INTERDISCIPLINARY LEGAL RESEARCH: ISSUES AND

CHALLENGES
The acquisition of knowledge is the mission of research, the transmission of
knowledge in the mission of teaching and the application of knowledge is
mission of public service
James A Stafford
Research is combination of two word Re+search which means the repetition of
search. According to plutchick research means to go around as to explore.
Research is the process of collection of evidence or information for ascertaining
and assumption or verifying some hypothesis. Research per se is a technique for
the discovery of truth. According to encyclopaedia Britannica research is the
act of searching into a matter closely and carefully, inquiry directed to the
discovery of truth and in particular, the trained scientific investigation of the
principles and facts of any subjects, based on original and first hand study of
authorities or experiments investigations of every kind which have been based
on original sources of knowledge, may be styled research and it may be said
that without research no authorities work has been written, no scientific
discoveries or inventions made, no theories of any value propounded. Research
is an essential and powerful tool in leading towards progress.1
Research can be classified from four prospective. From the perspectives of :
1.
2.
3.
4.

The application of research study;

The objectives in undertaking the research;
The type in information sought;
Methods of study

1 Dr. Mona Purohit, Legal Education & research Methodology, Central Law Publication,
Allahabad, 2010, p. 110.

Hence, the research can be applied or analytical, qualitative or quantitative,

doctrinal or non doctrinal, historical or socio-legal. In the recent past a new
trend of interdisciplinary research has emerged among legal acmedicians. The
present research paper will highlights the various aspects of interdisciplinary
research.
Concept of interdisciplinary research
There is no doubt that interdisciplinary research becomes more and more
important. However, it is neither easy to find exact definition of
interdisciplinary in scientific literature nor it is possible to say when first
attempts to merge methods of different disciplines took place.
According to J.T. Klein: For some it is quite old, rooted in the ideas of Plato,
Aristotle, Rabelais, Kant, Hegel, and other historical figures who have been
described as interdisciplinary thinkers. For others it is entirely a phenomenon
of the twentieth century rooted in modern educational reforms, applied research,
and movement across disciplinary boundaries. Interdisciplinarity as faculty
from different disciplines working together on the same project.
The interdisciplinary approach has become an important and challenging
technique in the modern curriculum. The interdisciplinary approach synthesizes
more than one discipline and creates teams of teachers and students that enrich
the overall educational experience. Thus interdisciplinary research is an
approach to advancing scientific knowledge in which researchers from different
disciplines work at the borders of those disciplines in order to address complex
questions and problems. The assumption is sometimes made that anyone can
engage in interdisciplinary research should they choose to do so, but it is clear
from a considerable body of literature that successful interdisciplinary efforts
require mastery of specific competencies. It follows, then, that if such
competencies are explicated, it might be possible to enhance researchers

abilities to participate in and conduct interdisciplinary scholarship. A number of

interdisciplinary programs have emerged in higher education, primarily focused
on undergraduates. Those targeted to graduate students are often designed to
enhance participants appreciation for cross-disciplinary thinking and models,
but not to specifically focus on education to develop interdisciplinary research
skills. Keeping in view this, the researcher find many advantages as well as
disadvantages of interdisciplinary studies. Educational system has suffered the
inferior pedagogy of traditional methodologies that concentrate specifically on
only one discipline. Hence interdisciplinary approach/ researcher provides many
benefits that develop into much needed lifelong learning skills that are essential
to a students future learning.
Interdisciplinary Legal Research
During the last few years, legal research has undergone a tremendous change on
the path of better understanding of the role of law in society. A new spirit and
zeal has taken place in the legal research. The spirit of innovation and
exploration. In present era two things are very important with regards to legal
research.
1. Legal research takes stock of changed economic political, social and
cultural institutions.
2. Legal research substitute inductive reasoning for deductive one to make
research more meaningful and acceptable academic contribution the term
Interdisciplinary is used in relation to legal research which incorporates
insights from non-legal disciplines.
How to carry out interdisciplinary Legal Research
In the light of the current debate on the methodology of legal research,2 a first
issue to deal with is whether interdisciplinary research has something to add to
the existing methods of legal research or, to put it stronger, whether it is

