Dear colleagues,

We are organizing a workshop or a small conference to discuss and publicize the most recent and exciting scholarship on history of Chinese law & society and legal culture, tentatively entitled “Origins and Transformation of Chinese Legal Modernity: New Inquiries and New Insights,” currently scheduled in August 2012 at Columbia University in New York.

We are looking for works based on original methodology, original analysis, or significant findings informed by new sources in this area. While more established scholars with novel topics or insights are always welcome, younger scholars in the field, including recent Ph.D.s or advanced Ph.D. candidates, are particularly encouraged to submit a proposal for consideration.

We have secured funding to cover most of the reasonable cost of travel and local accommodation for those participants) whose proposals are selected, but participants are also strongly encouraged to seek other funds to cover or defray their expenses. Those with their own funding should indicate that when submitting proposals. Potential participants should submit an abstract of 500 to 1000 words describing the topic, research question or methodology, types of archives/sources (to be) used, major arguments (if available now), and how it can shed new light on or contribute to the study of Chinese legal history and legal culture in relation to the theme of the workshop. An outline and update about the proposed paper will be due twelve weeks before the workshop. A fairly developed draft paper will be due and distributed among the participants six weeks before the workshop in order to allow the participants to extensively discuss and critique at the workshop itself.

The organizers plan to publish one or possibly two volumes of the research papers which will be selected not just for their internal quality but also for their fit with the other papers of the volume. Another workshop is planned in Toronto in 2012-2013 if the funding is secured. One of our goals is to produce a publication that can be used as a much-needed textbook for related courses.

The preliminary deadline for the workshop proposals is August 20, 2011. We will strive to inform the funded participants within four weeks of deadline.

Workshop Organizers:
Prof. Madeleine Zelin, Dean Lung Professor of Chinese Studies and Professor of History at Columbia University Prof. Li Chen, Assistant Professor of History and Global Asia Studies at the University of Toronto

Please email your inquiry or proposal to: lc2069@gmail.com.