Cris van Eijk
@crisveijk.bsky.social
International law, the (space) commons, and how they're made.
PhD @newcastleuni.bsky.social | 🇺🇸🇳🇱🏳️🌈 | 🔊: krɪs van aɪk | he/him
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/law/study/research/students/current-pgr-students/cristian-van-eijk/
PhD @newcastleuni.bsky.social | 🇺🇸🇳🇱🏳️🌈 | 🔊: krɪs van aɪk | he/him
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/law/study/research/students/current-pgr-students/cristian-van-eijk/
Pinned
Cris van Eijk
@crisveijk.bsky.social
· Jan 30
The exclusive making of space law | Leiden Journal of International Law | Cambridge Core
The exclusive making of space law
doi.org
Excited to share my new article, 'The Exclusive Making of Space Law', just published in Leiden Journal of International Law. This article took 3 weeks to write the first draft, but 3 years to finalise, and I'm grateful to everyone who helped me along the way.
doi.org/10.1017/S0922156524000554
doi.org/10.1017/S0922156524000554
I’ll say it again: for me, the necessary indicator of a country might successfully begin a lunar settlement is whether it can consistently operate an inter-regional public transport system for 15-20 years.
Affordable, reliable, comfortable trains - in inhabited, oxygenated, temperate places.
Affordable, reliable, comfortable trains - in inhabited, oxygenated, temperate places.
Musk says SpaceX to prioritise building self-growing city on Moon reut.rs/3M1ENqF
Musk says SpaceX to prioritise building self-growing city on Moon
Elon Musk said on Sunday that SpaceX has shifted its focus to building a “self‑growing city” on the Moon, which he said could be achieved in less than 10 years.
reut.rs
February 9, 2026 at 12:34 AM
I’ll say it again: for me, the necessary indicator of a country might successfully begin a lunar settlement is whether it can consistently operate an inter-regional public transport system for 15-20 years.
Affordable, reliable, comfortable trains - in inhabited, oxygenated, temperate places.
Affordable, reliable, comfortable trains - in inhabited, oxygenated, temperate places.
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
So bleak that net zero, a decade old Conservative climate policy that is wholly inadequate in scope and ambition, is now too radical for parts of the Labour Party
February 8, 2026 at 9:46 PM
So bleak that net zero, a decade old Conservative climate policy that is wholly inadequate in scope and ambition, is now too radical for parts of the Labour Party
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
Unfortunately, that's not how UK journalism works if the story involves trans people. Groups like the Good Law Project put out news-story-like content bc reporters aren't reporting.
The Good Law Project does it well, and I fully trust their data - but in a better world it would be a news story.
The Good Law Project does it well, and I fully trust their data - but in a better world it would be a news story.
February 7, 2026 at 2:04 PM
Unfortunately, that's not how UK journalism works if the story involves trans people. Groups like the Good Law Project put out news-story-like content bc reporters aren't reporting.
The Good Law Project does it well, and I fully trust their data - but in a better world it would be a news story.
The Good Law Project does it well, and I fully trust their data - but in a better world it would be a news story.
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
This is an important read. I don't want to take anything away from it. However:
It really should have been a news item informed by the Good Law Project's data. It isn't bc the British press has shut out any story that contradicts anti-trans talking points.
goodlawproject.org/new-data-sho...
It really should have been a news item informed by the Good Law Project's data. It isn't bc the British press has shut out any story that contradicts anti-trans talking points.
goodlawproject.org/new-data-sho...
New data shows surge in trans kids’ suicides following healthcare rollbacks | Good Law Project
A freedom of information request by Good Law Project has found that deaths by suicide of trans young people under 18 surged following the withdrawal of gender-affirming healthcare
goodlawproject.org
February 7, 2026 at 1:49 PM
This is an important read. I don't want to take anything away from it. However:
It really should have been a news item informed by the Good Law Project's data. It isn't bc the British press has shut out any story that contradicts anti-trans talking points.
goodlawproject.org/new-data-sho...
It really should have been a news item informed by the Good Law Project's data. It isn't bc the British press has shut out any story that contradicts anti-trans talking points.
goodlawproject.org/new-data-sho...
