Call for Submissions and Speakers
18th Annual Law & Society Symposium
Charleston Law Review and Riley Institute at Furman University
February 20, 2026 – Charleston Museum, Charleston, South Carolina
The Charleston Law Review, in partnership with the Riley Institute at Furman University, is pleased to announce the 18th Annual Law & Society Symposium, entitled Governance of the Body: Law, Autonomy, and the State. The Symposium will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026 at the Charleston Museum in Charleston, South Carolina.
This year’s Symposium will explore the ways in which the state exercises power over the body, especially when those bodies are considered vulnerable, deviant, or disposable. The Symposium will examine the legal, political, and ethical dimensions of how we educate children with disabilities, respond to individuals suffering from substance abuse, and impose the ultimate punishment through the death penalty. Together, these conversations will highlight the tensions between individual autonomy, state control, and the pursuit of justice.
We welcome submissions from authors and speakers addressing any aspect of the Symposium’s theme, including but not limited to:
- Disability law and advocacy in the educational and workplace context;
- Rehabilitation as both a legal and social project: successes, failures, and reform proposals;
- The death penalty and modern execution methods;
- Historical, philosophical, or comparative perspectives on disability, punishment, or rehabilitation; and
- The intersection of disability, education, and access to justice.
Publication and Participation
Selected papers will be published in the Fall 2026 issue of the Charleston Law Review. Authors of accepted submissions will also be invited to participate in the Symposium as panelists. In addition, we are seeking practitioners, policymakers, and advocates to serve as speakers and commentators alongside academic authors.
Submission Guidelines
Abstracts and draft papers will be considered for publication on a rolling basis until December 1, 2025, with initial drafts due by February 13, 2026 and final submissions due by May 1, 2026. Those interested in publishing with the Charleston Law Review must submit an abstract or draft paper, as well as a current CV, to MNFrazier@charlestonlaw.edu. Those interested in speaking but not publishing must email their CV to MNFrazier@charlestonlaw.edu by December 1, 2025.