Photo Staffan Westerlund

How political intentions become law - focus of new Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg Professor of Law

Mauro Zamboni will soon take up the Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg Professor of Law at Stockholm University. His four years as professor will be devoted to research on the legislative process - in particular the important phase when political intentions are transformed into concrete legal texts, a phase that has not received much attention in previous research.

Although legislation and its processes are one of the cornerstones of modern law, legal scholars have historically focused on the law as a finished product and its relationship to surrounding factors such as morality, economics, society and culture. However, little attention has been paid to the complex process of translating political decisions into legal statutes. In his project "A Middle-range Theory of Legislation in a Globalizing World", Professor Zamboni seeks to shed light on and understand this important but often overlooked aspect of the legal system.

The research is based on the ongoing globalization of law. At a time when legal models no longer stop at national borders and non-state actors play an increasing role in the legislative process, it has become more relevant than ever to closely study how laws are created and implemented. Indeed, globalization has not only widened the gap between the creation of laws and their practical application, but also weakened the power of national governments over the regulatory process.

By analyzing three key areas, Professor Zamboni's tenure will increase our understanding of the legislative process. First, it will examine the gap between political intentions and concrete legislation. Second, the project will explore how globalization has affected the regulatory landscape and national legislative processes. Finally, he intends to highlight how the distance has increased between macro-level actors, such as politicians and thinkers, and those at the micro-level, such as legislators and experts in legislative theory.

The work is expected to not only increase our understanding of the legislative process but also offer practical guidelines and insights for legislators and legal experts. By developing a so-called "middle-range" theory that connects political decisions with concrete legislation, the project has the potential to really deepen our understanding of how laws are formulated and why certain decisions are made - especially in an era of increased globalization and complexity.

Mauro Zamboni is Professor of General Jurisprudence at Stockholm University and his research focuses on the rule of law, Scandinavian legal realism, legal method and evolutionary legal theory.

About the Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg Chair in Law at Stockholm University
The Chair was jointly established by the Torsten Söderberg Foundation and the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Faculty of Law at Stockholm University in 2007. The donation of SEK 25 million finances a research professorship in law that can be held by professors at the Faculty for a maximum period of four years. During this period, the holder will normally devote all his/her time to research and is thus relieved of his/her teaching obligation.

Read about the Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg Professor of Law at Stockholm University.

Read the Stockholm University story