ReseaRch Quality assuRance foR the futuRe a ... - Lund University

Panel 6 – social SCIENCEs
perspective, this equation may, however, become difficult to uphold. The
School and, especially, the Faculty should consider different measures for
further promoting the research possibilities for teachers holding a PhD (as
well as other staff). Increased possibilities for conducting research would
also increase the School’s possibilities to compete for external funding.
2.8 Gender and Equal Opportunity Issues
The gender balance at the department is fairly even.
3. Department of Sociology of Law
3.1 Introduction
This is a small unit, with only 2 full time top ranking academic staff
(professors) and a total of 8 full time academic staff (2007). According
to the statistical material provided for us, it has a total staff of 22; 36 %
of them are permanently employed; 64 % are women (2007). At present,
the Samuel Pufendorf Professorship is allocated to the unit (2008–2011).
During the period 2003–2007, the unit had 10 PhD students, which
must be considered a fairly large number relative to the number of professors.
It has a complete undergraduate education (with separate courses
for 120 ECT) and a postgraduate education, and a total of some 200
students every year. The full time academic staff/student ratio (8/200) is
25 students per staff member.
3.2 Description of activities
In a small unit such as sociology of law, a dispersal of foci could easily
lead to superficial and unintegrated research. As can be seen from the
unit’s own report, sociology of law in Lund has instead chosen a concentration
of focus. As a point of departure, this seems to be a very wise
choice when personnel and resources are scarce. The next question is, of
course, the specific choice of focus. Preferably, the focus would have to
be theoretically as well as empirically at the core of the subject, while at
the same time of a broad or general nature in order for important issues
not to be left out or weeded out. It is not easy to put together such a
menu. Sociology of law in Lund has chosen an emphasis on norms as
its focus. As a subject matter for sociology of law, this focus is extremely
well chosen. The concept of “norm” is essential and central to sociology
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