This book introduces students to the distinct legal traditions that make up the South African legal system.

Reflecting the most recent changes in the law, the third edition of this popular textbook provides a fully updated, comparative introduction to the law of contract. Accessible and clear, it is perfectly pitched for international students and courses with a global outlook. Jan Smits' unique approach treats contract law as a discipline that can be studied on the basis of common principles and methods without being tied to a particular jurisdiction or legal culture. He puts contract law in context by discussing empirical and economic insights. Notable updates include the consequences of Brexit, the implementation of new European directives 1999/770 and 2019/771 as well as coverage of the effect of COVID-19 on contracts. Key features of the third edition include: Introduces key principles by comparing solutions from different jurisdictions, illustrating for students the international nature and substance of contract law Draws from a wide variety of sources including German, English, French and Dutch law, European and international instruments, and examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Islamic contract law, making this an ideal textbook for students across Europe and beyond Focuses on legal method as well as substantive law Attractive and accessible design with text boxes, colour and graphics to help students navigate easily and identify key information. With its innovative approach and engaging design, this textbook has proved an essential companion to introductory courses on contract law across a multitude of jurisdictions.

This accessible textbook provides an introductory guide to tort law, with a structured explanation of the key concepts and doctrines. Using a comparative approach, the discussion is illustrated with case law and provisions from three key jurisdictions: England, France and Germany. With liberal reference to other codes and cases from around the world, the book gives readers a contextual understanding and will appeal to classes with a global outlook. Key Features: Examples of different solutions show how tort law is implemented in a variety of jurisdictions Direct comparison of legal systems helps readers to match different kinds of property or damage in civil and common law systems Translated provisions from codes and statutes facilitate access to the systems of French and German law in particular Clarification of corresponding concepts and terminology, as well as guidelines and examples to help readers find their way in a legal environment that is not restricted to a single jurisdiction Introductory guidance to tort law systems outside Europe Providing readers with a working knowledge of major tort law systems as well as a greater understanding of the main concepts in tort law, this textbook will be an important resource for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

This significantly revised and expanded third edition of Comparative Contract Law brings together extracts from legislation and court practice in a way that enables students to experience comparative law in action. Promoting a 'learning-by-doing' approach to comparative contract law and comparative methodology, this unique guide to European and international contract law is marked out by the following features: A comparative perspective on highly topical, real-life issues of contract law; Materials from some 30 jurisdictions in both their original languages and in high quality translations, with information on smaller and medium-sized jurisdictions further diversified; An opportunity for students to solve scenarios according to the laws of different jurisdictions, to compare and evaluate the solutions and approaches they identify, and to better understand the diverse approaches to modern contract law; NEW! Concise introductions to the history of each country and its private law system, informing readers about the key data before they are invited to work with material from that jurisdiction; NEW! A chapter on 'contractual penalty clauses', a frequent occurrence in contractual practice; NEW! Full integration of the Chinese Civil Code which entered into force in 2021. Essential reading for all students of comparative contract law and methodology, thi the s third edition remains a vital teaching and learning resource, and a practical guide for those seeking to familiarise themselves with real-world materials and to better understand the diverse approaches to modern contract law.

This concise primer offers an introduction to U.S. law from a comparative perspective, explaining not only the main features of American law and legal culture, but also how and why it differs from that of other countries. Gerrit De Geest initially focuses on the core characteristics of American law, such as the predominance of judge-made law, the significance of state law and the vital role that juries play in the legal process. De Geest then moves on to provide a succinct analysis of U.S. legal culture, before summarizing the principal differences in law and legal cultures around the world. Key features include: A thorough introduction to the main elements of U.S. law for international students A concise, accessible style illustrated with lively anecdotes and discussion of relevant foundational cases Explanation of the historical and cultural roots of law in the U.S. and other countries to provide context for differences. Students beginning LLM programs in the U.S., in particular international students, will find this primer invaluable reading. It will also be of interest to pre-law and comparative law students.

