International Encyclopedia of Comparative Law, Instalment 44: (44 International Encyclopedia of Comparative Law)

The article provides an introduction to, and overview of, the discipline of comparative law as it stands in 2020, including the major debates and positions that define it. It explores the field’s development, coverage in both geographic and subject matter terms, uses and goals, as well its approaches and methods. It addresses itself mainly to non-specialists who are looking for overall orientation or a brief introduction to specific areas or topics. It references the most important literature for readers who want to delve more deeply into particular subjects or issues.

Table of Contents:
I. Introduction and Overview A. Comparative Law Defined B. Four Dimensions of the Discipline – Describing, Comparing, Mapping, and Tracing Law C. Three Pervasive Questions List of Principal Works II. The Relationship with Other Disciplines A. Comparative Law and other “International” Subjects B. Comparative Law and “Social Science” Approaches to Law C. In Conclusion: Between Independence and Interdisciplinarity List of Principal Works III. The Development of the Discipline A. Comparative Studies Before 1800 B. The Nineteenth-Century Foundations of Comparative Law C. The First Half of the Twentieth Century D. From World War II to the Fall of the Wall E. The 1990s and Beyond F. In Conclusion: Major Accomplishments and the Loss of A Clear Definition List of Principal Works IV. The Coverage of Comparative Law A. Legal Systems of the World B. Elements of Legal Systems C. Areas of Law 109 D. In Conclusion: Proliferation and its Price V. Goals And Uses of Comparative Law A. Traditional Academic Goals B. Traditional Practical Uses C. Modern Additions D. In Conclusion: The Strength and Downside of Goal Pluralism List of Principal Works VI. Orientations, Approaches, and Methods A. Basic Orientations B. General Approaches C. Specific Methods D. In Conclusion: A Mixed Methodological Record List of Principal Works VII. Twenty-First-Century Challenges A. Adjusting to the “Age of Information” B. Coming to Grips with Global Legal Pluralism C. Acknowledging Political Implications and Responsibility List of Principal Works VIII. A Summary and Final Critique

About the Author :
Mathias Reimann, Dr. iur University of Freiburg (1982), LLM University of Michigan (1983), is Professor of Law and holder of the Hessel E. Yntema Chair at the University of Michigan. He has published numerous books and articles on private international law, comparative law, and legal history.

Review :
'Mathias Reimann presents a concise, timely and sovereign overview on the topic of Comparative Law. The Work now presented draws on his many years of experience as the Editor of the American Journal of Comparative Law and as the co-Editor of the Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law [....]. Reimann ends his book with a warning: '... if comparative law continues on its current course of growth and diversification without a concomitant establishment of theoretical foundations that define the parameters of the field, it may soon become pointless to speak of comparative law as an identifiable discipline at all, for better or worse.' JZ 19.2022, p. 944, Reinhard Zimmermann, Juristische Bücher des Jahres...'