Research Methods in Law

by Dawn Watkins (Editor), Mandy Burton (Editor)

Overview

Explaining in clear terms some of the main methodological approaches to legal research, the chapters in this edited collection are written by specialists in their fields, researching in a variety of jurisdictions.

Covering a range of topics from Feminist Approaches to Law and Economics, each contributor addresses the topic of ‘lay decision makers in the legal system’ from their particular methodological perspective, explaining how they would approach the issue and discussing the suitability of their particular method. This focus on one main topic allows the reader to draw comparisons between methods with relative ease.

The broad range of contributors makes Research Methods in Law well suited to an international audience, and it is ideal reading for PhD students in law, undergraduate dissertation students in law, LL.M Research students and early year researchers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032710341
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/31/2025
Edition description:	3rd ed.
Pages:	290
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dawn Watkins is Professor of Law at the University of Sheffield.

Mandy Burton is Professor of Law at Loughborough University.

Table of Contents

1. Doctrinal Research 2. Socio-legal studies 3. Doing empirical research 4. Legal research in the humanities 5. Legal History 6. Comparative law and its methodology 7. Critical legal ‘method’ as attitude 8. Economic analysis of law, or economically-informed legal research 9. The Master’s Tools? A Feminist Approach to Legal and Lay Decision-Making 10. Law and anthropology: legal pluralism and ‘lay’ decision-making