Unfinished Business: An Appreciation of Eugen Ehrlich’s Methods
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
Electronic versions
Documents
- Machura_on_Ehrlich_methods_Paris_2022_15_September_version
Accepted author manuscript, 425 KB, PDF document
Licence: CC BY-NC-ND Show licence
Eugen Ehrlich (1862–1922) became a founding father of sociology of law. At the core of his work was the attempt to equip jurisprudence with empirical methods hitherto not employed by lawyers: methods adding to the analysis of legal codes and authoritative court rulings. According to Ehrlich, the sociology of law makes the parent subject a legal science. Beyond the meta orientation that is sociological jurisprudence, Ehrlich mentions a range of research techniques, “methods” in the sense of “how do we go about researching law empirically”. Ehrlich highlights analysing legal documents and especially forms of empirical observation. He also briefly mentions experimental methods. This paper discusses research investigating the connection between law and emotions through quasi-experimental designs, the use of Ehrlich’s concepts in historical sociological analysis, the value of comparative empirical research as well as content analysis and observation in contemporary works. “Method is as infinite as science itself” reads the last sentence of Ehrlich’s “Fundamental Principles of the Sociology of Law” and sociologists of law have proven him right.
Keywords
- Eugen Ehrlich, Sociology of law, socio-legal studies, Research methods
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 23 |
Publication status | Published - Sept 2022 |
Event | “The Relevance of Eugen Ehrlich's Thought to Empirical Methods of Law” - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France Duration: 22 Sept 2022 → 23 Sept 2022 https://calenda.org/1015323?lang=en |
Conference
Conference | “The Relevance of Eugen Ehrlich's Thought to Empirical Methods of Law” |
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Country/Territory | France |
City | Paris |
Period | 22/09/22 → 23/09/22 |
Internet address |
Research outputs (7)
- Published
The “Living Law” 100 years after Eugen Ehrlich: Two Workshops in Paris and Frankfurt
Research output: Other contribution
- Published
Woran man Recht erkennt, wenn man nicht ins Gesetzbuch schaut
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Eugen Ehrlich und die heutige Rechtssoziologie – 10 Thesen
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
Prof. activities and awards (1)
Art, Literature and Socio-Legal Studies
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course
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