The Study of Law and Courts: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods

EHU Module "The Sociology of Litigation and Dispute Resolution" 

This seminar focuses on the practical application of research methods to the study of courts and socio-legal phenomena.  This seminar demonstrates that research begins with ideas, and the subsequent steps are guided by strict guidelines and methods.  The goal is to introduce you to social science research methods and relevant topics for the systematic study of courts.

How do we study an institution like the courts? What are the tools and methods? What is the role of the courts in any society?  In this seminar, the starting point is that there is an increasing debate about the role of the courts in society.  The debate centers on the scope and extent of judicial interventions, their agenda, the relevance of cases, and the courts’ capacity to effect social change.  In this seminar, we will address these questions in a systematic way, linking together research design and methods with the empirical literature to delve into the courts.  The analysis focuses on the American experience, but the methodologies and lessons learned are applicable to most societies.