'The incorporation of Chinese law is particularly interesting for Chinese legal researchers and even for the Chinese legislator considering the dramatic ongoing codification movement taking place within Chinese civil law, because one of the essential values of comparative law is to find alternative solutions to one's own legal system.' - Jiayou Shi, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China 'Professor Kadner Graziano's book on comparative contract law is an invaluable source of inspiration to both study and teach contract law in a transnational perspective. His cases highlight the expected and sometimes less expected differences and similarities between the key jurisdictions in Europe and allow the reader to gain a concrete understanding of the various systems put in play. I cherish this book this book for my course on transnational contract law and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in this stimulating field of study.' - Andre Prum, University of Luxembourg Promoting a 'learning-by-doing' approach to comparative contract law and comparative methodology, this second edition of Comparative Contract Law updates the first true student reader on the subject. It brings together extracts from legislation and court practice in a way that lets students experience comparative law in action, presenting a unique guide to European and International contract law. This updated second edition provides: an international perspective on highly topical, real-life issues of contract law materials from some 30 jurisdictions in both their original languages, and in excellent translations the chance for students to solve scenarios according to the laws of different jurisdictions and compare and evaluate the solutions and approaches they identify the opportunity for students to engage with a broad array of case material and to develop their skills as comparative lawyers. Essential reading for all students, practitioners, and scholars of comparative contract law and methodology, this second edition remains a vital practical guide for those seeking to familiarise themselves with real-world materials and to better understand the diverse approaches to modern contract law.

Shareholder inspection rights form an important tool for shareholder protection. They offer shareholders seeking information private access to specific books and records of the company that are otherwise not publicly available. While there has been a discourse on the topic in some jurisdictions such as Delaware (USA), it has not received scholarly treatment at an international level. This Research Handbook seeks to alter that, and signifies the first endeavor to engage in a comprehensive and comparative analysis of shareholder inspection rights across 19 different jurisdictions representing five continents. Themes emerging from the study include the historical evolution of inspection rights, the statutory design of the inspection regime, how inspection rights interact with disclosure norms under securities regulation, and the manner in which inspection rights are actually utilized by shareholders. While there is some commonality among jurisdictions, the larger story is one of divergence, which is understandable since local needs tend to drive the design and operation of the regime. The Research Handbook on Shareholder Inspection Rights is invaluable to academics, scholars, and students working the area of corporate law and governance, legal practitioners working in corporate law and, in particular, shareholder litigation and regulators and government bodies overseeing the corporate sector, including corporate and securities regulators.

This timely book is a crucial resource on the rich diversity of African constitutional law, making a significant contribution to the increasingly important field of comparative constitutional law from a historically understudied region. Offering an examination of substantive topics from multiple jurisdictions, it emphasises issues of local importance while also providing varied perspectives on common challenges across the continent. Divided into four thematic parts, chapters cover a wide array of subjects including a variety of constitutional rights, the regulation of political parties, constitutional formation and amendments, and the influence of regional organizations. Featuring contributions both from scholars from Africa and from outside the region, the book elucidates Africa's place within the growing discourse of comparative constitutional law. Opening up new cases and vistas of study, this book will be a vital read for all scholars and students of comparative constitutional law. It will also be of interest to practitioners and policymakers working on constitutional issues, as well as those interested in African politics and constitutional development more broadly.

Reforming Intellectual Property brings together 19 of the world's leading scholars in the field to offer their unique insight into the future of intellectual property. Providing a diverse array of perspectives on the most pressing reforms needed in the current IP regime, whether in terms of legislation at national and international levels, or interpretation of existing law, this exceptional book highlights the key issues in this area and sets out an agenda for future research and policy. Examining the question of what changes to IP law and policy are most urgent and would have the most impact, chapters cover a wide range of subjects, with some focusing on specific topics such as the reform of non-traditional trademarks, or the fair use and research exemption in patent law. Other contributions take a broader approach, such as a reappraisal of performers' rights in audio and audiovisual media that encompasses implications for creativity, welfare and ethics in the film industry, and a proposal for the creation of an International Intellectual Property Treaty. This book will prove to be crucial reading for all scholars and students of IP law, as well as policymakers and practitioners in the field. It will also be of interest to researchers working in related fields such as competition and human rights law for its intersecting analysis of these areas.

