News: socio-legal publications
This page contains details of socio-legal publications including books, journals, reports, papers and newsletters/bulletins.
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Latest publications ...
Latest from Frontiers of Socio-Legal Studies: Discourse Analysis
Opening up Cyprob Imaginations with an Interspecies Council: podcast about an SLSA-funded workshop
Books
New book: Law and War in Popular Culture by Stefan Machura
Leading international scholars are providing fresh perspectives on law and war in popular culture. They analyse works of popular culture, place them into their context at the time of origin and discuss their meaning for today’s audiences. Law and war in film, television series, opera and pop music are investigated in the 10 chapters of the book by authors coming from the subjects of media studies, political science, sociology, law and criminology as well as music. Wars not only produce war crimes, law is also deeply involved on a wider scale: by enabling warfare, regulating or failing to regulate its conduct and in the aftermath of wars. Readers are gaining from a range of perspectives and approaches to depictions of law and war. See website for details. The flyer gives details of the book's launch in English and Welsh.
Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent by Caroline Derry – 30% discount
This book offers new perspectives on two key themes: the criminal law of sexual consent and the temporalities of law. It uses detailed feminist analysis to investigate how the kinds of time produced by statutes and court decisions are vital to constructing the gendered, liberal, legal subject. By shedding light upon a contested and multi-faceted legal issue, it demonstrates that more expansive temporalities are the precondition for a richer, relational understanding of consent. See website for details. Use discount code at checkout: NEW30.
Constructing Modern Slavery: Law, Capitalism, and Unfree Labour, by Judy Fudge
Modern slavery laws are a response to global capitalism, which undermines the distinction between free and unfree labour and poses intense challenges to state sovereignty. Instead of being a solution, Constructing Modern Slavery argues that modern slavery laws divert attention from the underlying structures and processes that generate exploitation. Focusing on unfree labour associated international immigration and global supply chains, it provides a novel socio-legal genealogy of the concept ‘modern slavery’ through a series of linked case studies of influential actors associated with key legal instruments: the United Nations, the United States, the International Labour Organization, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Walk Free Foundation. Constructing Modern Slavery demonstrates that despite the best efforts of academics, advocates, and policymakers to develop a truly multifaceted approach to modern slavery, it is difficult to uncouple antislavery initiatives from the conservative moral and economic agendas with which they are aligned. See website for details. For 20% discount use code SLSAMembers at checkout.
Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Legal Education, edited by Fiona Cownie, Anthony Bradney & Emma Jones
Published by Edward Elgar, this concise encyclopedia provides a carefully curated overview of legal education, with more than 100 contributions from experts around the world. Entries dissect the contemporary situation, regulation and history of legal education in different jurisdictions, from Argentina to the USA, allowing the reader to make informed comparisons (and surprising discoveries). Key perspectives and approaches are explored, from the more familiar (doctrinal, socio-legal, feminist, clinical) to the experimental and innovative (contemplative practices, game-based learning). From legal education in different settings (prisons, schools, universities) to entries on curriculum-related issues (values and ethics, decolonising, sustainability, emotions) and on law students, legal academics and professional support staff, the carefully referenced entries also allow readers to explore topics in more depth. See website for details. Use discount code SLSA25 at checkout.
Global Lawmaking and Social Change, by Gregor Novak – 20% discount
Customary international law is a widely recognised modality of international lawmaking. It underpins all norms of international law and shapes all aspects of global society. Yet familiar approaches to customary international law struggle to answer basic questions about its role, operation and prospects. Pursuing an interdisciplinary approach, this book offers an alternative perspective on customary international law as a dynamic and multifaceted social phenomenon and idea. It explores customary international lawmaking in different social contexts, including the regulation of armed conflict, the treatment of the 'other' and the management of global environmental risks. Focusing on the 'varieties' of customary international law, it identifies four types of customary international law norms and explores their roles and implications. Critically revisiting a classic topic of international law, the book provides a tool for understanding and shaping global lawmaking and social change in a rapidly changing international legal order. See website for details. Use code GLR BD8 at checkout.
