The American Society of International Law has issued a call for program suggestions for its 109th Annual Meeting, which will take place April 8-11, 2015, in Washington, DC. The conference theme is "Adapting to a Rapidly Changing World." Here's the call:Adapting to a Rapidly Changing World
For better or worse, international law is confronting a period of profound change. Geopolitical developments—in particular, new assertions of economic, political, or military power by countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—have simultaneously aggravated latent territorial disputes and created the potential for unprecedented economic integration. Advances in technology have enabled cyber-conflicts and forged new tools for governmental coercion or control, while also facilitating the dissemination of information. Shared environmental challenges have presented new causes of human suffering or conflict, as well as new possibilities for global cooperation and assistance. And the increased role of non-state actors in international affairs has made more vocal the still unfulfilled demands on, for example, the universal recognition of the human rights of LGBT persons, the responsibilities associated with corporate conduct, and the protection of people from mass atrocities.
The 2015 ASIL Annual Meeting will ask how international law is adapting to a rapidly changing world. For example: Are the existing international legal regimes capable of meeting these challenges or will new regimes be required? Through what processes can we expect international law to adapt, and how might new norms emerge in the face of persistent disagreements or holdout problems? How is the legal order responding as the world moves from a unipolar system dominated by the United States to a more multipolar system? And what is the role or relevance of international law where it might be unable to resolve global issues?
The American Society of International Law, with its membership of scholars, practitioners, and students of international law from around the world, will explore these questions at the 2015 Annual Meeting.
Program Suggestions Sought
From April 8-11, 2015, the American Society of International Law will convene its 109th Annual Meeting. The ASIL Annual Meeting Committee (chaired by Monica Hakimi, Natalie Reid, and Samuel Witten) welcomes suggestions from practitioners, academics, and students on topics encompassed within the meeting's theme, "Adapting to a Rapidly Changing World."
The aim of the 2015 Annual Meeting is to promote a rigorous discussion, among international lawyers with different backgrounds and perspectives, on the question of how international law is adapting to a rapidly changing world. To this end, the Program Committee will rely on the submissions process to identify relevant topics and knowledgeable speakers. Drawing on session suggestions, the Program Committee will create a program with the following goals in mind:
The Program Committee will prioritize session proposals that involve non-traditional formats, such as interviews, question-and-answer roundtables, lectures, debates, poster sessions, or the use of multimedia or interactive audience participation features. In addition, the Program Committee intends to include two "New Voices" sessions that will provide a platform for junior scholars to present their work.
- Coverage of a wide-breath of timely topics of interest to ASIL members;
- Participation by individuals from a variety of backgrounds;
- A place in the program for some sessions organized by ASIL Interest Groups; and
- A vibrant exchange of ideas through the use of innovative program formats.
Please note that, even if your suggested session is included in some form in the final program, the Program Committee might significantly modify your initial proposal, including the proposed presenters, participants, or moderators, in order to satisfy the four overall goals identified above. The Program Committee might also combine multiple proposals together or modify your proposal to better fit the needs of the meeting agenda.
In order to suggest a session or paper to the Program Committee, please complete the Proposal Submission form by no later than Friday, June 27, 2014. The Program Committee will inform proposers by email about the status of their suggestion(s) by early September. Thank you very much for your interest in the 2015 Annual Meeting.