This indispensable book offers a concise comparative introduction to international commercial arbitration. With reference to recent case law from leading jurisdictions and up-to-date rules revisions, International Commercial Arbitration provides a comparative analysis of the issues raised in arbitration, from the time of drafting of the arbitration clause to the rendering of the arbitral award and the post-award stage. Combining perspectives from both practice and academia, Franco Ferrari, Friedrich Rosenfeld and Consultant Editor John Fellas examine all the key points of international commercial arbitration. After introductory remarks on the applicable normative framework, the book covers arbitration agreements and their enforcement, the initiation of proceedings and the constitution of the tribunal, the taking of evidence, issues arising in complex arbitrations, as well as the award and the post-award regime. Scholars and students of international commercial arbitration across the globe will find this book invaluable for its comparative analysis. It will also be most useful for arbitration practitioners and judges interested in learning how jurisdictions differ in their approaches to arbitration proceedings.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Drawing on historical, normative, theoretical, and economic methodologies, Pier Giuseppe Monateri offers a fresh critical analysis of various dimensions of comparative law methods. Comprehensive and engaging with a multidisciplinary approach, this Advanced Introduction spans the fields of comparative legal studies, law and finance and global law. Key features include: uses analysis of current issues to offer a genuinely advanced perspective use of theory for evaluating methods and approaches in comparative law a comprehensive treatment of the main themes and approaches in comparative law discussions. This insightful Advanced Introduction will be an excellent resource for both law students and scholars alike. It will also be a useful guide for those working in international law, as well as law clerks and legal advisors. Professor Emeritus, Kent Law School, UK

Foundations of Public Contracts undertakes an in-depth survey of the foundations of public contracts in three legal systems: American, French, and Brazilian. The comparison of these three systems highlights the legal phenomenon's historical, philosophical, and social origins. The book transcends the functional commonalities to penetrate into how American, French, and Brazilian lawyers think about the essence of government contracts law, the phenomenon of exceptionalism: preferential treatment that public procurement law provides to the state in its contractual dealing with private entities. Comparative public law professors and students will find great value in this exploration of the material sources of public contracts, an area that has heretofore received little attention in legal academia.

This revised second edition of Comparative Tort Law offers an updated and enriched framework for analysing and understanding the current state of tort law around the world. Using a critical comparative methodology, it examines common issues such as causation, economic and non-economic damages, product and professional liability, and the relationship between tort law and crime, insurance and public welfare schemes. Featuring contributions from international experts, this book also provides a comprehensive comparative assessment of tort law cultures, contextualising them within the legal systems and societies that sustain them. Chapters cover many jurisdictions often overlooked in the mainstream literature, and explore illuminating case studies from tort systems in Europe, the US, Latin America, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, including new chapters specifically discussing tort law in Brazil, India and Russia. Comparative Tort Law is a critical tool for students, scholars and academic researchers, especially those specialising in tort and comparative law. It will also be useful to policymakers, practitioners and judges, in particular those dealing with differing tort law systems.

Lawyers usually describe a revolution as a change in a constitutional order not authorized by law. From this perspective, to speak of a 'lawful' or an 'unlawful' revolution would seem to involve a category mistake. However, since at least the 19th century, courts in many jurisdictions have had to adjudicate claims involving questions about the extent to which what is in fact a revolutionary change can result in the creation of a legally valid regime. In this book, the authors examine some of these judgments. Adjudicating Revolution includes, first, cases in which courts decide to recognize the actions of a de facto regime under a doctrine of necessity, with the objective of maintaining public order. Second, cases where courts directly confront the question of whether a revolution has resulted in the creation of a genuinely new constitutional order. Finally, cases in which courts are asked by state officials to recognize, in advance, the validity of otherwise revolutionary changes (i.e. the irregular creation of a new constitution) proposed by state officials. The book examines, from a theoretical and comparative perspective, judgments from North and Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Placing the cases in their historical and political context, the authors provide an understanding of key moments in the constitutional history of the relevant jurisdictions. The resulting analysis will be of interest to academics and graduate students of comparative constitutional law and constitutional theory, political science, and related disciplines.

