The Law and Society Signature Research Area engages critically with the challenges facing contemporary society at the intersection of law and society. The group brings together a broad range of academics who adopt an interdisciplinary approach to the study of law, focusing on law in its social, cultural, historical and/or theoretical contexts. 

Law and Society promotes and encourages innovative research of international quality focusing on socio-legal, empirical and theoretical analyses of laws, legal institutions and processes and the impact of social, political, economic and scientific influences on law, legal professions and legal activities. It specifically promotes sociological and socio-legal methodology including empirical research methods in legal science. The group encourages inter-disciplinary to collaboration on solutions to pressing social injustices, and incubates people, ideas and projects which engage critically with the challenges facing contemporary society at the intersection of law and society.

Membership includes established and experienced academic staff, early career researchers, PhD students and members of the local judiciary.

Research Highlights

Research into international disputes on water rights by Professor Alistair Rieu-Clarke, is helping to provide new insights into regional conflicts around the globe. The Professor has served as a legal advisor to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe responsible for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Illustrative of our collaborative work, Professor Christopher Newman is involved in pioneering work on the governance framework for human activity in outer space. Professor Newman worked with Northern Space and Security as part of a consortium providing horizon scanning for the UK Space Agency. This led to the Law School signing a memorandum of understanding with a leading space debris removal company to help to change the way in which space is managed and incorporate sustainable practices into our activities in space. 

Professors Ray Arthur, Nicola Wake and Dr Rachel Dunn have used new methodologies to engage with young offenders which has led to an international collaboration with the Auckland Institute of technology in New Zealand. Prof Arthur, Dr Dunn and Carole Burrell have also secured funding from the British Academy to engage with young people in mental health hospitals. This research will aim to give a voice to a hard to reach and previously under-researched population of vulnerable young people.  

Kayliegh Richardson and Ana Speed’s research focuses on how cost-saving measures in the family justice system have compromised the effectiveness of the government’s strategy to tackle gender-based violence (GBV) through multi-agency collaboration, by adversely impacting the ease with which victims of GBV are able to access legal advice and representation, gather evidence and engage specialist support services. The research has led to a range of initiatives which have increased provision for pro bono legal advice for victims of GBV, developed the capacity of support workers to assist victims throughout legal proceedings and resulted in direct changes to regional policing practices, including the development of a police disclosure protocol. Those initiatives have been instrumental in transforming the response to multi-agency working in the North East of England and beyond. 

The Law and Society research group brings together many of the Law School’s best researchers who work in distinct research interest groups based around various specialist themes. The groups cover a rich and interesting range of topical areas, from international human rights and mental health to the internet and fashion law. Our members undertake quality research, supervise PhD students and co-ordinate events in their areas of expertise. Collectively, they are dedicated to advancing the systematic and critical study of law and legal problems in modern and contemporary society. Their key interests are in legal thought, regulatory and policy development and civil society including issues of privacy and data protection, family justice and addressing inequalities. Outputs include, not only academic research, but also policy papers, briefings, evidence and consultancies. 

Full details of our research interest groups and members can be accessed below.