The conference took place as a discussion of methods, disciplines, history and outlook with regard to the (supposedly) new research approach “law and political economy” (LPE) which has been known in the USA for some time.

The most comprehensive description of the programme of LPE can be found in the “Manifest” published by Britton-Purdy/Singh Grewal/ Kapczynski/ Rahman (Yale Law Journal 2020, 1784 ff.). A German overview is provided by the exchange between Renner/Kindt (Mannheim) and Herzog (HU Berlin) (JZ 2023, 313 ff., 968 ff., 972 ff.), which is primarily concerned with the question of whether LPE can be readily translated to a German and European Union context. According to Renner/Kindt, JZ 2023, p. 315, LPE is about taking the constitutive role of law seriously, understanding legal issues above all as questions of power and distribution and replacing the guiding principle of efficiency with the ideals of democracy and equality.

Further keynote speeches were concerned with more specific aspects of LPE, for example the question of “institutional design” with regard to the design of different models of management of real estate in social ownership.

The conference ended with some closing words of Prof. Joerges. In his account of ZERP history, he drew parallels to the importance and development of Union law, which might integrate LPE as a transformative approach with adequate adjustments.

A conference report will be published soon in JZ.

The conference programme can be viewed here.