Our legal system is designed to protect us against crime, corruption, sexual intimidation at work, environmental pollution and the next financial crisis. Insights from the social and behavioural sciences have shown that the way human behaviour works differs from what is commonly assumed.

These disciplines show that the traditional idea of individual rational choice as the basis for our behaviour is not a very accurate reflection of reality. Increasing sentences usually does not work on its own. Behaviour is greatly dependent on social influences. And often people aren't even able to make a free choice, partly because they lack knowledge and cognition, and partly because they aren't in aposition to choose to observe or break the law.

These insights have only penetrated our legal system to a very limited degree, and Van Rooij reflects on what this means for legal practice, legal theory and politics.

Prof. B. van Rooij, professor of Law and Society: Homo Juridicus. Questioning Legal Assumptions about Behavior.

Entrance

This event is open to the public.