The Origins of Company Law, edited by Victoria Barnes and Jonathan Hardman – 20% discount
This book provides histories of company law, uniting a variety of approaches from law, business and management, economics and history. It brings together Anglo-American scholarship that will not only shed greater light on the history of company law, but also influence contemporary debates about our ability to return to, or learn from, the past. The book showcases antecedents of present debates, reveals regulatory lessons from previous legal regimes, identifies instances of path dependency, unpicks pivotal legal events, and explains drivers for legal change. The chapters reevaluate the history of company law, and will inform the lawmaking and policymaking agenda. See website for details. Use code GLR BD8 at checkout.
Springer Nature: call for human rights book proposals on SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
How can you amplify your research on human rights so that it can support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and specifically SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions? Springer Nature is inviting proposals on this topic. Authors are invited to submit even if their research is in the very early stages and they will be contacted by an experienced book publishing editor. See webpage for details.
Springer Nature also offers a Book Publishing Essentials: free mini-course.
Deserted Wives and Economic Divorce in 19th-Century England and Wales, by Jennifer Aston and Olive Anderson: 20% discount available
This book considers Section 21 of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act 1857 and its significant impact on previously invisible married women in the nineteenth century. The detailed statistical analysis and rich case studies presented here provide a new perspective on the legal status and experiences of married women in England and Wales. Using sources including court records, parliamentary papers, newspaper reports, census returns, probate records and trade directories, this book reconstructs women's experiences protecting their assets across regions and decades. Published by Hart, SLSA members can claim 20% discount using code GLR BD8 at checkout. See website for details.
Law and Social Justice: Intersections, challenges and opportunities, edited by Simon Best, James Shipton and Jess Guth
Abstracts are invited for contributions to this edited collection arising from a conference at Leeds Trinity Law School in December 2024. See anouncement for details. The collection will be submitted to Manchester University Press. Closing date for abstracts: 31 January 2025.
Legal Education and Social Justice, edited by Jess Guth, James Shipton and Simon Best: call for abstracts
Abstracts are invited for contributions to this edited collection arising from a conference at Leeds Trinity Law School in December 2024. See announcement for details. Closing date for abstracts: 31 January 2025.
New book: Leading Works in Law and Anthropology, edited by Alice Margaria and Larissa Vetters
The academic disciplines of law and sociocultural anthropology have a long but at times contentious history of drawing on each other in order to study and understand law and human experience in its diverse manifestations. This volume provides an innovative and engaging format by giving established and emerging scholars from diverse jurisdictions the opportunity to discuss and reflect upon what they consider to be a ‘leading work’. See website for details. Use code EFLY03 for 20% discount.
New book: Family Law Reform Now: Proposals and critique, edited by Charlotte Bendall and Rehana Parveen: 20% discount
This collection provides a snapshot of big ideas in family law reform. It asks: if you could change one part of family law, what would it be? This deceptively simple question is answered by 10 family law experts and debated within the volume by expert respondents.
The book puts the proposal first, forcing authors (and their respondents) to critically engage with what family law should look like, and where the development of law is needed to address the changing landscape of family life. Cultural and religious plurality, the use of technology, and changes in societal attitudes have all had an impact on the continuing evolution of families. As a consequence, the law has some complex challenges to address in its attempt to regulate familial diversity. See website and flyer for details and discount code.
New book: Rethinking Human Rights: Critical insights from Palestinian youth by Erika Jiménez: 20% discount
Drawing on research in the occupied West Bank, this book explores the three layers of marginalisation faced by Palestinian young people—the occupation; the Palestinian pseudo-state; and patriarchal structures—to show how these barriers influence their understanding of, and scepticism towards, human rights. Influenced by decolonialist theories, this book illuminates how space needs to be created for the counter-narratives of the oppressed in human rights discourse which may not align with more orthodox representations of human rights. It contends that human rights in the Palestinian context (and beyond) needs to be critiqued, decolonised and ultimately transformed. See website for details. Use code GLR BD8 at checkout.
New book: Gender, Sexuality and Law: A Textbook, edited by Chris Ashford and Alexander Maine: 25% member discount
This textbook combines pioneering feminist and queer judgments and statutes with critical and intersectional theories, to provide a comprehensive overview of the field of gender, sexuality and law. A diverse range of socio-legal experts set out the theoretical and legal foundations of the topic, before examining the ongoing struggle for rights and contemporary dissenting voices. See website for details. Use code SLSA25 for SLSA member discount.
