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Applied Feminism and Families @ Baltimore, MD

The University of Baltimore School of Law’s Center on Applied Feminism seeks submissions for its Sixth Annual Feminist Legal Theory Conference. This year’s theme is Applied Feminism and Families. The conference will be held on March 7-8, 2013.

This conference seeks to explore how feminist legal theory affects families in the United States and abroad. We are interested in including both family law experts and experts who consider issues facing families from other legal perspectives. Papers might explore the following questions: What have been the accomplishments or shortcomings of feminist legal theory for families? How might feminist legal theory respond to the challenges facing families? What sort of support should society and law provide to families? Does feminist legal theory support state interventions into family life? In what circumstances? How do law and feminist legal theory conceptualize the roles of family members, including mothers, fathers, caretakers, children, and others? How does feminist legal theory help us understand changes in the institution of marriage and family structure? How do the needs of families vary across cultural, economic, religious, and other differences? Are theories of essentialism and intersectionality necessary or helpful in shaping laws that impact families? In what areas outside of family law could or should feminist legal theory be applied to assist families?