Call for Papers: 14th PEPA/SIEL Conference on Reimagining International Economic Law, Santiago, Chile

The Society of International Economic Law (SIEL) holds an annual conference to connect its senior membership to its Postgraduate and Early Professionals/Academics Network (PEPA/SIEL). The 14th PEPA/SIEL Conference will take place at the University of Chile, Santiago, on 1-3 December 2026, on the theme Reimagining International Economic Law: Justice, Sustainability and Economic Resilience. The conference is a unique platform for early-career academics and professionals to present their research in a supportive environment and receive feedback from established experts in international economic law. The conference co-chairs are Fabiola Wust Zibetti (University of Chile), Natalia de Lima Figueiredo (Federal University of Sao Paulo) and Diana Maria Beltran Vargas (Externado University of Colombia).

The theme invites early-career scholars and professionals to reflect on how international economic law can respond to geopolitical fragmentation, the climate emergency, technological transformation, persistent inequalities and renewed debates over development, economic sovereignty and resilience. Submissions may address, but are not limited to:

• Global Shifts, Geoeconomics and Economic Security (sanctions, export controls, investment screening, extraterritorial measures)
• Regionalism, Cooperation and Economic Governance (regional trade agreements, South-South cooperation)
• International Trade, Investment and Dispute Settlement (WTO reform, ISDS, new-generation agreements)
• Sustainability, Climate Transition, Natural Resources and Human Rights (climate finance, critical minerals, business and human rights)
• Digital Economy, Technology and Development (digital trade, data flows, AI and platform regulation)
• Finance, Taxation, Debt and Industrial Policy (global tax reform, sovereign debt, subsidies)
• Justice, Theory and Methods in International Economic Law (feminist, decolonial, TWAIL, critical and sociolegal approaches)
• Other proposals clearly connected with the broader themes of justice, sustainability and economic resilience

The conference is open to postgraduate researchers and early-career academics and professionals enrolled in advanced degrees or within five years of graduation, researching or working in international economic law and related areas. Co-authored submissions are allowed as long as all authors are early-career academics/professionals. The organisers particularly welcome submissions from early-career academics and practitioners from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Small Island States, and other underrepresented regions and communities.

Each submission, made through the official Google Form by 1 September 2026, must include:

• An abstract of maximum 500 words, including the title, main conclusions and arguments, and the relevant conference theme(s)
• A mini-bio of maximum 150 words per author (name, institutional affiliation, current degree or degree in progress)
• An indication of whether the work is published, a working paper or unpublished
• An indication of interest in submitting the final paper for possible publication in a thematic book or journal special issue
• The author's availability to join the conference in person at the University of Chile

Abstracts will be assessed on originality, scholarly quality, relevance to the theme and potential to contribute to discussion, through a blind-review process to the extent possible (avoid identifying information in the abstract itself). Accepted authors must submit draft papers of around 8,000 words by 10 November 2026.

No conference fee is required for selected participants. In-person participation is encouraged and favoured; participants accepted for in-person participation are expected to join the conference in Santiago. Funding for travel and accommodation is extremely limited. Recognising the impact on scholars based in developing and least-developed countries, the organisers may consider limited online spots for early-career academics and professionals unable to join due to financial limitations.

The organisers may explore the possibility of a thematic book project or journal special issue connected to the conference theme. Authors are asked to indicate at the time of submission whether they would be interested; any such publication opportunity will be subject to a separate selection and review process.

Panels will be held in English and Spanish. Selected participants will present their research, discuss their work with peers and receive feedback from established scholars and practitioners in international economic law.

Submit your abstract through the official Google Form linked below by 1 September 2026. Results will be communicated by 15 September 2026. For further questions, contact the conference co-chairs at natalia.figueiredo@unifesp.br.