Reimagining Justice

Description

Justice has long served as a cornerstone of both philosophical inquiry and legal practice. Historically, it has been interwoven with the evolution of legal systems that seek to enforce order through punitive measures. Yet, as classical theorists and modern critics have observed, the mechanisms of punishment often reveal a disjunction between the law’s outward appearance and the deeper, more abstract notion of justice. Thinkers such as Arendt have argued that while law can be deconstructed and critiqued, justice remains an ever-receding horizon—an ideal that cannot be fully captured by rigid legal norms. This tension compels us to ask: How can justice be realized when legal practices and legislative frameworks, often imbued with coercive power, fall short of encompassing the moral imperatives they claim to uphold?

Central to this inquiry is the role of justice in legal decision-making and the individuals who shape it—judges, lawmakers, prosecutors, and legal scholars. Their interpretations of justice influence how laws are crafted, enforced, and challenged. Yet, these decisions are shaped by institutional norms, political pressures, and personal biases. The dominance of retributive justice in legal systems has long favored punitive responses, often at the expense of more nuanced and restorative approaches. These frameworks, while aiming for order and deterrence, frequently neglect the finer nuances of individual standpoints, and the complex interplay of responsibility and systemic harms within legal structures. 

Another key dimension involves the intersection of justice with power, race, and gender within legal structures. The state’s monopoly on legitimate force underpins many legal practices, yet this authority often obscures the inherent violence of judicial processes. From harsh sentencing laws to the structural coercion embedded in policing and incarceration, power dynamics determine who is granted access to justice and who is excluded. Historically, marginalized communities—especially along racial and gender lines—have been disproportionately subjected to legal scrutiny, punishment, and systemic exclusion. The composition of legal decision-makers further influences these outcomes: whose perspectives shape legal norms, and whose experiences remain overlooked in judicial reasoning?

Contemporary crises further complicate the legitimacy of legal authority and the extent to which it contributes to—or detracts from—a just society. For instance, the ongoing migration crisis across Europe and beyond forces us to confront the realities of displaced populations seeking refuge from conflict, persecution, and economic hardship. Similarly, the legacy of genocide—whether reflecting on the historical scars or more recent mass atrocities—continues to shape debates over reparative justice, collective responsibility, and reconciliation? Meanwhile, technological breakthroughs that claim to offer innovative and efficient tools for crime prediction, evidence gathering, monitoring compliance with international human rights standards risk reinforcing biases and eroding judicial discretion, particularly in ways that disproportionately affect already marginalized groups.

In light of these multifaceted challenges, the conference welcomes submissions that bridge legal and philosophical perspectives that not only critique existing paradigms but also envisions pathways toward a more inclusive and transformative conception of justice. We invite scholars to contribute to this conversation and help illuminate how law can evolve into a dynamic instrument of social transformation through exploration of questions including, but not limited to: 

• How can justice be reconciled with legal systems that rely on punitive measures while acknowledging ethical imperatives?
• In what ways do legal decision-makers shape justice, and how might their biases be identified and mitigated?
• How have race and gender historically influenced legal norms, and what challenges remain in addressing these disparities?
• In what ways can restorative and transitional justice frameworks address the aftermath of genocide and mass atrocities?
• How do power dynamics and structural violence within legal institutions shape access to and the realization of justice?
• What roles do collective responsibility and individual agency play in forging a more equitable legal system?
• What mechanisms can ensure that algorithmic decision-making in law remains transparent, accountable, and free of bias?
• How can emerging technological breakthroughs enhance judicial fairness without compromising ethical standards?

SUBMISSION OPEN

CONTACT US

For questions, please contact the organisers, Hadassa Noorda (University of Amsterdam) and Kritika Maheshwari (TU Delft) at saficonference2025@gmail.com. 

Dr Hadassa Noorda is an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam specialising in the philosophy of (criminal) law. She holds degrees in law and philosophy from the University of Amsterdam and Columbia University (PhD, MA, BA, LL.M., LL.B.). She has held prestigious fellowships, including: Institute Gak Fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS), Research Fellow at Columbia Law School, Dworkin Balzan Postdoctoral Fellow, and Postdoctoral Global Hauser Fellow at NYU. Additionally, she received a Rubicon grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, which supported her research at Rutgers’ University. Her work has been published in leading journals, such as the Modern Law Review, Criminal Law and Philosophy, and the European Human Rights Law Review.

Kritika Maheshwari is an Assistant Professor at TU Delft (Netherlands), working at the intersection of moral, political, and legal philosophy. She was previously a visiting research fellow at Rutgers Institute for Law and Philosophy. Her current projects explore the relationship between risks, wrongs, and compensation, the ethics and politics of automated decision-making in legal contexts, and the practice of academic spousal hiring. She is also the ambassador for the Netherlands Chapter of SAFI.

With gratitude for the generous support of the following institutions!