Socio-legal news
Welcome to the news section of the SLSA website. This area is divided into the following categories:
- Events
- Publications
- Research and funding
- Vacancies
- Consultations, inquiries and surveys
- Other announcements
If you would like an item added to the news section, please contact the
News
Events
SLSA events
Law and Global Justice: Research Centres without a Research Field?, University of Durham: workshop and PGR conference
Contemporary Challenges in Migration Research, Ulster University Belfast
From the University to the Grand Chamber: How can academic work on asylum and immigration have greater impact in the European Court of Human Rights?, Royal Holloway University of London: programme available and registration open
Climate Change & Migration: New Challenges, Legal Responses, and Policy Solutions, Nottingham: call for abstracts
Other events
A Cold Climate for Refugee Women?: Seminar Two, online from Women in Refugee Law
Socio-legal Methodology Masterclass: Exploring research methods in mental health law & mental capacity law, in-person, York Law School
Legal Professional Privilege in the 21st Century: Adversarialism, confidentiality and justice, Northumbria Law School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Law Commission Project Launch Event: Domestic homicide defences, Northumbria Law School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Crimes of Domination, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: invitaiton for expressions of interest
Bar Conference 2024, London
Socio-legal and Critical Legal Studies: History of commonalities and differences, online from Centre of Law and Society, Cardiff
Publications
Latest on the JLS Blog: Meet the authors – Judith Townend and Lucy Welsh; and Paul Burgees
Law & Society Review: first issue published with Cambridge University Press
Vacancies
Researcher – Enhancing Democratic Habits, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford
Other
Law School Staff Sense of Belonging in Higher Education Institutions: call for participants
Vacancies
Researcher – Enhancing Democratic Habits, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford
The Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies is looking for a research assistant to help with anoral history of radical lawyers. You can find the advert on the University website, Job Details and on the Law Faculty website, Researcher – Enhancing Democratic Habits, Faculty of Law. The closing date for applications is midday on 2 May 2024.
MethodsCom: Futures, Manchester: call for contributors
This innovative and cross-sector meet-up is part conference, part learning opportunity, part innovation forum and has been designed to connect and energise people with a focus on futures. It will take place from 12–13 September 2024. The organiser, the National Council for Research Methods, is seeking contributions from forward-thinking, futures-oriented researchers and practitioners, who can contribute to stimulating, developing and advancing this critical (research) development area. Contributors will receive expenses and accommodation and bursaries are also available. See website for details. Closing date for applications: 20 April 2024.
Three fully-funded PhD stutendships, Bournemouth University MaGPIE project
The Bournemouth University-based MaGPIE project is seeking three talented PhD researchers for its fully-funded studentships. Follow the links to the adverts below to learn more about what these PhDs entail, and how you could contribute to developing a better mass grave protection framework.
- Data protection surrounding mass graves
- Cultural and Indigenous rights surrounding mass graves
- Participative rights surrounding mass graves
The closing date for all the above studentships is 5 May 2024.
PhD and Fellowship: WASH, AMR and Environmental Justice: Addressing the Challenges in the Global South, SOAS, London
Applications are invited for this PhD+fellowship opportunity. See announcement for details. Closing date: 1 May 2024.
Centre for Socio-Legal Studies Visitors' Programme: open for applications
Applications are invited for the CSLS's Visitors' Programme. See website for details. Closing date: 5 July 2024. See website for details.
Consultations, inquiries and surveys
Sentencing Council: Consultation on proposed sentencing guidelines for immigration offences
The Sentencing Council is consulting on the first ever sentencing guidelines for immigration offences. The guidelines reflect legislative changes to the Immigration Act 1971 brought in by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. See website for details. Closing date: 12 June 2024.
Law Commission: Consultation on aviation autonomy
The Law Commission has been asked by the Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport to review the law around autonomous flight, in order to support the safe development of rapidly advancing technology. The consulation paper is available on the website. Closing date: 27 May 2024.
Sentencing Council: Aggravated vehicle taking offences guidelines, disqualification and other motoring related matters – consultation
This consultation seeks views on a comprehensive package of new and revised guidelines for aggravated vehicle taking offences, for use in both the magistrates’ courts and in the Crown Court. See website for details. Closing date: 22 May 2024.
Sentencing Council: Consultation on new sentencing guidelines for offenders convicted of blackmail, kidnap or false imprisonment
The Sentencing Council has launched a consultation on new sentencing guidelines for offenders convicted of blackmail, kidnap or false imprisonment. The Council is seeking views on the draft guidelines from the judiciary, legal professionals who use the guidelines, and organisations or members of the public with an interest in this area. The proposed guidelines will ensure judges in England and Wales follow a consistent approach when sentencing these offences, which can range in severity and can cause serious harm to victims. These will be the first dedicated sentencing guidelines for these offences. See website for details. Closing date: 24 April 2024.
Other announcements
Law School Staff Sense of Belonging in Higher Education Institutions: call for participants
Invitation to participate:
Universities are increasingly emphasising the importance of 'communities' and 'belonging' to both staff and student happiness within the institution. Through online, 90 minute focus groups, this project – led by Professor Lydia Bleasdale (University of Leeds) and Dr Jill Dickinson (Leeds Beckett University) - will examine how Law School staff working across a range of Universities experience and view institutional attempts to create or generate a sense of belonging amongst staff.
If you work within a Law School, on any type of contract (including, but not limited to, fixed term, permanent, professional services, researchers and academics); are interested in being involved; and are available to take part in a focus group on 3rd June, 6th June, 10th June, 13th June or 3rd July, please email Professor Lydia Bleasdale (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) for a participant information sheet.
NCRM 20th Anniversary Impact Prize: call for applications
The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is inviting researchers to apply for the NCRM 20th Anniversary Impact Prize. The competition is open to anyone who has participated in NCRM training, used NCRM resources, taken part in an NCRM initiative, event or network, or been in receipt of NCRM funding, since the NCRM was founded in 2004. See website for details. Closing date: 2 June 2024.
LASSnet moves to SOAS
The Centre for the Study of Law and Governance at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, initiated the establishment of the Law and Social Sciences Research Network (LASSnet) in 2007 in order to bring together scholars, lawyers and doctoral researchers engaged in research and teaching of issues of law across social sciences in contemporary South Asian contexts. Now LASSnet is moving to a new home at SOAS South Asia Institute (SSAI) and the School of Law at SOAS, with Dr Mayur Suresh as its anchor. See announcement for full details.
Philip Leverhulme Prizes: open for nominations
Nominations are invited from researchers at an early stage of their careers whose work has had international impact and whose future research career is exceptionally promising. The prizes of £100,000 can be used for any research purpose. See website for details. Closing date: 16 May 2024.
Virtual Reading Group on Property Law: call for expressions of interest
Are you interested in joining a virtual reading group on Property Law? If so, please email Dr Tola Amodu at
Academic Mentoring: Professor Didi Herman
Professor Didi Herman has retired from Kent Law School and is now offering confidential help to individuals and universities looking to improve scholarship for publication, mentoring, and the REF. See her website for details.
Professor Herman is now also offering expert consultancy to law schools for advance preparation for REF 2028.