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02 April 2026

CALL FOR PAPERS: Issue 8 (2027) of LawArt. Journal of Law, Art and History [DEADLINE 31 MAY 2026]



(Source: LawArt)

Call for papers for Issue 8 (2027) of LawArt. Journal of Law, Art and History

LawArt. Journal of Law, Art and History is issuing a call for papers for the section Itineraries of issue 8 (2027), which will be dedicated to the following theme: Icons in Art and Turning Points in Law: A Twentieth-Century Intertwining?

The Twentieth Century shows experiences of an interesting interaction between the processes of iconization of art – i.e., the propensity of personalities, figures or even individual works to stand out as emblematic of an era and its changes –and the emergence of certain legal institutions destined to become, in the second half of the Century, the pillars of the new legal order in Europe at the national and international levels.

This is the case of fundamental and human rights (and even more so of war crimes or crimes against humanity) or the very idea of democracy; and, in relation to these, the emblematisation of a work of art, such as a novel, a play, a musical composition or an art magazine, may have played a role, or at least been intertwined in the discursive dimension that accompanied its emergence. The phenomenon may have been expressed in works of transnational and intergenerational significance (think of Picasso’s Guernica, Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, Bertolt Brecht’s theatre, Bob Dylan’s and Nina Simone’s music, Sebastião Salgado’s photography, Frida Kahlo’s art, to name some examples) but it may also have been generated at national or interregional level, through experiences that had less resonance on a global scale, but were no less effective in promoting the convergence of the discursive fields of art and law.

It is on the meaning and features of this combination that we intend to reflect. How can the notion of artistic ‘icon’ and the process of iconization be conceptualized in connection to law and its developments? What type of normative connotations does it reflect (are icons always ‘positive’)? To what extent has the dynamics of the iconization of art been fostered by the commitment to rights, social justice, and democracy? Or was it the disruptive anticipatory power of art to reveal and narrate emerging values that fostered those developments in law?

With this thematic approach, the section ‘itineraries’ of issue 8 of LawArt will attempt to understand, on the one hand, some of the ‘iconic’ paths that law has followed to stand out and take shape and, on the other, the dynamics that have led art to acquire emblematic value.

The ambition is also to reflect on the relevance of the issue today, namely whether this intertwining of iconicization of art and law is a phenomenon unique to the 20th century or whether it also has potential today. The present day, in fact, seems to be moving further away from the legal ‘achievements’ of the Twentieth Century (some of which have become basic values of social cohesion and the cornerstone of civil coexistence). As these cornerstones decline, has art given up on producing new icons?

The theme calls for a highly interdisciplinary approach; therefore, proposals for articles with co-authors from different disciplines are welcome and encouraged. Articles can be submitted in Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.

·     Proposals for publication (an abstract of no more than 500 words together with a CV of the author or, where applicable, authors) should be sent by email to lawartjournal@gmail.com by 30 April 2026.

·     The selection of articles will be made by the journal’s Board of editors by 31 May 2026.

·     Final articles (which may be up to 10,000 words in length) must be submitted by 31 May 2027.

·     The final articles will be accepted for publication following a positive evaluation by the Board of editors and a double peer review.

·     Issue 8 (2027) is scheduled for publication in November 2027.

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