What role can non-state laws play in a state and how do state authorities engage with these forms of social organising and enforcement? In this episode, Dr Luke McDonagh and Dr Nafay Choudhury analyse the interaction between state and non-state authorities as they take shape in the money exchange markets of Kabul.

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: Luke McDonagh and Nafay Choudhury

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

How should art be interpreted in the courtroom? Is it fair for an artist to have their art be scrutinised and analysed within a judicial setting? In this episode of Ratio, Dr Luke McDonagh engages in a two-part conversation with Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah to analyse how rap lyrics are used in criminal trials and how this fails to meet some of the basic evidentiary standards. Beyond the theoretical issues at play, the use of artistic expression for prosecutorial purposes may illustrate deeper, systemic issues within the criminal justice system and its relationship to the communities that produce this art.

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik with music by Mustafa Tauseef .

Speakers: Luke McDonagh and Abenaa Owusu-Bempah

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

Dr Luke McDonagh sits down with LSE alum, barrister and novelist Tom Gaisford for an illuminating conversation on Tom's career, immigration and asylum law and how his years of working as a lawyer have come to inform the writing of his new book: Sanctuary. What are the differences between working as a solicitor and transitioning into a career as a barrister? What is it about immigration and asylum law in particular that prompted Tom to write his new book? This episode discusses these questions and many more.

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: Luke McDonagh and Tom Gaisford

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

In what ways will AI impact the legal profession? How will this impact correspond to the need to change the way future lawyers are educated while at Law School? If one accepts that AI is transformative, how transformative is it? In our twentieth episode the Dean of LSE Law School, Professor David Kershaw, interviews author and CEO of FjordStream Advisors, Bjarne Tellmann to tackle the above questions. Bjarne has amassed an impressive resume serving as a General Counsel for some of the largest corporations. David and Bjarne analyse how AI is used to drive efficiency and how this efficiency-driven model will impact corporate structures and, in particular, their legal departments. If AI is here to stay, how should we prepare?

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: David Kershaw and Bjarne Tellmann

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

This episode explores the role of patent law in our interconnected world. Professor Susan Marks and Dr Siva Thambisetty discuss Siva's work ranging from taking part in treaty negotiations for The BBNJ Agreement to her efforts during the COVID-19 Pandemic to help secure greater access to vaccines which would otherwise be hindered through patent law. The final part of this episode features Siva's critique of the 'routinised use of equity' as a fallback mechanism during treaty negotiations and how the reliance on 'equity' in this context may not actually do much to procure equitable outcomes.

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: Susan Marks and Siva Thambisetty

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

How does the law shape our culture? Is education a neutral endeavour? Or, can an analysis of how one learns the law uncover the world-making nature of legal education? In this episode of Ratio, Professor Susan Marks asks these questions to Dr Jacco Bomhoff who provides an insightful analysis of the German legal system. The episode also explores Jacco's work on the conflict of laws. Feel free to have a look at some of the scholarship discussed in this episode using the links below.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-2230.12879

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1535685X.2023.2259670

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09646639221092962

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/balancing-constitutional-rights/78210B23BAE5B7BB0BE122A2BD5961EB

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4063283

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: Susan Marks and Jacco Bomhoff

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

Professor Susan Marks sits down with Dr Roxana Willis for an insightful analysis on the shortcomings of hate crime laws. The inability of hate crime to protect victims of racist violence stems in part from an ineffectual understanding of racism in society more broadly. Instead of tackling the structural roots of racism, it seems that hate crime laws are preoccupied with racism in its more blatant forms. Roxana discusses why this is the case, and puts forth the abolitionist critique of the criminal law. The second part of this episode features a wider analysis from Roxana on how the law interacts with structural inequalities as examined in her book A Precarious Life.

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: Susan Marks and Roxana Willis.

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

As the war in Ukraine continues amidst a backdrop of recent diplomatic manoeuvres, how does international law guide state action? In this episode of Ratio, Professor Floris de Witte poses this question to Dr Lora Izvorova. Lora analyses the interaction between domestic politics and international law and highlights a perhaps uncomfortable truth that international law can be susceptible to wide interpretation and, in turn, political capture. However, within this malleability may lie the path towards cooperation and an understanding of shared values that all state's recognise as paramount for global stability.

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: Floris de Witte and Lora Izvorova

Website: https://lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

When courts step in to resolve disputes between private parties, what impact do these decisions have on managing market distribution and economic inequality? Dr Joseph Spooner argues that the law has a "constitutive role" that directly impacts the way markets function. In this episode, Dr Spooner discusses his findings and analysis from his 2024 article "Contract Law: When the Poor Pay More" with Professor Floris de Witte. Dr Spooner makes the case that private law decisions are, by their nature, part of a "distributive realm," which requires critical engagement with decisions taken by courts. Although law and politics operate differently, the impact that each have on the other may demand a more rigorous analysis of the distributive outcomes of judicial decisions.

Disclaimer: In this episode mention is made of the Johnson v Firstrand England and Wales Court of Appeal decision and the possibility of it being appealed to the Supreme Court. Since the time of recording, the Supreme Court has accepted the appeal and arguments are due to be heard in early April.

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: Floris de Witte and Joseph Spooner

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio

If one examines the history of financial crises whether in the late 90s in Asia or the global financial crisis of 07-08 you might wonder what role - if any - government agencies or intergovernmental agencies can play in alleviating the possibilities of economic crash. In this episode, Professor Floris de Witte engages with the rich work of Professor Niamh Moloney to examine how capital market regulation works in the European Union. Can we regulate our way out of financial crisis? Professor Moloney shares some skepticism and offers critical insight into how capital market regulation can look like in the European Union.

This episode was produced by Mohid Malik.

Speakers: Floris de Witte and Niamh Moloney

Website: https://www.lse.ac.uk/law

Instagram: @lselaw; X: @LSERatio