Mini-conference: March 8, 2012

Check out all information for a new mini-conference, taking place in Montreal on March 8.

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ASIL Private International Law Interest Group: Call for Papers and Conference Announcement

What is Private International Law?

Globalization increases the importance of private actors and private arrangements. And yet, while other disciplines are responding to these challenges, private international law seems mired in its past, unable to reform sufficiently. This suggests that it is time to ask foundational questions about our field. What is private international law today? Does it promote any polices or values, and if so, which are those? Is it just rules designating the applicable law? Does it include conflicts rules for public law? Should it include substantive private law? Privately made law beyond the state? What is its place in international law more generally, especially vis-à-vis public international law? What is its role in global governance? And is private international law relevant today, or can its former functions be fulfilled by other areas of the law?

In order to kindle this debate, the Private International Law Interest Group of the American Society of International Law is launching a call for papers that answer some or all of these foundational questions. Those interested in participating should submit an abstract no longer than 500 words. Finished papers and drafts are welcome as well. The deadline for submission of abstracts is May 15, 2012.

On 5/6 October 2012, the ASIL Private International Law Interest Group will, together with the Center for International and Comparative Law at Duke University, organize a 1½ day conference to discuss selected papers and ideas emerging from this call. We also plan to publish the papers selected for presentation in a special edition of an international law journal or a volume of collected papers. The venue of the conference and place of publication will be announced in early 2012.

A special invitation goes to authors under 35 years of age. The author under 35 of the best finished paper will be the winner of this year’s Private international Law Prize of the American Society of International Law. The prize money ($500) will be paid as a stipend to enable the author to participate in the conference and present his or her paper.

Submissions should be emailed to Ralf Michaels (michaels@law.duke.edu) and Rahim Moloo (rahim.moloo@nyu.edu) by May 15, 2012. Decisions on both invitations to present at the conference and on the ASIL Prize will be made by July 1.

The Four Societies Conference: Call for Papers

International Law and Disasters

The Fourth International “Fostering a Scholarly Network”

Four Societies Conference Call for Papers

The international law societies of Australia & New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the United States of America (the “Four Societies”) have held three conferences bringing together younger scholars around a theme often resulting in a scholarly volume (Wellington, New Zealand in 2006; Edmonton, Canada in 2008; and Awajishima, Japan in 2010).

The Four Societies are organizing a Fourth Joint Conference and invite paper proposals from their members. The Four Societies Conference will be held September 27 to 29, 2012 in Berkeley, California at the Claremont Resort. The theme of the Fourth Joint Conference will be “International Law and Disasters.”

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CCIL Review: Critical Mass of New Content

For about a month, we have been adding content to CCIL Review, the CCIL's bilingual "blournal" (blog-journal) on international and comparative law.  The blournal entries are authored by students, academics and others.  Visit CCIL Review here.  If you are interested in becoming a contributor, contact Craig Forcese at cforcese@uottawa.ca.

The Passing of Professor Leslie Green

It is with great sadness that the CCIL learned of the passing of Professor Leslie Green on November 26.  Professor Green was a long-time friend of the CCIL and an enormous figure in the area of international law in Canada.  He was the recipient of the CCIL's John E. Read Medal in 1997.  Information on his contributions to international law produced in response to that honour may be found here. Official tributes to Professor Green's life and accomplishments will soon be published in the Globe & Mail.