Contributions to the group – Law and identity

Identity and law are intrinsically linked. The language of law both expands and limits our understanding of the world. With a particular interest in linguistic minorities, my research has explored the limitations of the law when confronted with the lived realities of these communities. At the same time, law is a tool that can be used in favour of minority communities of all kinds—in this case, linguistic minorities. This idea can be extended to any type of community, especially those that have faced persistent resistance or marginalization through legal frameworks.

As a socio-legal scholar, I am acutely aware of the often-existing gap between law and society and am deeply interested in the dialogue between these two spheres. One of my areas of study is the cross-border Basque region between France and Spain, where new forms of governance have emerged to address the gaps left by state law for cross-border citizens. Shaped by historical identities, European Union law, multilevel governance, grassroots movements, longstanding and newly created institutions, as well as contemporary challenges brought about by technology and migration, this cross-border region serves as a laboratory for European integration. It is also an ideal setting for examining what identity means in our current society—and, consequently, in law. Law and identity are constantly being redefined; let us research this transformation together.