What if there is no law? The figures on informality and noncompliance with the law

A street scene with a vendor leaning against a pole beside a turquoise cart filled with corn on the cob, while a small crowd gathers around on a sidewalk near a building.

What if there is no law? The figures on informality and noncompliance with the law

In this Borderlands piece, Edvaldo Moita discusses structural noncompliance and the implications of informality in the legal system.

by Edvaldo Moita | 27 March 2026

Fishermen on Lake Kivu near Goma at Sunset

Reframing “Informal Justice”: Local Legal Practices in the DRC and Their Unexpected Formality

In this Borderlands piece, Julien Moriceau discusses his findings from fieldwork conducted in Kongo-Central and Kasaï-Central provinces in DRC.

by Julien Moriceau | 18 February 2026

Hate speech symbols from social media on a printed booklet

Digital Hate, Real-World Harm: Youth Radicalisation and Malaysia’s Legal Response

In this piece for Borderlands, Dr. Hafidz Hakimi reflects on interviews with policymakers and youth leaders in Malaysia, discussing the conditions that fuel hate speech.

by Hafidz Hakimi Haron | 21 January 2026

A hand holding a set of keys casts a sharp shadow on a wall illuminated by a bright, angled beam of light, creating a high-contrast scene.

Vanishing Libraries: Technofeudalism and the Illusory Promise of Digital Ownership

In this Borderlands piece, Aniq Jiwani discusses the perils of technofeudalism and the changing nature of ownership in digital spaces.

by Aniq Jiwani | 10 December 2025

A scientist holding a petrie dish works in a laboratory.

Lab-Grown Meat, the Right to Adequate Food, and the Climate Crisis

In this Borderlands post, Dr Katie Morris and Dr Scarlett Swain consider the regulation and societal promise of lab-grown meat.

by Katie Morris & Scarlett Swain | 12 November 2025

Nikli Haor in Kishoreganj, showing a local fisherman at work.

The Courtroom as Metaphysics: Ritual, Reverence, and the Vanishing Voice

In this Borderlands piece, Galib Mahmud Pasha (ANU) reflects on the colonial echoes within a Bangladeshi courtroom.

by Galib Mahmud Pasha | 15 October 2025

Who are the lawgivers? A comparative perspective

In this Borderlands post, Fernanda Pirie and Francesca Uberti reflect upon a panel discussion exploring the place and role of the lawgiver in historical, religious, and contemporary settings.

by Fernanda Pirie & Francesca Uberti | 17 September 2025

Las figuras en el horizonte de una montaña siguen a un individuo solitario

Desafiando la Norma: Debatiendo la edad mínima para ocupar cargos públicos de alto rango

En este artículo para Borderlands, Sebastián Hernández (Concepción, Chile) explora los debates en torno a los requisitos constitucionales de edad mínima para el liderazgo político.

by Sebastián Hernández | 23 July 2025

Figures on a mountain skyline follow a lone individual

Challenging the Norm: Debating minimum age to hold high-ranking public offices

In this piece for Borderlands, Sebastián Hernández (Concepción, Chile) explores the debates surrounding constitutional minimum age requirements for political leadership.

by Sebastián Hernández | 23 July 2025

Through The Looking Glass: Curiosity v Closure in Inquests and Research

In this Borderlands piece, Jessie Waldman explores the competing pressures of curiosity and closure in the South African inquest process.

by Jessie Waldman | 25 June 2025