USC Journal of Law & Society
The leading interdisciplinary journal at the University of Southern California
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The Journal of Law and Society at the University of Southern California is a student-run, interdisciplinary Journal that promotes outstanding undergraduate scholarship.
Guided by top faculty members at the University of Southern California, papers selected for publication undergo a rigorous editing process by undergraduate students at USC to ensure that each paper is of the highest quality.
The Journal of Law and Society seeks to publish papers from a wide range of disciplines that reflect diverse viewpoints, and strives to promote greater awareness and understanding of the legal field.
Executive Board 2017-2018
Eric Bui
Editor-in-Chief
Year: Senior
Major: Philosophy, Politics, and Law
Minor: English
Eric joined JLS as an Associate Editor in Fall 2021. He is a Senior majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Law with a minor in English. Outside of JLS, Eric is a competitor on and VP of USC’s undergraduate moot court team and a Junior Fellow at the Nova Forum, a religious think tank. He loves that JLS enables authors to more effectively convey their critical ideas to broad audiences and academics alike. Authors challenge the status quo, and editors clarify that message. That ongoing editorial process is something he's just lucky to be a part of. Eric also loves cooking but hates Gordon Ramsay.
Claire Chen
Associate Editor, Director of Public Relations
Year: Senior
Major: Communication
Minor: Law and Migration Studies
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Claire Chen is a Senior from San Francisco and Shanghai. She is majoring in Communication with a minor in Law and Migration Studies. Claire is interning as a Data Governance and Program Management Intern at the Walt Disney Company. She used to be part of SWIL E-Board, where she served as Director of Marketing. In the future, she hopes to pursue entertainment law in Los Angeles.
Rayeed Rahman
Associate Editor, Director of Finance
Year: Sophomore
Major: Business Administration
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Rayeed Rahman is a sophomore majoring in Business Administration, with an emphasis on International Relations. Outside of JLS, he is a member of the Trojan Debate Squad, competing nationally in policy debate. He joined JLS because he enjoys investigating the implications of legal decisions and interrogating complex legal matters across an array of topics.
Annie Bang
Lead Editor
Year: Junior
Major: Journalism and Economics
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Annie Bang is a junior from Orange County and is majoring in Journalism and Economics. Outside of JLS, she worked as an Opinion writer for the Daily Trojan and a multimedia journalist for Annenberg Media. She is currently involved as an intern for a stealth fintech startup. Annie joined JLS to read interesting papers that reflect diverse viewpoints. Her future plans involve working as a reporter covering business and politics.
Jerry Li
Lead Editor
Year: Sophomore
Major: Public Policy and Philosophy
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Jerry is a sophomore, double major in public policy and philosophy. Outside of JLS, he is the treasurer of Kappa Alpha Pi, and a member of the USC Political Union, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, and the Philosophy Club. Jerry also plays intramural soccer. He plans on attending law school to become a prosecutor.
Alison Dundes Renteln
Faculty Advisor
Professor of Political Science, Anthropology, Public Policy, and Law
Professor Renteln studies international law, human rights, comparative legal systems, Constitutional law and legal and political theory. An expert on cultural rights, including the use of the "cultural defense" in the legal system, Professor Renteln has lectured to judicial organizations and law enforcement groups on this subject. She served on the State Bar Commission on Access to Justice and the California Judicial Council Access and Fairness Advisory Committee. She also served as a member of the California Attorney General's Commission Hate Crimes.
Luis Cacayoren
Associate Editor, Director of Recruitment
Year: Senior
Major: Political Science
Minors: Marketing
Luis Cacayoren is a Political Science major with a Marketing Minor. Outside of JLS, he is involved with the trojan parliamentary debate squad. Luis became a part of JLS to better his editing skills.
Elias Abadi
Lead Editor, Director of Submissions
Year: Senior
Major: Philosophy, Politics, and Law
Minor: English
Elias is currently a Senior at JLS, majoring in Public Policy and minoring in Web Technologies and Applications. In the past year, he held significant roles, including Director of Finance and Lead Editor. These positions involved compiling and managing JLS's finances and overseeing the editing process. Beyond his involvement with JLS, Elias also serves as the President of the Trojan Review, USC's foremost undergraduate law review. He was drawn to JLS by its tight-knit community and extensive networking opportunities. Elias plans on applying to law school school in hopes of practicing appellate law.
Sariah Perera
Lead Editor
Year: Junior
Major: Political Science
Minor: Legal Studies
Sariah Perera is a Junior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Legal Studies. She is also pursuing a progressive degree with a Master of Public Diplomacy. Outside of JLS, she is involved in the Society of Women in Law and the Trojan Review. She hopes to one day go to law school and work in the space of international law.
