An Inter-Disciplinary Methodology for Researching Benefit-Sharing as a Norm Diffusing in Global Environmental Law
Edinburgh School of Law Research Paper No. 2014/42
BENELEX Working Paper 2
33 Pages Posted: 15 Nov 2014
Date Written: November 14, 2014
Abstract
This paper proposes a methodology for an interdisciplinary, empirical enquiry into the diffusion of the legal concept of ‘benefit-sharing’. The paper draws together accounts of norm diffusion from sociology, international relations and law to devise a theoretical approach for the empirical research of global environmental law. Against this background, the paper explores the usefulness of process-tracing, the relevance of frames and the need for a participatory action research approach for a research project focused on benefit-sharing as a tool to operationalize equity among and within States.
Keywords: benefit-sharing, norm diffusion, international relations, sociology, law, inter-disciplinarity, participatory action research, process-tracing
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