[Although the due date in this CFP has passed, submissions are still open. DRE]
Voices for Liberty: Free Speech, Civil Rights & Social Progress
Submission: December 31, 2022 — 5 p.m. EST Priority Deadline
Paper proposals must be submitted by December 31, 2022, for full consideration and will be considered after the priority deadline on a rolling basis. All proposals should include a summary of issues to be addressed, the proposed methodology, and the feasibility of a completed draft by June 2023 and final submission by September 2023. Voices for Liberty will notify those selected by January 31, 2023. Please find the selection criteria and submission guidelines [below].
Full Details:
The Liberty & Law Center at the Antonin Scalia Law School requests paper proposals for its initiative: Voices for Liberty: Free Speech, Civil Rights & Social Progress. What role has freedom of speech played when it comes to the legal and social progress of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and/or socially marginalized? In the current public debate, some view freedom of speech as detrimental to minority groups, while others champion it as a necessary condition for protecting underrepresented voices. The former view is more often espoused in both the academy and the popular press. As a result, freedom of speech is frequently seen as a countervailing force in tension with civil rights. But is it?
Voices for Liberty aims to:
- Highlight and focus attention on important contributions to the welfare of minority and underrepresented groups made by the ability to speak throughout history;
- Analyze the effects of restricting speech;
- Assess the argument that limiting speech will help minority groups achieve greater equality; and
- Share evidence of the impact of robust speech protections on current and future civil rights movements.
Original scholarship of specific interest includes, but is not limited to:
- A historical examination of the relationship between social progress on minority concerns and freedom of speech for groups and movements such as (but not limited to) abolition, women's suffrage, women’s liberation, religious minorities, the Civil Rights Movement and LGBTQ rights.
- The role free speech plays in advancing the causes of contemporary social movements such as Black Lives Matter, transgender rights, the MeToo movement, etc.
- The role of free speech in making possible new and future civil rights movements.
- The impacts of speech regulation, including hate speech provisions, on civil rights movements and underrepresented groups.
- The impacts of social media and technology on the relationship between civil rights of minority and underrepresented groups and free speech.
Author Requirements:
1. Research Roundtable, Antonin Scalia School of Law, Arlington, VA (June 2023, Date TBD)
The Initiative will host a research roundtable for the papers, which will bring together scholars and experts to provide feedback on the paper drafts prior to completion. Authors will receive expert feedback to improve the final product. The Liberty & Law Center shall pay for reasonable travel costs to attend the roundtable.
2. Voices for Liberty Symposium (September 22, 2023). The papers will be presented at a public symposium to be held in Arlington, VA. The structure will consist of each author presenting their findings as part of a panel discussion regarding the paper. Authors are expected to attend the Symposium. In addition to the authors, the panelists and moderators will include experts in free speech and other relevant fields from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. The Liberty & Law Center shall pay for reasonable travel costs to attend the Symposium. The event will be both live-streamed and recorded.
3. Publication of Working Draft on SSRN (September 2023). Authors are expected to revise their paper based on feedback from the Research Roundtable and have a working draft suitable for publication on SSRN by Sept. 1, 2023. Papers will also be housed on the Initiative’s and Center’s website.
4. Completion of Final Draft and Submission to an Academic Journal (Sept. 2023-Apr. 2024). The papers will be published on SSRN by the Liberty & Law Center in September 2023 and in academic journals. Authors are responsible for securing placement in a law review or academic journal by April 15, 2024. The Liberty & Law Center may arrange to have the papers published in a symposium issue of a law journal.
5. Op-Ed, Webinars, and Other Media. (Sept. 2023-Apr. 2024). Each paper will be accompanied by at least one op-ed written by the author and placed in a prominent news outlet. The Initiative work with the author on placing the op-ed.
Application Process:
Paper proposals must be submitted by December 31, 2022, for full consideration and will be considered after the priority deadline on a rolling basis.
To submit a paper proposal for Voices for Liberty please email your application to VFLI@gmu.edu. All proposals are treated confidentially. Within the proposal, please include submitter information including: first and last name, position title, email, organization, and a brief bio. All proposals should include a summary of the issue to be addressed, the proposed methodology, and the feasibility of a completed draft by June 2023 and final submission by September 2023.
The Initiative will notify those selected by January 31, 2023. The Liberty & Law Center will offer substantial honoraria to paper authors.
Important Notes Regarding Application:
- On your application, please include your citizenship status (confirmation of current U.S.citizenship or current visa status). Please note that there is a difference in the honorarium payment process and travel processing for authors without U.S. citizenship; this will vary based on the individual’s visa status.
- All interested applicants must check with their university or employer before applying to ensure that the individual is cleared to participate in the program and so that their university or employer understands the program’s requirements.
- Accepted applicants will be required to sign an agreement confirming they understand the program requirements and payment details.
