October 23-26, 2008

This conference will explore the analytical, theoretical, empirical and normative dimensions of the various ways in which law has been used to restructure post-communist societies. Among the topics to be considered are the impact of legal reforms on democratization; the consequences, expected or unforeseen, of transplanting foreign constitutional and legislative models into post-communist social contexts; the place of law as a regulatory/enforcement mechanism within political environments where other, alternative regulatory/enforcement mechanisms also operate; the strategic deployment of law in authoritarian post-Soviet settings, including how law and legalistic principles may be exploited to subvert democracy ; and the role of legal norms and entitlements in emerging configurations of economic power. The discussion will not be limited to specific institutions or legal phenomena: we expect to cover a wide array of issues ranging from the philosophical justification of constitutional principles to the rationale underpinning local administrative regulations, and from the decisions of constitutional courts to the acts of special jurisdictions.

We invite submissions that demonstrate the heuristic potential of various approaches to the study of law and legal change, such as analyses of constitutional design and the impact of major legislation, anthropological accounts of citizens' actual encounters with various legal regimes, explorations into the emergence of local legal culture(s), and surveys of geographical variations in the implementation of general rules. We are particularly interested in stimulating cross-disciplinary conversations about the nature and significance of legal change in the evolution of post-communist societies.

We encourage proposals from young researchers who have already completed their dissertation research (ABD) or have defended their dissertation within the last three years. This will be an intensive 2-1/2 day working conference during which each of the selected papers will be critiqued by the other participants, including the authors, the keynote speaker, organizer Venelin Ganev, Associate Professor of political science, and a team of discussants made up of Miami University faculty. The Havighurst Center will provide accommodation in Oxford, ground transportation to and from the airport, and partial travel funding (up to $250 for domestic travel and up to $500 for international travel).

To be considered for the conference, submit an abstract of approximately 250 words and a short CV to mailto:HavighurstCenter@muohio.edu by April 25, 2008. Please type "2008 Young Researchers Conference" as the subject of the email. Questions can be directed to:

The Havighurst Center for Russian & Post-Soviet Studies Miami University Harrison Hall, Room 116 Oxford, OH 45056 (513) 529-3303 havighurstcenter@muohio.edu