New Frontiers in Empirical Labour Law Research

by Amy Ludlow (Editor), Alysia Blackham (Editor)

Overview

This edited collection draws together papers delivered at a symposium on New Frontiers in Empirical Labour Law Research held at the University of Cambridge in April 2014. It contains contributions from established and emerging experts across a range of disciplines (including employment relations, industrial psychology, sociology, economics and political science) to consider four broad themes: the case for empiricism in labour law; the potential for mixed methods; methodological possibilities and insights from other disciplines; and practical challenges and words of caution for those conducting empirical research.

This collection seeks to cultivate confidence and competence in empirical methods among both established and young labour law scholars, through an intergenerational and interdisciplinary 'lessons learned' dialogue. It contributes to the broader debate regarding empirical research methods in labour law, and casts light on how empirical research can be conducted in highly contested fields to enhance labour law policy-making. This collection aims to inspire labour lawyers to embark upon new forms of empirical research, both to enrich their existing research projects, and to ask new research questions. It offers the first stage of a collaborative and interdisciplinary dialogue on empirical labour law research, to emphasise the importance of collaboration and intergenerational mentoring in building empirical capacity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781849466783
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/18/2015
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Amy Ludlow is a Fellow and College Lecturer in Law at Gonville and Caius College and an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge.Alysia Blackham is the Turpin-Lipstein Fellow and College Lecturer in Law at Clare College and an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements v

1 Introduction Alysia Blackham Amy Ludlow 1

2 Foreword: Evidence and Ideology Bob Hepple 9

Part A Taking Method Seriously: Theoretical Implications

3 Individual Rights at Work, Methodological Experimentation and the Nature of Law Lizzie Barmes 19

4 Quantitative Labour Law Zoe Adams Simon Deakin 31

5 Women in Labour Law: The Use and Implications of Empirical Methods Lydia Hayes Roseanne Russell 51

Part B Taking Methodological Inspiration from Other Disciplines

6 Can Behavioural Psychology Inform Labour Law? Ewan McGaughey 75

7 Using Ethnographic Methods to Explore Labour Law Questions Amy Ludlow 93

8 Collective Labour Law Explored Sonia McKay Sian Moore 107

9 No Longer a 'Secondary Force … in Labour Relations': A Mixed Methods Study of the Effect on Irish Trade Unions of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2001 Tish Gibbons 121

Part C What Do We 'Do' With Empirical Work? Making Empirical Work 'Count'

10 Using the Delphi Method to Advance Legal Reform: A New Method for Empirical Labour Law Research? Alysia Blackham 139

11 Labour Legislation and Evidence-Based Public Policy: A Case Study Abi Adams Jeremias Prassl 161

12 Creating a 'Virtuous Circle' Between Legal Empirical Research, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Simonetta Manfredi Lucy Vickers 179

Index 197

Editorial Reviews

"A short book review cannot do credit to the depth, variety and richness of the perspectives, analysis, and potential future avenues for research which this collection presents." --Industrial Law Journal

From the Publisher