EMERGE has developed a rigorous and interdisciplinary methodological framework that bridges history, legal theory, and constitutional law across five European jurisdictions.
In its first 24 months, EMERGE successfully established a dynamic research team through international recruitment, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration within a cohesive academic environment. During the initial phase (months 1–9), the project formulated a robust theoretical concept of emergency, designed to be both functionally applicable and sensitive to cultural and historical variation. This conceptual foundation was strengthened through methodological workshops with leading scholars in comparative law and legal history, ensuring coherence across the project's diverse case studies.
EMERGE undertook extensive archival research across national and specialized repositories in the 5 jurisdictions. In several instances, the project accessed and analysed documents that had not been examined in over a century, yielding novel insights into the legal and social dimensions of emergency governance. These findings were presented at major academic conferences across Europe, contributing to scholarly debates in constitutional law, legal theory, and legal history.
Between months 1–12, EMERGE participated in seven international conferences and workshops, generating positive feedback and initiating publication projects that explore the intersection between emergency contexts and legal frameworks. A key early output—a peer-reviewed article—was accepted for publication in European Law Open, offering a historically grounded analysis of emergency powers in interwar Europe. Additionally, a book contract was secured with Routledge for a comparative study of emergency governance in France and Romania, marking a significant contribution to the field.
In months 13–24, the project expanded its academic presence, participating in 12 further conferences and workshops. These engagements facilitated refinement of research methodologies and fostered collaborative networks across Europe. The individual case studies advanced significantly, with researchers developing innovative approaches to constitutional history, socio-legal analysis, and interdisciplinary legal theory.
The case studies challenge established narratives and introduce new analytical frameworks. For example, one study re-evaluates the role of emergency in Belgian constitutional history, while another explores the socio-legal dynamics of emergency governance in France, including underexamined episodes in overseas territories. Other contributions include a visual legal history approach to German emergency law, an analysis of the interplay between international and national legal orders in Romania, and a socio-legal interpretation of emergency powers in N Ireland. These diverse approaches reflect EMERGE’s commitment to methodological pluralism and comparative depth.
A postdoctoral researcher supports the conceptual cohesion of the project through collaborative work and editorial leadership. A special issue in Law, Culture and Humanities is currently in preparation, featuring contributions from multiple team members and advancing the project's core themes.
Collectively, these outputs address EMERGE’s main objectives:
Stream 1: Mapping the extra-legal contexts that shape emergency responses.
Stream 2: Investigating how emergency is justified legally and legitimized socially.
Stream 3: Examining the roles and agency of actors involved in emergency governance.
