International
Symposium on Law &
Peace (ISLP)

THEMES

SOCIO-LEGAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA

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The Indian Constitution serves as both a legal and a political document to the country. It has taken quite a while for the people of the nation to be open to the laws and the protective measures that have been provided to them through the law of the land. These have made India have immense social diversity. Yet, we will discuss the cross-cutting forces of unity in terms of its geographical boundaries, as well as other forces which unify India. With time everything changes, and so does society in India. Therefore, we will also discuss these elements of changes in Indian society.

India is a plural society. It is rightly characterized by its unity and diversity. A grand synthesis of cultures, religions and languages of the people belonging to different castes and communities has upheld its unity and cohesiveness. It is this synthesis which has made India a unique mosaic of cultures. Irrespective of whether sociology of law is defined as a sub-discipline of sociology, an approach within legal studies or a field of research in its own right, it remains ntellectually
dependent mainly on the traditions, methods and theories of mainstream sociology and, to a lesser extent, on other social sciences such as social anthropology, political science, social policy, criminology, psychology, and geography. As such, it reflects social theories and employs social scientific methods to study law, legal institutions and legal behavior. This session will help unpack the contemporary issues in the Indian perspective.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND LAW

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 Change in climate and global warming is one of the most serious challenges mankind has faced having implications even on the realization of human rights. Even United Nations Human Right Council once observed, "Climate change poses an immediate and far-reaching threat to people and communities around the world and has implications for the full enjoyment of human."
India is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. About half of India population is dependent upon agriculture or other climate-sensitive sectors. About 12% of India is flood-prone while 16% is drought-prone. The Indian Constitution is one of the few in the world that contains specific provisions on the environment. The Directive Principles of State Policy and the Fundamental Duties chapters explicitly enunciate the national commitment to protect and improve the environment. India is now the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world after China and the United States. India has almost tripled its annual emission between 1990 and 2009 from less than 600 metric tons to more than 1700 metric tons. India's annual emissions of carbon oxide are projected to further increase by almost 2.5 times between 2008 to 2035. The net greenhouse gas emissions from India with land use, land use change and forestry in 2007 were 1727.71 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. While the energy sector constituted 8%
of the net carbon dioxide emissions, the industry sector, agriculture and waste sector constituted 22%, 17% and 3%, respectively of the net carbon oxide emission. Hence, it becomes important to consider and create a dialogue for the protection of the environment and the community at large. These laws have become the perfect recipe to ensure innovation in compliance with ethical and legal standards combined with legal protection to protect the efforts that go behind them.

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GENDER NEUTRALITY: NEED OF THE HOUR

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Gender neutrality is a concept that postulates the eradication of distinction between different sexes in the drafting and execution of laws. It aims to make every citizen entitle to equal rights, for example, equal protection of the law, etc., without distinguishing on sex. This is in order to avoid discrimination arising from the impression that there are social roles for which one gender is more suited than another. The disparity in gender equality throughout history has had a significant impact on many aspects of society, including marketing, toys, education and parenting techniques. In order to increase gender neutrality in recent years, there has been a societal emphasis on utilizing inclusive language and advocating for equality. Gender neutrality in the law has changed the nature of custody disputes, making it more likely that men will be awarded custody of their children in the event of a divorce. The session would help and shed light on a topic that needs everyone’s attention.

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: SOCIETY AND WE

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International relations is the study of the relations between political entities and the connections between economics, law, and politics in the global environment. In a nutshell, IR is a field of study that explores the dynamics of cross-border relationships in terms of trade, culture, commerce, and economic development. It is a branch of science that explains global issues such as socioeconomic imbalance, political unrest, human rights, and the ways to promote and achieve socioeconomic development. The broadened definition and scope of the study of international relations were among the fundamental contributions of scholars of the interwar period. Many of these innovators were enlisted by governments during World War II for work in intelligence and propaganda, as  ell as other aspects of wartime planning. In this respect, the war stimulated systematic social-scientific investigations of international phenomena. It also led to important technological advances—notably the computer—that would later have a major impact on the
study of international relations. In the endless ocean of world politics and commercial agreements, International Relations (IR) is the ship that helps you sail through global currents, effectively manage international issues and promote peace. This session will briefly give an insight into the importance of the future of international relations and its impact.