To bang the obvious drum: while we sometimes falsely remember Boris Johnson's resignation as having been caused by PartyGate, it was in fact his appointment of Chris Pincher (*twice*) - despite knowing about his long pattern of sexual assault and misconduct, and then lying about having known it. 👀
February 6, 2026 at 2:39 PM
To bang the obvious drum: while we sometimes falsely remember Boris Johnson's resignation as having been caused by PartyGate, it was in fact his appointment of Chris Pincher (*twice*) - despite knowing about his long pattern of sexual assault and misconduct, and then lying about having known it. 👀
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
Finally out! www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... Longer post to come but for now, key take-aways: international pressure matters, domestic pressure matters, international treaty law (however contested) matters, and super importantly these days, civil servants who believe in international law matter!
Stealth Change: How the United States and the United Kingdom Embraced International Humanitarian Limits on Nuclear Use
This article analyzes how American and British policy shifted, from rejecting to accepting the applicability of the law of armed conflict (LOAC) to nuclear use. Through a study of primary and secon...
www.tandfonline.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:36 AM
Finally out! www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... Longer post to come but for now, key take-aways: international pressure matters, domestic pressure matters, international treaty law (however contested) matters, and super importantly these days, civil servants who believe in international law matter!
In Dec, the US explained its no vote on a COPUOS resolution (the 7th such vote in UN history) with:
"the references to gender are ambiguous and unclear. The United States expects that UN resolutions use terminology that clearly refers to women and men, girls and boys, and avoids ambiguous terms."
"the references to gender are ambiguous and unclear. The United States expects that UN resolutions use terminology that clearly refers to women and men, girls and boys, and avoids ambiguous terms."
February 6, 2026 at 9:42 AM
In Dec, the US explained its no vote on a COPUOS resolution (the 7th such vote in UN history) with:
"the references to gender are ambiguous and unclear. The United States expects that UN resolutions use terminology that clearly refers to women and men, girls and boys, and avoids ambiguous terms."
"the references to gender are ambiguous and unclear. The United States expects that UN resolutions use terminology that clearly refers to women and men, girls and boys, and avoids ambiguous terms."
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
If you've recently experienced any adverse decisions from NARA—personnel/promotions, contracting, FOIA, etc.—you really ought to speak with an attorney; those decisions may have been unlawful.
Can't stress enough how *crazily illegal* this is:
Rubio may have been exercising authority after he no longer lawfully could
Byron—running NARA day to day under that authority—may have taken actions that are void from the beginning
Byron may *not* lawfully serve as/perform functions of Archivist
Rubio may have been exercising authority after he no longer lawfully could
Byron—running NARA day to day under that authority—may have taken actions that are void from the beginning
Byron may *not* lawfully serve as/perform functions of Archivist
*BREAKING: Rubio is out as acting Archivist, and has illegally named an ineligble political appointee to "to serve and perform the functions of archivist"—which he did not have the authority to do.
My reporting expands on @federalnewsnetwork.com's scoop:
🧵
lastcampaign.substack.com/p/rubio-out-...
My reporting expands on @federalnewsnetwork.com's scoop:
🧵
lastcampaign.substack.com/p/rubio-out-...
February 5, 2026 at 12:39 AM
If you've recently experienced any adverse decisions from NARA—personnel/promotions, contracting, FOIA, etc.—you really ought to speak with an attorney; those decisions may have been unlawful.
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
*BREAKING: Rubio is out as acting Archivist, and has illegally named an ineligble political appointee to "to serve and perform the functions of archivist"—which he did not have the authority to do.
My reporting expands on @federalnewsnetwork.com's scoop:
🧵
lastcampaign.substack.com/p/rubio-out-...
My reporting expands on @federalnewsnetwork.com's scoop:
🧵
lastcampaign.substack.com/p/rubio-out-...
Rubio out at NARA; illegally names ineligble political appointee to serve as Archivist
Rubio has no authority to name anyone to serve as Archivist or perform those functions
lastcampaign.substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:43 PM
*BREAKING: Rubio is out as acting Archivist, and has illegally named an ineligble political appointee to "to serve and perform the functions of archivist"—which he did not have the authority to do.
My reporting expands on @federalnewsnetwork.com's scoop:
🧵
lastcampaign.substack.com/p/rubio-out-...
My reporting expands on @federalnewsnetwork.com's scoop:
🧵
lastcampaign.substack.com/p/rubio-out-...
Democracy dies in darkness and this Amazon Prime Day you can get exclusive offers on light switches and blackout curtains!
