The Centre for Studies in Legal Theory (CSLT) at Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur is a specialised academic centre set up to nurture theoretical engagement with jurisprudence. It serves as a platform for critical inquiry, scholarship and conceptual research at the intersection of law, philosophy and society, bridging abstract jurisprudence with contemporary legal realities.

Nyayarth is the CSLT Newsletter. The Centre invites articles for the September Issue of Nyayarth.

Theme: The Afterlife of Law

Main theme: “The Afterlife of Law: What Survives When a Legal Rule Changes?”

Sub-themes:

Normative Residue and Desuetude
Temporal Jurisprudence and Transitional Justice
Institutional Memory and Executive Habit
Theoretical Paradigms of Legal Change
Repeal, Validity and the Existence of Legal Norms
Law and Morality After Legal Change
Rights, Duties and Powers After the Rule Changes
The Persistence of Legal Fictions and Outdated Concepts
Obedience, Custom and Living Law Beyond Formal Authority

The official call explains each sub-theme with reference to writers such as Calabresi, Teitel, Bourdieu, Pound, Schmitt, Sieyès, Anghie, Kelsen, Hart, Fuller, Radbruch and Ehrlich; see the brochure for the full notes.

Submission Guidelines

Word limit: 1,000 to 1,200 words, though flexibility may be allowed at the discretion of the Editorial Board.
Formatting: Times New Roman, font size 12, 1.5 line spacing, normal margins.
References: hyperlinks; where hyperlinks are unavailable, endnotes following the Bluebook 21st edition. Footnoting is not permitted.
Co-authorship: up to two authors.
File format: .doc or .docx.
Entries must be original and unpublished, with a similarity index not exceeding 10%, verified through Turnitin.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of facts, arguments and opinions in their work.
The copyright of all published blogs vests with the Centre for Studies in Legal Theory.

Review Process

Each submission goes through a three-stage review:

Plagiarism and AI check, for originality and authenticity.
Clarity review, of language, coherence and logical flow.
Substantive review, of legal and economic accuracy, analytical depth and relevance.

Only manuscripts meeting all three standards are accepted for publication. The CSLT Editorial Board has complete and final discretion over acceptance or rejection, will not give advance opinions on abstracts, outlines or topic proposals, and may not be able to give individual feedback on rejected manuscripts.