Call for Papers: 2027 Global Meeting on Law and Society at The University of Hong Kong [Hybrid; 22-26 June 2027]

The Law and Society Association (LSA) has opened submissions for the 2027 Global Meeting on Law and Society, the 8th iteration of the Global Meeting. It will be held at The University of Hong Kong from 22 to 25 June 2027, with an additional virtual conference day on 26 June 2027. LSA is organising the meeting alongside other sociolegal associations from around the world, and previous Global Meetings have drawn participants from over 60 countries across six continents.

The LSA is housed at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and publishes the Law & Society Review.

The theme addresses a paradox: capital, data, goods, ideas and people (tourists, students, labourers, digital nomads, refugees and asylum seekers) move as never before, while walls, border surveillance and legal architectures that filter and restrict movement are hardening. Law draws the lines, creates the categories and decides who can move, where, and on what terms.

The call asks researchers to examine law as a dynamic force both constituted by and constitutive of movement, with questions such as:

• What constitutes a “boundary” in the 21st century, when digital borders and biometric databases are as formidable as physical walls?
• How is “mobility” itself stratified, creating hierarchies of travellers and migrants?
• How does law construct “belonging”, not only through formal citizenship but through temporary visas, precarious statuses and transnational communities?

Submissions that do not speak to the theme but forge interdisciplinary dialogue about law from any part of the world are also welcome.

The Program Committee welcomes paper proposals from any scholar studying sociolegal topics, and invites scholars from law, sociology, anthropology, political science, geography, history and beyond. Panels are encouraged to be diverse across countries, disciplines, career stages and backgrounds.

• LSA membership is not required. You must create a free LSA profile (choose a Non-Member option) before submitting and registering.
• The working language for presentations is English.
• Participation limit: one appearance as a paper presenter (or as the author in an Author Meets Reader session). A presenter may also take part in one roundtable, and appearances as chair, discussant or AMR reader are unlimited.

• Individual paper: submit an abstract and the Program Committee assigns it to a session, or it can be part of a pre-organised session.
• Paper session: 4 to 6 paper presenters plus a chair and a discussant (who may be the same person); 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Roundtable: 4 to 8 participants and a chair; no formal papers, and open to debates, performances, workshops, films or other innovative formats; 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Author Meets Reader (AMR): one or more sociolegal scholarly books with copyright in 2026, with at least one author, a chair and three readers. Textbooks, case studies and edited volumes are ineligible.
• CRN New Books in the Field: proposed by a Collaborative Research Network, with at least five books, sent directly to Melissa King.

At submission you must choose whether you intend to present in person or virtually. Anyone wishing to propose a session with a creative format should consult the LSA Executive Office first.

• Individual abstract: up to 2,000 characters; session description: up to 850 characters; title: up to 300 characters.
• State the problem or research question with reference to prior research, and the main argument.
• For empirical work, state the nature of the materials, the hypothesis tested and any results already obtained.
• Explain the relevance to the field of law and society and, where applicable, to the conference theme.
• Choose a required primary keyword and an optional secondary keyword; mention any CRN or RCSL working group membership in the relevant tab.

Accepted authors should have a written copy of the paper ready six weeks before the meeting and circulate it to their session. Presentations are typically 15 minutes, followed by Q&A.

The main programme, Tuesday 22 June to Friday 25 June 2027, is entirely in person, and every participant scheduled on those days must be present at The University of Hong Kong. Saturday 26 June 2027 is entirely virtual, and participants and registrants on that day can join from anywhere in the world. LSA can issue a letter of support for visa appointments on request.

There is no LSA membership requirement, but every presenting participant must register for the conference by 2 February 2027. In-person fees depend on the World Bank income group of the country where you live (Tier 1, 2 or 3; check your country’s tier on the LSA site before registering).

• Early (1-22 December 2026): Tier 1 USD 385, Tier 2 USD 250, Tier 3 USD 195, Student USD 110; Virtual USD 170, Virtual student USD 75.
• Regular (23 December 2026 - 2 February 2027): Tier 1 USD 430, Tier 2 USD 280, Tier 3 USD 225, Student USD 140; Virtual USD 180, Virtual student USD 85.
• Late (3 February - 26 June 2027): Tier 1 USD 455, Tier 2 USD 295, Tier 3 USD 240, Student USD 140; Virtual USD 190, Virtual student USD 85.

Refunds: full refund less a USD 25 administrative fee until 2 February 2027, 50% from 3 February to 5 May 2027, and none after 5 May 2027. LSA membership dues do not cover conference registration.

• Create a free LSA profile (Non-Member option) if you do not already have one.
• Log in to the LSA submission portal and submit your individual paper or session proposal before the deadline.
• Session organisers: every presenter must first complete their own individual abstract submission; the organiser then adds those papers to the session.

Deadline: 27 October 2026. The call notice gives 12 pm ET, while the meeting timeline and FAQs say 5 pm ET, so submit well before noon ET (9:30 pm IST) to be safe. Acceptance letters are sent in December 2026; if you have not heard by early December, write to the LSA Executive Office.