SOCIAL & LEGAL STUDIES

Scope & Guideline

Fostering Critical Conversations in Social and Legal Studies

Introduction

Immerse yourself in the scholarly insights of SOCIAL & LEGAL STUDIES with our comprehensive guidelines detailing its aims and scope. This page is your resource for understanding the journal's thematic priorities. Stay abreast of trending topics currently drawing significant attention and explore declining topics for a full picture of evolving interests. Our selection of highly cited topics and recent high-impact papers is curated within these guidelines to enhance your research impact.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0964-6639
PublisherSAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited Kingdom
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 1992 to 2024
AbbreviationSOC LEGAL STUD / Soc. Leg. Stud.
Frequency4 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
Address1 OLIVERS YARD, 55 CITY ROAD, LONDON EC1Y 1SP, ENGLAND

Aims and Scopes

The journal 'Social & Legal Studies' focuses on the intersection of law, society, and social justice, exploring the complexities of legal frameworks and their impact on marginalized communities. Its research aims to critically analyze legal practices, policies, and institutions through diverse methodologies, including qualitative research, critical theory, and socio-legal analysis.
  1. Socio-Legal Research:
    The journal emphasizes the importance of socio-legal studies, which examine how law interacts with social norms, practices, and institutions. This includes exploring the implications of legal decisions on societal issues.
  2. Human Rights and Social Justice:
    A core area of focus is the examination of human rights issues, particularly how laws impact marginalized groups, including women, racial minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community.
  3. Feminist Legal Theory:
    The journal consistently addresses themes related to feminist legal theory, exploring how law perpetuates gender inequalities and how legal frameworks can be reformed to promote gender justice.
  4. Critical Legal Studies:
    Critical perspectives on law and its role in maintaining power structures are frequently explored, highlighting the limitations and biases inherent in legal systems.
  5. Interdisciplinary Approaches:
    The journal encourages interdisciplinary methodologies, integrating insights from sociology, anthropology, history, and political science to enrich the understanding of legal phenomena.
Recent publications have highlighted several emerging themes that reflect the evolving landscape of social and legal studies. These trends indicate a growing focus on pressing contemporary issues and innovative approaches to legal scholarship.
  1. Intersectionality in Law:
    There is a notable increase in research exploring intersectionality, particularly how multiple identities (race, gender, sexuality) interact within legal contexts, shaping experiences of discrimination and justice.
  2. Environmental Justice and Law:
    Emerging themes include the intersection of environmental issues with legal frameworks, particularly in relation to climate change and its legal implications for vulnerable communities.
  3. Digital Law and Technology:
    The impact of technology on legal practices, including issues related to privacy, data protection, and the regulation of digital platforms, is becoming a significant focus of inquiry.
  4. State Violence and Human Rights:
    An increasing number of articles examine state violence, policing practices, and their implications for human rights, reflecting heightened global interest in these critical issues.
  5. Global Perspectives on Law:
    There is a growing trend towards exploring legal issues from a global perspective, including comparative analyses that highlight the experiences of different jurisdictions, particularly in the Global South.

Declining or Waning

While the journal has a broad focus, certain themes appear to be declining in prominence based on recent publications. These waning areas may reflect shifts in societal concerns or changes in the academic landscape.
  1. Traditional Legal Doctrines:
    There seems to be a decrease in the examination of traditional legal doctrines and formal legal analysis, as the journal increasingly prioritizes socio-legal perspectives and critical analyses over conventional legal scholarship.
  2. Historical Legal Analysis:
    While historical perspectives remain relevant, fewer papers are focused solely on historical legal analysis, indicating a potential shift toward contemporary issues and their immediate socio-legal implications.
  3. Legal Formalism:
    The emphasis on strict legal formalism appears to be waning, with more articles focusing on the social implications and lived experiences surrounding legal issues rather than adhering to rigid legal interpretations.

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