Call for papers: International Law and Politics Working Group workshop 2027

International law does not merely respond to a changing world; it helps define its problems, determine whose voices count, and shape the futures we can imagine. From war and climate change to migration, technological disruption, and global inequality, its boundaries and blind spots raise difficult questions. When does law constrain power, and when does it become its instrument? Whose experiences and visions of justice remain beyond its reach?

This workshop invites scholars to approach international law differently. What lies beyond its categories? Which assumptions need unsettling? What becomes possible when legal scholarship engages with other ways of understanding politics, society, and the world?

We welcome interdisciplinary contributions that challenge established narratives, question familiar assumptions, and explore the tensions and contradictions of international law and politics. We particularly encourage work that crosses disciplinary boundaries and opens up questions that conventional approaches leave unanswered.

We especially welcome submissions (including works in progress) from postgraduate/doctoral researchers, early-career researchers, and scholars from underrepresented backgrounds. To this end, a number of (competitive) travel bursaries will be made available to BISA members, following notification of acceptance.

Submissions

We invite abstracts of 150-250 words outlining the proposed topic and its contribution to the workshop theme. Abstracts should be submitted in a single word document, including the paper title, author name(s), institutional affiliation(s), and contact details.

Deadline for abstracts: 20 November 2026

Notification of acceptance: 18 December 2026

Workshop date: 3 March 2027

Venue: University of the West of Scotland, Paisley

Please send abstracts, as well as any questions or queries, to ilgp.group@bisa.ac.uk

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