Call for papers for the 10th Annual Conference on Chinese Law and Sociology (2025)
Theme of the annual conference: "Diversification of law and dispute resolution - a symphony of tradition and innovation"
Conference time: November 7-9, 2025
Conference location: Wuhan, China
I. Conference background and theme
With the acceleration of social transformation and the deep penetration of digital technology, the forms of disputes are becoming increasingly complex. Traditional dispute resolution mechanisms are facing structural challenges, and the innovative models driven by emerging technologies are in urgent need of legalization and localization adaptation. At the same time, the multicultural, regional differences and institutional practices in the process of China's modernization provide a rich research field for interdisciplinary research in law and sociology. On the one hand, China's traditional dispute resolution wisdom (such as mediation, negotiation, etc.) still has important value in contemporary society; on the other hand, new scenarios such as digital technology, artificial intelligence, and platform economy have given rise to profound changes in dispute forms and resolution methods. How to innovate in inheritance and build a diversified, efficient and inclusive dispute resolution system has become the core proposition of legal sociology research.
To this end, the 10th Annual Conference of Chinese Law and Sociology (2025) takes "Diversification of Law and Dispute Resolution - Symphony of Tradition and Innovation" as its theme, focusing on the transformation of traditional dispute resolution mechanisms, the empowerment and challenges of emerging technologies to rule of law practice, paradigm innovation of digital social dispute governance, and the coordination mechanism of multiple rule of law resources. We sincerely invite domestic and foreign scholars, practical experts and young researchers to discuss the evolution logic, practical difficulties and future prospects of the dispute resolution system. This annual conference pays special attention to the rule of law practice experience in the Central and Southern regions (centered on Wuhan), and promotes the dialogue between regional research and national issues.
Organizer:
School of Law, Wuhan University
Center for Human Rights Research, Wuhan University
Co-organizer:
China Institute for Socio-Legal Studies, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Law Society Law and Sociology Research Association
Asian Journal of Law and Society Editorial Department
Law Review Editorial Department
II. Call for papers
Submissions include but are not limited to the following topics (which can be developed around the interaction between tradition and innovation):
1. Revaluation of traditional dispute resolution mechanisms
Applicability and modern transformation of mediation, arbitration, and customary law in contemporary society
Special experiences of rural society, grassroots governance, and dispute resolution
2. Innovation in dispute resolution in the digital age
Legal sociological analysis of online dispute resolution (ODR), blockchain evidence storage, and smart contracts
Reconstruction and risks of mediation, arbitration, and litigation scenarios by artificial intelligence
3. Institutional construction of a multi-dispute resolution system
Coordinated development of judicial reform and ADR (alternative dispute resolution mechanism)
Coordinated linkage mechanism of public interest litigation, administrative mediation, and industry mediation
4. Cross-cultural comparison of dispute resolution
Comparative study of dispute resolution traditions in East Asia, Africa, Latin America, etc.
Innovation of cross-border dispute resolution mechanisms under the background of the Belt and Road Initiative
5. Legal practice and experience in Central and South China
Local knowledge of dispute resolution in the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Empirical study on the coordinated development of the rule of law in the Wuhan metropolitan area
6. Methodological innovation of legal sociology research
Application of big data, ethnography, and experimental law in dispute resolution research
Cross-analysis of law, emotion, space, and technology
7. Regional characteristics and comparative studies
Regional experience in dispute resolution in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the central region
Comparison and reference of dispute resolution models from an international perspective
8. Human rights protection and dispute resolution innovation from the perspective of legal sociology
Human rights value embedding in dispute resolution mechanisms
Balanced governance of technological empowerment and human rights risks
III. Requirements for Call for Papers and Guidelines for Submissions
1. Requirements for Submissions
The paper must be an original work that has not been published publicly, with a word count of no less than 8,000 words, formatting should follow the style guide of "China Legal Science".
Both Chinese and English manuscripts are acceptable, and interdisciplinary, empirical and comparative studies are encouraged.
2. Submission Methods
Please send the manuscript to the conference mailbox: [email protected] before 23:59 (Beijing Time) on September 30, 2025.
The email title format is: "Author's name + Paper Title + Affiliation and Position", the body of the text indicates the contact information, and the attachment is the full text of the Word version.
3. Selection and Notification
The organizing committee will notify the selected authors before October 20, 2025, and invite authors of outstanding papers to make keynote speeches.
Outstanding achievements can be recommended to "Asian Journal of Law and Society" or published in a collection and included in the "Law and Society" series library.
IV. Special Planning and Participation Support
1. "Dispute Resolution in Central China" Special Unit
Organized by Wuhan University, it focuses on regional social governance, technology empowerment of justice and other topics, and encourages empirical research and cross-school cooperation.
2. Young Scholars and Graduate Student Forum
Set up an independent unit to support doctoral and master students to present their research results, and provide academic comments and publication guidance.
3. Cross-border Dialogue Workshop
Invite technical experts, judicial practitioners and scholars to jointly discuss cutting-edge issues such as "smart courts" and "algorithmic justice".
V. Conference Fees and Funding
Conference Fees: Free of Charge.
Expense Support: The organizer shall bear the cost of food and venue during the conference; transportation and accommodation expenses shall be borne by the participants.
VI. Contact Information
Conference Email: [email protected]
Contact Person:
Song Tianyi (Wuhan University School of Law)
Tel: +86-17692669716
Duan Junxi (Wuhan University School of Law)
Tel: +86-13750519635
Chen Xiyi (China Institute for Socio-Legal Studies, Shanghai Jiao Tong University)
Tel: +86-15802109603