Call for Papers: The Modern American – Diversity and the Law

The Modern American, the award-winning legal publication dedicated to diversity and the law from American University Washington College of Law, is seeking submissions for its Spring 2010 issue. Although the target date of March 1, 2010, has passed, the editors will still accept papers.


The Modern American
is a unique forum that addresses legal topics that affect marginalized communities, articulates under-represented experiences within the law, and offers a platform for critical studies work, particularly as these areas relate to race, nationality, gender, class, ability, and sexuality. Our publication explores the interesting intersections between the law and policy, as well as tensions between the legal and non-legal world. Our most recent fall issue published work on critical gender theory and US asylum law’s application to domestic violence survivors; racial politics submerging equal protection jurisprudence in a post-identity Court; and a historical myth-busting on orphan trains and the law.

With a broad audience from law practitioners to activists, we reach a wide intellectual community across the country and even overseas. We can be found on every major legal database, including Westlaw, LexisNexis and Vlex.com, and maintain a large subscriber database to individuals and institutions in the US.

We are looking for cutting-edge legal scholarship for our newest issue. Our publication prefers short essays (20 pages or fewer), legal commentary, and other non-traditional formats on timely topics. We are especially eager to publish legal commentary from published law faculty or essays from practitioners and emerging scholars whether new faculty or law students.

Please submit your piece for consideration to tma@wcl.american.edu with a cover letter and resume by Monday, March 1st. We accept papers on a rolling basis with a preference for earlier submissions.

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