The European Yearbook of Constitutional Law (EYCL) invites scholars from around the world to submit proposals for its 2026 issue on “Social Rights and Constitutional Justice”. The deadline for proposals is 1 June 2025.
The European Yearbook of Constitutional Law is pleased to announce a call for submissions
for its eighth volume (2026) on the theme of Social Rights and Constitutional Justice.
Social rights – such as the rights to housing, healthcare, education, and social security – are
gaining increased prominence in constitutional discourse, particularly in the light of widening
inequalities, global health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, and the far-reaching
socio-economic effects of migration and climate change. These rights embody the promise of
a constitutional order that not only protects individual freedoms but also guarantees the
material conditions essential for a dignified life. Yet their effective realisation remains deeply
contested. Beyond political resistance and resource constraints, social rights must also
contend with entrenched conceptions of constitutions as instruments of limitation rather than
empowerment – as frameworks that constrain state action rather than mandate proactive
social provision. This tension raises fundamental questions about the evolving role of
constitutional law in securing substantive equality and social justice in the 21st century.
While the judicialisation of social rights claims is gaining momentum in Europe and beyond,
this volume seeks to explore social rights in a broader and more integrated sense, situating
them within the framework of constitutional justice. Rather than focusing solely on judicial
review, the volume will examine constitutional justice as a multi-actor and systemic effort to
realise social rights in ways that promote equality, inclusion and human dignity. Thus,
constitutional justice is a multifaceted process that encompasses legislative choices,
administrative implementation, and institutional accountability. The volume will consider how
constitutions structure the duties of the state and its institutions in securing the basic conditions
necessary for human dignity, and how a range of actors – parliaments, governments, courts,
and civil society – collaborate, contest, and contribute to the definition, interpretation, and
realisation of social rights. In doing so, the volume invites reflection on how constitutional
systems can respond to enduring inequalities through both legal mechanisms and democratic
engagement.
Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- The constitutional tools available to lawmakers and policymakers in building social
protection systems that align with social rights. - The interaction between legislatures and courts in defining the scope and limits of social
rights, with attention to constitutional dialogue, judicial deference, and institutional roles. - The role of regional courts – such as the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of
Justice of the European Union or the Inter-American Court of Human Rights – in shaping
the normative content of social rights. - The tensions between judicial enforcement and democratic legitimacy, especially in cases
of judicial intervention in budgetary or redistributive policies, and how courts deal with
separation of powers concerns. - The ways in which constitutional systems respond to structural social exclusion, including
along lines of race, gender, disability, or migration status. - The concept of constitutional justice and its implications for social rights and
constitutionalism, including its relationship to legitimacy, participation, and state
accountability. - Lessons from global experiences, such as transformative constitutionalism in South Africa
and India or social rights litigation in Latin America.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION: Proposals of 350 to 500 words should be submitted to
eycl@tilburguniversity.edu. Please put ‘Proposed paper, volume 8’ in the subject line of your
email. Proposals should clearly outline the proposed contribution’s main arguments,
methodology, and relevance to the volume’s theme. Successful applicants will be notified by 1
July 2025. Complete papers must be submitted by 1 December 2025. Manuscripts should be
no longer than 10,000 words, including footnotes. In preparing their manuscript, authors should
follow the EYCL Style Guide, which will be sent to them when notified about their successful
application. Decisions to publish a submission are based on editorial and double-blind peer
review.
The European Yearbook of Constitutional Law (EYCL) is an annual publication devoted to the study of constitutional law. The yearbook provides a forum for in-depth analysis and discussion of new developments in constitutional law in Europe and beyond. Each issue is dedicated to a specific theme. Papers are subject to editorial and double-blind peer review. The yearbook was founded by Prof. dr. Ernst M.H. Hirsch Ballin and Dr. Gerhard van der Schyff. The yearbook is published by T.M.C. Asser Press in cooperation with Springer Publishers