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LAW AND SOCIETY
ASSOCIATION |
Program Committee Attendance Planning Information Participation in a Proposed Session Form |
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
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LAW AND SOCIETY
ASSOCIATION |
Program Committee Attendance Planning Information Participation in a Proposed Session Form |
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
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THEME: LAW IN ACTION
The field of sociolegal studies has long been organized around the idea that "law on the books" is different from "law in action." Usually this means that law as it is experienced in the lives of people is different from law as an abstract field of knowledge. Also, law as it is interpreted and applied often bears little resemblance to the formal statute or written legal code. We therefore take "law in action" as our theme this year because it is one of the enduring and centrally important ideas of our field.
The gap between law in action and law on the books is present everywhere, and is clearly evident in the area we are highlighting with this year's meeting location—in Central and Eastern Europe and states of the former Soviet Union. "Transition" has brought with it very substantial legal changes; social practices have struggled to keep up with (and sometimes to keep out of the way of) law. By highlighting law in action, we hope to focus on the way in which legal changes have (or have not) made a difference in the lives of people who are going through political changes and their accompanying legal transformations. "Law in action" also brings to mind one of the great Central European contributions to the field of sociolegal studies, Eugen Ehrlich's work on "living law."
Our theme has other meanings too.
"Law in action" calls attention to the responsibility of sociolegal scholars in the public realm. What do we, as sociolegal scholars, have to say about the great issues of our time? From participating in struggles for human rights to examining the legal infrastructure of globalization, from encouraging progressive law reform to promoting legal guarantees of equal citizenship, sociolegal scholars bring something special to discussion in the public sphere—a grounding of legal ideas and rights claims in social and cultural contexts. Considering law in action can be a description of what sociolegal scholars do.
"Law in action" also highlights the way in which law structures many different settings from the most intimate personal interactions to intermediate-level organizational and regulatory regimes to the largest processes of globalization. At each level, we see how law plays a central role in the articulation of contradictory tendencies: both new nationalisms and new transnational organizations, personal identity and universalistic practices, personal experience and grand histories are articulated through law. As both the local and the global are simultaneously and increasingly intensified in modern experience, law is implicated in each.
"Law in action," then, is meant to encourage reflection on the gaps between legal rules and law-related practices, to consider our role as public intellectuals, and to allow us to see the way in which law actively shapes social relations at many levels.
While paper and session proposals are welcomed on any topic in sociolegal studies, we especially want to encourage those related to our (broadly defined) theme.
PROPOSALS, FORMATS, AND RULES OF PARTICIPATION
Session Proposals: We encourage submission of proposals for fully formed sessions—both paper-presentation sessions and roundtable panels. Other formats are also welcome. Those who wish to submit proposals for partial paper-presentation sessions to be filled out by the program committee are welcome to do so. Session proposals must include a general description of the topic of the session, keywords classification, a list of participants, and tentative presentation titles. All sessions are expected to have a chair; paper sessions should have a discussant (or chair/discussant) as well. To complete submission of the session proposal, each session participant, excluding the chair and discussant, must separately submit the "Participation in a Proposed Session Form," with complete contact information, and an abstract for the proposed paper. Fully formed paper sessions should include three or four papers. Organizers and Chairs of sessions are charged with informing all paper presenters about their obligations regarding presentation time limits, making copies of their papers available to the discussant and other session participants, and providing copies for conference paper sales.
In order to stimulate intellectual exchange, we urge that panels be diverse in their composition. Session organizers should attempt to include participants from different disciplines; of different ages and career stages; from different universities or work settings; or of different genders, races, ethnicities, and nationalities. The Program Committee reserves the right to modify proposed sessions, in consultation with session organizers.
Individual Paper Proposals: We welcome submissions of individual paper proposals. The clarity of the abstract and the careful selection of keywords will help the Program Committee place the paper in an appropriate session. Once papers are placed in sessions, presenters are expected to circulate their papers to the session discussant and other presenters in advance of the meeting and to make copies available through conference paper sales.
