Special issue: Legal Mobilization and Infrastructures of Protest Culture

Themes of the special issue

1. Suppressing and policing protest as an oppressive use of law (i.e. lawfare)
2. Conceptualizing and analyzing protest as a legitimate tactic of legal mobilization
3. The cultures of protest
4. Protest as dissent and counterpower
5. Historical evolution of protest

Expression of interest

Deadline - 15 October 2025

Expressions of interest for papers should include:

1. A cover letter. The cover letter should include a one-paragraph bio (maximum 200 words) together with a few sentences outlining the context of the paper: i.e. whether part of a PhD project, based on empirical research, part of ongoing research, etc.
2. An abstract (maximum 350 words). 

Please submit the pdf by email with the Subject: ‘Special issue: Legal Mobilization and Infrastructures of Protest Culture before 15 October 2025 to LMP@iss.nl

The initial selection process will be based on the abstract's quality and its relatedness with the core themes of the project, and other submitted proposals. 

Decisions on accepted papers will be communicated by 30 November 2025.
Successful contributors will be invited to submit a full-length paper for a preparatory, online workshop to take place in the Spring of 2026, allowing for rigorous, peer-review prior to submission, and with the hope that your paper will be part of this edited Special Issue collection in a highly-ranked (ISI), peer-reviewed academic journal.
 

Please note: formal acceptance of your paper depends on a positive review by reviewers of the Journal.