Research project The Politicization of Private International Law
Volume 72 of Scandinavian Studies in Law, The Politicization of Private International Law, presents the results of a project examining how political interests and constitutional principles influence the development and application of private international law, with a particular focus on the Nordic context.
As part of the project’s outcomes, a conference was held and the anthology The Politicization of Private International Law (Vol. 72, Scandinavian Studies in Law) is forthcoming.
About the Conference: The Politicization of Private International Law
Project description
The Politicization of Private International Law, Volume 72, Scandinavian Studies in Law (forthcoming 2026)
The traditional goal of private international law of pursuing neutral, internationally shared objectives is increasingly being challenged. Savigny envisioned a multilateral system based on universal and politically neutral rules that linked legal relationships to legal systems without regard for political considerations. This ideal was first questioned during the ‘conflicts revolution’ in the United States and has since faced scrutiny in Europe and other parts of the world. Although classic private international law could accommodate state regulatory interests through techniques such as characterization, public policy, and overriding mandatory provisions, a more explicit turn has emerged.
Today, conflict-of-laws rules are increasingly employed to advance substantive policy objectives, including environmental protection, weaker party protection and competition regulation. Moreover, norms external to the private international law framework such as EU constitutional principles, including the free movement of goods and services, the right of establishment, and other fundamental freedoms now exert a significant influence on its development and application. This volume aims to examine how political interests and constitutional principles are influencing the development and interpretation of private international law, with a particular emphasis on the Nordic context.
Project members
Project managers
Lydia Lundstedt
Universitetslektor, docent
Erik Sinander
Universitetslektor i internationell privaträtt
