Overview
We have an interesting programme of events planned, entertainment for both nights and a range of comfortable accommodation options. There is much to do in Manchester and the surrounding area if you are able to spend some time here before or after the conference (see www.visitmanchester.com)
We are calling for papers in the usual areas of socio-legal research but we also want to draw upon expertise within the School. The Centre for Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies has two main areas of research: the Crime and Criminal Justice Group and the Regulation and Socio-Legal Studies Group. Other Centres within the Law School conducting socio-legal reserach are: the Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, one of Europe's leading institutions in bioethics and biolaw; the new Sustainability, Policy and Regulation Research Centre, which focuses on environmental research and socio-legal perspectives of regulatory and environmental policy; and the Institute for Law, Economy and Global Governance, which studies international relationships, structures and governance.
Following on from the SLSA one-day workshop 'Examining Textbooks', there will be a special session entitled 'Re-imagining textbooks'. This round-table session led by Fiona Cownie will give academics and publishers a chance to discuss issues around legal textbooks, including how we use textbooks, what we like and dislike about them, authoring textbooks, and what new developments we would like to see in the textbooks of the future. A range of both academics and publishers have agreed to participate, so there should be some good discussion. Come along and have your say!
A special session on computer assisted analysis of qualitative data sources (CADAS) is also running. The session will start with a demonstration of one of the major CADAS packages, NVIVO, and will allow researchers an early viewing of the latest version of the software, namely NVIVO8. This will be followed by a presentation by empirical qualitative researchers who have used CADAS to analyse socio-legal data collected as part of a project investigating the regulatory impact on small and medium enterprises. The session will conclude with a debate concerning the relative pros and cons of using CADAS.
Following concerns expressed in the Nuffield Enquiry report about the future of empirical socio-legal research, the conference will also see the launch of the Legal Empirical Research Support Network (LERSNet) by Martin Partington.
AGM
The SLSA AGM is scheduled for 1.15 on 19 March. All members are warmly invited to attend. Some members of the Executive Committee will be standing down at that meeting and nominations are sought for replacements.
Entertainment
Tuesday morning: one of the following guided tours:
a) Manchester landmarks;
b) Manchester music (Joy Division, The Smiths, Happy Mondays et al)
c) Old Trafford / City of Manchester Stadium
Tuesday evening: drinks reception, followed by a buffet at Kro 2 (bar and restaurant)
Wednesday evening: Reception and Conference Dinner at Manchester Town Hall
Timetable
A draft programme of papers and the abstract book are now available
Tuesday 18 March 2008 |
|
| 9.30-12.30 | Manchester tour (must be pre-booked) |
| 11.30-6.00 | Registration |
| 12.30-1.30 | Lunch |
| 1.30-3.00 | Session 1 |
| 3.00-3.30 | Tea and Coffee |
| 3.30-5.00 | Session 2 |
| 5.00-6.00 | Launch of LERSNet |
| 7.00- | Drinks and Dinner at Kro 2 |
Wednesday 19 March 2008 |
|
| 09.00-10.30 | Session 3 |
| 10.30-11.00 | Tea and Coffee sponsored by Cambridge University Press |
| 11.00-12.30 | Session 4 |
| 12.30-2.00 | Lunch and SLSA Annual General Meeting |
| 2.00-3.30 | Session 5 |
| 3.30-4.00 | Law & Policy 30th Anninversary Reception, tea, coffee and cake |
| 4.00-5.30 | Session 6 |
| 7.30 - | Drinks Reception sponsored by the School of Law, University of Manchester Conference Dinner at Manchester Town Hall |
Thursday 20 March 2008 |
|
| 9.30-11.00 | Session 7 |
| 11.00-11.30 | Tea and Coffee |
| 11.30-1.00 | Session 8 |
| 1.00 | Lunch and End of Conference |