February 4, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
I'm going to a conference on Friday about the Supreme Court's reliance on "history and tradition," and truly one of the many many problems with originalism is how it often flattens & distorts history, creating jurisprudence that reflects the history of domination but not the history of resistance
February 4, 2026 at 1:58 PM
I'm going to a conference on Friday about the Supreme Court's reliance on "history and tradition," and truly one of the many many problems with originalism is how it often flattens & distorts history, creating jurisprudence that reflects the history of domination but not the history of resistance
new slide image on the general experience of researching redacted/classified materials just dropped
When @jasonleopold.bsky.social told me the Justice Department inexplicably redacted the “J.P.” from “J.P. Morgan” in a J.P. Morgan research note, I didn’t believe him.
But here it is:
But here it is:
February 4, 2026 at 3:39 PM
new slide image on the general experience of researching redacted/classified materials just dropped
Thank you to Linda Mulcahy for inviting me to discuss 'Archival Methods' on her podcast 'Talking About Methods' with @oxfordcsls.bsky.social.
We went into what archives are, why that matters, why legal researchers might use them, and what we do there.
frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/making-and-u...
We went into what archives are, why that matters, why legal researchers might use them, and what we do there.
frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/making-and-u...
Making and Unmaking Archival Methods - Frontiers of Socio-Legal Studies
In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Cris van Eijk about making and unmaking archives.
frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk
February 4, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Thank you to Linda Mulcahy for inviting me to discuss 'Archival Methods' on her podcast 'Talking About Methods' with @oxfordcsls.bsky.social.
We went into what archives are, why that matters, why legal researchers might use them, and what we do there.
frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/making-and-u...
We went into what archives are, why that matters, why legal researchers might use them, and what we do there.
frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/making-and-u...
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
Today is 1 year since 'The Exclusive Making of Space Law' was published online by the Leiden Journal of International Law. I guess that means I should stop calling it my 'new' article... 1/3
doi.org/10.1017/S092...
doi.org/10.1017/S092...
The exclusive making of space law | Leiden Journal of International Law | Cambridge Core
The exclusive making of space law - Volume 38 Issue 2
doi.org
January 30, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Today is 1 year since 'The Exclusive Making of Space Law' was published online by the Leiden Journal of International Law. I guess that means I should stop calling it my 'new' article... 1/3
doi.org/10.1017/S092...
doi.org/10.1017/S092...
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
Beautiful piece @jessicawestphd.bsky.social about working in peace & sec: "Certain activities clearly count...Other forms of work such as translation, quiet prevention, relationship-building, experimentation, are harder to point to, and harder to fund." onfragileorbits.substack.com/p/its-okay-n...
It’s Okay Not to Run the Marathon
On endurance, success, and the actual work of peace and security
onfragileorbits.substack.com
January 21, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Beautiful piece @jessicawestphd.bsky.social about working in peace & sec: "Certain activities clearly count...Other forms of work such as translation, quiet prevention, relationship-building, experimentation, are harder to point to, and harder to fund." onfragileorbits.substack.com/p/its-okay-n...
Guardian headline: 'use of ADHD meds has more than tripled!! 😱😭🚨'
Article details: barely anyone who might need the meds has access to them 🤷🏻♀️
Article details: barely anyone who might need the meds has access to them 🤷🏻♀️
January 22, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Reminder that Greenland's foreign policy is *literally* titled "Nothing about us without us". ~88% of Greenlanders are Indigenous people. This is not complicated.
Precisely. Negotiations are impossible. To even talk about holding them would imply that Greenland's sovereignty is up for grabs and validate Trump's stance.
January 21, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Reminder that Greenland's foreign policy is *literally* titled "Nothing about us without us". ~88% of Greenlanders are Indigenous people. This is not complicated.
I've taken (then scrapped) *extremely* detailed notes on US federal environmental and space policies *several* times since my PhD started. Once had to do so midway through drafting a blog post.
Sisyphus doesn't have shit on trying to write a chapter on current US and EU views of international law
January 20, 2026 at 11:37 PM
I've taken (then scrapped) *extremely* detailed notes on US federal environmental and space policies *several* times since my PhD started. Once had to do so midway through drafting a blog post.
Whoaaa - this is awesome!!
January 20, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Whoaaa - this is awesome!!
What if the UNSC... but even more exclusive, even more pay-to-play, even more male, even less democratic, and Trump alone had a veto, sole legislative authority, and an unlimited leadership term (personal immunity included)?
What a pitch!!
What a pitch!!
Below is the text of Trump's semi-international club intended to replace the UN.
