The Faculty of Law at Diponegoro University once again held the Undip Global Classroom (UGC) as part of its efforts to strengthen global perspectives in legal education. Held on Friday, April 17, 2026, the event featured Prof. Dr. Yuzuru Shimada from the Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University, Japan, as the keynote speaker, and Dr. Aga Natalis, S.H., M.H., as a discussant.
In this lecture on “Comparative Legal Research & Socio-Legal Research,” the lecture in-depth examined two important approaches in contemporary legal research: the comparative and socio-legal approaches. Prof. Shimada, who has a long track record in law and development studies and research on Indonesian and Asian legal systems, emphasized that law cannot be fully understood through normative texts alone but must be analyzed within its surrounding social, historical, and institutional context.
In his presentation, he explained that the comparative approach is not simply a comparison of norms between countries, but also requires an understanding of the context of legal transplantation, namely, how a legal system is adopted, adapted, and developed in different social environments. In this regard, Indonesia serves as a significant example in comparative legal studies, particularly regarding the influence of the Dutch legal system and post-reform constitutional dynamics.
Meanwhile, the socio-legal approach positions law as a living social phenomenon (law in action), influenced by various factors such as power structures, legal culture, and institutional practices. This approach allows for a more comprehensive analysis of legal effectiveness, including legal development, democratization, and governance.
The discussion also highlighted how the two approaches can complement each other in modern legal research. The comparative approach provides a cross-jurisdictional analytical framework, while the socio-legal approach enriches understanding through empirical observation of legal practices in society. The integration of the two is crucial for producing legal research that is not merely prescriptive but also contextual and relevant to social realities.
This activity was attended by students from the Research Methodology and Legal Writing classes, who actively participated in the discussion session. The questions raised demonstrated students’ interest in developing more interdisciplinary legal research methods, particularly to address the challenges of globalization and legal dynamics in the Asian region. Through this activity, the Faculty of Law at Diponegoro University reaffirmed its commitment to providing legal education that is not solely based on doctrine but also open to multidisciplinary approaches and global developments, to produce graduates who are adaptive, critical, and oriented towards comprehensive legal problem-solving.