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
- Online resources
- Networks
- Consultations, inquiries and surveys
- Other announcements
If you would like an item added to the news section, please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
New for week beginning 20 September 2020
SLSA events
'The Gender Pay Gap: From History to Computer Algorithms': call for papers: hosted online by Northumbria University: registration now open
Publications
Coronavirus and the Law in Europe: new open access edited collection from Intersentia
Research
British Academy Wolfson fellowships: call for applications
Vacancies
Consultations
Law Commission: consultation on hate crime
Other announcements
Vacancies
Two lecutureships, Australian National University, Canberra
Applications are invited for these two full-time permanent posts commencing academic year 2021. See website for details. Closing date: 2 February 2020. The College of Law has teaching needs in corporations, crime, commercial and contract and welcomes all research specialism. Potential applicants are welcome to contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss the posts.
Tenure-track faculty position in law and liberal arts, YaleNUS College, Singapore
Applications are invited for the above position. See announcement for details. Closing date: 1 October 2020.
University of California Irvine, Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship in Criminology, Law and Society
Applications are invited for the above fellowship. See website for details. Closing date: 1 November 2020.
Online resources
Doing Ethnography Remotely: Stanford Centre for Global Ethnography – six video interviews with researchers
In this video series, the Center's co-directors Sharika Thiranagama (Anthropology) and Sylvia Yanagisako (Anthropology) interview six ethnographers who have conducted research remotely. See website for details.
IEL Collective: call for contriutions to IEL Pop-up Collection
The IEL (international economic law) Collective invites contributions for its online pop-up collection of artefacts (objects or images). Please see website for details.
Networks
Pracademia Network: new network for UK and international pracademics
The new Pracademia Network aims to:
- inform the development of training programmes
- encourage and share best practice and
- facilitate internal/external collaborations
for the benefit of a much wider group of local, national and international stakeholders; including academics, students, Higher Education Institutions, and other organisations. The network has been set up with the help of Advance HE following research at Sheffield Hallam University around former/current practitioners who now lecture/research in HE. See the website for further details.
Network: New AHRC humanities-led network will put social justice at the heart of AI research
The Ada Lovelace Institute and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) have today launched JUST AI, a network of researchers and practitioners, led by Dr Alison Powell from LSE, that will establish a multidisciplinary research base around ‘just AI’ – AI that is ethical, works for the common good and is effectively governed and regulated. The humanities-led network will build on research in AI ethics, orienting it around practical issues of social justice, distribution, governance and design, and seek to inform the development of policy and practice. See website for full details.
European Reproductive Justice network: call for interest
This is a call to anyone interested in being part of a European Reproductive Justice network. The aim of the network is to share knowledge of law, society and culture across Europe in relation to reproductive justice. The network recognises reproductive justice as a core element of human rights, particularly, but not exclusively for women. As such, the focus is upon, but is not limited to:
- ability and means to become pregnant
- ability and means to prevent pregnancy
- support around and for decision to remain pregnant
- support around and for decision to discontinue a pregnancy
- obstetric healthcare
- gynaecological healthcare
- obstetric violence
- economic and social support for parents or those wishing to become parents
This is an interdisciplinary network for academics, professionals and activists. If you are interested in being part of the network then please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Invitation to Join the Global Research Network
Expressions of interest are invited for SLSA members to the Global Research Network, a meeting place for doctoral and early career scholars in law and the humanities.
Network members support one another by, for example, arranging visits to their university to speak, sharing useful information about the newest developments in the field, and participating in regular webinars on key topics of interest (publication strategies, career planning, etc). There are PhD and early career writing groups that meet monthly. There is a members’ forum that includes tips and resources, job and fellowship opportunities, and conference calls and publication opportunities. We are also establishing a Think Tank (with programmes in various field of law), and inviting established scholars to act as mentors.
Please contact our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. via email if you have any questions or fill in the sign-up form online, where you will find more information.
The Legal Cultures of the Subsoil Database – new database launched by the Institute of Latin American Studies
The Legal Cultures of the Subsoil Database compiles legal actions and documentation (artefacts) devised in the context of mining conflicts. It has resulted from an ESRC-funded anthropological project led by ILAS lecturer, Dr Ainhoa Montoya, that explored how legal languages, instruments and institutions are employed by different actors within the field of environmental politics, specifically in the context of mining conflicts. It currently contains information on six mining projects in Central America, with plans to expand to other Latin American regions in the future.