This book takes a new approach to post-socialist constitutional change in Europe and Eurasia. It views these constitutions as the products of the collapse of Europe's last empire, the Soviet Union. This book therefore seeks to understand these constitutions as more than just post-authoritarian texts, but also as post-colonial ones. This post-colonial paradigm provides a new set of tools for understanding constitutional dynamics in key countries within the European Union as well as the former Soviet republics to the East. In particular, it helps explain democratic backsliding in Central Europe (such as Hungary and Poland), authoritarian resilience in many of the former Soviet republics (including Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan) as well as ongoing struggles about national identity in places like Ukraine and Moldova. Partlett and Kupper's application of the post-colonial paradigm to the former Soviet world contributes to our understanding of post-colonial constitutionalism. This insightful book therefore appeals to the comparative constitutional academic community as well as the broader academic community interested in post-colonialism. It will also be of interest to a general audience interested in better understanding the former socialist bloc countries.

This forward-looking book examines dispute resolution issues in the context of Belt and Road Initiative dealings between parties in ASEAN Member States, China and other trade partners. It discusses a range of commercial dispute issues and economic agreements including free trade agreements and investment agreements, both bilateral and regional. Locknie Hsu presents research on dispute settlement options and emerging issues for ASEAN businesses relating to projects and transactions undertaken in relation to the Belt and Road Initiative. She translates these options and issues into opportunities in economic treaty negotiations, utilization of national and regional dispute settlement institutions and better handling of emerging issues (such as environment-related claims and technology applications in dispute resolution) and in legal capacity-building in ASEAN. The book explores findings from academic research, empirical information, selected Case Studies (on environmental and other claims in ASEAN and beyond) and salient legal and technological developments, to provide insights and lessons that make this original book a rich and useful legal and research resource. This book's recommendations will provide food for thought for policy-makers and treaty negotiators who are considering new possibilities and directions to make dispute settlement a better and more fruitful experience in ASEAN. It will also be of interest to practitioners, scholars and students of commercial law, international trade law and dispute resolution, particularly in an Asian context.

This thought-provoking book combines analysis of international commercial and investment treaty arbitration to examine how they have been framed by the twin tensions of "in/formalisation" and "glocalisation". Taking a comparative approach, the book focuses on Australia and Japan in their attempts to become regional hubs for international arbitration and dispute resolution services in the increasingly influential Asia-Pacific context as well as a global context. Interweaving historical, empirical and doctrinal research from over two decades of work in the field, Luke Nottage provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the shifting state of arbitration over this period. Chapters incorporate empirical findings on topics such as case disposition times for arbitration-related court proceedings, media coverage of arbitration and Arb-Med patterns in Japanese arbitrations. The book also makes normative arguments for more concerted bilateral and regional efforts to maintain global approaches and to encourage renewed informalisation in international arbitration. This book will be an invaluable read for both scholars and practitioners of international commercial arbitration and dispute resolution, particularly those in or involved with the Asia-Pacific region. Government policy-makers and investment treaty negotiators will also find its insights useful.

Comparing the structures and challenges of democratic constitutionalism in India and the European Union, this book explores how democracy is possible within vastly diverse societies of continental scale, and why a constitutional framework is best able to secure the ideals of collective autonomy and individual dignity. It contributes to an emerging comparative discussion on structures of power, separation of powers and a comparative law of democracy, which has been long neglected in comparative constitutional studies. This timely and invigorating book showcases a novel comparative approach termed "slow comparison" counters the conceptual focus on nation-states in comparative studies and develops a broader understanding of democratic constitutionalism. In the context of the contemporary crisis of constitutional democracy, triggered by populism, majoritarianism and authoritarianism, chapters continue older ongoing debates about multiculturalism, identity politics and democratic equality that hold important insights for both India and the EU to deal with contemporary challenges. This book will be an important read for scholars of comparative constitutional law and theory. It will also benefit those studying EU law and Indian constitutional law.

This comprehensive book provides a comparative overview of legal institutions that intersect with everyday life: contracts, unilateral legal transactions, torts, negotiorum gestio and unjust enrichment. These institutions form the core of the Law of Obligations, which is examined in this book from the perspective of all major legal traditions including Civil, Common, Islamic and Chinese law. Offering a critical understanding of the legal regulation of institutions in national legal systems, the book identifies distinct concepts of the law of obligations that emerge from them and explains their underlying motives. The author provides valuable insights into how differently basic legal institutions are regulated across national borders, as well as unveiling the roots of legal institutions of the utmost significance in international trade such as contracts, pre-contractual liability, liability for torts and restitution of unjust enrichment. This book will be a helpful resource for academics and practitioners involved in international litigation and arbitration proceedings concerning contracts, torts and other sources of obligations.

