2nd International Forum on Asian Laws
2nd International Forum on Asian Laws: Innovation of Laws in Asia
Oxford, 19-20 June 2025
CALL FOR PAPERS
The Oxford Programme in Asian Laws (OPAL) of the University of Oxford and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Law are pleased to announce the second International Forum on Asian Laws to be held on 19-20 June 2025, at the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford. Convened by Mindy Chen-Wishart and Ngoc Son Bui, this in-person conference aims to bring together a diverse group of scholars, researchers and graduate students around the world to Oxford to share their work on a selected theme of Asian laws, to get respectful feedback, and to get to know each other. An unprompted comment from a contributor of the 2024 Forum:
“I got so much more from it than from any other conference that I have attended, and now feel much better prepared not only to pursue publication of the paper I presented, but also to navigate my next career steps. I heard comments to similar effects from many others present at the conference, including some who did not present.”
Theme:
The theme for the conference this year is Innovation of Laws in Asia
Asia is a very dynamic region, and legal development in the region involves innovation or the creative introduction and implementation of new legal ideas, doctrines, rules, procedures, and institutions. We welcome papers that explore the process, contents, motivations, and consequences of legal innovation in East, Southeast, South, and Central Asia. Papers may be submitted in any aspect of historical and contemporary development of legal innovation, such as the emergence of
- New legal ideas and concepts
- New legal institutions
- New judicial doctrines
- New legal procedures
- New methods to study law
Submissions are welcomed in three streams:
- Innovation in traditional/religious law: such as, village law, Confucian law, Buddhist law, Hindu law, and Islamic law.
- Innovation in private law: such as, contract law, property law, and commercial law.
- Innovation in public law: such as, constitutional law, administrative law, and criminal law.
Timeline:
- Submission of Abstract (300 words): 1 February 2025
- Notification of selection: 1 March 2025.
- Submission of Full Papers (8000-10000 words): 1 June 2025.
- Conference Days: 19-20 June 2025.
Travel and Accommodation:
- All attendees are responsible for the cost of their own travels and accommodations. We will suggest hotels in due course.
- There is a minimal conference fee of £150 to cover costs of two lunches, one conference dinner, refreshments and morning /afternoon tea, and venue and support staff.
- The conference fee is waived for those chosen to present their work.
Registration:
- Send your submission of abstract to opal@law.ox.ac.uk by 1 February 2025.