Doctoral dissertations of German lawyers on Chinese law – A survey of topics, approaches and practical considerations

Abstract

When writing a PhD on Chinese law, German lawyers are often faced with various questions ranging from topic selection to best practices in researching Chinese judgments. Constituting a unique guide, this article presents an inventory of doctoral theses written by German lawyers over the last three decades. The distribution among different fields of law, with civil law as the leading field, reflects the German economy’s need for information on Chinese law. Although it may indeed be more time consuming to write a thesis that adopts a comparative approach, such a dissertation can yield content and insight that meet with broad recognition in the professional world. In terms of topic selection, it is recommended that authors work with a realistic timeframe. The article is rounded off with practical advice on researching literature and legal rulings as well as some comments on methodology and publication.