Legal History and Comparative Law: Just the Flip Side of the Same Coin?
Lutz-Christian Wolff
Abstract
The relationship between legal history and comparative law has always been subject to some debate. In recent years the topic has become even more controversial because comparatists have called for a broadening of the scope of comparative law to cover also legal history or even to regard legal history as a subset of comparative law. This article demonstrates that legal history and comparative law do indeed share many common features but also face the same identity crisis as it is difficult to pinpoint distinguishing features which make both areas separate disciplines. From a functional point of view legal history and comparative law are largely identical. The acknowledgement that legal history and comparative law are thus just the flip side of the same coin can eventually lead to the creation of significant synergies.
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Author information:
Lutz-Christian Wolff
Wei Lun Professor of Law, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
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Recommended citation:
Lutz-Christian Wolff, Legal History and Comparative Law: Just the Flip Side of the Same Coin?, 2 Indep. L.J. 1 (2026)