The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (JCLC) is now accepting proposals for our 2027 Symposium!
The JCLC has long been a home for rigorous, impactful scholarship at the intersection of law and criminology, and our annual Symposium is one of the most meaningful ways we bring that scholarship to life. We are genuinely excited to see the ideas and conversations this year's call will inspire, and we hope you'll consider being a part of it.
Proposals should be at least 2–3 pages and include:
• A description of the symposium idea and its contribution to legal scholarship
• A list of potential speakers, panelists, and authors
• The name and contact information of the proposed Symposium Organizer(s)
• A draft budget outline and disclosure of any secured or potential funding sources
Proposals will be evaluated on connection to criminal law and/or criminology, originality, timeliness, academic quality, societal impact, and diversity of perspectives. While this is an open call to the broader legal academic community, we especially encourage proposals that include Northwestern faculty among their participants — so please do consider collaborating with colleagues across disciplines.
To submit, please email your proposal and CV(s) to chaviva.nicholas@law.northwestern.edu and jessica.phalen@law.northwestern.eduwith the subject line beginning: [JCLC Symposium Proposal]. The submission deadline is May 8, 2026, and finalists will be notified by May 20, 2026.
Selected symposium pieces will be published in The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Volume 117, Issue 4 (Fall 2027). Pieces should be approximately 10,000–20,000 words. Please note that publication is not guaranteed to all speakers; the JCLC retains full editorial discretion.
We anticipate the Symposium will take place in Spring 2027, though we welcome proposals targeting a Fall 2026 date as well.
More information can be found at: https://jclc.law.northwestern.edu/symposium/symposium-proposals/
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to our Symposium, Inclusion, and Community Engagement Editor, Chaviva Nicholas, at chaviva.nicholas@law.northwestern.edu.
We look forward to reading your proposals!