Call for Papers: International Conference on United Nations and the Changing Global Order (UNCGO 2026) at TNDALU, Chennai [Hybrid; 26 Oct; Best Paper Award Rs 5,000]

The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University (TNDALU) was established by the Government of Tamil Nadu through Act No. 43 of 1997 and was inaugurated on 20 September 1997 by former President K.R. Narayanan. Recognised by the Bar Council of India and the University Grants Commission, it teaches law through the School of Excellence in Law (SOEL) in Chennai and twenty-seven affiliated colleges across the state, with undergraduate, postgraduate (LL.M. in thirteen specialisations), Ph.D. and LL.D. programmes.

The conference is organised by the Department of International Law and Organisation at SOEL, one of the first postgraduate departments started at the School in 2003. Its curriculum covers public international law, the law of international organisations, private international law and international space law.

This one-day international conference, United Nations and the Changing Global Order: Emerging Challenges, Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Governance (UNCGO), marks the 81st United Nations Day (24 October 2026). It will be held on 26 October 2026 in hybrid mode at TNDALU, Perungudi, Chennai.

The conference looks at how the UN has changed from a political body and forum for dialogue into a legal body whose work now covers peace and security, human rights, development, humanitarian affairs, international law, climate change and global governance. It will also examine the UN's structural imbalances, geopolitical rivalries and institutional limits, ask whether it is still indispensable, and consider ideas for reviving it.

The themes below are illustrative, not exhaustive. Papers may address any topic relevant to the purpose and overarching theme of the conference.

• UN and International Peace and Security: changing dimensions of peacekeeping; threats in cyberspace and outer space; causes of armed conflict; military spending; changing means of warfare; humanitarian aid; peaceful settlement of disputes; disarmament; the role of the ICJ, including advisory opinions, provisional measures and the selection of judges.
• UN and the Rule of Law: transitional justice; community security and national development; people-centric justice; building trust between communities and law enforcement; rule of law, peace and security.
• UN80 Initiatives and Structural Understandings: review of the UN80 action plan and architecture; transparency and coordination among UN organs; the Secretary-General's role; Special Rapporteurs and specialised agencies; accountability of the UN; structural revival of the UN.
• UN and Digital Cooperation: digital human rights; inclusive digital space; digital trust and security; the bona fide use of AI by States.
• UN, Youth and Future Development: the SDGs and children; intergenerational equity and solidarity; reparation for historical inequalities; child soldiers, starvation and sexual exploitation.
• UN and Disability Jurisprudence (UNDIS 2.0): normative understanding of disability; the UNDIS accountability framework; universal design and reasonable accommodation; digital access; disaster management under the Sendai Framework.
• UN and Ecological Dignity: from human to ecological dignity; the UNEP, UNFCCC and Paris Agreement implementation gap; ecocide and rights of nature; climate justice and CBDR; indigenous peoples; the green technology divide; climate litigation; corporate accountability for ecological harm.
• UN Contemporary Focus Areas and Spotlight Initiatives: racism; hate speech; safety of journalists; rights of LGBTQ+ people; prevention of genocide; refugees and migrants; violence against women and girls.

The full list of sub-themes is in the brochure.

• Submit the full paper. Abstracts are not submitted separately; put the abstract on the first page of the paper.
• Abstract: 200 to 300 words setting out the research gap, methodology and outcome, with no more than five keywords.
• Length: short articles of 3,000 to 5,000 words, excluding footnotes. The 5,000-word limit is strict, and authors are encouraged to take up one specific research problem rather than a wide research objective.
• Format: MS Word only; Times New Roman; headings 14 pt, body 12 pt, footnotes 10 pt; line spacing 1.5 for the body and 1.0 for footnotes.
• Citation: OSCOLA 5th edition, strictly.
• Similarity index: must not exceed 10%.
• Co-authorship: a maximum of two authors.
• Do not mention author details anywhere in the paper. Author details go only in the Google Form.
• Graphs, figures and tables must sit in the body of the text and be numbered I, II and so on.

• Only 30 papers will be selected for presentation from all submissions.
• All presenters receive a certificate of participation, in hard copy or soft copy depending on how they present.
• All selected papers will be published in an edited book with an ISBN. Publication details will be shared after the conference.
• The best paper, selected on merit, receives a Certificate of Best Paper and a cash award of Rs 5,000.

Registration and payment are made only after you are told your paper has been selected. The fees, inclusive of GST, are:

• Students (UG and PG): Rs 767 (Rs 650 + GST)
• Research scholars: Rs 1,180 (Rs 1,000 + GST)
• Faculty and educators: Rs 1,770 (Rs 1,500 + GST)
• Advocates: Rs 2,360 (Rs 2,000 + GST)
• Policy experts: Rs 2,950 (Rs 2,500 + GST)
• Law firms and senior counsels: Rs 5,900 (Rs 5,000 + GST)
• International participants: US$ 50

For a co-authored paper, each author pays their own registration fee. Payment goes by bank transfer to the account of The Registrar, Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University (Indian Bank); the account number and IFSC are in the brochure. After paying, fill in the payment confirmation form.

• Submit your full paper and author details through the official submission Google Form by 15 October 2026. You need to sign in to a Google account to use the form.
• Wait for the acceptance email, due by 18 October 2026.
• If your paper is selected, pay the fee and complete the payment confirmation and registration form by 20 October 2026.

Queries go to unafnapconf26.tndalu@gmail.com or +91 88860 67474.