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
Full text: Charter of Trump’s Board of Peace
No mention of Gaza, which bolsters ToI's reporting that US also envisions panel helping resolve other conflicts worldwide; member countries must pay $1 billion for permanent spot
www.timesofisrael.com
January 20, 2026 at 8:37 AM
What if the UNSC... but even more exclusive, even more pay-to-play, even more male, even less democratic, and Trump alone had a veto, sole legislative authority, and an unlimited leadership term (personal immunity included)?
What a pitch!!
What a pitch!!
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
You'll notice just in the screenshot used as a photo for this piece the one really weird thing we've found so far: Just how many stories does NYT need on trans athletes at SCOTUS and why was it 11 in 2 days?
In 2026, we're launching an ambitious effort to track legacy news media's coverage of the trans community, with a focus on the words news outlets choose and how those are changing as right wing pressure threatens the independence of our press.
www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
News Stories Shape Public Perception of Trans Lives. We’re Keeping Score. — Assigned
Our Trans News Tracking Project seeks to catalogue bias at major news organizations in the US.
www.assignedmedia.org
January 15, 2026 at 1:46 PM
You'll notice just in the screenshot used as a photo for this piece the one really weird thing we've found so far: Just how many stories does NYT need on trans athletes at SCOTUS and why was it 11 in 2 days?
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
The problem: Unaccountable, armed goons are terrorizing an American city, serving as the de facto paramilitary occupation force of a regime that believes itself at war with large swaths of the population.
The reaction from a Democratic lawmaker: "Maybe we could put QR codes on their uniforms?"
The reaction from a Democratic lawmaker: "Maybe we could put QR codes on their uniforms?"
I am introducing the Quick Recognition (QR) Act, which requires ICE and CBP officers to wear uniforms featuring QR codes. When scanned, the code would generate a digital ID displaying the officer’s name, badge number, and law enforcement agency.
ICE should be unmasked both physically and digitally.
ICE should be unmasked both physically and digitally.
January 15, 2026 at 1:39 PM
The problem: Unaccountable, armed goons are terrorizing an American city, serving as the de facto paramilitary occupation force of a regime that believes itself at war with large swaths of the population.
The reaction from a Democratic lawmaker: "Maybe we could put QR codes on their uniforms?"
The reaction from a Democratic lawmaker: "Maybe we could put QR codes on their uniforms?"
Reposted by Cris van Eijk
'we can turn the lights off in Caracas from Washington and track Maduro's movements for months - but there's no way we can set up remote hearings without "a serious risk of intentional
interference". Which, obviously, would be wrong and bad.'
interference". Which, obviously, would be wrong and bad.'
JUST IN: Rubio tells Judge Boasberg that there’s no way to retrieve the 137 Venezuelans deported under the Alien Enemies Act — or even offer them due process — given the delicate negotiations with Venezuela’s new post-Maduro regime. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Declaration of Secretary of State Rubio – #229, Att. #1 in J.G.G. v. TRUMP (D.D.C., 1:25-cv-00766) – CourtListener.com
NOTICE of Response to Court Order by PAMELA J. BONDI, PETER B. HEGSETH, KRISTI L. NOEM, MARCO A. RUBIO, MADISON SHEAHAN, DONALD J. TRUMP, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURI...
storage.courtlistener.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:49 AM
'we can turn the lights off in Caracas from Washington and track Maduro's movements for months - but there's no way we can set up remote hearings without "a serious risk of intentional
interference". Which, obviously, would be wrong and bad.'
interference". Which, obviously, would be wrong and bad.'
'we can turn the lights off in Caracas from Washington and track Maduro's movements for months - but there's no way we can set up remote hearings without "a serious risk of intentional
interference". Which, obviously, would be wrong and bad.'
interference". Which, obviously, would be wrong and bad.'
JUST IN: Rubio tells Judge Boasberg that there’s no way to retrieve the 137 Venezuelans deported under the Alien Enemies Act — or even offer them due process — given the delicate negotiations with Venezuela’s new post-Maduro regime. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Declaration of Secretary of State Rubio – #229, Att. #1 in J.G.G. v. TRUMP (D.D.C., 1:25-cv-00766) – CourtListener.com
NOTICE of Response to Court Order by PAMELA J. BONDI, PETER B. HEGSETH, KRISTI L. NOEM, MARCO A. RUBIO, MADISON SHEAHAN, DONALD J. TRUMP, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURI...
storage.courtlistener.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:49 AM
'we can turn the lights off in Caracas from Washington and track Maduro's movements for months - but there's no way we can set up remote hearings without "a serious risk of intentional
interference". Which, obviously, would be wrong and bad.'
interference". Which, obviously, would be wrong and bad.'