the University of Innsbruck, where he heads the Unit for Peace and Conflict Studies and serves as Academic Coordinator of the MA Programme Peace and Conflict Studies. His research and teaching move at the intersection of political philosophy and Critical Peace and Conflict Studies, with a focus on contested citizenship, displacement, and the changing character of violence and war, including recent work on the security industry and algorithmic warfare. He has taught and lectured widely internationally, including in regions affected by armed conflict.

Ass.-Prof. Dr. iur. Dr. habil. Patrick Abel

Professor Patrick Abel is Assistant Professor of International Law at the Department of European Law and International Law at the University of Innsbruck. After studying in Münster, Seville, and Oxford (Magister Juris), he completed his doctorate in Göttingen and his Habilitation in Passau. He was a Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence. His research focuses on global transformation processes (economics, environment, sustainability), as well as general international law.

Nicolas Wimberger

is an Austrian diplomat, currently Coordinator of the Directorate-General for Consular Affairs, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs. From 2019 to 2025 Nicolas served as legal advisor and delegate for humanitarian affairs and migration at the Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva. In this capacity, he was Austrian delegate to the ICRC, IFRC, UNHCR, IOM and OCHA. Nicolas participated in the 33rd and 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, where he represented Austria in the Drafting Committee. Since 2025, Nicolas has focussed on Austria’s role as one of the Co-Chairs of the ICRC´s Global Initiative to Galvanize Political Commitment to IHL.

Lisa Macheiner

has extensive experience working as Emergency Project Coordinator on medical and psychosocial projects with humanitarian organisations, including in Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan and, most recently, as Project Coordinator for Doctors without Borders in Gaza. Lisa holds a Master of Advanced Studies in International Law in Armed Conflict from the University of Geneva and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Innsbruck.

Ruth Doyle, LL.B.

is a legal professional with over two decades’ experience working in international institutions, now specialising in Public International Law and International Humanitarian Law (IHL). As Vice-Chair of the Austrian Red Cross, Innsbruck, she aims to bridge the gap between legal theory and practical humanitarian action through education. Ruth holds a law degree from Trinity College Dublin and is currently an LL.M. Candidate in Public International Law. Her research focuses on State responsibility in two areas: the obligation to cooperate with International Criminal Court arrest warrants, and the obligation under the Geneva Conventions to disseminate and promote IHL.