ivr
IVR2022
SW40
Legal Theory Education: Building Bridges into the Future
CONVENOR: Lorenz Schulz
The globalization and internationalization of law and, consequently, legal education point to the need for reconsidering the foundations of law (jurisprudence/legal theory/legal philosophy, legal sociology, legal history) in order to provide students of law with the essential contexts of law and with a tool-set for understanding complex legal problems properly thereby enabling true solutions. A specific trait and momentum of contemporary globalization is the increasing role of modern technology in general and specifically for legal research and research technology skills within legal education. Thus, the IT medium is not only one of several media of law but the guiding one provoking a reconsideration of traditional issues of legal theory (such as the rule of strictness or truth in law).
The organizing EALT (www.legaltheory.eu) provides long lasting experience in developing and realizing educational programs in legal theory as well as providing a platform for a mutual exchange of ideas and experience in legal theory education among different institutions all over Europe and on a global scale. This experience stems mostly from two decades running an LLM program at Brussels roughly in between 1990 and 2010. More recently, this program was relocated at Goethe University Frankfurt on broader European shoulders. Moreover, it has been adapted to contemporary conditions for legal theory and is renowned for the comprehensive structure including the education in the history of legal philosophy. It has been running now for almost ten years.
The workshop intends to share experience among international experts in organizing educational programs in legal theory. This includes programs focusing specific aspects of legal theory. Best practice examples among current programs and/or projects and future trends and needs for new and innovative responses from stakeholders in the field of legal theory education shall be identified.
The workshop aims at treating essentials in teaching legal theory by coming to terms with the international diversity in academic institutions. More practically, the workshop intends to provide a global map in teaching legal theory (eventually leading to a website service for students searching for a program in legal theory and young scholars in legal theory looking for an orientation in global studies in legal theory). This includes a special focus on the impact the Brexit has for the British education in legal theory.

Presentations will address one of the following topics:
a) general aims of educating legal theory – a transnational view facing current challenges of legal theory education
b) solutions to current and future challenges specifically regarding new research technologies
c) best practice examples of innovative legal theory and research methodology & technology education.

Most central for the workshop are the reports and considerations of leading scholars in international legal theory, cooperating either within the IVR or the network of EALT. Thus, if there is no abstract/paper presented in the congress materials, typically the program headings will tell you what a presentation is about.
Congress participants may ask to get on the mailing list of the Special Workshop to receive more information. We plan a casual reception of EALT during the congress to enable informal contacts and communications including present students and alumni of the program.