Call for Papers: Contesting Law, Transforming Rights: Constitutional Change and Legal Mobilization in East and Southeast Asia, Conference at Stockholm University (20-21 May 2027)

The Stockholm Center for Global Asia at Stockholm University invites paper proposals for "Contesting Law, Transforming Rights: Constitutional Change and Legal Mobilization in East and Southeast Asia", a conference at Stockholm University on 20-21 May 2027.

Across East and Southeast Asia, judicial systems are in flux and under strain. The conference seeks comparative insight into the performance, potential and constraints of legal activism, judicial accountability and constitutional reform: how the place of law and courts has changed in politics, how effective legal mobilization is for codifying and enforcing rights, where codified law is at odds with informal practice, and whose interests drive constitutional change where it is under discussion or underway.

Proposals are welcome on these and related topics, with reference to one or more state(s) in East and Southeast Asia:

• Constitutional change and judicial reform
• Legal activism and mobilization
• Judicial independence and constraint
• Horizontal accountability via courts
• Lawyers, legal aid associations, and other support structures
• Authoritarian legalism and conservative countermobilization
• Codifying and claiming rights through law and courts

This is an open call for paper proposals. The call does not restrict applicants by nationality or affiliation; the submission form asks for your affiliation and position. Papers must engage with one or more states in East and Southeast Asia.

• Abstract: a robust abstract of 300-500 words.
• Use of generative AI is not permitted. The form requires an attestation that generative AI was not used in preparing the abstract (spell-check and grammar-check are acceptable); typing your name serves as signature.
• The form also asks for your full name, preferred email, affiliation and position, the topic(s) your paper engages, the country or countries of focus, and the paper title.
• Accepted applicants must submit full draft papers of 6,000-8,000 words by Monday, 3 May 2027 for circulation among participants.
• Participants are expected to review papers in advance of the conference and may be asked to serve as discussants.

The call does not mention any registration or submission fee. Partial funding may be available for those presenting papers; the submission form asks whether you require funding to attend and lets you explain if you need only partial funding.

Submit your abstract through the official Google Form (linked as the registration link) by 16 November 2026. Accepted applicants will be notified by 30 November 2026.

For questions, contact Eva Hansson (eva.hansson@statsvet.su.se) or Meredith Weiss. The call PDF gives Meredith Weiss's address as mweiss@albany.edu, while the Stockholm University news page links merweiss@gmail.com.