Call for Papers | Climate Displacement and Environmental Justice: Legal and Policy Dimensions |Deadline: September 30, 2026
Climate change is generating unprecedented patterns of human displacement, yet domestic and international legal frameworks remain ill-equipped to recognize, protect, or remedy the harms faced by those forced to move. This special issue of the STAR Journal of Law, Policy & Society invites scholarship examining the legal architecture, policy gaps, and governance responses to climate-induced displacement, with particular attention to questions of rights, accountability, and justice.
We welcome contributions from legal scholars, policy analysts, political scientists, and socio-legal researchers. Doctrinal, comparative, empirical, and critical legal studies approaches are all encouraged, as are contributions examining specific jurisdictions or cross-border regimes.
Suggested Sub-Themes
The legal status of “climate refugees”: gaps in international refugee and human rights law
Statelessness, sovereignty, and territorial loss (e.g., low-lying island states)
National immigration and asylum policy responses to climate-induced migration
Land rights, property law, and resettlement frameworks for displaced populations
Litigation strategies and case law on climate liability and state responsibility
Human rights obligations of states and international bodies toward displaced persons
Regulatory and governance responses to internal displacement and planned relocation
Environmental justice claims and legal remedies for disproportionately affected communities
Comparative regional frameworks (EU, African Union, Pacific Islands Forum, SAARC, etc.)
The role of courts, tribunals, and quasi-judicial bodies in advancing climate justice
Submission Guidelines
Manuscript length
4,000–7,000 words, including references and footnotes
Abstract
150–200 words, accompanied by 5 keywords
Citation style
APA 7th Edition
Review process
Double-blind peer review
Final submission deadline
September 30, 2026
Submission portal: https://journals.starscholarspress.org/index.php/jlps/submission
Editorial queries: daiamawlong25@gmail.com; jingchang321@gmail.com
Journal website: https://journals.starscholarspress.org/index.php/jlps/about
AUTHOR GUIDELINES & MANUSCRIPT NORMS
These guidelines establish the structural, formatting, disclosure, and referencing requirements for all manuscripts submitted to the STAR Journal of Law, Policy & Society. Manuscripts that do not conform to these requirements may be returned for revision before peer review.
1. Manuscript Structure
Paper type: Must be labeled Article, Review, Research Brief, etc.
Title and authors
Abstract
150–200 words maximum. The abstract should implicitly follow Background → Methods/Analysis → Findings → Conclusions, without subheadings.
Keywords
Provide 5 keywords that are specific to the article yet commonly used within the discipline.
Introduction
Situate the study in context; state its purpose and significance; review key literature and legal/policy frameworks; and identify the aim and principal conclusions. The introduction should remain accessible to readers outside the specific field.
Methods / Approach
Provide sufficient detail on doctrinal, comparative, empirical, or critical legal methodology to allow scrutiny and replication where applicable. Any use of GenAI in the research process must be disclosed here.
Analysis / Results
Present the analysis or results concisely and precisely. Subheadings may be used. All figures, tables, and case citations must be numbered, referenced, and cited in the text.
Discussion
Interpret findings in light of prior scholarship, case law, and policy debates. Future research or reform directions may also be identified.
Conclusions
Optional; include only when the discussion is unusually long or complex.
2. Mandatory Disclosure Statements
Author Contributions: Required for multi-author papers, using CRediT taxonomy roles (e.g., conceptualisation, methodology, formal analysis, writing, and supervision).
Funding: State the exact funder name and grant number, or explicitly declare: “This research received no external funding.”
Institutional Review Board Statement: Required for any study involving human or animal subjects, including the approval number where applicable.
Acknowledgements: Identify administrative, technical, or in-kind support not covered elsewhere. Any GenAI use must also be disclosed here, including the tool name, version, and purpose. Authors retain full responsibility for the content produced.
Conflicts of Interest: Must be explicitly declared, even when none exist. In that case, use: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”
3. Figures, Tables, and Appendices
All figures, tables, and case-law references must be cited in the main text before or at their first appearance.
Tables should be placed near their first citation in the text; footnotes are permitted.
Appendices are optional and should contain supplementary detail (e.g., statutory text or extended case summaries) that is not central to the main narrative.
Appendix figures and tables must be labeled with an “A” prefix (e.g., Figure A1, Table A1) and cited in the main text.
4. Referencing Norms
Citation style: APA 7th edition, consistent with the Call for Papers.
In-text citations: Use the author–date format, e.g., (Johnson & Davison, 2026).
Reference list: Arrange entries alphabetically by the first author’s surname and include full DOIs where available.
Case law, statutes, and international instruments: Cite the full official title and year at first mention, with pinpoint references in footnotes where necessary.
Reference management: Authors are encouraged to use EndNote, Zotero, Mendeley, or comparable reference-management software to reduce errors.
5. Licensing and Publication Ethics
All accepted manuscripts are published open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0).
Authorship must be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the work.
The publisher and editors disclaim responsibility for opinions and claims made by individual authors.
6. Pre-Submission Checklist
☐ Paper type is clearly labeled
☐ Abstract is 150–200 words and unstructured (no headings)
☐ Five keywords are provided
☐ Manuscript is within the 4,000–7,000-word limit, including references and footnotes
☐ All references follow APA 7th edition and are alphabetized
☐ All figures, tables, and case citations are numbered, captioned, and cited in the text
☐ Author Contributions statement is included (CRediT roles)
☐ Funding statement is included
☐ Institutional Review Board statement is included, if applicable
☐ Conflicts of Interest statement is included
☐ GenAI use is disclosed, if applicable
☐ Manuscript is submitted through the official portal before the deadline
Contact
Editorial queries: Lead Editor, Dr. Daiahunlin Mawlong, daiamawlong25@gmail.com
Journal website: https://journals.starscholarspress.org/index.php/jlps/about
