International Conference, Maputo, Mozambique, April 28-30, 2010State and Non-State Public Safety and Justice ProvisionThe dynamics of legal pluralism in Mozambique CALL FOR PAPERS On behalf of the Aquino de Braganca Social Studies Centre (CESAB), Mozambique, and the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), we hereby invite scholars and doctoral candidates from different disciplines to submit paper-abstracts to the International Conference on ‘The Dynamics of Legal Pluralism in Mozambique’ to take place in Maputo on April 28-30, 2010. The conference aims to invigorate a critical debate on the dynamics of legal pluralism in Mozambique from both an academic and a policy perspective. It will do so by focusing equally on justice enforcement and policing or public safety provision. In particularly the conference will address the varied roles played by non-state, informal, customary and religious institutions that engage in dispute resolution, policing and justice provision, and how these in different ways interact with formal state institutions in practice. The organisers encourage papers that are based on empirical research conducted in different areas of Mozambique and that address how legal pluralism plays itself out in practice. Invited internationally recognised keynote speakers will inform the discussion of legal pluralism and state-non-state dynamics from a theoretical perspective, and do so by drawing on case-studies from outside of Mozambique. Selected scholars from other African countries are also invited to bring a comparative perspective to the conference and to improve the exchange of experiences especially within the SADC region. The conference will furthermore engage in a critical debate on the law and policy making-process that revolves around legal pluralism. The role of non-state providers is high on the agenda of the Mozambican government and its development partners, but it is an area surrounded by ambiguity. Six years have passed since Legal Pluralism was recognised in the Mozambican Constitution. However, substantial legislation that supports legal pluralism is still lacking, such as laws that outline the relationship between different providers. Even so many forms of interaction between state and non-state providers already exist ‘on the ground’. There is also currently a void in accumulated knowledge of the varied experiences resulting from reform-related programs, supported by NGOs and donors since the mid-1990s. The conference aims to fill this void by bringing together scholars, policy-makers and practitioners during its first two days. This part will address not only what reform has so far meant in practice, but also what the future challenges and prospects are for legal pluralism as a guiding reform principle. The third day of the conference is reserved for scholars and also aims to prepare for a Publication in English and Portuguese. Particularly we would like to invite papers that address legal pluralism within the following themes, but paper abstracts that bridge these themes or bring new dimensions to the fore are also welcome:
Please consult the ) and Amelia Souto (amelianeves.souto@gmail.com). Papers can be submitted in either Portuguese or in English (translation will be provided during the conference and in the publication process). We look forward to hear from all interested participants, and encourage you to forward this call for papers to any other relevant individuals and institutions |
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