Socio-legal news
Welcome to the news section of the SLSA website. This area is divided into the following categories:
- Events
- Publications
- Research and funding
- Vacancies
- Consultations, inquiries and surveys
- Other announcements
If you would like an item added to the news section, please contact the
News
Events
Are We Living in a Post-democratic Society?, Wolfson College, Oxford
Deepfakes and the Law, City, University of London: call for expressions of interest
Constitutional Communities, KU Leuven, Belgium: call for papers
There Be Dragons: The Post-Brexit Legal Landscape of Northern Ireland, online and UCL Faculty of Laws
Mental Disorder and the Criminal Law: Doctrines of Legal Insanity, Royal Institute of Philosophy, London
The Death Penalty: A colonial relic?, Gresham College, London
Incentivising Law, UCL, London
Launch of the Fairness Innovation Challenge, Royal Society, London
Scarman Lecture 2023: Policing and Sexual Violence, University of Leicester
CLP – The New Law on Sexual Assault and Rape in Germany, UCL Faculty of Laws
Walk: City Pubs – Gray’s Inn to Temple, Guildhall Library, London
Public Discourse on Children as Victims and Perpetrators of Violent Crime, Aston University, Birmingham
English Law and EU Law: Still two separate worlds?, Instituto Cervantes, London
Association of Law Teachers: Three events open to all, Bartolomé House, University of Sheffield
SLSA events and co-sponsored events
Influencing Law Reform: Tips for effective engagement with the Law Commission, webinar
Regulation & the Common Good, University of Sheffield: registration now open
Publications
Sentencing Council: research roundup
The Age of Human Rights Journal: call for papers
Bloomsbury back to university sale: 25% off selected titles include in law
Leverhulme Trust: Funding Bulletin
Research and funding
British Academy funding call: International Writing Workshops
Vacancies
British Academy/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships: open for applications
Leverhulme Trust: Visiting Professorships: open for applications
Leverhulme Trust: International Fellowships: open for applications
Leverhulme International Professorships: open for applications
Leverhulme Study Abroad Studentships: open for applications
Other
Academic Mentoring: Professor Didi Herman
Vacancies
British Academy/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships: open for applications
The BA/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships are intended to enable established scholars, needing relief from teaching and administration, to have the time to bring to completion a significant piece of research, through sustained period of leave for one year. Any field of study in the humanities and social sciences is suitable for support. See website for details. Closing date: 15 November 2023.
Leverhulme Trust: Visiting Professorships: open for applications
These professorships are to enable For UK institutions to invite an eminent senior professor from overseas, to bring genuinely novel expertise and enhance the skills and knowledge of academic staff and students in an underrepresented area in the UK. Priority will be given to new or recent collaborations and visits with a variety of activities beyond research. See website for details. Closing date: 5 October 2023.
Leverhulme Trust: International Fellowships: open for applications
These fellowships are for established researchers to develop new knowledge, skills and ideas in one or more research centres outside the UK. See website for details. Closing date: 9 November 2023.
Leverhulme International Professorships: open for applications
These professorships are intended to help maintain the UK’s international standing as a desirable research destination that is open to talented individuals from all countries. See website for details. Closing date: 22 November 2023.
Leverhulme Study Abroad Studentships: open for applications
These studentships are intended to enable students to undertake research at a centre of learning in any country except the UK or USA. See website for details. Closing date: 9 January 2024.
University of Lucerne, Visiting Fellows Programme 2024
Applications are invitied for these junior fellowships at the Institute for Interdisciplinary Legal Studies at the University of Lucerne. See website for details. Closing date: 29 September 2023.
The Justice Leila Seth Fellowship
The Justice Leila Seth Fellowship is a remunerated, 18-month programme, which nurtures a cohort of exceptional lawyers who understand what it takes to create positive change in our society. Selected Fellows work directly on litigation, research and advocacy on core social justice issues related to child protection and juvenile justice. See website for details. See website for details. Closing date: 22 September 2023.
Witteveen Memorial Fellowship in Law and Humanities, Tilburg Law School, Netherlands
Applications are invited for this one-month fellowship from junior scholars (PhD or postdoc level). The fellowship covers travel and accommodation. See website for detail. Closing date: 25 September 2023.
Centre for Socio-Legal Studies Visitors' Programme: open for applications
Applications are invited for the CSLS's Visitors' Programme. See website for details. Closing dates: 27 October 2023, 22 March 2024 and 5 July 2024. See website for details.
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
Each year the Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships to promote international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. Recipients are selected by the awarding body, the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students. See announcement for details. Closing date: 11 November 2023.
British Academy Global Professorships 2023: open for applications
The British Academy invites applications for its Global Professorship scheme which offers an opportunity for established researchers to undertake high-risk, curiosity-driven research in the humanities and social sciences in a UK research institution. See website for details. Closing date: 1 November 2023.
British Academy Global Innovation Fellowships: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – open for applications
Applications are invited for the British Academy's Global Innovation Fellowships. The objective of the Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early- and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. See website for details. Closing date: 1 November 2023.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Keele University
Applications are invited for this full-time fixed-term position on the ESRC-funded project 'In Search of Legal Capacity: Law, Guardianship, and Supported Decision-Making in Intellectually Disabled People's Lives in Turkey' directed by Dr Ezgi Taşcıoğlu (Principal Investigator – PI) at the School of Law, Keele University. See website for details. Closing date: 18 September 2023.
Sentencing Council: UKRI-funded internship
The Sentencing Council invites UKRI-funded doctorate students to apply for this internship to work with social researchers on the analysis and research team. See website for details. Closing date: 2 October 2023.
