LAW AND SOCIETY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING, July 6 - 9, 2006 Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.

Program Committee Preliminary Program Attendance Planning Information (including hotel and meeting registration, transportation information) Submit a Proposal for a Paper, Session, or Volunteer as chair or discussant Instruction for Submission (READ FIRST) Proposal Keyword List Collaborative Research Networks Program for International Sociolegal Research Collaboration Meeting Discussion Board New Members and First-Time Attendees Graduate Student Workshop Exhibitor Information

CALL DEADLINE PASSED (late paper proposals accepted only on a space available basis) The 2006 annual meeting of the Law and Society Association will take place at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, July 6 - 9. Theme: Law’s End(s)? In the spirit of the Law and Society Association’s long tradition of research into unsettled and unsettling issues, the 2006 meeting’s theme poses many profound questions regarding challenges facing the rule of law early in the twenty-first century. We highlight in particular the following observations and puzzles. First, as social life around the globe becomes ever more complex, multi-layered, and subject to multiple sources of authoritative ordering, the boundaries among and between different legal or extra-legal forms of governance have become more contested, volatile, and fragile. How are different forms of legal authority established, enforced, contested, and renegotiated? Where does the authority of one legal system or form of governance end and another prevail? Do inherited conceptions of “legal pluralism” suffice to make sense of the negotiated boundaries among legal orders?

Second, the global spread of Western legal norms, and especially those associated with the United States, seems to highlight law’s growing significance in contemporary life at the same time that the proliferation of profoundly different legal orders undermines any common view about the core elements of law itself. Have we come to the end of any coherent singular understanding about what the “rule of law” requires? Do new forms of capitalism, governance, etc. demand new models of law that we do not yet imagine?

Third, in many societies we witness political backlashes and retrenchment against the constraints of law’s rule. Overt attacks on courts, lawyers, legal processes, rights, and rules as well as more subtle departures from principles of law are evident around the world. At the same time, other elements or domains of law – especially the punitive and market-based terms of law – have been advanced with new vigor. How can we make sense of the simultaneous undermining of some forms or aspects of law and the strengthening of others? What is the role of neo-liberalism or resurgent authoritarianism in these processes? How do these changes reflect and express unequal power relations?

Fourth, the preceding questions about the conceptual and political constraints of law suggest yet other more general puzzles about the limitations or endpoints of law’s instrumental capacity to govern. What do legal forms, processes, and practices do well, and what to they accomplish poorly or less well than other forms of governance? What types of control or coordination are most and least effectively advanced through law?

Finally, these previous questions suggest yet another line of inquiry about laws end(s): What are law’s purposes? What normative ends does it serve? Whose ends? To what extent is law merely a means, a set of techniques that serve ends rather than define ends? How are commitments to (or against) law related to organizing logics of capitalism, democracy, authoritarianism, religion, or various versions of justice? By what standards should we assess the workings and impacts of law? Where do or should we stand in scrutinizing how, and for whom, law does or does not matter?

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As with every Annual Meeting, panels need not be centered on the conference theme. As usual, submissions on any law and society topic are welcome.

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Timing of the 2006 Annual Meeting - for those who regularly attend the LSA Annual Meeting it is apparent that the 2006 meeting is scheduled later in the summer than is typical for our North American sited meetings. This is a one-time experiment. The Trustees chose this year to respond to the frequently expressed concerns of scholars from elsewhere in the world that LSA's typical late May/early June meeting conflicts severely with their academic schedules and makes participation difficult. The experiment is to determine whether international participation is enhanced without risk to domestic participation in a mid-summer meeting.

PROPOSALS: INDIVIDUAL PAPERS AND PANELS

  Individual (“Unassigned”) Paper Proposals:

We invite individual submissions of paper proposals. We strongly encourage any author whose paper is not already part of a Session Proposal to use the Meeting Discussion Bulletin Board to network with others scholars to form panels organized around a common theme. Where this proves impossible, the Program Committee will attempt to place related “unassigned” paper submissions. A clear abstract and careful selection of keywords will help the Program Committee in this endeavor. 

To be considered ready for Program Committee review a paper proposal must include a title, keyword selection(s), and a 100-250 word abstract (see submission instructions).

  Individual (“Assigned”) Paper Proposals:

Individuals whose papers have been invited to be included on a proposed session must submit their paper in the same manner as “unassigned” papers. The session organizer will supply the necessary session number. Choose “assigned” on the submission form and enter the session number to attach your paper to the session. The session organizer cannot enter your paper for you.

