Call for Proposals: Fresh Perspectives on Judging [Symposium]
The Editors of Hart Studies on Judging and the Courts invite proposals from emerging scholars to participate in this Symposium, entitled ‘Fresh Perspectives on Judging’.
About the Symposium
The Editors of Hart Studies on Judging and the Courts are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the series with a Symposium, entitled ‘Fresh Perspectives on Judging’. The Symposium will hold on Friday, 20th June 2025 at the Inner Temple, London. Emerging scholars are invited to submit proposals to participate in this Symposium, which will feature the presentation and workshopping of the selected papers. Each author will be paired with an established scholar in the field who will act as a commentator. The programme will also include a ‘Question and Answer’ panel with the Series Editors, Professors Erin F Delaney, James Lee and Andrew Lynch, as well as a publishing advice session featuring Series Authors and Kate Whetter, Publisher at Hart Publishing.
Eligibility
This is an open call for papers from emerging scholars in the field of judicial studies. The primary focus of the series has been on appellate courts in the common law world, but the editors welcome submissions beyond this, including those offering a comparative angle, such as from civilian jurisdictions, or jurisdictions in developing nations. Papers may adopt any appropriate methodology or mix of methodologies, including but not limited to critical, feminist, doctrinal, empirical, comparative, interdisciplinary or theoretical scholarship.
An emerging scholar is defined as a) a currently registered PhD working on the area, or b) someone within five years of the award of their PhD, or c) someone within five years of their first permanent academic post (or pro-rata equivalent for those who are part-time or who have had career breaks).
How to Apply
Proposals of no more than 500 words speaking to the theme should be submitted to Rukky Otive-Igbuzor at UCL by 12pm UK time on Friday 25th April 2025. Please also include a short professional biography, including how you meet the above definition of ‘emerging scholar’. Selection decisions will be communicated in early May. Papers from eligible presenters will be selected on the basis of potential, rigour, originality, and fit with the theme. Please do not submit a proposal based on your entire doctoral dissertation; the editors look forward to talking with you about your full-length book projects over the course of the day, but this event is designed to assist ECRs in preparing papers for future publication in journals. Selected papers will be due on Monday 2nd June 2025 and should not exceed 10,000 words, including footnotes.
Funding
Selected paper presenters and invited delegates will receive accommodation in London and a contribution towards travel expenses. The participation of emerging scholars is supported by the British Academy’s Horizon European Pump Priming collaboration between UK and EU partners 2024. The event is generously sponsored by Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, with additional support from the Global Centre for Democratic Constitutionalism at UCL, King’s College London, and UNSW School of Law.