With the transfer of ever more tasks and competences to the European level the EU's administration has become increasingly complex, with 'agencification' as the most visible sign of this differentiation. This book offers a much-needed analytical overview of the field, with the aim of improving our understanding of administration at the European level, and indeed of improving the administration itself. Importantly, the book takes a comparative approach, examining the parallels and differences with the US law of administrative organization - and demonstrates that it is not sufficient to consider the respective laws of important Member States in isolation. Using this comparison as a vehicle, the book provides a rounded conceptualization of the law of administrative organization of the EU. This includes a reasoned proposal for a reformed Art. 298 TFEU to address deficiencies in the EU's administrative organization and to enhance administrative legitimacy in the EU. Legal scholars undertaking research in the field of European and administrative law and civil servants working for Member States or European institutions will appreciate the scholarly thoroughness of this book.

Comparative Dispute Resolution offers an original, wide-ranging, and invaluable corpus of essays on dispute resolution. Enriched by a broad, comparative vision and a focus on the processes used to handle disputes, this study adds significantly to the discourse around comparative legal studies. From a comparative perspective, this Research Handbook analyses the field of dispute processing, generally and across a broad range of legal systems and their legal cultures. It explores the nature of disputes and the range of basic processes used in their resolution, examining emerging issues in theory and practice and analysing differing traditions of dispute resolution and their 'modernisation'. Offering a balanced combination of theory and praxis, chapters present new understandings of theoretical, comparative and transnational dimensions of the manner in which societies and their legal systems respond to difficulties in social relations. Showcasing opportunities for new research and debate, Comparative Dispute Resolution will be helpful to practitioners and those engaged in the practise of handling disputes. Students and scholars in disciplines such as law, sociology, politics and psychology will also find this topical Research Handbook useful in their understanding of the theory and practice of disputing and dispute management, legal reform and enhanced access to justice.

Reflecting the most recent changes in the law, the third edition of this popular textbook provides a fully updated, comparative introduction to the law of contract. Accessible and clear, it is perfectly pitched for international students and courses with a global outlook. Jan Smits' unique approach treats contract law as a discipline that can be studied on the basis of common principles and methods without being tied to a particular jurisdiction or legal culture. He puts contract law in context by discussing empirical and economic insights. Notable updates include the consequences of Brexit, the implementation of new European directives 1999/770 and 2019/771 as well as coverage of the effect of COVID-19 on contracts. Key features of the third edition include: Introduces key principles by comparing solutions from different jurisdictions, illustrating for students the international nature and substance of contract law Draws from a wide variety of sources including German, English, French and Dutch law, European and international instruments, and examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Islamic contract law, making this an ideal textbook for students across Europe and beyond Focuses on legal method as well as substantive law Attractive and accessible design with text boxes, colour and graphics to help students navigate easily and identify key information. With its innovative approach and engaging design, this textbook has proved an essential companion to introductory courses on contract law across a multitude of jurisdictions.

With contributions from leading experts in the field, this timely Research Handbook reconsiders the theories, assumptions, values and methods of comparative criminal justice in light of the challenges and opportunities posed by globalisation, deglobalisation and transnationalisation. Chapters address the traditional objects of inquiry of the criminal justice system - policing, prosecution and prisons - while also offering reflections on surveillance, the rise of risk within justice and algorithmic justice. They discuss transnational crimes and misbehaviours, such as breaches of human rights, environmental degradation and irregular migration, and examine interactions and flows between the national and the international on issues such as the death penalty, terrorism and juvenile justice. The Research Handbook also analyses crimes and behaviours associated with the 'dark side' of globalisation, providing a critical discussion of proposed remedies for the problems posed by globalisation. Probing the connections between globalisation and criminal policy, this innovative Research Handbook will be an ideal read for scholars and students of comparative criminal justice or comparative criminology. Academics in cognate disciplines such as law, sociology, politics and anthropology will also benefit from this resource.