The 21st Annual Critical Tax Theory Conference will be held at the University of South Carolina School of Law on April 14-15, 2018. During the conference, critical tax scholars from around the nation will present their recent research to an expert audience.

Critical tax scholarship aims at looking beyond the language of the Code and regulations to examine what the tax law actually does. It has roots in critical legal studies generally, and therefore Critical tax scholars frequently ask why the tax laws are the way they are and what impact tax laws have on historically disempowered groups, such as people of color; women; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals; low-income and poor individuals; the disabled; and nontraditional families. But Critical tax scholarship is not limited either to those topics or to any particular methodology.

Critical tax scholarship shares the following goals: (1) to uncover bias in the tax laws; (2) to explore and expose how the tax laws both reflect and construct social meaning; and (3) to educate nontax scholars and lawyers about the interconnectedness of taxation, social justice, and progressive political movements. Critical tax scholars employ a variety of methods to achieve these goals such as bringing "outsider" perspectives to the study of tax law; using historical material, contemporary case studies, and personal or fictional narratives to illustrate the practical impact of the tax laws on individuals and groups; interpreting social science and economic data to show how the tax laws impact groups differently; and exploring the interconnectedness of tax laws with economic forces such as the labor market and international financial and political development.