Research and science: law in an economic and social context

The fundamental premise underlying academic research conducted at Erasmus School of Law is that law cannot be considered in splendid isolation or as an end in itself. It is embedded in an economic and social context that shapes the law. At the same time, the law itself shapes society and defines economic relationships. Examining the economic and social context requires engaging with societal partners and taking into account new developments and challenges that call for a legal or regulatory response. Research must therefore also be directed at investigating what modifications through law are effective or efficient. Erasmus School of Law research has a strong social- and business-driven orientation. Our motto is therefore ‘Where law meets business’.

Erasmus School of Law is committed to promoting international and interdisciplinary research. The methods of legal doctrine are the primary tools used in developing legal doctrine in relation to concerns raised in legal practice. Yet purely doctrinal legal methods often will not suffice to fully grasp the way in which the economic and social context shapes the law, as well as the way in which law itself shapes society and economic relationships. For this reason, our researchers engage with other disciplines such as economics, criminology, political science, sociology, medicine, philosophy, and psychology.