We would like to offer you the opportunity to participate in a specially scheduled elective course:

Legislation and the Legislative Process (Block Course 3 – HOPV0264)

The course will be taught by Prof. Ittai Bar-Siman-Tov from Bar Ilan University (Israel) on the following dates:

• April 9, 2026 (14:00–15:30)

• April 13, 2026 (12:00–13:30 and 16:00–17:30)

• April 15, 2026 (14:00–15:30)

Upon successful completion of the course, 4 ECTS credits will be awarded. A detailed course description and completion requirements can be found below.

Registration

You can register for the course via the registration form until March 31, 2026 (10:00). Please note that capacity is limited; priority will be given to those who register early. Doctoral students are also welcome to apply.

1. Introduction:

Traditionally, in many countries, most legal education and scholarship tended to focus on courts and case-law, while legislatures and legislation have largely been neglected. This course, however, will shift focus to legisprudence – the legal field dedicated to studying the theory and practice and legislation – and particularly to the legislative process. Rather than focusing on the legislative process of a specific country, it will discuss these subjects in theoretical and comparative perspectives.

We will begin with an introductory overview of the field of legisprudence. Then, we will learn about the stages of the legislative process. Next, we will study theories of the legislative process, such as public choice theory, procedural theories and institutional theories. Time permitting, we may also discuss the law of lawmaking – the laws and rules that regulate the legislative process.

2. Classes and reading:

1. An Introduction to Legisprudence

Reading: 

Ittai Bar-Siman-Tov, The Global Revival of Legisprudence: A Comparative View on Legislation in Legal Education and Research, in Conceptions and Misconceptions of Legislation 275 (A. Daniel Oliver-Lalana ed., 2019)

2. The Legislative Process

Reading:

Ulrich Karpen & Helen Xanthaki, Legislation in European Countries, in Legislation in Europe: A Country by Country Guide (Ulrich Karpen & Helen Xanthaki eds., 2020) - pages 15–21

Recommended further reading (not required):

Parliamentary Committees in the Policy Process (Sven T. Siefken & Hilmar Rommetvedt eds., 2022)

3. Theories of the Legislative Process – Part I

Reading:

William N. Eskridge et al., Legislation and Statutory Interpretation (3rd ed., 2022) – ch. 4

4. Theories of the Legislative Process – Part II + Student Presentations

Reading:

William N. Eskridge et al., Legislation and Statutory Interpretation (3rd ed., 2022) – ch. 4

3. Assignment and Grading:

After reading about the legislative process and the theories of the legislative process, the students will prepare a short reaction paper (up to five pages) and class presentation that will briefly present the legislative process in their country and present two concrete examples from cases in the legislative process of their country that illustrate or challenge the theories of the legislative process.