We illustrate legislative ideal types using the metaphors of blades:
Swiss army knives: versatile & precise
Scalpels: precise but not versatile
Machetes: versatile but not precise
Scythes: neither versatile nor precise
#polisky
In this paper @steffenhurka.bsky.social @steffiru.bsky.social @mikecowburn.bsky.social @kaplaner.bsky.social introduce a novel framework that conceptualizes legislative design along the dimensions of versatility and precision:
🚨🎉Announcing our project's first publication🎉🚨
"Laws as Blades: A Conceptual Framework of Legislative Design" is now available open access in @policysciences.bsky.social
Funded by @erc.europa.eu
doi.org/10.1007/s110....
We illustrate legislative ideal types using the metaphors of blades:
Swiss army knives: versatile & precise
Scalpels: precise but not versatile
Machetes: versatile but not precise
Scythes: neither versatile nor precise
#polisky
Legislation shapes every aspect of public life, yet we still lack a unified way to analyze laws' design. In this paper, we introduce a novel framework that conceptualizes legislative design along the dimensions of versatility and precision
Applying this framework to environmental and macroprudential legislation in the EU, we demonstrate how laws differ in their internal architecture, and discuss what this might mean for how they function, endure, and evolve.
We illustrate legislative ideal types using the metaphor of blades:
𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 → versatile and precise
𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐬 → precise but not versatile
𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬 → versatile but not precise
𝐒𝐜𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬 → neither versatile nor precise
📜 Legislation shapes every aspect of public life, yet we still lack a unified way to analyze laws' design. In this paper, we introduce a novel framework that conceptualizes 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 along two key dimensions, 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 and 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.
@kaplaner.bsky.social and @steffenhurka.bsky.social had the privilege to present and discuss the DEMOLAW project at the University of Aarhus. DEMOLAW thanks @rsenninger.bsky.social and the entire department of political science for the kind invitation, the hospitality, and the great feedback!
DEMOLAW team drinks in Madrid #EPSA2025
On Thursday at 17:00 (-1.A.05) @kaplaner.bsky.social presents "Balancing Versatility and Precision:
A Framework for Capturing Legislative Design Choices in Democratic Systems", the first empirical paper of the @demolaw.bsky.social project. #EPSA2025
DEMOLAW conceptual paper: tinyurl.com/5auvzcbs
This week, we're in Madrid for #EPSA2025 where @kaplaner.bsky.social will present our first empirical research paper "Balancing Versatility and Precision: A Framework for Caputring Legislative Design Choice in Democratic Systems" on Thursday at 17:00 (-1.A.05).
Hello world! We are DEMOLAW, an ERC-funded project investigating the design, creation, and survival of democratic laws.
Our website is now live! sites.google.com/view/demolaw
To read our first research paper, visit: tinyurl.com/58p4m2m4
We will be at #EPSA2025 in Madrid & look forward to meeting!
Hello world! We are DEMOLAW, an ERC-funded project investigating the design, creation, and survival of democratic laws.
Our website is now live! sites.google.com/view/demolaw
To read our first research paper, visit: tinyurl.com/58p4m2m4
We will be at #EPSA2025 in Madrid & look forward to meeting!
The DEMOLAW team:
PI: Steffen Hurka (@steffenhurka.bsky.social)
Postdocs: Constantin Kaplaner (@kaplaner.bsky.social), Stefanie Rueß (@steffiru.bsky.social), Mike Cowburn (@mikecowburn.bsky.social)
Research assistant: Amelie Sieber
Follow us here for updates on our work & publications.