All Papers: Once a paper is assigned to a session, either by the Program Committee or Session Organizer, the author is expected to:

1) have a written copy of the paper or detailed description of the presentation one month prior to the meeting
2) circulate the paper or relevant text among the other session participants
3) prepare a public presentation of the paper (simply reading from the paper is not acceptable) or parallel text that conforms to the time constraints and the particular format or approach arranged by the session Chair
4) make a large print version of any material to be distributed in the session for attendees who may be visually impaired;
5) bring 15 copies of the paper to the meeting for donation to the Association paper sales
6) in the event a paper author cannot attend, it is expected that they will contact the session chair and the LSA Executive Office to formally withdraw well in advance of the meeting and in time to be replaced

  Session Proposals:

We encourage submission of proposals for fully formed sessions. The Program Committee recognizes the importance of engaging the audience in a compelling manner, and we envision a conference that is dynamic, innovative, and interactive. In the past, the proposals for the Annual Meeting have been concentrated in three types of formats: 1) traditional scholarly paper panels organized around a common theme; 2) discussion-centered roundtables; and 3) book sessions, in which discussion is focused on 1 or more recent (published in the last 18 months) scholarly books.

Those types of sessions are welcome, but we also encourage proposals that are not constrained by the usual categories. Participants might organize debates, visual and musical performances, workshops, films, and other innovative formats. (Sessions with alternate formats and no papers should use the Roundtable Session Submissions Form. We encourage scholars proposing creative formats to consult with program committee members in advance.)

In order to stimulate intellectual exchange, we also urge that panels be diverse in their composition by including, for example, participants from different countries, disciplines, and intellectual traditions as well as participants of different ages, career stages, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Paper Presentation Session proposals with paper presentations must include: 1) a session title: 2) a Chair; 3) a Discussant if appropriate (who may also serve as chair); 4) three, four, or five individual papers that are “assigned” by the Session Organizer; and 5) keyword selection(s) and, where relevant, CRN sponsorship (see Collaborative Research Networks below). IMPORTANT: Papers must be submitted by authors and cannot be submitted by the organizer.

Roundtable Session proposals must include: 1) a session title; 2) a description of the topic and anticipated discussion; 3) a Chair; 4) at least three Participants; and 5) keyword selection(s) and, where relevant, indication in the title of CRN sponsorship.

Book Session proposals must include: 1) the session title comprised of the title(s) of the book(s) covered; 2) a description of the session; 3) a Chair; 4) the book Author(s); 5) at least 3 Readers; and 6) keyword selection(s), and, where relevant, indication in the session title of CRN sponsorship.

IMPORTANT: The Program Committee reserves the right to make changes in panels in the interests of the general program.

For the detailed steps in preparing and submitting proposals, see PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS, SUBMISSION PROCEDURES, AND HOW-TOs.

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VOLUNTEERS FOR CHAIR AND/OR DISCUSSANT ROLES:

We invite individuals who wish to participate in the meeting but who do not wish to propose a paper or who otherwise have only one participation to volunteer as a Chair and/or Discussant in sessions related to their interests. A specific form for volunteers is on the Submission Site. The Program Committee will later contact volunteers directly to serve in these roles in sessions organized by the Committee.

Individuals chosen to act as Session Chairs on paper panels are expected to inform paper presenters of the format of the session and their obligations as presenters, including:

1) keeping to presentation time limits as set by the Chair;
2) preparing their paper for completion one month before the meeting;
3) circulating their paper amongst all session participants;
4) making a large print copy of any material to be distributed in the session for attendees who may be visually impaired; and
5) bringing 15 copies of the paper to the meeting for donation to the Association paper sales

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH NETWORKS (CRN’s)

Several Collaborative Research Networks (CRNs) have been formed under the auspices of the Law and Society Association to facilitate ongoing dialogue and research collaboration, often with an international dimension. The Association seeks to support the existing CRNs and encourages the formation of additional CRNs. CRNs are open to all interested scholars. Information about joining and procedures for establishing new CRN’s is available here or by directly contacting the CRN coordinator, David Engel. 

Session Proposals from existing CRN’s or new CRN’s are most welcome. CRN Principals are encouraged to organize and submit a series of panels formed from papers written by members of their CRN. The CRN panel organizer should follow the instructions for submitting session proposals. CRN sponsored panels should include reference to the CRN number in the Session Title so that it will be noted in the Program.

PROGRAM FOR INTERNATIONAL SOCIO-LEGAL RESEARCH COLLABORATION, 2005-2007

LSA announces a new two-year program to foster sustained international collaboration among socio-legal scholars, to stimulate new approaches to the comparative study of socio-legal topics, and to support mapping and analysis of international and transnational legal phenomena. The LSA Program for International Research Collaboration (PIRC) has been established as part of the planning for the July 2007 Joint International Meeting of LSA, the Research Committee on the Sociology of Law (RCSL), and national associations from Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom (Berlin 2007). The PIRC Committee is chaired by Sally Merry (New York University) and includes David Engel (Univeristy at Buffalo, SUNY) and Terrence Halliday (American Bar Foundation).

