Statute

  • The "International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies" (hereafter "ICLARS") is hereby constituted.
  • The address of the ICLARS shall be the Dipartimento Cesare Beccaria of the University of Milan, via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan.
  • The general purpose of the ICLARS is to promote the development of studies of Law and Religion all over the world. In particular, it will be the ICLARS' task:

    • to promote collaboration between universities and other institutions undertaking research in this field;
    • to make available funds and facilities for research to the members of the ICLARS and to young scholars;
    • to promote meetings and contacts between scholars (including non-members);
    • to facilitate co-operation in the development of research and of academic or other expert training;
    • to provide consultation and co-operation services on behalf of public and private, national and international institutions in relation to the activities carried out by the ICLARS.

  • Membership shall be open to individual scholars undertaking teaching or research activities in the fields referred to in Article 3 and to individuals participating in the work of institutions and other experts interested in the same fields. Membership is also open to institutions but they shall not have the rights indicated in the Articles 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14.
  • An individual or institution seeking membership shall be nominated by a member of the Steering Committee or shall apply for membership to the Association’s Secretariat. Upon submission of satisfactory biographical information, the name of the individual or institution applying for membership shall be submitted to the Steering Committee electronically or at a duly noticed meeting, and membership shall be granted upon the favorable majority vote of the members of the Steering Committee and provided payment of membership fees is made within thirty days.
    Students recommended by members of the Association may become associate members upon payment of half of the membership fees of full members. Associates do not have the right to vote on Association matters and shall not receive free copies of the Oxford Journal for Law and Religion.
  • Each member shall pay an annual enrolment fee on admission and subsequently prior to the 1st January of each year. The amount of the fee shall be fixed by the General Assembly on the proposal of the Steering Committee and may be changed from time to time. Members who fail to pay the subscription fees by 1st January of each year shall be suspended from the right to vote and to be elected to offices in the association. Failure to pay the annual fee and the arrears by the date of the next congress of the association shall automatically entail loss of membership. Former members who have lost their membership as a result of non-payment of dues may be reinstated following payment of arrears. The terms of readmission to membership for former members who have let their membership lapse for three or more years shall be as recommended by the Steering Committee.
  • A member may be expelled by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Steering Committee.
  • The General Assembly of the ICLARS members shall be convened at the time of each ICLARS congress. Extraordinary assemblies may be called at the discretion of the Steering Committee or when at least one third of the members make a written request. Notice of the agenda of each General Assembly meeting (whether held in conjunction with a congress or as an extraordinary assembly) and of the time and place of such meeting shall be sent to members by electronic means not less than thirty-days in advance of the date of the proposed meeting, except when the Steering Committee determines that emergency circumstances require holding of a meeting without such notice.
  • Decisions of the General Assembly shall be taken by absolute majority of the members present and voting. No minimum quorum of members is required for the General Assembly to take action. Decisions of the General Assembly shall be sent to members by electronic means within thirty days following the General Assembly meeting at which the decisions were taken. When urgent decisions are to be taken, the Steering Committee can send a clearly formulated proposal to all the ICLARS members asking them to vote on the proposal. Decisions shall be taken by an absolute majority of the ICLARS members whose votes are received by the Secretariat within fifteen days after the proposal has been sent to the members.
  • The affairs and business of the Association are to be managed and conducted by the Steering Committee of the Association, which shall consist of the ICLARS President, a Vice-President and seven members. At least four of the following six geographical regions shall be represented in the Steering Committee: (i) Africa, (ii) Asia, (iii) Europe, (iv) Latin America, (v) United States & Canada, and (vi) Oceania. No State shall, however, have more than one member in the Steering Committee. Organizers of the ICLARS congresses will be pro tempore members of the Steering Committee without a right to vote. Decisions shall be taken by an absolute majority of the Steering Committee.
  • At least three months before a Congress of the Association at which the terms of existing officers expire, the President or the Steering Committee shall issue an official call for elections by electronic communication to current members of the Association. Individuals interested in being considered as candidates shall submit applications within 21 days from the date of the official call for elections by emailing applications directed to the President of the Association at the address indicated in the call for elections.
  • Applicants must be current with the payment of Association membership fees, or become current prior to the date for which elections are officially called. Applicants must have been a member of the Association for at least three years.
  • An alphabetical list of the candidates for the Presidency and for the Steering Committee shall be published on the Association’s website and emailed to members of the Association at least thirty days prior to the General Assembly meeting at which an election is scheduled.
  • The President and members of the Steering Committee shall be elected by secret ballot by the General Assembly of the Association’s members. Only Association members with a minimum membership of two years shall have the right to vote for the President or the Steering Committee and can be elected to their offices. Each member may be represented by another Association member by proxy; but no member can represent more than two other Association members.
  • The election of the President shall be conducted prior to the selection of the remaining members of the Steering Committee. The President shall be elected by an absolute majority of those present and voting. If this majority is not achieved at the first vote, a "run-off" ballot shall be held between the two candidates who have obtained the greatest number of votes. The President, after his election, and after election of the Steering Committee, will designate the Vice-President from amongst the members of the Steering Committee.
  • For the election to the Steering Committee of members other than the President, no member can vote for more than eight names. Members may not vote more than once for any candidate.
  • The terms of the President and the Steering Committee members shall continue until the second congress of the Association after their election, except that if no Congress is held for more than five years after their initial election, elections for their positions shall be held by electronic means according to Regulations to be prepared by the Steering Committee then in office, and providing notice of the election as provided in paragraph 11 above.
  • If there is only one candidate for President, the candidate is declared President without a vote. In the event that there are eight or fewer candidates for the position of member of the Steering Committee, and there are a sufficient number to meet the minimal geographic distribution requirements of paragraph 10, they shall be declared members of the Steering Committee without a vote provided they are citizens of different countries. If two or more candidates are from the same country, a vote to decide between them will take place, and the candidate who obtains the most votes will be elected.
  • The Steering Committee by majority vote may fill vacancies that occur by reason of death, disability, resignation of the President or a member of the Steering Committee, or as a result of failure to elect a full complement of eight Steering Committee members (in addition to the President). In order to continue in office, the individuals thus appointed shall stand for election at the time of the next Congress of the Association, in an election called in accordance with the procedures set forth above.
  • Policy decisions, administration and management tasks in relation to the ICLARS activity shall be taken and carried out by the Steering Committee which for this purpose shall have wide powers both as regards ordinary and extraordinary administration and also with regard to third parties. The Steering Committee shall take its decisions by majority vote. When votes are equal, the President's casting vote shall be decisive. Each member of the Steering Committee may be represented by another member by proxy; but no member shall cast more than two votes. The Committee shall be empowered, if so decided by an absolute majority of those present, to appoint one or more of its members as representatives for carrying out one or more tasks.
  • Every amendment to these Statutes will require the votes in its favour of at least two-third of those present and voting at a duly noticed General Assembly meeting.

Highlights