Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance, and Society

The VVI seeks to develop and disseminate socio-legal knowledge and theory regarding the interaction between law, governance and society. More specifically, the Institute studies the emergence, functioning, and evolution of legal institutions. The VVI combines a top-down with a bottom-up approach; it considers perspectives of both state agents, citizens and other non-state actors. And driven by normative concerns, the VVI relies on conceptual frameworks that relate to the rule of law, access to justice and legal pluralism. In its research, the Institute focuses both on the Global South and the Global North. The VVI has particular expertise in Europe, Africa (including North Africa) and Indonesia. The Institute combines legal and sociological/anthropological tools of inquiry. It has a strong track record in fieldwork and qualitative research but increasingly also applies quantitative research methods. The VVI is committed to collaboration with partners active in the regions of s...