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Santy Kouwagam

Santy Kouwagam

dr. S. U. Kouwagam is Guest Researcher at Van Vollenhoven Institute, Leiden Law School

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The nature of my research is participant observation and applying comparative law from detailed knowledge of legal procedures in multiple jurisdictions. The methods I have been using for my research are in four parts: participant observation, legal analysis ( particularly analysis of courts’ databases and systematic case analysis), interviews, and applying reflexivity in analysing my findings.

Before switching to socio-legal scholarship, I came from years of legal practice. My previous ‘peers' in the world of legal practice became my research subjects, and consequently, myself along with it, or at least I have to analyze the actions I performed while being the practitioner. I think that reflexivity is an important skill, not only to be a good sociologist, but also to be an ethical legal professional. I will be glad to share my experiences on how to perform the four-part method above, the possible challenges in the field, and how to overcome them.