Call for Papers 2026: Law, Society and Indigenous Wisdom for Sustainable Justice

Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur, through its prestigious bi-annual journal The Vantage: A Journal of Law and Social Sciences, has announced a Call for Papers 2026 on the theme “Law, Society and Indigenous Wisdom: Exploring Cultural Narratives for Sustainable Justice.”

This call invites academicians, practitioners, researchers, and students to contribute original and unpublished scholarly work that bridges law, social sciences, indigenous knowledge systems, and contemporary governance challenges.

About Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur

Established under the Madhya Pradesh Dharmashastra National Law University Act, 2018, DNLU is committed to value-based legal education, advanced research, and academic excellence. Guided by its motto “Satyam Vada, Dharmam Char”, the university promotes ethical governance, justice, and social responsibility through teaching, research, and publications.

About the Journal – The Vantage

The Vantage is a double-blind peer-reviewed, bi-annual journal published by DNLU, focusing on law and social sciences with an interdisciplinary outlook.

Key Features:

• Publishes research papers, articles, case comments, book reviews, interviews, and policy reviews
• Divided into three sections:
  • Academician Corner
  • Student Corner
  • Interview Corner
• Emphasises originality, academic rigour, and ethical scholarship
• Exclusive copyright vested with DNLU

🌐 Official Journal Website: 👉 https://thevantage.mpdnlu.ac.in/

Theme Explained

Law, Society & Indigenous Wisdom

The theme explores how customary laws, indigenous jurisprudence, cultural narratives, and traditional knowledge systems can inform modern legal frameworks, especially in areas like:

• Sustainable justice
• Environmental governance
• AI and digital regulation
• Legal pluralism
• Social equity and ethics

Indicative Sub-Themes (Illustrative)

• Indigenous & customary legal systems
• Restorative justice traditions
• Dharmaśāstra, Nyāya & Indian epistemologies
• Indigenous knowledge in environmental & climate law
• Gender, caste & social equity
• Legal pluralism in a globalised world
• AI, technology & digital governance through indigenous perspectives
• Narrative jurisprudence & storytelling traditions
• Indigenous knowledge in international law

(Authors are free to submit beyond these sub-themes.)

Submission Categories & Word Limits

Important Dates (At a Glance)

Call for Papers Opens        → Ongoing
Last Date for Full Paper     → 26 February 2026
Review & Publication         → As per Journal Schedule

Formatting & Citation Guidelines

• Language: English
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
• Spacing: 1.5
• Margins: 1 inch
• Abstract: 250–300 words
• Citation Style: APA (7th Edition)
• File Format: .doc / .docx only

⚠️ AI-generated or AI-assisted content is strictly prohibited as per UGC Level-0 guidelines.

Submission Process

All manuscripts must be submitted only through the official journal submission portal:

🔗 Submit Here: 👉 https://thevantage.mpdnlu.ac.in/

Email or offline submissions will not be accepted.

Editorial Board

• Patron Editor: Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Kumar Sinha, Vice-Chancellor, DNLU
• Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Praveen Tripathi, Registrar & Associate Professor, DNLU
• Editors:
  • Mr. Shashank Pathak, Assistant Professor
  • Dr. Vimal Kumar Vishwakarma, Assistant Professor
  • Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra, Teaching Associate

Student Editorial Team

• Student Editor-in-Chief: Varnika Thakkar (PhD Scholar, DNLU)
• Student Managing Editor: Pragya Richa Tiwary (B.A., LL.B. Hons., DNLU)

Contact Details

📧 Email: thevantage@mpdnlu.ac.in
📞 Faculty Contact: +91 97700 30340
📞 Student Contact: +91 95223 85362