On Legal Research 04 - Various Methodological Approaches to Legal Research


                                                                               Research means hard-work.

Analytical Approach: This is the traditional way of doing legal research. It means looking closely at legal texts like laws and court cases. The goal is to understand what the law says and how it applies to real situations. It is systematic and used by lawyers and judges. But, it may not consider the social or economic context, and it might not work well for vulnerable groups.

Interdisciplinary Approach: This approach borrows ideas from other fields like history, sociology, and politics. It looks at the law more broadly, thinking about how society, politics, and the economy affect it. It is a more complete way of studying law, recognizing it is not just rules, but influenced by many things. It can give us a deeper understanding, but it is harder to do because the researcher has to combine ideas from different areas.

Socio-Legal Approach: This is all about how law and society connect. Researchers use things like surveys and interviews to see how people use and experience the law. It is practical and focused on the real world, not just theories. It can help make the law better for society, but it is tricky because getting data can sometimes be very difficult.

Comparative Approach: This approach looks at how laws are different or similar in different countries or cultures. It helps us learn from others and see what works best. It is handy in a world where everything is connected, but it is complex because the researcher needs to gather data from lots of places.

Historical Approach: This one looks at how laws have changed over time. It uses things like legal history to study where laws come from and how they've evolved. It can give us insights into why laws are the way they are today. But, it is not easy because the researcher needs to dig into the past, and it can be hard to find good information.

 

[image credit: Wikimedia Commons]

 

© Yasin Al Razi

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

CUSTOM - AS A SOURCE OF LAW

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS CONCERNING PROPERTY LAW

Elements of Possession