The 2021 Annual Meeting

Reconceiving International Law: Creativity in Times of Crisis

From March 24 – 27, 2021, the American Society of International Law will convene its 115th Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting Committee (chaired by Simon Batifort, Christie Edwards, and Darin Johnson) welcomes ideas for sessions reflecting the meeting's theme, "Reconceiving International Law: Creativity in Times of Crisis."

Annual Meeting Theme:

In these extraordinary times, dramatic shifts in global health, the global economy, and geopolitical power structures are forcing human beings to adapt and evolve. These shifts require us to revisit the operation of the legal, political, and conceptual structures of our international order, and to examine the possibility — and perhaps necessity — of creating new norms, tools, and paradigms.

Today's health, economic, and racial justice crises are having a profound impact on the rule of law, human security, and the environment; human rights and gender equality; international business and trade; and virtually all other aspects of society. These effects are being exacerbated by the differing approaches that governments, international organizations, and private actors have taken toward international problem-solving. Although some may hope for a return to "normalcy" in all these areas, the current moment offers both the challenge and the opportunity to reconsider and potentially to reshape international law and international institutions.

The 2021 Annual Meeting of the American Society of International Law will provide a forum to think critically and creatively about all fields of international law. Sessions will present a broad range of perspectives on innovative ways to address emerging issues, to improve global governance, and to tackle international problems. More than ever, it is a time to come together as international law scholars and practitioners, and to challenge ourselves to imagine a new way forward.

Session Tracks:

  • International Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, and Criminal Justice
  • Transnational Litigation, Arbitration, and Dispute Resolution
  • International Trade, Investment, and Finance
  • International Organizations, Global Governance, and Global Health
  • Security, Foreign Relations, and Use of Force
  • Environment, Sea, Space, and Sustainable Development