The LSU Law Journal for Social Justice and Policy is pleased to announce its Call for Papers for the upcoming symposium on “Redistricting, Gerrymandering, and Drawing a Line in the Sand for America’s Future.” The Symposium will take place in a virtual format on November 1, 2024.
The Constitution entrusts state legislatures with the primary responsibility of drawing congressional districts. The Supreme Court has held that if race is the predominant factor when state legislatures draw congressional maps, the courts should review the district by applying strict scrutiny. However, the Court begins with the presumption that the legislature acted in good faith when drawing district maps. Recently, the Supreme Court has tackled allegations of racial gerrymandering, raising important questions about how future challenges to state legislatures’ congressional district maps will be addressed.
Topics, themes, and issues for the symposium may include:
· Challenges to congressional redistricting maps after Shelby County v. Holder invalidated Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act.
· The implications of the Supreme Court’s recent holdings in Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP and Robinson v. Callais.
· The future of Louisiana redistricting after the Supreme Court temporarily approved a second majority-black district in Robinson v. Callais.
· An exploration of the potential effects of establishing a second majority-black district in Louisiana for the upcoming presidential election, and the legal and political ramifications if the district is later invalidated.
· Analyzing the legal and ethical dimensions of redistricting and racial gerrymandering, including the role of the judiciary, legislative bodies, and advocacy groups.
The Journal is excited to partner with you and welcomes your abstract submissions.