Call for Papers: SYMROLIC 2026, 14th Annual International Research Conference on Rule of Law in Context at Symbiosis Law School, Pune [Hybrid]

The Symbiosis Conference on Rule of Law in Context (SYMROLIC) is the flagship annual international interdisciplinary research conference of Symbiosis Law School, Pune. The 2026 edition, its 14th, is being held on 18 and 19 September 2026 at Symbiosis Law School, Pune, with hybrid participation over Zoom for international and remote delegates.

SYMROLIC began in 2012 as a national conference for students and researchers showcasing in-house research, and has since grown into an international forum. The conference runs over two days and is designed to discuss interdisciplinary perspectives, forthcoming issues and diverse visions of the Rule of Law.

SYMROLIC 2026 is organised by Symbiosis Law School, Pune, along with the University of Birmingham, the University of Limassol and the University of York, and in collaboration with Symbiosis Law School, Noida, Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad and Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur.

The conference is convened through the Symbiosis Centre for Advanced Legal Studies and Research (SCALSAR), formalised in February 2013 by the Board of Management of Symbiosis International (Deemed University). SCALSAR runs three research clusters covering Science, Technology and Innovation Law; Law and Justice Reform; and International Comparative Law, and hosts SYMROLIC every year.

Symbiosis Law School, Pune was established in 1977 and was ranked 7th in 2025 by the National Institutional Ranking Framework. Symbiosis International (Deemed University) is re-accredited by NAAC with an A++ grade and holds Category-I status from the UGC.

The 2026 edition is themed "Rule of Law in Context: Natural Resource Conflicts, Institutional Uncertainty and the Future of Multilateral Global Governance". It addresses three interconnected challenges shaping the contemporary international legal order: the growing contestation over natural resources, the challenges posed to institutional efficacy and legitimacy, and the shaping of a multilaterally governed future global order.

The organisers note that the rule of law is frequently invoked in times of conflict and proclaimed as a guiding principle, yet its substantive and impartial application remains elusive. Against that backdrop, the conference invites scholars, experts, policymakers, researchers and students to evaluate how legal systems do and should respond in a fractured world order, and to consider the future of the rule of law and multilateral global governance in light of evolving geopolitical realities.

The conference will also feature a Plenary Session on "Revisiting India's Research and Innovation Landscape in Emerging Areas", examining India's evolving research ecosystem as technological advancement and strategic autonomy become central to national priorities.

• Track 1: Law and Human Behaviour, National and International Perspectives, covering behavioural frameworks of the rule of law, conflict-induced displacement and transitional justice, institutional efficiency and legitimacy, media and legal consciousness, and gender, indigenous communities and legal pluralism
• Track 2: Business, Trade, Commerce, Management and Law, covering resource nationalism and global trade regimes, ESG frameworks and corporate accountability, global supply chains and conflict economies, sanctions and global economic governance, competition law and critical minerals, sustainable investment frameworks, and cross-border dispute settlement
• Track 3: International Law, Policy and Governance, covering the crisis of multilateralism, international environmental law and sovereignty, the blue economy and maritime conflicts, cyber warfare, global commons, Arctic governance, extraterrestrial resources, BIMSTEC, ASEAN and Indo-Pacific reform, transboundary rivers and hydro-politics
• Track 4: Indian Knowledge System and SDG, covering indigenous ecological knowledge and biodiversity, dharma and environmental justice, Gandhian perspectives on sustainability, community resource management, water governance in ancient Indian traditions, and indigenous jurisprudence
• Track 5: Innovation, Science, Technology and Law, covering AI governance in extractive industries, digital sovereignty and cross-border data flows, cybersecurity and data colonialism, climate technologies, biotechnology and bio-law, platform economies, and technology transfer and IPR
• Track 6: Public Law, Society and Governance, covering institutions protecting natural resources during conflict, satellite surveillance and resource monitoring, constitutionalism in crisis, democratic backsliding, press freedom and conflict reporting, and ecocide and international legal protection
• Special Track: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Global Knowledge Creation, Policy, Intellectual Property and Law

Abstracts should be organised under indicative headings covering the title and introduction or background, objectives, design and methodology, results and discussion, research implications and limitations where applicable, originality and value (mandatory), and keywords. Authors may choose other suitable headings.

• Language: English; paper size A4
• Length: 300 words, excluding the title, author names, affiliation and address
• Margins of one inch on all four sides
• Title of paper in 14 point bold; author names in 12 point with an asterisk marking the corresponding author; affiliation and address in 10 point, clearly indicating place, PIN code, state, country, email id and cell number
• Body text in Times New Roman 12 point; all headings in 12 point bold; single line spacing
• A title page with the title, author(s), affiliation(s) and contact details
• Four to five keywords in alphabetical order

• Title of the paper in Times New Roman, 14-point font, capital letters
• Level 1 headings in Times New Roman 12 point bold, Level 2 in italics and Level 3 in plain 12 point
• Body text in Times New Roman 12 point, 1.5 line spacing, justified
• Page numbers inserted, no paragraph indentation, no identifying headers or footers, double spacing between paragraphs
• APA citation and reference style, one inch margins on all sides
• Maximum 20 pages, that is 5,000 to 8,000 words including references, on A4 size
• An AI Usage and Plagiarism Report must be submitted with the full paper, with up to 10% permitted

Select papers will be published in conference proceedings which will be Scopus or Web of Science (WoS) indexed.

For national delegates, with a maximum of three authors per paper and each co-author registering separately:

• Single author: Rs. 1,180/-
• More than one author: Rs. 1,770/-

The registration fee is payable to the account of SS SIU SLS RECEIPT AC at Bank of India, Karve Road Branch, Pune 411004, account number 050310210000019, IFSC code BKID0000503, MICR number 411013011, SWIFT code BKIDINBBPMB. The last date for payment of registration fees is 10 September 2026.

All abstract submissions must be made through the official abstract submission form linked in the conference brochure and in the links below, on or before 6 August 2026, 11:59 PM IST. Acceptance of abstracts will be communicated on 12 August 2026, after which full papers are due by 5 September 2026 and registration fees by 10 September 2026.

At least one of the co-authors should be physically available to present the paper at Symbiosis Law School, Pune. International and remote delegates may join over Zoom.