Publication: Towards a more innovative and accessible justice system
Six years of ERI Sector Plan Law Research in Utrecht
The publication 'Six years of ERI Sector Plan Law Research in Utrecht - Cross-pollination through collaboration' is the result of six years of intensive collaboration and interdisciplinary research that began with the launch of the first Sector Plan Law in September 2019. The book explores two themes that are in the spotlight in the legal sector: empirical legal studies (ELS) and Institutions for Conflict Resolution . The various contributions show how collaboration can lead to innovative insights and practical solutions. Empirical research reveals valuable insights about the effectiveness of legal procedures and how innovative approaches to conflict resolution can help improve access to justice.
The contributions in the book focus on two main themes that Utrecht University's School of Law has brought together in the Empirical Legal Research into Institutions for Conflict Resolution (ERI) research cluster to effectuate the Sector Plan (see box below).
Empirical Legal Studies
Traditionally, lawyers – in both academia and practice – primarily study legal texts and court rulings. But to gain a good understanding of the day-to-day functioning of our legal system and the effectiveness of legal rules and procedures, this classic legal science method of research ('law in the books') is increasingly being supplemented with empirical, social science methods. Empirical Legal Studies (ELS) studies the underlying assumptions and operation of the law in practice ('law in action'), using such methods as interviews, experiments, and “big data” research.
Institutions for Conflict Resolution
The term “institutions” includes not only the judiciary but also numerous administrative institutions, such as municipalities, implementing agencies (for example, the Social Insurance Bank) and supervisory authorities (for example, the Personal Data Authority). The ability of these institutions to prevent or solve problems is essential to the proper functioning of society and citizens' trust in it. But this problem-solving ability of Institutions for Conflict Resolution is constantly being challenged by new developments (such as the nitrogen and biodiversity crisis, or the rapid growth of AI). Many people experience that (governmental) institutions no longer deliver on their promises, and furthermore that justice through the courts is becoming increasingly difficult to access. Research into the role and meaning of existing and new institutions, into (alternative) compensation systems and enforcement systems, is carried out to answer questions such as: How can judicial instruments be improved to effectively resolve disputes? What are the limits to the role the courts can play as problem solvers for major social issues?
About the publication
The book 'Six years of ERI Sector Plan Law Research in Utrecht: Cross-pollination through collaboration' contains contributions in English and Dutch, and was edited by Emanuel van Dongen, Remy Gaarthuis, Danai Nikolakopoulou, Marc Simon Thomas and Meike Wind. For more information and an overview of all authors and topics, see the table of contents or the website of Boom Publishers:
About the Sector Plan Law Research
The Sector Plan Law Research (Sectorplan Rechtsgeleerdheid) has come about under the auspices of the SSH Council, which in the Netherlands represents the interests of all education and research in the fields of social sciences, humanities, law, economics and business administration. In developing the sector plan, the School of Law has chosen to unite the two spearheads Empirical Legal Studies and Institutions for Conflict Resolution in the research cluster Empirical Legal Research into Institutions for Conflict Resolution (ERI). This sector plan is the first developed example of subsequent SSH sector plans. The Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance is also involved in the current Sector Plan Welfare, Participation and Citizenship in a Digital World.