Law is both a spectrum of instruments containing norms or rules that are institutionally considered valid and a spectrum of normative values and principles bringing order and coherence to those instruments. This dual spectrum spanning what Bengoetxea calls Law 1 and Law 2 is an innovative way to understand legal culture, and to engage in research about many intangible aspects of law and legal thinking. The institutional theory of law and the idea of law as integrity give resonance to the dual spectrum in positive norms and legal ideas. The book explores the dual nature of European law and contributes to an enhanced understanding of the Court of Justice of the European Union and its legal reasoning. It analyses the idea of Nordic law, the interaction between European laws, multilingualism in the EU, sources and resources of law, general principles of law, legal institutions, law and the metaverse, the value of solidarity and judicial dialogues, all in relation to European law. The book brings together unpublished materials and fully revised and updated papers that follow from lectures delivered at Nordic Universities between 2006 and 2024.
How American Politics Works
American politics is a paradox of cynicism and adulation. This book explains the system’s complex inner workings through the “four Ps”: Philosophy, Pragmatism, Personality, and Profit—the constant clash between high ideals and self-interest.
