Networking the rule of law

The work we present here is the outcome of three research projects, conducted over the last six years, and in pursuit of two goals: to cast light on a new phenomenon—judicial networks—and to assess the effects this phenomenon might have for the administration of justice in Europe. Those projects focused on three different levels of analysis: individuals (judicial actors), organizations (judicial offices, judicial schools, and constitutional courts), and networks. The feasibility of integrating the results of these three projects and using them as three different streams of knowledge, putting under the spotlight what we call here “networking the rule of law” is possible due to the fact that the ideas and the practice of the research conducted by the two authors come from a long-lasting friendship and a common scientific background inspiring the entire scientific enterprise presented here.