õigusteadustel

Õigusteadustel is the Estonian term for the academic study of law, encompassing its theory, philosophy, and methodological analysis. It seeks to understand how legal norms are created, interpreted, and applied, and how legal systems attain legitimacy and justice.

The field covers subdisciplines such as legal philosophy, constitutional theory, interpretation theory, comparative law, legal history, human rights law, and legal ethics. It also includes empirical studies that examine how law operates in practice and affects behavior, as well as normative inquiries into how laws ought to be formulated and enforced.

Researchers employ doctrinal analysis, conceptual clarification, normative argumentation, comparative methods, historical inquiry, and empirical social-science approaches. The aim is to develop coherent theories of law, explain legal phenomena, and evaluate the impact of legal rules on individuals and society.

In Estonia, õigusteadustel is taught at university faculties of law and related research institutes, forming the basis for legal education, scholarly publishing, and policy analysis. Graduates typically pursue academic careers, judicial or public service pathways, and professional practice, while researchers contribute to both national and international legal debates.

The field maintains close connections with international law and comparative jurisprudence. It engages with contemporary questions such as the rule of law, rights protection, proportionality, legal interpretation, and the legitimacy and functioning of legal norms in rapidly changing societies. Through cross-border dialogue and interdisciplinary methods, õigusteadustel aims to clarify how law can best serve justice, security, and social order.