PhD Course
Theory of Legal Research
Course Description: In this course, participants will engage with the theoretical foundations of legal research, exploring law as a social construct and site of power while developing the analytical and interdisciplinary tools needed for critical legal scholarship. This course will enable participants to:
- examine the foundational questions of What is law? and What should law be? from critical and decolonial perspectives;
- analyze law as a body of rules, a social construct, and a tool for social and political transformation;
- interrogate how legal knowledge is produced, contested, and reshaped across disciplines;
- situate and articulate their own research within contemporary theoretical debates in legal scholarship;
- engage with archival research methods during a study visit to the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies; and
- develop interdisciplinary awareness to enhance the depth and impact of their doctoral research
Prior Requirements: None.
When: The course has 4 lessons, on the following dates:
- 4 September 2025, 11:00-14:00
- 11 September 2025, 11:00-14:00
- 18 September 2025, 11:00-14:00
- 25 September 2025, 11:00-14:00
Maximum of external participants: The course has up to five spots available for staff from other universities.
Lecturers: Prof.dr. Chantal Mak & Dr. Leila Faghfouri Azar
Registration deadline: Anytime before the start of the course. For questions or registration, please contact phdprogram-fdr@uva.nl