The journal Sociology of Power invites submissions for a special issue on the theme "Empirical Studies of Law and Law Enforcement."

Guest Editors: Dr. Anton Kazun (HSE University), Mikhail Belov (UCLA).

The aim of this special issue is to analyze contemporary trends and practices in the field of law enforcement in Russia, shaped by technological, social, and cultural changes. Special attention is given to empirical research that reveals the actual mechanisms of law in Russian society, its regional specificities, social impacts, and the role of new technologies.

Deadline for abstract submission: November 30, 2024.

Submissions are welcome in the following, but are not limited to, research areas.

• Sociology and economics of crime: economic and social determinants of crime

• Economics and sociology of punishment: crime prevention

• Victimology and victimization: empirical studies of crime victims

• The legal profession: features of professional practice

• New technologies and their role in law enforcement

• Legal and extralegal factors in judicial decision-making

• Regional and local aspects of law enforcement: the influence of culture and economy

• Comparative socio-legal studies

Both qualitative and/or quantitative research methodologies are welcome.

Manuscripts must include the following elements: theoretical framework, research problem, description of methodology, empirical data, research findings, and discussion. An empirical component is required. Legal practice reviews and literature reviews without an empirical component (except for meta-analyses or systematic literature reviews) will not be considered for this special issue.

Recommended article length: 40,000 characters, including spaces.

The submission process for the special issue consists of several stages:

1. By November 30, 2024, submit an abstract to mikaelbelov@gmail.com with the subject line "Submission to Special Issue – Empirical Studies of Law and Law Enforcement." The abstract (300 words or more) should provide a concise description of the research problem, theoretical framework, methods, data, and expected outcomes. Include the full names, affiliations, and contact information of all authors.

2. By December 30, 2024, the authors of abstracts selected by guest editors will be invited to submit full papers.

3. By March 1, 2025, submit the full paper to mikaelbelov@gmail.com.

4. By April 1, 2025, the first round of double-blind peer review will be completed.

5. By June 1, 2025, decisions on publication will be made subject to revisions following peer review.

Manuscripts must comply with journal submission guidelines. The editorial board reserves the right to reject submissions that do not meet the formatting requirements or fail to include all necessary sections without further review.

All abstracts and manuscripts will be subjected to mandatory plagiarism and AI generation checks. Submissions that do not meet these requirements are not considered.