Re-imagining Law for Sustainable Globalization: Navigating Uncertainty in a Globalized Era

CONFERENCE THEMES AND TOPICS
The conference encourages submissions that scrutinize the nuanced interactions between law and uncertainty in the context of contemporary planetary crises. Embracing an interdisciplinary perspective, we invite papers and panels from any legal area, embracing multiple approaches. Theoretical and methodological discussions are welcomed, challenging conventional liberal conceptualizations of law. Empirical work showcasing the impact of uncertainty and globalization on social orders is particularly encouraged. 

The conference focuses on the four TEGL research streams: 1) Constitutionalism and Subjects of Globalization; 2) Economic Law and Globalization’s Infrastructures; 3) Courts, Science and Legitimacy; 4) National and Regional Institutions as Global Actors.  It, therefore, welcomes submissions on a wide variety of topics. For reference, specific questions include, but are not limited to:

• How does law produce socio-economic inequalities in the context of uncertainty and across various areas?

• How can existing categories of law be rethought in different areas to reduce these inequalities and the resulting sense of uncertainty?

• How does law constrain or regulate uncertainties within global value chains, exploring its role in shaping and responding to crises in this interconnected world?

• How does law guarantee or contribute to uncertainty in international economic exchanges, encompassing trade and investment? 

• How effective are legal mechanisms in mitigating uncertainties arising from the current climate crisis? Discuss how the law can contribute to sustainable solutions. 

• What is the role of law in empowering or disempowering individuals facing socio-economic inequalities and exploring potential legal reforms to address disparities?

• How does the law address humanitarian concerns during the conflict, considering its effectiveness and proposing innovative solutions?

• What role do principles play in risk regulation/environmental/climate change litigation (before international/EU/national courts)?

• What role do experts play in decision-making and courts, and what role do NGOs/public interest litigation play?

• What is the role of science and its legitimacy in courts?

• How does uncertainty affect legal coherence and migration governance, and can uncertainty be considered a ‘governance strategy?’

• How to regulate and control in times of uncertainty. 

• Proportionality in times of uncertainty. 

• What role should law play in navigating uncertainty in the digital age, including in platform regulation (e.g., the political economy of platforms, AI utilization in content moderation, design of platform interfaces, access to datasets), automated decision-making, digitization of lawmaking and the use of AI in courtrooms (Robot judge, natural language processing and automation in law).  

The Conference encourages submissions that challenge liberal conceptualizations of law and explore its role in complex societal issues. The conference should welcome both theoretical and empirical contributions, with a particular emphasis on social orders emerging under the pressure of uncertainty and globalization. 

PhD SESSION
In addition to the call for panels and papers, the Conference will also feature a PhD session. This PhD session intends to be a space for PhD candidates to share their work (in progress) and receive feedback from peers and senior academics. For this purpose, we invite PhD candidates to come together and discuss what role law can have in helping us cope with uncertainties raised by different global crises, from climate, social or humanitarian crises. 

Some of the key topics that can be explored include, for instance:

• (Understanding the) sources of uncertainty during global crises and their impact

• The limitations of existing legal frameworks in addressing global crises

• Rethinking the role of law and legal institutions during crisis situations

• Law and policy reforms needed to build resilience against future crises

PhD Researchers will be given the opportunity to present their work at this session and to receive dedicated, individualised feedback on their paper from peers and senior scholars.  Papers can be of different types: articles, work-in-progress chapters, blog posts, etc. The session aims to help PhD candidates develop their work further.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Abstracts of no more than 500 words are invited for paper and panel proposals. Please submit your proposals and a short bio (of max. 200 words) by the 15th of September 2024.  

This event is organized within and supported by the Sector Plan ‘Transformative Effects of Globalization and Law’ (TEGL) and the Globalization and Law Network (GlawNet, Maastricht).

For inquiries and further information, please contact glawnet-fdr@maastrichtuniversity.nl.