Associate Editors 2023-2024
Melinda Xia
Samuel Agustin
Fiona Yang
Ellen Woodhouse
Erika Lizette Aguayo Gutierrez
Andrew Mecatl
Aayush Manapat
Lucia Zhang
Eric Bui
Jerry Li
Sariah Perera
Annie Bang
Elias Abadi
Luis Cacayoren
Claire Chen
Rayeed Rahman
Executive Board 2023-2024
Join the Journal
The Journal of Law and Society recruits new Associate Editors for each school year in the fall semester. The application for the 2022-2023 academic year is now closed. Applications for 2023-2024 will open in Fall 2023.
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Applications for Associate Editors consist of a brief application, a one-page resume, and a two-page academic writing sample. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Please contact the Journal at uscjournal@gmail.com with any questions regarding applications.
Submissions
All undergraduate academics from any university, major, or program are invited to submit research papers of at least 10 double-spaced pages in length. Papers may have been completed for coursework, independent study, or written specifically for the Journal. We encourage students from a wide range of disciplines to submit their work. Papers should relate to an aspect of law and society in some manner, but need not have these topics as the central theme.
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The USC Journal of Law and Society carefully considers all submissions that it receives on a rolling basis. Our selection process ensures that every paper is thoroughly and collaboratively reviewed, though papers submitted before the final deadline are given first consideration.
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The submissions period for the Spring 2023 Edition of the Journal of Law and Society is now closed. Submissions for the Spring 2024 Edition will open Winter 2023.
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*Please note that by submitting a paper, authors commit to working with the Journal’s staff to edit and prepare the paper for publication should the paper be selected. Contact the Journal at uscjournal@gmail.com with any questions.
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Archive
Editor-in-Chief: Vanessa Nguyen
The Spring 2023 publication of the Journal welcomed Vanessa Nguyen as Editor-in-Chief. This edition featured authors from various different undergraduate institutions, discussing topics ranging from the legalization of cannabis and its effects on mental health to the contentious debate on reproductive health.
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Authors: Victor Zhang, Sabrina Kardashian, Anna Craver, Kathy Vuong Thach, Madison Gilbert
Editor-in-Chief: Rachel Heil
The Spring 2022 publication of the Journal welcomed Rachel Heil as Editor-in-Chief. This edition featured authors from three different undergraduate institutions, discussing topics ranging from the effects of globalization on international surrogacy to the incorporation of new psychological frameworks into court cases on LGBTQ+ partner violence.
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Authors: Julian Guo, Alex Kavaldjiev, Sophia Lyman, Claire Posno, Sofia Trifonopoulou
Editor-in-Chief: Samantha Huang
The Spring 2021 publication of the Journal welcomed Samantha Huang as Editor-in-Chief. This edition featured authors from five different undergraduate institutions, discussing topics ranging from judicial independence in immigration courts to litigating discrimination cases for incarcerated transgender individuals.
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Authors: Hannah E. Hallman, Chasia Elzina Jeffries, Miriham Antonio, Rianna Mukherjee, Seungmin (Helen) Lee, Liyu Woldemichael
Editor-in-Chief: Sebastian John Walter Young
The Spring 2020 publication of the Journal welcomed Sebastian John Walter Young as Editor-in-Chief. This edition included papers covering a variety of topics, ranging from discussions of reparations for Black Americans to the impacts of Institutional Review Boards on academic freedom.
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Authors: Dezeray Cruz, Giulia Corno, Avi Bajpai, Sofia Tryfonopoulou, and Pauline Jacqueline Marie Crepy
Editor-in-Chief: Madeline Goossen
The Spring 2019 publication of the Journal welcomed Madeline Goossen back as Editor-in-Chief. This edition included papers written by students from universities across the United States and covered topics like issues of liability regarding California’s recent wildfires, the concept of laïcité in French culture, changing eminent domain laws in Florida, and regulations in the foie gras industry.
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Authors: Norma Jazmin Gudiño Mendoza, Sarah Anne McKenzie, Jared Kelly, and Ryan Nhu
Editor-in-Chief: Madeline Goossen
The USC Journal of Law and Society welcomed Madeline Goossen as the Editor-in-Chief for the Spring 2018 issue. This edition highlighted papers written by students from universities across the country and dealt with topics like human rights in rural Pakistan, the constitutionality of sex offender registrations, and future of content filtering by governments in regards to freedom of expression.
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Authors: Belal Jonaid, Laura Russell, Dale MacLean, Ariana Arzani, and Emily Miller
Editor-in-Chief: Kyra Schoonover
Under the direction of new Editor-in-Chief Kyra Schoonover, the USC Journal of Law and Society publishes its ninth volume, containing papers written by students at four different undergraduate institutions. This issue is one of the most diverse yet, with papers covering US foreign policy, second amendment rights, the legal status of professional sports leagues, international torture law, and the intersection of technology and law in the future.
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Authors: Faith Stewart, Zoe Young, Rex Alley, Daniel Shepard, and Matthew Goldstein
Editor in Chief: Micaela Rodgers
The Spring 2016 issue welcomed back Micaela Rodgers as Editor-in-Chief for the eight edition of the Journal of Law and Society. The Journal published works on topics like water sustainability in California, political protests in Peru, and the realities of US drone strikes.
