Qualitative research: techniques applied to International Economic Law topics

Abstract

This research proposal for a period abroad is planned to occur during my sabbatical leave from FGV-SP School of Law. The purpose of it is to improve my knowledge of techniques of qualitative empirical research in the International Economic Law field. I plan to work with Professor Gregory Shaffer who is one of the top experts in this type of research, and he is now based at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). This proposal is part of a largest ongoing research project entitled "New economic partners in Brazil and regulatory instruments in this respect: an empirical approach to the case of Angola". Shaffer has leaded the debate on the New Legal Realism in the US academia. This approach to the empirical research values qualitative approach in data analysis, narratives analysis and case studies. In this sense, it coincides with my working plan to the applied project on "New economic partners of Brazil". Additionally, Professor Shaffer invited me to co-teach a short course, based on study cases about international trade and investment, considering developing countries experiences such as Brazil. The interdisciplinary teaching approach and innovative profile of UCI law school is pretty similar to that of FGV-SP School of Law. This teaching experience will give me the opportunity, in dealing with a foreign group of students trained on participatory dynamics, to improve my training on teaching methods. (AU)