Conference ‘Equal Access to Justice: Between Normativity and Reality’
We are pleased to announce a save the date for the upcoming conference ‘Equal Access to Justice: Between Normativity and Reality’ on 26 and 27 March 2026 at the Berlin Social Science Centre (WZB).
Equal access to justice is a central prerequisite for democratic societies. Yet, empirical evidence from around the world shows that the gap between normative aspirations and real experience remains wide. Legal aid systems are under pressure, digital innovations open up new opportunities but also create new barriers, and social inequalities have a profound impact on legal consciousness and the use of law. In times of growing social and economic polarisation, the question of how to implement equitable access to justice becomes ever more pressing. The conference brings together international and German perspectives to discuss these challenges in an interdisciplinary setting and to identify empirically grounded paths for future research on access to justice.
Over two days, we will explore current issues and research in the field of access to justice research. The aim is to strengthen the dialogue between existing empirical research in German-speaking countries and leading international scholarship. In addition to traditional lectures, interactive formats and discussions will provide space for in-depth engagement with key topics, including:
-
Is there a ‘fifth wave’? The history and future of access to justice research
-
Empirical approaches to legal research
-
What is ‘access to justice’? Conceptualisation and theory
-
Legal aid and legal advice: developments and challenges
-
Digitalisation and its impact on access to justice
-
The role of civil society actors in ensuring access to justice
-
Legal culture, legal consciousness, and legal mobilisation
-
Bureaucracy: administrative encounters as a hurdle or bridge to justice
-
Repeat players vs. one-shot players – Marc Galanter's concept revisited
Because the panels will be thematically coordinated, we are not issuing a general call for papers. However, if you are currently working on related topics and would like to share your completed or planned research - or suggest a thematic focus - we warmly invite you to express your interest. Please send a brief note including some information about yourself and your research interests to lgi.events [at] wzb.eu () by the end of November.
Please understand that due to limited capacity, we cannot guarantee a presentation or participation.
We would like to encourage all interested colleagues to get in touch with us independently of the event, so that we can foster collaboration and exchange within this field of research.
We cordially invite you to save the date!
Best regards,
Michael Wrase, Alexander Graser, and Anna Löbbert