In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the American Journal of International Law (AJIL) is issuing a worldwide call for papers for an Agora symposium to be published in the October 2020 issue of the Journal.  The topic – “The International Legal Order and the Global Pandemic” – recognizes that the present crisis raises foundational questions for the international legal order that extend beyond the immediate challenges to public health and economic stability.  Papers can address any aspect of this topic from a historical, institutional, doctrinal, normative, critical, or geopolitical perspective, or a mix of approaches, including but not limited to:

• state responsibility for pandemics;
• the design and operation of international institutions, such as the World Health Organization, and other forms of international cooperation;
• challenges to the promotion and protection of human rights during pandemics, including emergency and police powers, surveillance technologies, and the impact on migration and refugees;
• the disparate consequences of pandemics for minority groups, economic inequality, or intergenerational equity;
• the relationship between climate change and pandemics;
• controversies over innovation for medical treatments and vaccines and the cross-border distribution of goods, services, and knowledge;
• threats to the global financial system; and
• historical analyses of pandemics and insights for present and future challenges

Papers should not exceed 5,000 words, inclusive of footnotes.  The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2020.  Submitted papers should be emailed to admin_ajil@law.duke.edu.

The selection of papers will be based on importance, novelty, and quality of analysis, with particular attention given to papers likely to have lasting relevance.  An effort will also be made to publish a diverse array of contributions.  Authors are asked to conform to AJIL’s style manual, which can be found here.