Law and Culture Conference 2013: Call for Papers

The aim of the Law and Culture Conference is to provide a venue for established and emerging Pacific scholars and development practitioners (including CSOs and NGOs) to address the critical question of how to make law operate effectively whilst remaining culturally appropriate to the Pacific. Each year a different theme relating to this broad aim is selected. In 2013 the theme is: compatibility or conflict. This theme raises questions including:

• What sites of conflict are there between State law and Pacific cultures and/or customary law;
• What examples of harmony between State law and Pacific cultures and/or customary law currently exist;
• What measures could be taken to increase compatibility between Pacific cultures and/or customary law and State law?

The issue of developing State legal systems that are appropriate to the cultural context are not unique to the Pacific, but is shared by many post-colonial countries. Sharing experiences from other parts of the world can help to develop local insights. Papers addressing the relationship between indigenous customs and customary law and State law from regions outside of the Pacific will also be considered.

Papers that explore any aspect of the relationship between State law and cultures and/or customary law, are welcome. Some potential areas are listed below:

• The relationship between human rights and custom
• State dispute resolution and customary dispute resolution
• The interaction between State environmental regulation and customary control of the environment
• Customary land tenure and development
• State political processes and customary governance

Papers that but that address other areas relating to the interaction between cultures/customary law and State legal systems are also welcomed.

The issues that this conference gives rise to are not only legal. Understanding the interaction between law and culture inherently interdisciplinary, and requires conversations across a range of disciplines. Scholars from other subject areas, including anthropology, development studies, gender studies and political studies are particularly encouraged to attend this conference.

Addressing the issue of how to make law operate effectively whilst remaining culturally appropriate on a practical level also requires conversations between academics, development practitioners and other stakeholders. The conference also welcomes applied research, including case studies informed by development practice and encourages CSOs, NGOs and government representatives to attend.  

The conference organisers are committed to the development of young Pacific scholars and students. Early career researchers are particularly encouraged to participate.

Abstracts for individual papers and proposals for themed sessions or workshops should are due by Friday 28 June and should be submitted via email to Esther Deborah. For further information, including the abstract submission form, presentation guidelines and session proposal guidelines see the conference website.

---