Towards Gender Equality

Towards Gender Equality: Clashes in Law Conference

School of Law, Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex

22 June 2018

Abstract submission deadline 6 April 2018

Clashes between progressive and restrictive legislative reforms in the context of gender equality remain a characteristic of contemporary politics. We observe the first form of these clashes between domestic and international legal frameworks. Over the last decade, we have witnessed the destabilisation of gender equality through numerous pieces of legislation and policies at domestic level in contrast with the encouragement of progressive developments towards gender equality of the international human rights bodies. The second form of clashes occurs at domestic level where we come across both progressive and restrictive laws on gender equality in the same country.

Against this background, we are eager to interrogate both the contexts in which these clashes emerged and their influences upon gender equality. The question of how gender equality can or cannot be achieved not only relies on the examination of laws, but also requires an analysis of how these laws are produced by and shape society. The conference will thus focus on probing, examining and theorising the clashes in law, which are presently becoming more salient and inescapable. In the course of such inquiries into the non-consistency between levels and realms of law and politics, there are opportunities for empirical, practical and theoretical reflections about the nature of ‘clashes’. In addition to papers from legal researches, we look forward to receiving proposals from an inter-disciplinary approach.

This conference brings together researchers examining the role of legal structures in the (re)production of gender inequality. Papers are encouraged to focus on the list of sub-themes below, including but not limited to:

Women’s rights
Different forms of gender-based violence
Abortion and reproductive rights
Pornography
Sex work
LGBTQ+
Intersectionality
Gender and conflict
Gender portrayal in media

We are also keen on receiving papers articulating the issues mentioned above in connection with specific phenomena occurring in different parts of the world, such as:

Austerity
Xenophobia and Islamophobia
‘Brexit’
‘Trumpism’
‘Alt-right’ and neo-Nazism
Conservatism and nationalism
Neo-liberalism
Forced displacement/migration

How to submit your abstract

The deadline for submission of proposals is 6 April 2018. Each proposal should include: a title, an abstract of 300 words, your name (and the names of any co-presenters), your institution or organisation, your email address, and a note of any particular requirements.
Proposals (or any further queries) should be emailed to clashesinlaw@gmail.com
Proposals will be assessed by the conference organisers, and presenters will be contacted by 23 April 2018 with a final decision.
The organisers are exploring the possibility of publishing a special issue with some papers presented at the conference. Papers selected for publication will be subject to a separate process of peer review.
If you have any particular dietry requirements please make this known in your application or correspondence.
The University of Sussex is an open access campus. If you require any further assıstance please contact us.

Important Dates

Deadline for the abstract submission: 6 April 2018

Decision on selection: 23 April 2018

Deadline for Registration: 4 May 2018

Date of the Conference: 22 June 2018

Organised by

A team of Postgraduate Researchers at School of Law, Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex (http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lps/)