Call for Papers: RLI 6th Annual Conference

IMPROVING THE GLOBAL REFUGEE REGIME: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE?

6^th RLI Annual Conference: Call for Papers
29 June - 1 July 2022

Run as a virtual event over three half-days, the 6^th RLI Annual Conference is dedicated to debating the latest research and developments in our field. It builds on the success of our previous conferences in uniting academics, practitioners, policy-makers and students.

1. Thematic Panels: ‘Improving the Global Refugee Regime: From Theory to Practice?’

Some speakers at the 5^th RLI annual conference argued that the global refugee regime needs changing. Such proposals open topical debate around how a reconfigured refugee regime might look (e.g. new burden-sharing arrangements, a global oversight mechanism etc.). Yet they also raise difficult questions about the desirability and feasibility of such change.

At this year’s 6^th annual conference, the RLI challenges the refugee law/protection field to take this debate head on. We are interested in receiving well-developed proposals not only on what needs to be changed but also whether, why, where, how and by whom. Sample questions that paper/panel proposals addressing this year’s theme might consider include:

• Does the regime need to change? If so, why does the regime need to change? Are existing processes of change, such as the Global Compact on Refugees, sufficient?
• What needs to be changed? We are keen on focused and detailed proposals of what to change, supported by evidence, rather than simply generic prescriptions.
• Where does the change need to happen? Within the refugee regime or in the wider structures around it? In which regions or institutions? At what levels?
• Who should be responsible for change? What role might governments, international organisations and agencies, civil society and refugees play in promoting change?
• How do we get from here to there? A key question. Lofty aspirations are important, but set against the reality of refugee responses and global politics what is feasible?

2. Open Panels: Any topic relevant to the RLI

Our open panels address ANY topic of law, policy and practice concerning refugees, IDPs, stateless persons or forced migrants. They offer an open platform for a broader range of high-quality research in this field. Proposals to these panels can engage with law, policy or practice at the international, regional, national or local levels and in any country or region.

3. Proposals: Papers and Panels

Please send all paper and panel proposals (of 3-4 papers maximum) for ‘thematic’ and ‘open’ panels to rliconference2022@sas.ac.uk. We welcome proposals from researchers at any stage in their careers and, particularly, from researchers working in or on refugee protection in the global South. The deadline for proposals is Thursday 31 March 2022.

Proposals for papers, whether part of a panel proposal or not, should be Word attachments of 300 words max. The subject line of your email must state whether your proposal is for a single paper or a panel and for the ‘thematic’ or ‘open’ panels. Proposals will be selected by the committee based on quality, relevance, and coherence with other submissions.

4. Registration

All attendees, including presenters, will need to register (for free) for the conference. Conference registration will open from Monday 25 April 2022 via www.sas.ac.uk/rli.