Introduction

Anna’s time at the EUI broadened her research on European private law and sustainability, sparking new reflections. During her visit from the end of October 2024 to the end of December 2024, Anna attended seminars that challenged her to explore new methodologies that connect legal research to social realities. In addition, discussions with diverse researchers deepened her theoretical understanding of the law. She incorporates these new insights into the next stage of her work as she proceeds with a case study on repair practices. In this blog post, student assistant Paulina Mendoza Del Castillo interviews Anna about her research visit.

Interview

What motivated you to choose the European University Institute as the place to advance your research on the consumer-citizen?

Anna: Research can often feel like a solitary process: you spend countless hours reading, questioning and rethinking your ideas. That’s why I wanted to go to the EUI: to engage directly with the scholars whose work has been seminal for my research, and with researchers working on similar topics. I was also drawn to the variety of seminars planned for the autumn. In different ways, these aimed to re-examine the value of law, the ways in which it interprets or transforms reality, and whether and by whom law can be mobilised for social change. Given my focus on the ‘consumer-citizen’, I was eager to delve deeper into social philosophy and was ready to rethink my research inside-out. I also wanted to learn more about normative approaches to law, which I expected to be helpful in addressing my ‘should’ question. Two months was not enough time to find all the answers, but I think I found better questions! And without any doubt, walking through the olive trees on my way to the library gave a sense of peace and inspiration I hadn’t realised I needed.

During your stay, were there any particular experiences, discussions, or moments that reshaped the way you approach your research?

Anna: There were several moments that reshaped my approach. First, in terms of positionality. From a position of privilege, it’s easy to think of law as a ‘good’ instrument and to imagine its potential to drive change. At the EUI, I was encouraged to think more critically about both the inherent and contingent limitations of law and the ways in which it reproduces injustices. Partly in response to this, I got to learn more about methodologies that can help researchers, when studying social practices, to reintroduce aspects of social reality or knowledge that might have been elicited by the law. For example,the seminar on ‘EU law of the everyday’ made me reflect more deeply on possible approaches for my case study on product repair practices. Overall, my experience at the EUI deepened my sense of responsibility, to both making sure to listening to the people my research revolves around, but also to use my voice and share my point of view, without fear or shame. It’s a work in progress. Embracing this responsibility is ultimately being conducive to feeling more ownership over my project.

Spending time in a different academic and cultural environment can offer new perspectives. What differences did you notice between the academic culture at the EUI and the Netherlands?

Anna: The EUI’s academic and cultural environment felt incredibly rich in opportunities for community building. From the olive harvest to cineclub, roundtable seminars and working groups led by PhD researchers, where lively debates are commonplace. Looking back, while at first I felt an outsider, the diversity and welcoming configuration of the institute encouraged me to engage fully. This experience has been invaluable. What also stood out to me was the way grand ideas were not divorced from practical action. During my time there, I saw researchers engaging for important causes, both within the Institute (like PhD researchers’ demand for equal pay) and in solidarity.It was nice to see how they co-create the Institute in different ways. That’s not to say that Dutch universities lack a sense of community and activism. While I was in Florence, I saw photos of my colleagues from Leiden and other Dutch universities protesting against the government’s planned budget cuts to higher education. Being away made me appreciate even more the importance of a university as a shared academic space, not just a workplace. I came back with a stronger commitment to engaging in that collective responsibility, whether through dialogue, action, or protest when necessary.

Now that you have completed this research period, what are the next steps for your project? 

Anna: While I continue working on my theoretical framework, I have now started working on the case study for my project, which centers on repair practices, particularly those that are community-led, and how legal frameworks shape or hinder their space of possibility. The insights gained during my time at the EUI will undoubtedly influence how I approach this next phase of my research.