Call for Papers | ICON•S Annual Conference 2026 | Critical Public (International) Law Interest Group Submission Deadline: 5 February 2026

About the Conference

The International Society of Public Law (ICON•S) will host its Annual Conference 2026 in Dublin, Ireland, from 29 June to 1 July 2026. The Critical Public (International) Law Interest Group invites paper proposals that interrogate public and international law as historically situated projects shaped by empire, colonial governance, and their postcolonial afterlives.

About the Call

The Interest Group seeks to convene scholars whose work examines public and international law through theoretical, conceptual, normative, or empirical lenses, across one or multiple jurisdictions and transnational formations. Comparative and interdisciplinary contributions are particularly encouraged.

Preferred areas of engagement include, inter alia:

Race, colonialism, and historical context
Empire and postcolonial governance
Gender, poverty, and class
Third World approaches
Refugees, borders, and migration
Institutional and doctrinal legacies of colonial rule

Panels will consist of two to three papers, with a discussant for each paper and a chair, to ensure constructive engagement and detailed feedback.

Submission Requirements

At this stage, please submit:

Paper title
Concise abstract (150–250 words)

Papers should ideally be available as a full draft or extended outline at least two weeks before the conference for panel review.

How to Submit

Step 1: Submit your proposal via the official ICON•S submission system to receive a submission ID

ICON•S Call for Submissions: https://lnkd.in/eJ2G-aea

Step 2: Complete the Critical Public (International) Law Interest Group forms to provide your paper title, abstract, and submission ID, or to volunteer as a discussant

Key Dates

Submission Deadline: 5 February 2026
Conference Dates: 29 June to 1 July 2026
Venue: Dublin, Ireland

Contact

For queries, please reach out to Elke Olthuis or Gabriele Wadlig. The convenors, together with members Mohsen al Attar, Ruth Alice Houghton, and Ntando Sindane, look forward to receiving your abstracts.

Official links: