This short book on comparative law theory and method is designed primarily for postgraduate research students whose work involves comparison between legal systems. It is, accordingly, a book on research methods, although it will also be of relevance to all students (undergraduate and postgraduate) taking courses in comparative law and to academics entering the field of comparison. The substance of the book has been developed over many years of teaching general theory of comparative law, primarily on the European Academy of Legal Theory programme in Brussels but also on other programmes in French, Belgian and English universities. It is arguable that there has been to date no single introductory work exclusively devoted to comparative law methodology and thus this present book aims to fill this gap.

Geoffrey Samuel, MA, LLB, PhD (Cantab), Dr (Maastricht) Dr (honoris causa) (Nancy 2), has been Professor of Law at Kent Law School since 1997 and is a Professor affilié in the École de Droit, Sciences-Po, Paris since 2012. He is, or has been, a Visiting professor at the Universities of Dijon, Nancy, Paris I and Paris II, Zaragoza, Sciences-Po, Lille, Bordeaux, Littoral, Fribourg, Auckland, Corsica and Aix-en-Provence.