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Authors: Laura Reilly, Maral Tavitian, Megan Zagorski, Sasha Hondagneu-Messner, and Trevor Kehrer
Editor-in-Chief: Micaela Rodgers
With the Spring 2015 edition, the Journal welcomed Micaela Rodgers as Editor-in-Chief and Ryan Walkenhorst as Managing Editor. This issue published papers from students across the country on topics such as campaign finance, the Affordable Care Act, torture in international law, and military drones for targeted killing.
Authors: Andrew Abell, Bailee Ahern, Shayna Cooperman, John Donnelly, Victoria Morgan, Roya Imani & Tomaz Stojnik, and Joseph Noreña
Editor-in-Chief: Andrew Lockridge
Andrew Lockridge led the Fall 2014 edition in publishing several extended papers for this edition, including an honor's thesis. Collectively, they represented topics on copyright law in the music industry, the legality of public school prayer, and gender equality in the public sector.
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Authors: Cameron Langford, Lincoln Richards, Marissa Marandola, Ziandra Bauer, Ryan Walkenhorst, and Katherine Wilcox
Editor-in-Chief: Andrew Lockridge
Andrew Lockridge continued as Editor-in-Chief for the Spring 2014 edition. With topics covering crimes against humanities, unilateral military force in the 21st century, immigration, and the war on terror, this journal provides original and insightful political thought across fields.
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Authors: Graham Stinnett, Lindsey Ware, Dylan Markovic, Shannon Weiwei Zhang, and Déborah Cápiro
Editor-in-Chief: Andrew Lockridge
The Fall 2013 issue welcomed back Andrew Lockridge for the sixth edition of the Journal of Law and Society. Papers in this journal highlighted topics like the role of self- determination in the Arab Spring, juvenile sentencing for murder, the effects of cartels on democracy in Mexico, and LGBTQ mobilization against hate crimes.
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Authors: Raul Beke, John Treat, Jack Merritt, Jackson Nye, Rachel Brown, and Mariam Azhar
Editor-in-Chief: Andrew Lockridge
New Editor-in-Chief Andrew Lockridge led the publication of the Spring 2013 edition of the Journal. Papers from this issue focused on topics such as air pollution, the National Planning Commission in South Africa, food and water management in China, and access to essential medicines in developing regions.
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Authors: Joshua Christopher Hwang, Ross Ha, Stefanie Schwemlein, Alice Hall-Partyka, Sylvia Fogarty-Phipps, and Sasha Parameswaran
Editor-in-Chief: Alexander Fullman
With the Fall 2012 edition, the Journal welcomed Alexander Fullman back as Editor-in-Chief and published works from eight undergraduate authors. These papers cover topics like the rising importance of social media for presidents, the expansion of presidential power through executive legislation, and the history of female elected officials.
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Authors: Marissa Roy, Linus Marco, Zach Drennen, Megan Covington, Dylan Kornbluth, Michael Brandon, Rachel Landry, and Sara Worth
Editor-in-Chief: Alexander Fullman
The Spring 2012 edition of the Journal welcomed Alexander Fullman as Editor-in-Chief and published works from six undergraduate authors, covering topics such as a global mandated choice organ procurement program and the California DREAM Act.
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Authors: Susan Estrich, Meghan McCormick, Pantea Faed, Alexander Fullman, Barbara Solish, Pedro Ramirez
Editor-in-Chief: Bo Ren
Led by Bo Ren, the Spring 2009 edition of the Journal published works by three authors, dealing with gender inequity in sports, the portrayal of sex on the internet through the lens of civil liberties, the possibility of forming a city of refuge.
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Authors: Katherine Hutchinson, Vladimir Medenica, and Victoria Ko
Editor-in-Chief: Victoria Ko
Led by Editor-in-Chief Victoria Ko, the Spring 2008 edition of the Journal features works by two authors on the topics of the politicization of science and privacy in the War on Terror.
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Authors: Colin D. Koproske, Alexander Frank
Editor-in-Chief: Victoria Ko
Under Editor-in-Chief Victoria Ko, the Fall 2007 edition of the Journal published works by four authors on topics such as Makah whaling and Guantanamo Bay.
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Authors: Jeanie Paik, Shahin Berenji, Kent Wakuta, Michael K. Grimaldi
Editor-in-Chief: Steve K. Choi
Led by Editor-in-Chief Steve K. Choi, the Spring 2005 edition of the Journal published works by two authors, focused on treatment programs for adolescents in correctional and detention facilities and retroactivity of the FSIA in Austria v. Altmann.
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Authors: Brenda M. Bower, Nathan Go
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USC Journal of Law and Society
University of Southern California
Tutor Campus Center 330
3607 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089-3103​
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