On May 9, 2025, the Law and Society Association at Stanford Law School (LSAS) successfully held its Ninth Conference for Junior Researchers. The conference provided a forum for junior researchers to share their current research projects on law and society and receive input from faculty and other participants.
The focus of the conference was on the intersections of law, power, and reform, particularly in systems undergoing rapid political or social transformation. In particular, the conference explored how courts navigate these transformations, and the roles legal actors play in resisting or facilitating change.
Xin He, HKU Mok Sau-King Professor in Law and member of Philip K.H. Wong Centre for Chinese Law, was invited to deliver the keynote speech titled “A State Perspective on China’s Rights Development” at the conference. Emeritus Professor Lawrence M. Friedman from Stanford Law School delivered a warm opening remark, welcoming Professor He back to his alma mater and congratulating him on his achievements in the field of sociology of law, particularly in comparative Chinese legal studies.
In his keynote speech, Professor He introduced a viewpoint that diverges from the dominant rights mobilization approach, arguing that a state perspective and especially the dynamics between the state apparatuses offer crucial insights on China rights development. Professor He elaborated on this perspective through examples from several key areas of justice and explored the significance of the state perspective by comparing China with other authoritarian states. He noted the contrast with many authoritarian countries where law often opposes the state, pointing out that China’s legal system closely serves state interests. The extensive control of judges, courts, and legislative processes by the state highlights the unique context of China’s law and politics.
Participants in the conference included Stanford Law School professors such as Lawrence M. Friedman, Amalia D. Kessler, Deborah R. Hessler, Curtis J. Milhaupt, and Henry T. Greely. The attendees also included promising young scholars from academic institutions like Yale University, Duke University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles.
