DOTPV_EMP1 Emiprical Legal Studies I.

Faculty of Law
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
JUDr. Bc. Terezie Smejkalová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
JUDr. Bc. Terezie Smejkalová, Ph.D.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
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Course objectives
The aim of this course is twofold:
1. Students should familiarise themselves with current trends in empirical jurisprudence; consequently, they will
2. study the relevant methodological approaches to be used in their doctoral theses.

This course is not meant to double up as a methodological course; we shall focus on the study and critical analysis of various interdisciplinary approaches in law that make use of empirical research.
Nevertheless, this course is directed at helping the students think through the design of an empirical research project.
Learning outcomes
After finishing this course, students will
- have basic knowledge of the current trends in empirical legal research,
- be able to critically read the methodology sections of relevant texts,
- be able to either choose a suitable methodological approach to their own doctoral theses, or explain why would such an approach be inappropriate.
Syllabus
  • Law allows for various kinds of empirical examination of legal texts, persons involved in their writing or applications, various practices that make law what it is, physical objects that law regulates etc.
  • In the first part of this course (EMP I.) we are going to focus on qualitative approaches:
  • 1. Text analysis
  • 2. Interviews
  • 3. Processes and practices
  • 4. Spaces Students are welcome to bring their own interests and questions into this course.
Literature
  • Další literatura bude zadávána dle dohody se studenty.
  • Metody výzkumu ve společenských vědách. Edited by Hedvika Novotná - Ondřej Špaček - Magdaléna Šťovíčková. Vydání první. Praha: FHS UK, 2019, 495 stran. ISBN 9788075710253. info
  • The Oxford handbook of empirical legal research. Edited by Peter Cane - Herbert M. Kritzer. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, xv, 1094. ISBN 9780199659944. info
Teaching methods
text analysis, class discussions
Assessment methods
- active class participation,
- written essay
Language of instruction
Czech
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/law/autumn2024/DOTPV_EMP1