From 2005 to 2007, LSA Program for International Socio-Legal Research Collaboration (PIRC) will support International Collaboratives that bring together scholars from several countries to conduct research on a common topic. To be eligible, groups must include at least six scholars from three or more countries. They will be expected to initiate new research projects at the LSA annual meeting in Baltimore in July 2006, organize a panel or roundtable at that meeting, present research findings at Berlin 2007, and try to publish the papers together in an edited volume or journal symposium.

LSA support will include assistance in organizing special group meetings and regular panels in Baltimore and Berlin, access to a special international collaboration website, small grants to support travel to Baltimore and Berlin for key network participants unable to attend those meetings for financial reasons, opportunities to present findings at special plenary events in Berlin, and assistance from PIRC in identifying other sources of funding.

LSA CRNs, RCSL Working Groups, and similar groups from other organizations sponsoring Berlin 2007, as well as ad hoc groups created for this purpose, are eligible to apply for the International Collaboratives Initiative. Applications are due January 6, 2007 (information for applications). The PIRC Committee, in consultation with the chairs of the 2006 and 2007 Program Committees, will select groups to be supported and announce initial travel grants by March 1, 2006. For further information, contact Sally Merry at sally.merry@nyu.edu.
 

PARTICIPATION LIMITED TO TWO PANELS

The Association limits conference attendees to no more than two appearances on the program. Serving as paper presenter, roundtable participant, author-meets-reader panelist, discussant, or panel chair counts as a participation. (Co-authors who do not present are not counted as making an appearance.) Participating as Chair in a session on which one also presents a paper counts as one participation. We regret that we will not be able to make any exceptions to this rule.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Audio-Visual Requests:

The paper and panel forms permit requests for audio-visual equipment to assist presentations. Included in the list is equipment for PowerPoint presentations (LCD projectors). As this equipment is prohibitively expensive to rent, we are exploring what options we may have to satisfy this request. In the event we are unable to provide LCD projectors because of cost, individuals requesting this equipment will be notified and provided with an overhead projector. Of course, anyone who wishes to bring her/his own projector may do so.

Late Submissions:

Proposals submitted after the deadline will be considered only on a space-available basis and have a high risk of not being accepted. Late proposals should be submitted in the same way as those before the deadline.

Participants requiring a Visa for admission to U.S. or a Letter of Intention to Participate to support funding:

Scholars attending from outside the United States and who require a visa are encouraged to submit their proposals early in order to facilitate attendance at the meeting. The Law and Society Association is committed to having broad representation of scholars from outside the U.S. at the meeting, and will provide the required documentation in order to facilitate this process as soon as possible after requested. Please provide a clear statement of your exact requirements to obtain a Visa. Email this information along with a Fax number and/or mailing address where the letter should be sent to Judy Rose at the Executive Office.

Those who need an "invitation letter" confirming intention to participate in order to secure institutional funding should send their request to Judy Rose at the Executive Office.

Disability Access:

The Law and Society Association is committed to ensuring that all events at the meeting are accessible to persons with disabilities. The proposal forms and registration forms include a place to indicate if accommodations will be required. Detailed information about the location’s accessibility will be available in this website beginning in December. Persons with disabilities may contact the Mary McClintock at the Executive Office for further information or assistance.

New members and First-Time Attendees:

If you are a new to the field, a new member to the Law and Society Association, or a first-time attendee and would like information from the Connections Committee about the Association, resources, and activities for integrating newer scholars into the LSA Community, please check "yes" in the "first-time attendee" box on the registration form.

UPDATES AND PRELIMINARY PROGRAM:

Updates and meeting information will be posted on this website and sent in group mailings to participants by email, using the email address you enter into the submission software. Please be sure it is correct and will be current through the time of the meeting. You will receive an automated email from the submission software acknowledging receipt of your proposal within a day or less. If you do not receive an acknowledgment email, please get in touch with the LSA office (Judy Rose at rose@lawandsociety.org). The Preliminary Program should be available on the web in March, 2006. Participants will be allowed to update information until May 17, 2006.The Preliminary Program will permit easy searching by topic and presenter, viewing paper abstracts, and assembling a "mini-schedule" of events.

MEETING 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: (Registration forms).  Anyone requiring a hardcopy registration form should contact the Executive Office. Association members receive a discount. If you would like to join the Association, you may do so through our website. If you are unsure of your membership status, email Judy Rose at rose@lawandsociety.org

We look forward to your participation in the 2006 Annual Meeting of the Law and Society Association.