Since 2014, the Institute has organised the annual Max Planck Summer Academy for Legal History. Its aim is to provide roughly 20 early-stage researchers, usually PhD students, from all over the world with an in-depth introduction to basic approaches and methods of research in legal history.
The Summer Academy is intended to develop the ability of its participants to transfer legal terminologies and theories across linguistic and cultural contexts, thus providing a basis to build and consolidate international research networks.
It addresses highly motivated early-stage researchers, usually PhD candidates, with an interest in the basic research of historical formation and transformations of law and other normative orders.
The Summer Academy consists of two parts. The first part provides an introduction to the study of sources, methodological principles, as well as theoretical models and controversial research debates on basic research fields of legal history. In the second part, the participants discuss the special research theme and develop their own approach to the topic.
The next course takes place from 17 August – 28 August 2020 at the Max Planck Institute for European Legal History in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Curriculum
Researchers and fellows of the Institute alongside invited guest speakers give introductions to the manifold facets, sources, theoretical foundations, research perspectives and methodologies of the different subfields of Legal History.
Antiquity and Roman Law
Ius Commune – Legists
Ius Commune – Canonists
History of Private Law
History of Common Law
History of Criminal Law
Constitutional History
Legal History of Ibero-America
Legal Transfer in the Common Law World
Contemporary Legal History
History of International Law
History of European Union Law
Legal Theory
As a summer academy should not consist of academic activities only, a variety of extra-curricular activities, such as visits to nearby historical sites and several get-togethers in the evenings are offered.