Following the law as a shadow: Reflections on the use of shadowing in Sociology of law

Journal title SOCIOLOGIA DEL DIRITTO
Author/s Luca Verzelloni
Publishing Year 2019 Issue 2019/1
Language Italian Pages 29 P. 23-51 File size 376 KB
DOI 10.3280/SD2019-001002
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The article intends to reflect on the application of the ethnographic technique called "shadowing" in the field of sociology of law. While adopting an empirical approach, this tool is particularly appropriate to understand social actors’ behaviour and to re-construct the complex network of interconnections between law and society. Starting from an analysis of the distinctive features of "shadowing", this paper will present a summary of the findings resulting from a period in the shadow of a labour judge in an Italian court. The article aims to enhance an extended debate about the most appropriate qualitative research techniques to study the legal operators’ activities.

Keywords: [Shadowing - Ethnography - Qualitative research - Judges - Legal professions]

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Luca Verzelloni, Seguendo come un’ombra il diritto. Riflessioni sull’impiego dello shadowing nella sociologia del diritto in "SOCIOLOGIA DEL DIRITTO " 1/2019, pp 23-51, DOI: 10.3280/SD2019-001002