Thursday, February 29, 2024

Call for Contributions: Special Issue--"Rhizomatic Law: Understanding the Linearity and Pendulum of Legal Evolution" in Undecidabilities and Law - The Coimbra Journal for Legal Studies

Pix credit here (Turmeric rhizome, whole and ground into a spice)







Anne WAGNER & Sarah MARUSEK are delighted to invite contributions for the forthcoming Special Issue titled "Rhizomatic Law: Understanding the Linearity and Pendulum of Legal Evolution." The Special Issue will be published under the esteemed auspices of Undecidabilities and Law - The Coimbra Journal for Legal Studies.

The Special issue seeks to explore the dynamic, interconnected nature of legal systems through the innovative lens of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari’s rhizomatic theory. The object is to transcend traditional legal analyses and present a collection that reflects the multifaceted, intricate nature of legal evolution, emphasizing the interplay of linear, cyclical, and network-like dynamics. We welcome submissions in the form of articles, case studies, and reviews that align with this theme, especially those that challenge conventional paradigms and offer new perspectives.

Submissions should to the guidelines detailed on [https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/index.php/undecidabilitiesandlaw/about/submissions#authorGuidelines ]. Should you have any inquiries or wish to discuss your ideas, feel free to contact Anne Wagner and Sarah Marusek who serve as gues editors of this Special Issue. 

The Call for Contributions (with concept note) follows below and are due before 30 June 2024.


UNDECIDABILITIES AND LAW
The Coimbra Journal for Legal Studies
CALL FOR PAPERS / SUBMISSIONS
VOLUME V (2025)

RHIZOMATIC LAW: UNDERSTANDING THE LINEARITY
AND PENDULUM OF LEGAL EVOLUTION



GUEST EDITORS:
Anne Wagner
Centre de Recherche Droits et Perspectives du droit (ULR 4487), équipe René Demogue
Lille University
France
&
Sarah Marusek
Department of Political Science
University of Hawai’i Hilo
USA


Our Special Issue delves into the intricate and dynamic nature of legal systems, contrasting
concepts of linear progression with those of the perpetual pendulum in law. This exploration
integrates the rhizomatic theory of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, proposed in 1987,
which suggests a non-linear, network-like framework for understanding legal changes. It
challenges conventional views of law as a hierarchy, instead presenting it as a complex web
of interconnections where various factors, including political, cultural, economic, and social
energies, interact in unpredictable ways. This approach acknowledges the multifaceted nature
of legal evolution, encompassing both steady, predictable developments and cyclical,
reactionary shifts.

This exploration extends to consider the non-hierarchical, network-like nature of legal
evolution. This theory challenges traditional, tree-like conceptions of knowledge and
organization by proposing a model where any point can connect to any other, without having
a central or primary node. Applying this to legal evolution offers a more complex and
interconnected view of how law changes and adapts, recognizing the multiplicity of
influences and pathways of development.
 

Topics for Submission:

1. Rhizomatic Perspectives in Legal Evolution: Exploration of Deleuze and
Guattari’s rhizome theory in the context of legal systems, examining how law evolves
in a non-linear, network-like fashion, creating multiple entry and exit points for legal
changes and influences.
2. Law-Making in a Networked Society: Analyzing how the concept of the rhizome
influences the development of law-making tools and their societal impacts,
emphasizing the interconnected and often unpredictable nature of legal evolution.
3. Interplay of Linear and Rhizomatic Legal Interpretations: Investigating the
balance between linear progression and rhizomatic complexity in legal interpretation,
focusing on how these approaches impact the adaptability and responsiveness of
legal systems to societal changes.
4. Polarization and Connectivity in Legal Concepts: Analyzing the dual nature of
law as both polarized (perpetual pendulum) and interconnected (rhizomatic),
exploring how these contrasting dynamics influence legal theory and practice.
5. Legal Systems Amidst Global Crises: Discussing the rhizomatic responses of legal
systems to global crises, such as pandemics or climate change, and how these events
disrupt linear progressions, necessitating a more networked, adaptable approach to
legal reform.

These themes aim to enrich our understanding of legal evolution by highlighting the interplay
between linear and cyclical dynamics, and introducing the complexity and interconnectedness
of the rhizomatic approach. This perspective acknowledges the multi-dimensional nature of
legal change, influenced by a myriad of societal, cultural, and technological factors.
 

Submission Guidelines:

Contributors are invited to delve into the multifaceted dynamics of legal evolution as framed
in “Rhizomatic Law: Understanding the Linearity and Pendulum of Legal Evolution”.
Submissions should focus on the intricate interplay of factors influencing the oscillation
between linear progression and the cyclical shifts of the perpetual pendulum in legal systems.
We welcome theoretical and empirical contributions that shed light on these dynamics.
Interdisciplinary approaches, integrating insights from legal studies, philosophy, sociology,
and other relevant fields, are especially encouraged. This call for papers aims to create a
comprehensive platform for discussing and understanding the complex, network-like nature
of legal change and adaptation, guided by the rhizomatic perspective.

Submission of Abstracts (of 300 words) should be addressed to Anne Wagner
(valwagnerfr@yahoo.com) and Sahra Marusek (marusek@hawaii.edu) until 30 June 2024.
After selection, final papers should be submitted directly to the platform (https://impactum-
journals.uc.pt/undecidabilitiesandlaw) by 31 January 2025, always indicating the Journal’s
volume to which they correspond.

Rules for submission: https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/index.php/undecidabilitiesandlaw/about/submissions#authorGuidelines


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