The Power of Comparative Law: What Types of Units Can Comparative Law Compare?

Siems, Mathias

Abstract

What can comparative law compare? It is relatively uncontroversial that certain topics are included in its scope. For example, there is little doubt that any comparison between legal rules of different countries belongs to the field of comparative law. Beyond this traditional scope, some comparatists include further topics, for example, suggesting that legal systems of the past, sub-national laws and informal forms of dispute resolutions can also be possible units of comparative law. But why stop here? As many legal topics involve elements of comparison, it may only be logical to make any comparison in law part of the field of comparative law. However, such a suggestion about the broadening of comparative law also needs to assess whether the methods and concepts of comparative law can be suitable for other than the conventional units. Therefore, this article will discuss both the possible extensions to the scope of comparative law and the corresponding power of comparative law to deal with these new units of comparison.

Citation

Siems, M. (2019). The Power of Comparative Law: What Types of Units Can Comparative Law Compare?. The American Journal of Comparative Law, 67(4), 861-888. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcl/avz030

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 20, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Feb 8, 2020
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2019
• Deposit Date: Aug 1, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 8, 2022
• Journal: American Journal of Comparative Law
• Print ISSN: 0002-919X
• Electronic ISSN: 2326-9197
• Publisher: American Society of Comparative Law
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 67
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 861-888
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcl/avz030
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1326278