2021 APALSA-ALR Joint Virtual Conference

Roarin’ 20s? Law, Politics, and Asian Americans in 202x
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Time: 9:00 a.m.–4:15 p.m. EDT
Past Symposia
The 2016 Brexit vote, the election of the U.S. president shortly thereafter, and a notable shift in the political landscape in Brazil are prime examples of the rise of populist and anti-globalist sentiment throughout the world. In contrast to countries succumbing to nationalist impulses, China has seemingly embraced a globalist approach through its Belt and Road Initiative, also known as BRI. This trillion-dollar development strategy is ambitious and targets economic growth in many countries across Eurasia, the South Pacific, West Africa, and even Latin America. Reinforcing China’s outward-facing rhetoric on trade, economics, and cultural exchanges, BRI is a step towards forging strategic partnerships and new alliances. This symposium considered whether BRI may be positioning China at the helm of reshaping the security and economic architecture of the international order.
The first panel discussed the overarching impact of the BRI on the shift in global power and its resulting trajectory. The second panel highlighted the legal implications of BRI amidst complex interactions with citizens, systems, and social values by discussing the impact of BRI on national and international legal frameworks. The symposium concluded with an address by keynote speaker, Dr. Adil Najam, Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, who shared his thoughts on the implications of populist and anti-globalist movements and the role of the BRI in the international world order.
Illegal trafficking of wildlife is a major issue in Asia as flora and fauna in Africa and Asia are under threat. Tens of thousands of African elephants are killed every year because of a burgeoning ivory trade in Asia, and precious timbers have been disappearing from Asian forests.
How can we stop flora and fauna in Africa and Asia from being illegally smuggled into Asia, Europe, and the United States? How do federal agencies and local and international actors enforce wildlife laws to combat this global scale crime? Are the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Endangered Species Act, the Lacey Act, and laws prohibiting smuggling effective tools to control the market?
The 2017 Symposium brought together experienced practitioners and scholars to discuss and present the practical and legal challenges in combating international wildlife trafficking.
Criminal law and procedure reform is a highly sensitive issue as it implicates judicial justice and protection of human rights. China revised its Criminal Procedure Law in 2012 and it was viewed a significant step forward. However, the precise consequences remain to be seen.
The 2014 symposium brought together scholars, practitioners, and advocates to discuss implications of the new Criminal Procedure Law and other related issues in a comparative perspective. In addition, we attempted to examine the history and evolution of criminal procedure laws in other East Asian countries as well as in the U.S. in order to shed light on the future of China’s criminal procedure reform.