Empirical research in legal studies: design, application and methods 1600-SPEC-BENP1-PR
Description of the substantive content;
In recent years, empirical and interdisciplinary legal scholarship has become increasingly popular. While more and more empirical studies mushroom, it is essential for legal scholars to be aware of the specifics and limitations of the tools available.
The course aims to support PhD students in learning empirical methods applicable to legal phenomena. As such, the course will be accessible to PhD students of law willing to use empirical methods in their research, and better understand hitherto empirical research as well as PhD students in other social sciences interested in researching legal phenomena.
The course organisation will reflect the typical decision-making process applied to designing empirical research in law. Core moments for decision-making will be identified, discussed and illustrated with case studies.
The following topics will be addressed:
1. Why study law empirically? Opportunities and limitations of empirical methods in law
2. Typical fields of application and typical data sources
3. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods of producing data. Options for data analysis.
4. Success stories
5. Practicalities of empirical research: funding and time.
6. Research ethics
Due to the limited number of class hours, the course will not provide training on using specific research methods or techniques of data analysis. Instead, it will provide useful cues for research practice and material for further learning.
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge | The graduate knows and understands:
WG_01 - to the extent necessary for existing paradigms to be revised - a worldwide body of work, covering theoretical foundations as well as general and selected specific issues - relevant to a particular discipline within the social sciences
WG_02 - the main development trends in the disciplines of the social sciences in which the education is provided
WG_03 - scientific research methodology in the field of the social sciences
WK_01 - fundamental dilemmas of modern civilisation from the perspective of
the social sciences
Skills | The graduate is able to:
UK_05 - speaking a foreign language at B2 level of the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages using the professional terminology specific to the discipline within the social sciences, to the extent enabling participation in an international scientific and professional environment
Social competences | The graduate is ready to
KO_01 - fulfilling the social obligations of researchers and creators
KO_02 - fulfilling social obligations and taking actions in the public interest, in particular in initiating actions in the public interest
KO_03 - think and acting in an entrepreneurial manner
Assessment criteria
Principles for passing the classes and the subject (including resit session);
Participants will be requested to identify and discuss possible uses of empirical methods in their research fields.
Methods for the verification of learning outcomes;
Self-evaluation based on the outcomes of seminar discussion of participants’ own ideas of empirical research.
Evaluation criteria
Quality of participation in seminar discussion - 100%
Bibliography
Wykaz literatury związanej z przedmiotem
W trakcie kursu będą wykorzystywane dwa rodzaje literatury, podręczniki z zakresu metodologii empirycznych badań prawnych oraz artykuły naukowe i monografie opisujące konkretne badania Podręczniki są wymienione poniżej:
1. Banakar, R. and M. Travers, eds. Theory and method in socio-legal research, Hart 2005.
2. McConville, M., ed. Research methods for law. Edinburgh University Press, 2010
3. Leeuw, F. L., and H. Schmeets. Empirical legal research: A guidance book for lawyers, legislators and regulators. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016.
4. Cane, P., and H. Kritzer, eds. The Oxford handbook of empirical legal research. OUP Oxford, 2010.
5. Epstein, L. and A. D. Martin. An introduction to empirical legal research. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Literatura do omawiania studiów przypadku będzie ustalona na zajęciach, w zależności od zainteresowań badawczych uczestników seminarium.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: