SPECIAL ISSUE - CALL FOR PAPERS - American Business Law Journal

In 2022, the United States experienced 26 natural disasters, more than any other country in the world. One storm alone, Hurricane Ian, cost the economy more than $110 billion dollars. Beyond flooding, drought, and wildfire, in recent years the world has also seen the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple areas of human conflict, including the war in Ukraine, which has disrupted global food supply and upended life for millions of people. Each of these disasters brings a unique mix of impact to local businesses, human lives, and the global economy.

What should businesses, regulators, lawmakers, and attorneys do to prepare for life in an economy in which disasters are both more likely to strike, due to climate change, and more likely to have profound multinational impacts, due to globalization? The American Business Law Journal (ABLJ) seek manuscripts that address this question.

The “Doing Business in a Disaster Economy” special issue will take a broad perspective. Submissions may cover a wide variety of topics addressing legal planning and regulatory mechanisms for addressing disasters–before, during, and after the event. Paper topics may include but are not limited to:

• Insolvency and financial aid, particularly for SMEs post-disaster;
• Meeting health care needs, particularly in underserved or rural areas;
• Addressing the impacts of systemic racism and ethnic bias on disaster preparedness and the impact of disasters on communities of marginalized populations;
• Economic programs related to unemployment, loan repayment, or essential industry protection or rebuilding;
• Land use and other environmental programs intended to mitigate predicted impacts of natural disasters on local and national economies;
• The role of digital assets in a disaster economy;
• Evaluating previous relief programs (such as the American Rescue Plan) and making recommendations for future programs;
• Valuation of property and insurance issues in high-risk areas.

Submissions incorporating interdisciplinary approaches and/or comparative and international law are welcome, as are submissions from researchers based outside of North America. It is expected that four papers will be accepted for the special issue; papers not accepted may be resubmitted to the ABLJ for publication outside of the special issue.

Articles selected for the special issue will be published in Issue 4, Volume 61 (2024), of the ABLJ. Submissions must be received by March 1, 2024 for consideration. Submissions should be made to abljsubmission@alsb.org. Authors will be notified of their acceptance by March 15, 2024.

The ABLJ is rated an A journal on the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) journal quality list and is the premier peer-reviewed research journal in business law. Papers submitted for consideration by the ABLJ must conform to The Bluebook (21st Edition) and should be between 12,000 and 20,000 words in length (inclusive of footnotes).

Questions regarding the special issue may be directed to:

Inara Scott
Gomo Family Professor & Senior Associate Dean
Oregon State University College of Business
Editor-in-Chief, American Business Law Journal
inara.scott@oregonstate.edu