Journals
Amicus Curiae: call for papers
Amicus Curiae, the journal of the Society for Advanced Legal Studies, is a free-access publication for both authors and readers. The Editors invite submissions from scholars, practitioners, and policymakers on a broad range of legal topics, particularly those that engage with contemporary developments in law and legal scholarship. See announcement for details. This is an open call, but please submit your paper by the end of February for consideration for the next forthcoming issue: AC 6.2 Summer 2025. See website for further information about the journal.
Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly: new opinion-style series ‘Reflections on Writing’: inaugural contribution by Professor Mariana Valverde
The Editors of the Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly are excited to announce the launch of a new opinion-style series of pieces: ‘Reflections on Writing’.
We are inviting authors to think about their own writing practices. To ask, for example, why do I write? How do I write? Where do I write? How do I carve out the time and space to write? How do I improve my writing? How has my approach to writing changed? Who has influenced my writing practices? What is the value of writing in the contemporary scholarly context?
See website for details and to read Professor Valerde's reflections.
New journal – Cambridge Forum on AI: Law and Governance
Cambridge University Press is excited to launch their new open access journal Cambridge Forum on AI: Law and Governance with the publication of the first cluster of content from the inaugural themed issue on ‘Comparative Perspectives on the Regulation of Large Language Models’. All content is free to access here. There are also cfps open for three special issues: closing dates 1 March 2025 and 31 March 2025. See website for details.
Laws special issue: Repelling Asylum-Seekers in Europe? Asylum-Seekers as an 'Anomaly' in EU and UK Migration Laws and Policies: call for papers
Laws is inviting submissions for a special issue. To find out more please see the website or flyer. Closing date: 30 October 2025.
Legalities: The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Law and Society – call for papers
Legalities is the official journal of the Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand (LSAANZ), and the premier journal for socio-legal studies in the region of Aotearoa, Australasia and the Global South. The editors are seeking submissions for the next general issue of the journal, due to be published in October 2025. See announcement and website for details.
Blogs and other online resources
Opening up Cyprob Imaginations with an Interspecies Council: podcast about an SLSA-funded workshop
In this episode of the Figure It podcast, Sapienta Economics Director Fiona Mullen talks to Prof Amanda Perry-Kessaris of Law at Kent Law School to discuss a workshop last November with the Cyprus Peace and Dialogue Centre (CPDC). Funded by the Socio-Legal Studies Association, the workshop ran a small test on two concepts: citizens’ assemblies and interspecies councils. The podcast is hosted by Island Talks, an independent citizen media initiative in Cyprus. See website for details. The workshop was funded with an SLSA impact grant.
National Archives Blog: Queer connections: The policing of gay personal adverts in the 1960s
Personal adverts have long provided a way for people to find connections. The 1960s saw the expansion of these adverts in the gay community. But records in the National Archives collection show how those published in countercultural paper the International Times became part of a high-profile legal battle. See website for details.
Institute for Law and AI, Boston: Latest newsletter
Read the Institute's latest news, plus details of upcoming Summer Fellowships. See webpage for details.
AcSS Policy Monitor: latest UK Government consultations
Read the Academy's February policy monitor to see and respond to the summary of latest consultations across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The We Society podcast from the AcSS: four episodes in series 7 available
This season, Will Hutton, President of the Academy of Social Sciences, is joined by a range of guests to explore how social science research plays a vital role in understanding and unlocking progress on a number of issues ranging from how to improve our relationship with work and whether we can harness artificial intelligence for the common good to how the language we use matters to reducing inequality in education. See website for details.
UK Poverty 2025: The essential guide to understanding poverty, JRF report
This report sets out the nature of poverty in the UK in the run-up to 2024's General Election. It also sets out the scale of action necessary for the Government to deliver the change it has promised. See website for details.
