Centre for Justice and Inclusion annual conference: New Frontiers of Access to Justice

Annual Conference 2024

#ARUjustice

Call for Papers

The future of access to justice has never been more important. It is affected by the accelerating pace of digitalisation, the evolution of environmental law into new frontiers, the emergence of diverse avenues—both public and private—for accessing justice systems, remedies and institutions, and the profound impacts of these developments on vulnerable and migrant groups.

The ARU Centre for Access to Justice and Inclusion (CAJI) invites scholars, practitioners, third sector organisations, policy makers and advocates to discuss the multifaceted nature of contemporary issues and practical solutions on access to justice at CAJI’s annual conference 2024, titled ‘New Frontiers of Access to Justice’.

Confirmed speakers

• Environmental: Professor Nigel South, University of Essex (confirmed)
• Access to Justice: Professor Damien Short, University of London (confirmed)
• Migration: Professor Anastasia Christou, Middlesex University (confirmed)
• Technology: Associate Professor, Ella McPherson, University of Cambridge (confirmed)

Submissions:

Please submit your paper proposal online using this Form.

We invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit abstracts (maximum 300 words) in English. Please include a one-paragraph summary curriculum vitae (CV) along with your submission. We encourage submissions that widen the discourse and particularly welcome contributions from early career scholars, the Global South and underrepresented groups in academia.

Please align your proposal to fit with the following Conference themes:

1. Environmental Impacts on Access to Justice: Addressing the urgent concerns of environmental justice, access to justice plays a crucial role in safeguarding the planet's well-being. Environmental issues wield the power to influence access to justice positively or negatively. On the one hand, the legal system serves as a robust instrument for holding entities accountable for environmental degradation, providing communities the means to seek redress for ecological harm. On the other hand, legal barriers and inadequacies may impede affected communities, perpetuating real or perceived environmental injustices.

2. Technology's Influence on Access to Justice: In the era of rapid technological advancement, the intersection between technology and access to justice brings forth intricate challenges and opportunities. While technology enhances transparency, efficiency, and legal information accessibility—empowering individuals to navigate the legal landscape more effectively—the digital divide and potential technology misuse can deepen existing inequalities. This creates barriers to justice, particularly for those lacking digital literacy or facing discrimination in automated decision-making processes.

3. Restricted Access for Vulnerable Groups and Migrants: Amidst the widening panorama of access to justice, a troubling discrepancy emerges concerning vulnerable groups. Marginalised communities, economically disadvantaged individuals, ethnic minorities, migrant and other vulnerable populations often encounter systemic obstacles impeding their access to justice. This conference is dedicated to scrutinising and addressing these disparities, delving into how societal structures, legal frameworks, and institutional practices contribute to the restricted access faced by vulnerable groups.

4. Avenues, Institutions and Alternative Structures for Access to Justice: The landscape of access to justice is undergoing dynamic evolution, featuring an array of avenues—from traditional state-based judicial mechanisms to state based non-judicial entities like administrative bodies, ombudspersons, and national human rights institutions. Simultaneously, non-state grievance mechanisms have flourished, broadening the scope to encompass diverse issues, including concerns related to environmental harms and the ever-evolving technological landscape. This theme will explore and critically analyse these evolving avenues, recognising their impact on the overarching theme of access to justice.

Submission deadline: Friday 12 April 2024.

Please submit your paper proposal online using this Form.

Proceedings

Selected papers presented at the conference may be considered for publication in the conference proceedings. By submitting your work, you agree to the possibility of publication.

For inquiries and submissions, please contact [email protected].