CfP: Philosophy and the Law in Africa

Call for Papers: "Philosophy and the Law in Africa"
International Conference
Center for African Legal Studies, Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Nigeria)
12-13 June 2008
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Every law and legal system is an expression of the dominant values, beliefs and standards of action of the law makers or law givers of a society and, consequently, an expression of a philosophical or ideological position or perspective. In other words, laws express the philosophy of a people. It is one of the major tools in the transformation of a society in the pursuit of accepted and desired values and ideals; and, this is because laws and regulations, broadly speaking, determine the structure and effectiveness of the administrative framework a country, from the broad issues of governance and justice to the issue of the responsiveness of junior public servants.
Approaching law from a philosophical standpoint raises interesting concerns for both areas of academic endeavour. Made available are different methodological tools and models of analysis that can be used to clarify problematic issues and expose shared difficulties and purposes. This is certainly true of the possible outcomes of philosophical investigation into the law in the African context and the aim of the conference is to highlight areas of philosophical concern and intersection with law, showing how both areas of intellectual endeavour can interact to resolve certain problematics and improve understanding of shared underlying concerns.
The conference is also concerned with making philosophers, legal theorists, law makers, lawyers, social scientists and scholars in the humanities to appreciate, adopt and project the development perspective in creatively rethinking the legal systems and institutional frameworks in Africa, especially Nigeria, given the philosophical, historical, sociological context of modern African states with a view to creating the framework that will make the desired goals of development realizable.

Based on the above, the following are areas for the call for papers:
- Developing an African Concept of Law
- African Philosophy and the Evolution of African Legal Thought
- Philosophy in Legal Education
- Gender, Law and Philosophy
- Customary Law and Legal Reform
- Ubuntu and the Law
- Human Rights in Africa
- The Concept of State
- The Concept of Justice
- Issues in Legal Pluralism
- African Ideologies and the Law
- The Concept of a Legal system
- Law and Morality
- Legislation and Culture
- Adjudication and the Rule of Law
- Indigenous Religions and the Law
- African philosophy, ethics, customary law, and the major social challenges such as slavery, imperialism, globalization

Abstract Guidelines:

Proposals for papers falling into any of the above areas or on related issues should be between 300-400 words and sent to <jocagbakoba@yahoo.co.nz>, <nna@aber.ac.uk> or <esnwauche@afrilegstudies.com> as an e-mail attachment by 31st March 2008.
Selected papers from the conference will be published in the 2008 volume of the African Journal of Legal Theory hosted by the Centre for African Legal Studies. The general aim of the conference would be to create a forum for on-going discussion between researchers in law and researchers in philosophy and through this encourage possible collaborative work between researchers in both areas.

Contact:
Dr Achike Agbakoba, Head
Department of Philosophy, University of Nigeria
Nsukka, Nigeria
Phone: +234 803 7112470
Email: jocagbakobe@yahoo.co.nz
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E.S Nwauche, Director
Centre for African Legal Studies
P.O Box 7663
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Phone: +234 803 0523457
Email: esnwauche@afrilegstudies.com
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Web: http://www.afrilegstudies.com/intercon/