COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master’s in Law and Society: Governance and Global Development at Leiden University is a unique interdisciplinary program designed to examine the gaps and interactions between the “law on the books” and the “law in action.” Unlike traditional law degrees, this program emphasizes how law operates in practice, using both legal theories and social science methods to analyze its real-world impact. The core curriculum provides students with strong conceptual foundations and training in qualitative empirical research methods, enabling them to study law in context. In addition to these foundations, students can personalize their studies through specialized electives that focus on particular areas of legal practice, such as legal mobilization, regulation, and compliance, allowing them to explore their specific interests in greater depth.What distinguishes this master’s program is its global and practical orientation. Students investigate how the law functions across a wide spectrum of legal fields, ranging from criminal law to climate change regulation, while developing insight into the social, political, historical, and economic forces that influence legal outcomes. This broad focus ensures graduates leave with the ability to understand and evaluate the practical operation of law within diverse contexts, making them well-prepared for international careers.The curriculum has been developed by the Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance and Society (VVI), an institution renowned for its expertise in interdisciplinary legal studies. Teaching is carried out in collaboration with faculty from Criminology, Governance and Global Affairs, Humanities, and the International Institute of Social Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam. This collaboration creates a rich and varied academic environment that draws on diverse disciplinary perspectives. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical research skills and a global perspective, the program equips students to critically assess and engage with the complex role of law in promoting governance, justice, and development in today’s interconnected world.