First JFIEL student paper conference on "Making International Law Relevant: Promises and Challenges for India"

The Jindal Forum for International and Economic Laws (“JFIEL”) is inviting submissions for the first JFIEL Student Paper Conference.

The JFIEL is a blog affiliated to OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat.

The Jindal Forum for International and Economic Laws (JFIEL) is an online platform which aims to analyse legal developments and foster a discourse where academics, students, policymakers and practitioners can engage and share their ideas in the field of international law and the international economic arena. 

It seeks to create a database of rigorous academic exchange that contributes to research, policy and critical thought for students, academics and practitioners. 

Concept Note

The theme for the conference is ‘Making International Law Relevant - Promises and Challenges for India’. The conference acknowledges the fact that international law is not a prominent part of Indian legal practice and public discourse. The conference aims at challenging this status quo with analytical, reflective and grounded papers which show the significance of international law to the Indian context.

The submissions could highlight how international law could become an arena through which the Indian State could advance its strategic interests, whether in tribunals, international organisations, or in its relations with other States and international actors (as most clearly seen in the Khulbushan Jadhav case or India’s attempt to secure a permanent seat at the Security Council).

Submissions could similarly discuss how India should align its domestic practices and policies towards compliance with international law to serve strategic interests, such as avoiding repetitions of Vodafone-like litigation. In sum, submissions should not only engage with the law, but offer compelling policy reasons for the practical importance or utility of taking international law seriously.

Equally, pieces arguing for the relevance of international law where it is absent in mainstream literature on any domestic controversies in any contexts are welcome. All fields in public and private international law may be engaged with, including:

• International human rights law

• International humanitarian law

• International criminal law

• International investment law

• International trade law

• International commercial arbitration

• International environmental law

• International space law

Authors can share their topic of interest with us before writing, on the contact provided below.

If pieces purely include an application of the law, or rearticulate it in contexts where it has already been extensively debated, we would encourage sending them to our rolling blog, rather than the Conference. If authors wish to write on any historical issue, their analysis should nevertheless be linked to some contemporary debates or events.

Conference Format

The conference will be held in a hybrid format. The participants are expected to attend the events physically on the premises of Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), Sonipat. For students unable to join physically, online participation will remain an option to retain accessibility.

Student panels for the paper presentations will be composed of both JGLS students and external students. External participants could be from either Indian or foreign universities, but must be at the undergraduate level.

Along with panel presentations where all students would benefit from collaborative discussion and networking, participants will also engage in seminars with luminaries of the international legal field. Only authors whose pieces are shortlisted will attend the conference events.

Paper Expectations

It is compulsory for authors to submit a single document containing a 100-200 word abstract and a 2000-2500 word paper, both of which will be assessed together for the shortlisting.

Co-authorship is not allowed for the conference.

Kindly use hyperlinks for citations. Submissions with footnotes will not be accepted.

To submit the pieces, please fill this form.

Awards

• The five best ranked submissions in each category shall be rewarded with a certificate of excellence and individual Gift Vouchers amounting to ₹5000/- each.

• Please note that authors will be considered for awards in two separate categories ‘Internal’ (JGLS students) and ‘External’.

• All attendees will be given a certificate of merit.

Important Dates

Deadline for Submission of Abstract and Paper: 12 November, 2022

Notification of Acceptance: 5 February, 2023

Paper Presentation: Late March to Early April, 2023 (final dates to be announced)

Contact Details

Please feel free to reach out to us at jfielconference@jgu.edu.in

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