The Journal of Human Rights (JHR) is seeking submissions on contemporary issues concerning American democracy. JHR offers a forum for scholars, practitioners, and law students to debate domestic and international human rights issues. By advancing human rights scholarship, the Journal aims to provide the legal community with the strongest arguments available to address human rights challenges. JHR anticipates publishing a special issue devoted to the symposium theme in Spring 2023.
We are seeking submissions on topics related to the intersection of general threats to American democracy and human rights, specifically the right to representative government. Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that “[e]veryone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.” JHR welcomes examinations of the American democratic process as it does or does not comport with this fundamental right in theory and/or practice. Topics may include legal perspectives on misinformation, contemporary challenges to voting access and adequate representation, health care regulation as an impediment or furtherance to democracy, and how the law silences historically marginalized communities. Application of the ethics literature to these issues is encouraged. Only submissions on the symposium theme will be considered for presentation. Interdisciplinary submissions are especially welcome.
The symposium will be held mid-November, in a virtual format (specific details to follow). We are mindful that many variables may influence someone’s decision to apply for the symposium, so we have chosen a virtual format to increase opportunities for participation from scholars worldwide. Coauthored papers are welcome, and all authors may participate in the symposium.
If you are interested in participating, please send either a one-page abstract of your proposed paper or a short draft of your paper, along with your CV, by September 11th, to jhr@law.northwestern.edu. Short papers (i.e., 2000-5000 words) are also eligible for publication. Please send all abstracts and manuscripts in the form of Microsoft Word documents (.doc or .docx). As a condition of participation in the symposium, the proposed work must remain unpublished (i.e., not under any stage of submission or review at any journal or law review) prior to the close of the symposium.