sometimes necessary. In this respect a distinction has to be drawn between

different types of effectiveness of the legal system.3 Legal systems ultimately
regulate and order peoples behaviour. Whether a specific legal provision
successfully contributes to this aim is dependent on two distinct sets of
effectiveness: the internal and the external effectiveness.
Firstly, the internal effectiveness of a legal system refers to the consistency and
coherency of the legal norms and their definitions. Internal consistency is
essential for any legal system. In order to achieve the goals of legislation, legal
norms should for example not contradict each other and should be clear. A
typical research question concerning the internal effectiveness of a specific legal
rule is whether that norm is in line with the principle of equality. If it is not,
there is internal inconsistency. Another example concerns the question of what
the exact scope of a legal provision is. The issue of internal effectiveness may
relate to both the de lege lata (is a specific legal instrument consistent and
coherent as it stands?) as well the de lege feranda perspective (how could a
specific legal approach be optimised); in both situations the legal norms and
concepts are the ultimate yardstick.
Secondly, the external effectiveness measures whether a legal norm is effective
in real life, so it concerns the law in action. A typical question is whether a legal
solution achieves its goals in its operation in society. Does it (only) have the
expected effect on peoples behaviour? Legal provisions are often based on
presumptions on peoples behaviour, but are these presumptions realistic? So
external effectiveness refers to the external consistency of the legal system with
the context and culture in which it functions.
Both types of effectiveness can be evaluated separately from each other. This
implies that even when a legal norm is not in all respects internally consistent

with other legal norms, it can still be successful in achieving the desired effects
in peoples behaviour.
The distinction between those two types of effectiveness has a number of
implications, to start with the appropriate research method.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Interdisciplinary Studies
Today, the interdisciplinary approach is a key concept to the advancement of
school curriculum at all levels. It has now become debated as to whether an
interdisciplinary approach is the best course for a curriculum. Though it has
many advantages such as, expanding student understanding and achievement
between all disciplines or enhancing communication skills, it also has
disadvantages, such as integration confusion and time-consuming curriculum
preparation.
Interdisciplinary research faces many potential threats and has some
disadvantages compared to traditional monodisciplinary research. Main
disadvantages and threats are closely related and sometimes even stems from
main advantage of IDR. In this section we will list and discuss some basic
obstacles that may be faced by researchers working in interdisciplinary area,
mainly:
Time and effort. Compared with traditional monodisciplinary research
IDR is, by no means, more time and effort consuming.
Cultural differences. These are unavoidable so participating researchers
must be able to work in multicultural environment.
Quality of results achieved. Results achieved (at least at the
beginning of research) may be trivial when considered from viewpoint of
participating disciplines so this circumstance may prevent researchers
from being involved in IDR.

 Tool or goal. Employment of IDR must be predetermined by its goal and

not by the simple desire to use IDR for whatever reason.
Conclusion
As the interdisciplinary approach continues to synthesize the characteristics and
methods of multiple disciplines while developing lifelong learning skills, they
will have met the goals that Newell has laid out. Interdisciplinary curricula is
time consuming and takes collaborative team work to create, which can seem
like a hard and exhausting disadvantage, but in the end, the interdisciplinary
approached inhibits many favored skills that are sought by future colleges and
employers. Students and their teachers will advance in critical thinking,
communication, creativity, pedagogy, and essential academia with the use
interdisciplinary techniques.
Interdisciplinary research becomes more and more important. Though there is
no unique definition of IDR, most often it is considered that IDR must integrate
principles, methods and/ or data from at least two disciplines. Main goal as well
as benefit of IDR it helps to achieve results which would never be achieved if
participating researchers would share the same disciplinary knowledge.
Actuarial profession is highly interdisciplinary in its origin. Effective
involvement of principles of IDR in actuarial research may benefit greatly for
further developments of our profession.

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