Consultations, inquiries and surveys
Sentencing Council: Consultation on miscellaneous amendments to sentencing guidelines
The Council’s third annual consultation on miscellaneous amendments to guidelines is now open. See website for details. Closing date: 30 November 2023.
Other announcements
Professor David Nelken elected Fellow of the British Academy
Long-standing SLSA member, Professor David Nelken, Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College London, has been elected a Fellow of the British Academy. Professor Nelken said:
I am very pleased to be joining the British Academy at a time when its role increasingly involves defending reasonable trust in expertise. Much of my work explores the social and cultural factors that shape the definition of legal problems and solutions and the relationship between legal and scientific truth.
See website for details.
New Frontiers in Funding, Philanthropy and Investment JRF Conference: recordings available on YouTube
In August 2023, the Joseph Foundation hosted the second Next Frontiers Conference. The recordings from the conference are now live on the JRF YouTube channel, along with Sophia Parker, Director of Emerging Futures, and Associate Director, Cassie Robinson's Reflections on Next Frontiers. See playlist for details.
British Academy launches 'Connected Knowledge' campaign
Connected Knowledge is a communications campaign dedicated to celebrating how interdisciplinary research and learning shapes the world – especially when STEM and SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy) subjects come together. See website for details.
Law Commission’s project on financial remedies on divorce: call for participation
The Law Commission is conducting a review of the law governing financial remedies on divorce or dissolution of marriage, to determine whether there are problems with the current framework which require law reform, and what the options for reform might look like. The review will result in the publication of a Scoping Report, intended to be published in September 2024. The Scoping Report will not contain recommendations for reform, but will consider the operation of the current law, to enable Government to determine whether the law is in need of reform and what any reform should seek to achieve.
Details of the project, including a link to the project’s terms of reference for the project, can be found on the Law Commission’s website: Financial remedies on divorce - Law Commission
As part of its scoping exercise, the Law Commission will consider the current legal and socio-economic research on the operation of the existing law. This will include consulting with stakeholders about reform, to include academics, although a full public consultation is not being conducted at this stage. The Law Commission would like to hear from academics who are conducting research in the area, or otherwise have experience that they would wish to share. Please contact the financial remedies team at
IVR Book Prize: nominations open
Nominations are invited for the 2024 IVR Prize for the best book on Legal or Social Philosophy. See website for details. Closing date: 15 March 2024.
IVR 'Young Scholar' Prize: submissions open
Submissions are invited for the IVR 'Young Scholar' Prize 2024. See webpage for details. Closing date: 15 February 2024.
Runnymede Trust: Invitation to join its academic network
The Runnymede Trust has issued an invitation to academics to join its academic network:
We believe that collaboration with academics is crucial for creating meaningful change towards racial equity and social justice. Academic expertise has enriched our understanding and provided us with valuable insights and tools to address the manifold challenges that Black and minority ethnic communities face in the UK.
We’re in the process of updating our database to better stay in touch with our supporters and stakeholders. We are trying to understand what work is going on and where our work might interact with emerging scholarship, in a mutually beneficial way. If you're an academic whose work touches themes regarding racial justice, register or update your contact details by filling in the form using this link.
British Academy announces 28 International Writing Workshops to support early career scholars
The British Academy has announced 28 International Workshops to support early career researchers in developing countries. The International Writing Workshops programme aims to stimulate professional networks, develop research partnerships, encourage skills development, provide advice on career development and promote the uptake of research emanating from developing countries. See website for details.
British Academy Early Career Researcher Network
The British Academy is extending its Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) pilot into a three-year programme thanks to generous funding from the Wolfson Foundation. The ECRN aims to establish an inclusive, UK-wide network for and led by Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in the humanities and social sciences, providing opportunities for skills development and networking. See website for further details
Network for Empirical Legal Studies in Intellectual Property (NELSIP)
The network for empirical legal studies in Intellectual Property seeks to bring together academics undertaking or interested in undertaking empirical research with a bearing on IP law. This new international network aims to facilitate the dissemination of empirical studies in IP and provide a forum for dialogue, networking, and collaboration amongst its members. Full details and membership form can be found here.
Bullying or Harassment in Vacation Placements/Mini-Pupillages: call for participants in scoping project
Vanessa Munro and Sadie Chana (Warwick) are working on a scoping project exploring students’ experiences of, and structures for reporting and oversight of, bullying and/or harassment during legal vacation placements/mini-pupillages. The study will involve interviews with a range of stakeholders and has secured approval from the University of Warwick Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee. If you have thoughts or experiences to share around this topic, do please get in touch with the research team on
Academy of Social Science: 56 new fellows announced
The Academy of Social Sciences has announced that fifty-six leading social scientists have been conferred Fellowship of the Academy this spring. Thenewly elected Fellows are highly accomplished individuals recognised for excellence in their fields and their wider contributions to the social sciences for public benefit. See website for details.
PRESERVERE Network: on the more effective implementation of the EU anti-racism legal framework
PRESERVERE is concerned with fighting intolerance, racism, xenophobia and discrimination against vulnerable ethnic groups and, in particular, Roma, Jews, Muslims and people of African descent. Starting from the premise that any system tasked with protecting the vulnerable from discrimination must, first and foremost, rely on an effective legal framework, the project implements activities concerned with the better enforcement of the law. See announcement for details.
Academic Support Network for Ukrainian students and scholars
The IVR section in Poland has prepared an Academic Support Network for Ukrainian students and scholars who work on legal and social philosophy. See website for details.
Academic Mentoring: Professor Didi Herman
Professor Didi Herman has retired from Kent Law School and is now offering confidential help to individuals and universities looking to improve scholarship for publication, mentoring, and the REF. See her website for details.
Professor Herman is now also offering expert consultancy to law schools for advance preparation for REF 2028.