Notice and Call for Papers

Theme:
Family Solidarity versus Social Solidarity in an era of planetary crisis
It can be said that in an era of global crisis almost every legal system faces the dilemmas posed by family solidarity and social solidarity.

This conference seeks to contribute to the larger vision within which international contemporary societies reflect on policy and law in relation to family solidarity and social solidarity. Challenges of contemporary aging derived from the demographic changes of the past century will be considered.  It is also at stake whether family law and social law should support solidarity within more pluralistic personal relationships. An essential policy question should be how we can support individuals who create solidarity relationships. One significant axis of controversy concerns the appropriate respective roles of the family and the state in bearing dependency burdens. Should we favour a larger cost-bearing role for the family or a larger cost-bearing role for the state? If the traditional breadwinner-married-to-caretaker model and the universal breadwinner model fail, on what alternative conception should the legal system be premised? Various forms of solidarity and institutions relating to family law should be taken into account.

Location:
Porto. It is the first time that an ISFL conference takes place in Portugal.

Language:
English and French.

Conference Venue:
Portuguese Catholic University Campus Foz, Rua Diogo Botelho, 1327, 4169-005 Porto.
The lecture room will be equipped with Windows-PC.

Dates: 10-12 September 2009.

Convenor:
Maria João Vaz Tomé (Portuguese Catholic University Law School).

Invitees:
All members of the ISFL are invited to attend and to present papers. Other Portuguese academics, professionals and government officials interested in family law are also invited. Distinguished Professors Beata Verschraegen (Univesity of Vienna), John Eekelaar (Oxford University), and Sanford Katz (Boston College Law School) will be the keynote speakers.

Publication of Papers:
The convenor is planning to arrange for publication of selected papers.

Submission of Paper Proposals:
Persons wishing to present a paper at this conference should submit a one-page abstract/proposal containing the following information: Working Title of the Paper, Author’s Name, Institutional Affiliation, Mailing Address, Phone and Email Address. Send proposals as an email attachment to Maria João Vaz Tomé at mtome@porto.ucp.pt. Deadline for submission: July 15, 2009 (earlier submissions preferred; rolling acceptances).

Registration:
The registration fee include admission to all scientific sessions, programme and abstract book, welcome and goodbye dinners, lunches and coffee breaks. Accompanying person’s fee includes admission to the welcome and goodbye dinners (no admission to lectures, coffee breaks and lunches).

Further information may be found at the ISFL website http://www.law2.byu.edu/isfl/, or contact from the conference organisation Portuguese Catholic University Law School, Manuela Sousa at msousa@porto.ucp.pt, phone (351) 226196284, or contact from the convenor at mtome@porto.ucp.pt.

Scientific Committee:
Guilherme de Oliveira, John Eekelaar, Masha Antokolskaia, and Maria João Vaz Tomé.