This book examines the South Asian constitutional systems (India 1950, Bangladesh 1972, Pakistan 1973, Sri Lanka 1978, Bhutan 2008, Nepal 2015), adopting a comparative law and ‘contextual’ approach. Social diversity is the main feature of this geographical region, vast in dimension, also according to its demographic profile. This is why studying this area from a legal and institutional perspective is not only a crucial need for comparative law, but also a major methodological and intellec...

Cultural objects have a protected status on account of their intangible value, as symbols of an identity. This has been so since the early days of international law, and today there is an extensive legal framework that ensures this protection. Yet, when it comes to claims by former owners to items such as Nazi-looted art, colonial booty, or more recently looted antiquities, the situation is less straightforward. On the one hand, such claims are often not supported by positive law at all. On t...

The ability to deal with quantitative data is becoming increasingly important for lawyers. Estimates, probabilities and the likelihood that something will or will not happen in relation to a legally relevant insight or legal consideration, has become an important skill. We can witness its relevance in a famous case in The Netherlands – the case of Lucia de Berk, an unfortunate nurse who had been present at (initially) thirty deaths. According to the Public Prosecution Service, it was statis...

This book is about research in the field of law. In recent years much has been written about the need and benefits of legal research, the methods and theories that are applied by lawyers, and the justification of methods and theories applied in legal research reports. Many law schools nowadays include courses about research skills in their curricula. Doctoral candidates increasingly are offered courses about research methodology as applied in law. 

Legal Research provides answers to exactly ...

In June 2020, the research center for climate law ClimLaw: Graz was officially opened at the University of Graz, Austria. As part of the festive opening, distinguished members of the Scientific Board of ClimLaw: Graz and PhD students specialising in climate law gave presentations on current opportunities and challenges in climate law. This volume assembles the essays and provides a testimony of the official launch of ClimLaw: Graz. Climate change presents one of the greatest challenges of our...

This book presents a selection from papers, including some speeches and book chapters, published by Ernst Hirsch Ballin in English since 1991. His work, both in academic life and in several public offices, expresses an awareness of the impact of a lack of public trust and trustworthiness concerning respect for human rights and the rule of law, and the effects that this often has in cross-border relations.

The papers, starting with a programmatic speech on ‘investing in confidence’ at a sy...

Inspired by the vision of the future of humankind in outer space, an international team of technical experts, lawyers and political scientists examined topical issues of law and policy under the leadership of the editors – not only with respect to international space flight and space exploration, but also in view of the safe and sustainable use of space technology for the benefit of our planet. After all, our original habitat should not be sacrificed on our way to Moon and Mars!

In this reg...

This volume contains the proceedings of the 63rd Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space held virtually in October 2020, as well as the report of the IISL Standing Committee on the Status of International Agreements Relating to Activities in Outer Space.