Theory and History of Law
Academic Coordinator: Prof. Paolo Cappellini
The curriculum, which comprises three areas of study and research—Roman Law and the Laws of Antiquity (IUS/18), Medieval and Modern Legal History (IUS/19), and Philosophy of Law (IUS/20)—aims to provide specialized training for young scholars wishing to refine their expertise in the various aspects of these disciplines.
Primarily, the curriculum pursues an in-depth historical and theoretical analysis of the fundamental methodological approaches of legal scholarship across its different phases of development. This serves both to contextualize legal concepts elaborated over time and to analyze the functioning of major legal institutions and their transformationsfrom an interdisciplinary, European, and transnational perspective.
With specific regard to Roman Law and the Laws of Antiquity, the curriculum explores issues relating to legal subjectivity, the emergence of the role of the person within family and kinship dynamics, and the broader framework of citizenship and structures of belonging to the political and legal system of ancient Rome.
In the philosophical–legal field, particular attention is devoted to topics concerning law and globalization, the rule of law, and the philosophy of international relations.
As for legal history, drawing also on the research tradition inaugurated by the Centre for Legal History Studies founded by Paolo Grossi in Florence, the curriculum develops historical research on modern and contemporary legal thought, across public law, private law, and criminal law. Significant lines of inquiry also address issues related to legal language, law and literature, and law in relation to the historical development of science and technology.
Last update
29.12.2025