Call For Papers: International Journal of Legal Discourse, Special Issue: Semiotic Perspectives on Environment, Forestry, Fishery, Hunting, and Law

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL DISCOURSE SPECIAL ISSUE – SEMIOTIC PERSPECTIVES ON ENVIRONMENT, FORESTRY, FISHERY, HUNTING AND LAW

Guest Editors: Dariusz GWIAZDOWICZ, Aleksandra MATULEWSKA & Anne WAGNER

Environmental issues have bothered people for the last several decades. In some countries, legislation devoted to the protection of endangered species dates back to 15th and 16th century. The modern world is highly urbanized and people get more and more distanced from nature. At the same time, they are more and more aware of the need to protect the natural resources of the Earth. That however, is not always done in accordance with the suggestions of scientists but lobbying groups either pursuing their own goals or simply their vision of the world. The recent case of Greta Thunberg’s popularity is one of the examples of such actions. The child got more attention of politicians and media than any scientist well versed in the field. Celebrities create their image using environmental issues as a popularity stimulator, just to mention one of the first ones who was Bridgit Bardot. The animal rights’ movements take various forms. In some countries farmed animals were released to the wild which affects the environment negatively as invasive species start exerting pressure on local species, depriving them of habitats. The Animal Liberation Front considers such acts legal, whereas they frequently constitute a breach of property law. In the urbanized world we observe that inhabitants of cities lack the knowledge about the tasks of sustainable environment protection and its role in sustainable management of natural resources (frequently leading to stereotyping, cyberbullying); they have specific social expectations which do not take into account the laws of nature but rely on fake news or over-idealized concept of environment; eco-hypocrisy. Another factor affecting our perception of environment is the ubiquitous antropomorphisation of animals as a result of which the wild world is deprived of its real features and becomes humanized (there are even movements propagating giving animals civic rights). In general, contemporary people lack inquisitiveness, are exposed to ubiquitous fake news and media infostrategy striving for scandalous news (Gwiazdowicz 2017, Gwiazdowicz and Matulewska 2020). As a result, two types of ecology have emerged recently: one which is based on scientific foundations and research results and the other one which is the media affected and based on stereotypical, idealized vision of the world. As it turns out, legislators change labels to gain support of eco-hypocrites but the problem of the conflict existing between human expectations and needs and environment remains and must be solved. In the Netherlands the government under the pressure of ecologists banned bird hunting. Though not many people realize that the problem of agricultural damage inflicted by the birds is solved through different means that is to say baby geese are killed by putting them into specially designed gas chambers. The meat of geese is no longer fit for human or animal consumption and must be liquidated. The question may be posed about the semiotic aspect of such actions. In the urbanized world there is and there will be a constant fight between humans who want highways, nice homes with fenced gardens, nice-looking vegetables and fruit, comfortable, healthy lifestyles and environment. Vegetarianism and similar lifestyles are becoming more and more popular as environment- and especially animal-friendly though little attention is placed on the effect of production of plants rich in protein and other valuable nutrients on environment (contamination of groundwaters with pesticides, herbicides, deforestations, deprivation of animals of their habitats). All activities and lifestyles affect the environment but we rarely find reliable sources of information providing a deeper insight into both pros and cons. 

To sum up, all those problems affect legislation regulating environment, forestry, fishery and hunting. The issue opens a new sphere of semiotic analysis of communication in legal settings and adopted solutions. This Special Issue hopes to construe presentations of environment, forestry, fishery and hunting to orientate our vision of legal solutions and their environmental consequences. The aim of this Special issue is to offer broader perspectives for understanding the roles of scientists, lobbyists and legislators in the debate of preserving the nature for future generations from both theoretical and practical angles. Therefore, the papers devoted to the following topics and presenting both advantages and disadvantages are welcome:

1. Animal rights and legislation

2. Animal owners’ rights

3. Environment and law

4. Forestry and law

5. Law and exploitation of nature

6. Consequences of releasing wild animals and plants into the wild and consequential legislation on invasive species

7. Ecology and law

8. Hunting and law

9. Fishery and law

10. Social expectations in the field of environment versus law

11. Poaching

12. Legal and illegal environment protection

13. Cyberbullying of foresters, hunters, fishermen

14. Repealed laws and their replacements

The Special Issue can comprise only 14 papers of no more than 30 pages.

Send your proposal to the three of us: dariusz.gwiazdowicz@up.poznan.pl, aleksandra.matulewska@gmail.com, valwagnerfr@yahoo.com 

Deadline for abstract: 10 February 2021

Decision for inclusion: 30 March 2021

Deadline for full paper: 15 January 2022 (instructions will be sent after decision to include papers in the special issue)