We are inviting proposals for papers to be presented at a series of panels on local justice to be held at the forthcoming International meeting of LASA, in San Juan de Puerto Rico. The panels will address historical, anthropological and other disciplinary perspectives concerning “local justice” understood not just in geographical terms but mainly in terms of how justice operates at the domestic and grassroots level. We are particularly interested in informal mechanisms of justice, but are also open to considering formal (state) mechanisms of justice implemented at the local (village-neighborhood) level with active participation from communities.

The groups of panels we have envisioned are the following:

1. “Local Justice in Colonial Times” [Historical panel]. Sponsored by LASA’s Law and Society Section. This panel is already complete.
2. “Local Justice in Modern Times” [Historical Panel].
3. “Local Justice and Customary Practices” [Anthropological Panel].” [Addressing issues of legal pluralism, multiculturalism, indigenous jurisdictions, etc.]. Retrospective and Contemporary Perspectives [Anthropological Panel].
4. “Local Justice and Informatily.” [Anthropological/Criminological Panel] [Addressing issues of vigilantism, lynching, self-adjudication].
5. “Local Justice and Formal Justice.” [Antropology/Political Science Panel] [addressing issues of state recognition of and intervention in/policing of communal forms of justice; alternative dispute resolution at the local level]

Deadline: Wednesday, March 23. Extended to Monday, March 28
Requirements: Provide information [paper’s title, abstract, information on presenter, etc] required in one of the forms found in: http://lasa.international.pitt.edu/lasa2006-1.htm. This should take no more than 15 minutes to prepare. Organizers will select and send directly to LASA. Proposals not selected for panels will be sent to LASA as individual requests.