Key research themes
1. How do constitutional principles and legal frameworks shape land administration reforms to promote pro-poor land governance in Sub-Saharan Africa?
This research area investigates the influence of constitutional tenets—specifically human rights, rule of law, and legal pluralism—on land administration systems (LAS) and legal frameworks in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Understanding these relationships is pivotal due to the challenges in embedding pro-poor objectives within land governance reforms. The studies focus on developing conceptual frameworks and evaluate existing constitutions to ensure that land administration reforms are equitable, legally coherent, and responsive to customary and statutory law pluralism to improve tenure security and responsible land management.
2. What are the roles, challenges, and consequences of informal and formal mechanisms enforcing land rights and governance in contexts of weak state capacity?
This theme explores the interplay between state and non-state actors in land rights enforcement, specifically focusing on informal security providers such as land guards, legal disputes over property rights, and judicial interventions. Research in this area addresses the consequences of governance gaps manifested in unregulated actors exerting control, the role of courts in resolving property conflicts, and the procedural and legal complexities affecting land tenure security, particularly in Africa and developing countries. Methodological approaches include legal case analyses, field studies, and institutional critiques.
3. How do legal theories and property law doctrines influence the conceptualization and adjudication of ownership and land rights?
Research within this theme scrutinizes foundational legal concepts of property, particularly in relation to exclusion rights, possession, and ownership limits. It interrogates dominant paradigms such as legal positivism and the 'bundle of rights' metaphor, revealing contradictions in property doctrine and the dynamic interaction between legal norms and social realities. The theme covers jurisprudential critiques and case law analysis focused on ownership structures, judicial discretion, and how evolving societal values and technical advancements challenge traditional property law boundaries.