Call for Chapters for Edited Book on WTO and Digital Trade by DNLU, Jabalpur: Submit by May 20

About DNLU, Jabalpur

Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur (M.P.) was established in the year 2018, by Madhya Pradesh Dharmashastra National Law University Act 24 of 2018, with the object of advancing the cause of legal education and achieving excellence as a university for imparting value-based legal education to undergraduate as well as postgraduate students.

The university’s motto, ‘Satyam Vada Dharmam Char’ (Speak the truth and follow Dharma), reflects its commitment to justice and ethical conduct. DNLU is dedicated to providing high-quality legal education that prepares students to excel in the field of law and contribute to the legal profession and society at large.

About CITIL

The Centre for Studies in International Trade and Investment Laws (CITIL) at DNLU, Jabalpur, is a leading institution dedicated to research, scholarship, and policy engagement in International Trade and Investment Laws. Through its diverse initiatives, CITIL has contributed to academic discourse, legal education, and policymaking by fostering collaborations with national and international institutions, conducting high-impact research, and organizing training programs. The Centre has played a key role in advancing legal scholarship through research projects, publications, and policy recommendations that have influenced legal practice and governance.

About the Book

The book explores the evolving relationship between international trade regulations and the rapidly expanding digital economy. As digital platforms, cross-border data flows, and electronic commerce reshape global markets, the World Trade Organization (WTO) faces critical challenges in adapting its rules to this new landscape. This book provides a comprehensive analysis of how WTO frameworks apply to digital trade and identifies gaps that necessitate reform.

Through a diverse range of sub-themes, the book examines the compatibility of WTO rules with digitally delivered goods and services, the role of digital subsidies, and the complexities of applying anti-dumping measures to digital products. It also discusses the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on trade, the intersection of digital trade and cybersecurity, and the role of regional trade agreements in shaping future regulations. Further, it highlights pressing issues such as consumer protection, intellectual property rights, and the implications of digital trade for developing countries.

By addressing these challenges and opportunities, the book aims to contribute to academic discourse and policymaking in digital trade governance, making it an essential resource for scholars, legal practitioners, and policymakers engaged in international trade law.

About the Opportunity

CITIL invites submissions through Call for Chapters on “WTO and Digital Trade”. The Edited Book shall be published by a reputed publisher with an ISBN number.

This book will be published jointly by CITIL (Centre For Studies in International Trade and Investment Laws), DNLU, Jabalpur and CWS (Centre for WTO Studies), Centre for Research in International Trade (CRIT), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

The Book will be published under the guidance of Dr. Pritam Banerjee (Professor & Head, Centre for WTO Studies, IIFT New Delhi), Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Kumar Sinha (Vice Chancellor, DNLU), Dr. Murali Kallummal (Professor, Centre for WTO Studies, Head Admin CRIT, IIFT New Delhi), Dr. Praveen Tripathi (Registrar and Associate Professor, DNLU) and Mr. Utkarsh K. Mishra (Director, CITIL and Assistant Professor, DNLU) and Dr, Amit Randev (Senior Consultant, Centre for WTO Studies).

Themes

• The compatibility of WTO rules on goods with digitally delivered products and services.
• The impact of digital platforms on market access and competition in the WTO framework. 3. The potential for new WTO disciplines on digital trade, such as electronic commerce, data privacy, and digital taxation.
• The relationship between digital trade and sustainable development goals within the WTO context.
• The role of regional trade agreements in shaping the future of digital trade and its impact on the WTO.
• The impact of artificial intelligence and automation on trade and the WTO.
• The challenges and opportunities of digital trade for developing countries within the WTO framework.
• The role of the WTO in addressing digital trade-related intellectual property rights issues. 9. The implications of e-commerce and digital platforms for consumer protection under WTO rules.
• The intersection of digital trade and cybersecurity within the WTO context.
• The potential for cooperation between the WTO and other international organizations in addressing digital trade challenges.
• The Need for a Digital Trade Framework in the WTO.

Note: The sub-themes provided are intended as guidelines and are not exhaustive. Authors are encouraged to explore and contribute on themes beyond those explicitly mentioned.

Eligibility

The call for chapters is open to interested professors, researchers, practitioners, students and are invited to submit Book Chapters. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind peer review basis. Authors are encouraged to include original works.

Submission Guidelines

• Abstract (350-500 words) along with 5 Minimum Keywords and with final paper should be sent by May 20, 2025.
• Name, Designation, Name of the Organization/University /Institution and Email address and the contact number of the Authors should be mentioned in the first page (cover page) of the submitted document.
• Co-authorship is allowed for this call for chapters 3. (max 2 co-authors)
• Chapter should be in Garamond-12 point font and 1.5 spaced.
• Main Title should be in full capitals, bold and centered 14-point font.
• Sub-titles should be in sentence case, bold and 12-point font.
• Citation Format: Please use footnotes rather than endnotes. Footnotes should conform to OSCOLA 4th Edition style;
• All the contributions for the call for chapters should be the original work of the contributors and should not have been submitted for consideration in any other Publication.
• Any plagiarized work will be out-rightly rejected. Plagiarism more than 15% will strictly be rejected.
• The paper should be typed in MS WORD format.
• The paper must be in single column layout with margins justified on both sides;
• The length of paper should be between 5,000-7,000 words (including footnotes).
• Submit via email at [email protected]

Submission Details

The paper shall be submitted both in doc./docx and pdf. Format via mail at [email protected] with the subject “submission-CfP-WTO & digital trade”. The body of the mail must contain the title of the paper/submission followed by the author(s) details; (i) name (ii) designation (iii) institutional affiliation (if any).

Important dates

• Last Date of Submission of Full Chapters: May 20, 2025.
• Intimation of selected papers to authors: June 15, 2025.
• Publication and Book Release: July-August, 2025 (tentative).

Contact Information

Mr. Utkarsh K. Mishra, Director & Assistant Prof, DNLU, Jabalpur; Email: [email protected]; Contact No: 79050 17038

Dr. Amit Randev, Consultant (Legal), CWS, CRIT, IIFT New Delhi; Email: [email protected]

Student Coordinators

• Saurav Tiwari, Contact No: 9174913077
• Abhay Gupta, Contact No: 9589187700

The brochure is here.