Doing Feminist Legal Work: new blog – 'The Morrigan'
Doing Feminist Legal Work are really delighted to announce that their new blog, "The Morrigan" has launched! Several posts are already up showing a bit of the variety they are hoping to have on the Blog. The editors invite you to share widely on social media (if you use it) and amongst friends and colleagues. Doing Feminist Legal Works is a network funded by the Irish Research Council of Ireland under the New Foundations Shared Island scheme, connecting legal scholars across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain addressing emerging issues of gender and law. The Morrigan is currently welcoming submissions on different legal feminist issues.
Law, Human Rights and Civil Society in Hong Kong: Workshop report
The SOAS China Institute (SCI) and Georgetown Center for Asian Law (GCAL) jointly hosted a closed-door workshop on law, human rights and civil society in Hong Kong in early December 2024 at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies in London. The workshop was held to examine and debate the situation in Hong Kong as it approached the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The participants discussed developments in Hong Kong as the ‘Safeguarding National Security Ordinance’ had been enacted for nearly nine months. This report is a summary of the key issues discussed. See website for details.
Feminist Law: new blog – call for contributions
Feminist Law is an online blog which aims to examine and discuss laws from a feminist perspective, especially as it pertains to how the law and legal systems impact women’s lives. The editors are actively seeking contributions to the blog. Submissions should be approximately 2000 words in length and use OSCOLA referencing. See website for details.
NEW SAFI Blog
From January 2025 the SAFI Blog will be publishing monthly posts. If you would like to contribute a blog post yourself, contact Alma Diamond
A Colonial Legacy: The Disproportionate Removal of Inuit Children from Their Mothers in Denmark
The very first blog post in 2025 is written by Caterina Diotto. See website for details.
Sentencing Council: latest updates on strangling and strangulation offences and sentencing guidelines
The Sentencing Council has produced comprehensive resources relating to these offences. See press release for details.
Nuffield Foundation Newsletter January 2025
Read the latest updates from the Nuffield Foundation.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation latest newsletter: December 2024
The latest JRF newsletter is now available.
National Centre for Research Methods: Methods News January 2025
Read the latest issue including details of the NCRM's many events and training opportunities.
Public Law Project: Latest newsletter
For the latest Public Law Project news, see the full update here.
AcSS ebulletin: February 2025
See the latest AcSS eBulletin for news of all Academy of Soscial Sciences activities.
Judicial Appointments Committee newsletter: Judging your Future, January 2025
The Judicial Appointments Commission has published its latest newsletter. See webpage for details.
Latest from the JLS Blog
Meet the editors
Meet the book authors
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Judicial Individuality on the UK Supreme Court by Lewis Graham, University of Cambridge
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Decades of Deceit: The Stalker Affair and its Legacy by Paddy Hillyard, Queen’s University
General post
Latest from Frontiers of Socio-Legal Studies
Discourse Analysis
Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Dr Bettina Lange (Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies) about discourse analysis in Socio-Legal research. Listen to the full podcast here, which is part of the blog’s Talking About Methods podcast.
If you would like to receive a summary of all of Frontiers’ latest posts, please sign up to receive the bi-monthly newsletter here.
Other
Bar Council Submission to the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts: press release
In its submission to the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, the Bar Council is warning that juryless trials are not the answer to the court crisis. See press release and submission for details.
Sentencing Council: New sentencing guidelines for blackmail, kidnap and false imprisonment offences
The Council has published two new guidelines for sentencing offenders convicted of blackmail, and
kidnap or false imprisonment. See website for details.
Bar Council Press Release: International Day of the Endangered Lawyer
On International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, the Bar Council has condemned targeting of lawyers at home and abroad. See press release for full details.
SAFI Newsletter: end of year update 2024
SAFI, an interdisciplinary network for women in legal academia, has published its 2024 roundup. See website for further details about the network.
Sentencing Council: Research review of the Overarching principles – domestic abuse sentencing guideline
See website for all the documents relating to this review by resarchers at Nottingham Trent University.
Sentencing Council Submission to Sentencing Review 2024–25
The Sentencing Council has submitted its evidence in response to the call for evidence issued by the Independent Sentencing Review 2024-2025. Led by the Rt Hon David Gauke, the independent review panel is expected to publish its findings in Spring 2025.