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University of Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies

Talking about Methods

Welcome to Talking about Methods, a series of podcasts brought to you by the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies in Oxford. In each podcast, Professor Linda Mulcahy will be in conversation with leading scholars in the field about how a variety of different research methods have informed their Socio-Legal work. From surveys to semi-structured interviews and beyond, we delve into the challenges, dilemmas, and unexpected twists and turns of empirical research. The podcasts below are the first in a programme of podcasts about methods we will be developing at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies in Oxford over the next couple of years. You will find a short reading list to accompany each talk to guide future reading. Enjoy!

View all of our episodes, categorised by methods and methodologies, at a glance here.

Photograph of an orange typewriter and a small bottle with dried flowers on a table.

Understanding Law through Objects

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Dr Jessie Hohmann (Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney) about researching law through studying objects.

by Jessie Hohmann | 10 January 2024
Photograph of a stack of three leather-bound notebooks alongside an open notebook with a pen on a dark table.

Doctrinal Legal Method

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Professor Kristin van Zwieten (Faculty of Law, University of Oxford) about doing doctrinal legal research.

by Kristin van Zwieten | 29 November 2023
A photo showing silhouettes of people doing construction work against a pale yellow sky.

Emotional Labour and Vicarious Trauma in Socio-Legal Research

In this special Talking about Methods double feature, we are sharing our interviews with Dr Marie Burton and Dr Shona Minson on emotional labour and vicarious trauma in carrying out research.

by Marie Burton & Shona Minson | 1 November 2023
Photograph of a council estate in neon lighting.

Working with Communities Over Time

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Professor Insa Koch (University of St. Gallen) about researching, and working with, communities over time.

by Insa Lee Koch | 4 October 2023
Logo artwork for the Talking about Methods podcast

Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy chats to listeners about designing a socio-legal research project and choosing between qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

by Linda Mulcahy | 6 September 2023
Photograph of the Royal Courts of Justice.

Court Observation

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Dr Sally Reardon (University of the West of England Bristol) about court observation in journalism and in academic research.

by Sally Reardon | 9 August 2023
A photo of two white mugs, one short and one tall, against a white background.

Comparative Law

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Professor Matthew Dyson (Faculty of Law, University of Oxford) about doing comparative legal research.

by Matthew Dyson | 12 July 2023
A modern laptop computer and a vintage typewriter on a wooden table.

Comparative Socio-Legal Research

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Professors Ole Hammerslev and Hilary Sommerlad about comparative socio-legal research.

by Ole Hammerslev & Hilary Sommerlad | 14 June 2023
An empty grand theatre stage with the red curtains drawn closed.

Law and Performance

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Dr Kate Leader (York Law School, University of York) about law and theatre and performance studies.

by Kate Leader | 17 May 2023
A brown pencil resting on a stack of building blueprints

Legal Geography

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Professor Alex Jeffrey (Department of Geography, University of Cambridge) about doing legal geography.

by Alex Jeffrey | 19 April 2023
Cover of 'How many more women?' by Jennifer Robinson and Keina Yoshida

‘How Many More Women?’ and Feminist Socio-Legal Research

In this Talking about Methods International Women's Day special, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Dr Keina Yoshida about her recently published book, How Many More Women, and feminist methodologies.

by Keina Yoshida | 8 March 2023
A vintage TV with static in the dark

Researching Law’s Visual Culture

In this episode of Talking about Methods, Professor Linda Mulcahy talks to Professor Leslie Moran (School of Law, Birkbeck College) about researching the visual culture of law.

by Leslie J Moran | 15 February 2023