Welcome to CSLS
For over fifty years the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies has been at the forefront of research into the nature and role of law in society. CSLS researchers study law as a historical and culturally specific mode of social organisation, which takes a variety of forms within and across societies. They bring together a wide variety of disciplinary expertise, including sociology, anthropology, politics, international relations, human rights, economics, geography and art history, to examine the interface of law and society throughout the world.
Explore Our Work
Frontiers of Socio-Legal Studies Blog
The Supreme Court of India is currently weighing whether Muslim women have a unilateral right to khula, a form of wife-initiated divorce under Islamic law. In this week's Frontiers of Socio-Legal Studies, Anamta Husain (Ashoka University) examines the khula arbitration process and how the requirement of husband's consent can impede women seeking to dissolve their marriages. Read the full article, which is published as part of the blog's Borderlands section. If you would like to receive a summary of all of Frontiers’ latest posts, please sign up to receive our bi-monthly newsletter.
Professor Sophie Weerts reviews Becky Batagol, Kate Seear, Heli Askola and Jamie Walvisch's edited collection, The Feminist Legislation Project (Routledge, 2025). Read the full article, which is published as part of the blog's A Good Read section. If you would like to receive a summary of all of Frontiers’ latest posts, please sign up to receive our bi-monthly newsletter.
Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Dr. Allison Lindner (University of College London) about trust in ethnographic research, drawing from her work with informal waste workers. Listen to the full episode, which is published as part of the blog's Talking About Methods podcast. If you would like to receive a summary of all of Frontiers’ latest posts, please sign up to receive our bi-monthly newsletter.
Our graduate students are at the heart of the Centre’s research community. Meet our current DPhil and MPhil students and explore Notes from the Field, where they reflect on fieldwork, methods, and the practice of socio-legal research.
Featured News
Professor Fernanda Pirie reflects on her career, research and the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies
Professor Fernanda Pirie, Director of CSLS, reflects on her career from barrister to legal anthropologist and discusses the Centre’s interdisciplinary approach, her research on Tibetan law, and the importance of studying law in society.