Book Panel Proposals: We welcome proposals for book panels, but proposers should be aware that the competition for these slots is likely to be quite intense and should not assume that all submitted proposals will be accepted. We welcome proposals of three sorts: traditional author meets readers/critics sessions that consider recent books, sessions that revisit a classic book, or panels that consider several books on a common topic. All proposals will be carefully screened by the Book Panel Subcommittee of the Program Committee. Those wishing to discuss a potential proposal in advance of submission may contact Dirk Hartog, Chair of the Book Panel Subcommittee. Use the Session Proposal Form (electronic or fax/mail) for book panel proposals.Submission Procedures: Using the forms on this site, proposals may be submitted electronically (click on respective electronic form for paper proposal, session proposals, or participation in a proposed session), or printed (click on respective printable form for paper proposals, session proposals, or participation in a proposed session) and faxed to 413-545-1640 or mailed to: Program Committee, 2001 Budapest Meeting; Law and Society Association; 131 County Circle; 205 Hampshire House, University of Massachusetts; Amherst MA 01003-9257 U.S.A.
Rules of Participation: In order to permit participation of a large number of people in a full program, conference attendees are limited to no more than two appearances on the program, only one of which may be a sole-authored paper. Exceptions will be made for session chairs and discussants serving at the request of the Program Committee.
Language: The official conference language is English. Although proposals for sessions and papers must be submitted in English and the program will be printed in English, we welcome whole sessions conducted in other languages. We regret that we lack the resources to provide translation. We ask that those proposing sessions inform the Program Committee if they wish to conduct their session in a language other than English so that this information can be included in the program.
Session Discussants and Chairs: The Program Committee invites volunteers to chair sessions and to serve as discussants in paper sessions. There is a place on the paper proposal form to indicate willingness to volunteer. Those who would like to volunteer as chairs or discussants, but who do not wish to propose a paper, should submit the Paper Proposal form leaving paper title blank but selecting appropriate keywords to identify their areas of expertise. This will allow the Program Committee to make appropriate assignments.
Collaborative Research Networks: The aim of the CRNs is to facilitate dialogue and international research collaborations. CRNs will be allocated time and space for a separate meeting either before or after the conference. CRNs may also wish to organize open sessions during the meetings to encourage ongoing contact throughout the conference. Anyone interested in participating in a CRN and who has not yet identified herself/himself to the CRN organizer should contact that organizer by email using the links provided on the CRN page. Note that some CRNs are also identified as RCSL Working Groups.Anyone interested in organizing a new CRN should submit a proposal including, at a minimum, a title, a paragraph describing the focus of the CRN, and the name and contact information for a person (or persons) willing to chair the CRN. Because the objective is to form a network, names and contact information of other participants should be included as well. After reviewing submitted information for clarity and completeness and checking for overlap of submissions, the Program Committee will post CRN topics on the Law and Society Association website.
Note that the deadline for CRN proposals is earlier (November 15, 2000) than other proposal deadlines.Deadlines:
-- for session proposals, paper proposals, and book panel proposals, January 8, 2001 - thereafter on a space-available basis.
-- for proposals for collaborative research networks, November 15, 2000
Updates and Preliminary Program: Continuous updates, announcements, and information about the meeting will be posted on this Law and Society Association website. Anyone wishing to receive updates by email should log on to the meeting Webboard at the LSA website (webboard is hosted by the Center for Technology Information). Because the costs are prohibitive, a printed preliminary program will not be issued this year. The preliminary program will be available on the website beginning about mid-March and updated as needed until June 1st.
Registration: When the Program Committee accepts proposals, it expects that people will follow through with production of their papers or sessions unless they specifically notify the Law and Society Association office otherwise well in advance of the meeting. All participants are required to register for the conference. Pre-registration materials will be sent in early Spring, 2001.
Grants: A limited number of registration fee subsidies will be available to support the attendance of those for whom the fee would be an undue hardship—priority will be given to scholars from Central/Eastern Europe, states of the former Soviet Union and other parts of Asia, and Africa. The Program Committee also has resources to support participation in a CRN and the conference of a small-number of scholars from East Europe and Latin America. Application procedures will be provided upon request. We are also attempting to raise additional funds to assist with travel and accommodations costs for others but most participants should assume that they will need to provide their own support.