To learn more about the database and the wider 'Legal Cultures of the Subsoil' project please consult the following blog contributions:
- ‘The Legal Cultures of the Subsoil’: mapping the use of law in environmental politics in Central America
- A database of legal actions and artefacts devised in conflicts over mineral resources
The database will continue to be developed and expanded during 2020, as part of a British Academy–GCRF sponsored project, ‘The Juridification of Resource Conflicts: Legal Cultures, Moralities and Environmental Politics in Central America’. A Spanish-language version will be available by the end of 2020. If you have any questions or comments about the database or the wider research projects, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The IEL Collective: launch of a new international economic law initiative
The IEL Collective was launched on Thursday 23 May 2019. It is an initiative started by research centres based at seven law schools around the UK and we are hoping to include more partners from around the world shortly. The IEL Collective provides a space for critical reflection on the complex interactions in the growing field of international economic law and exploring how epistemological and methodological diversity in the discipline can contribute towards the development of a more holistic landscape of scholarship on law and the governance of the global economy. The Collective aims to stimulate conversations about plurality, representation and, criticality, in researching, teaching and practising international economic law and spark new conversations about the future of the discipline. Visit the website for more information
Current partners include: Cardiff Law and Global Justice, University of Cardiff; Centre for Critical International Law, University of Kent; Centre for Law, Regulation and Governance of the Global Economy, University of Warwick; Human Rights Centre, University of Essex; Human Rights Law Centre, University of Nottingham; Liverpool Economic Governance Unit, University of Liverpool; School of Law, University of Bristol; Social Critiques of Law, University of Kent.
To receive more information and get involved, please sign up here.
Consultations, inquiries and surveys
Law Commission: Getting Married: A consultation on weddings and the law
The Law Commission has published a consultation paper on weddings and the law. See website for details of the full paper, a summary, and an at-a-glance overview. Consultation closes on 3 December 2020.
Law Commission: Consultation Confiscation under Part 2 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
The Law Commission has published a consultation paper on Confiscation under Part 2 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. See website for details of the full consultation paper and executive summary. Closing date: 18 December 2020.
Sentencing Council: consultation on new guidelines for sentencing individuals and organisations for the unauthorised use of a trade mark
The Sentencing Council has launched a consultation on new guidelines for sentencing individuals and organisations for the unauthorised use of a trade mark. See Press Notice for further details.Closing date: 30 September 2020.
Other announcements
Law Commission: consultation on hate crime
The Law Commmission has published a consultation paper on hate crime. See website for details and to download the full paper or the summary. Closing date: 24 December 2020.
Bridging the divide between town and gown: Centre for Socio-Legal Studies raise over £3000 for Oxford Food Bank – still time to donate
Between 1 and 8 August this summer staff and students at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies walked, rowed, cycled, ran, hiked and swam all over the world to raise money for the Oxford Food Bank. Together they covered almost 800km and have exceeded their target by raising £3393. All those involved would like to thank members of the SLSA who supported them. Pictures that people took along the way can be found here together with a last minute opportunity to donate.
Tribute to Don Harris, former director of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Oxford University
Staff at the Law Faculty at Oxford University were saddened to hear of the death of Donald Harris on 10 August 2020. One of his many achievements was the centre role he played in establishing the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at Oxford in 1972. He was the centre's director for 21 years. The current director, Professor Linda Mulcahy, commemorates his work and legacy on behalf of her colleagues at the centre.
Tribute to Reza Banakar, Professor of Legal Sociology, Lund University
Following the recent death of Professor Reza Banakar, the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, has published a tribute to its former colleague. Reza held the Paul Dodyk Resarch Fellowship at the centre from 1997 to 2002. He was also Professor of Law at the University of Westminster before moving to a Chair in Legal Sociology at Lund University. He was also a lifelong member of the SLSA.
Law and Society Association commemorates the life of its former president, Professor Sally Engle Merry
The Law and Society Association is inviting expressions of condolences following the recent death of Professor Sally Engle Merry. Sally was a pre-eminent law and society scholar, who won many prestigious awards during her career and whose work was hugely influential. Those who knew her either personally or through her work are invited to contribute to the condolences page.
CSLS Gets moving for the Oxford Food Bank: call for support
From 1–8 August staff and students at the Centre for Socio-legal Studies are going to be running/walking/hiking/cycling/swimming to raise money for the Oxford Food Bank (Registered Charity Number 1131738). This is being done in an effort to help those who live in close proximity to Oxford University and do not enjoy the privileges staff and students enjoy. Please see website for details.
Impact of Covid-19:Perceptions of wellbeing among Law teachers
Caroline Strevens, Head of Portsmouth Law School and Chair of the Association of Law Teachers, is conducting research into wellbeing among law teachers, particularly in the light of the current Covid-19 crisis. Please see invitation to particiapte and follow the link to complete the survey.
Survey about the student experience of studying during the Covid-19 pandemic: invitation to participate
Dr Doug Morrison, Dr Jessica Guth and Mr James Shipton (all Leeds Beckett University) are looking for students in UK Law Schools (at all levels, UG, PGT and PGR) to take part in a survey about the student experience of studying during the Covid-19 pandemic. They would be grateful if colleagues could circulate the survey to their students and/or recent graduates. The survey is open until 4 October 2020 and can be accessed here.
Survey on Gendered Understandings of Human Rights : call for human rights law academics to participate
Human rights law academics are invited to participate in an SLS-funded research project by filling out a short survey on gendered understandings of human rights and how this influences the human rights law syllabus. Please visity the survey page to complete the survey.