Updated GlobaLex Research Guides

The GlobaLex collection at the New York University Law School has updated a number of its research guides on international and comparative law:

• Comparative Civil Procedure: Finding Primary and Secondary Sources: "The comparison of legal systems has for a long time been an essential branch of legal research and jurisprudence. It has become even more important and relevant in our era of globalization, an era in which there is no field of law that can base its knowledge exclusively on national ideas and rules of procedure. Peter Gottwald sees the comparison of legal systems leading 'not only to a better knowledge of foreign law but also corresponding to the internationalization of law and jurisprudence, and the globalization of politics, of trade, commerce and private lifestyle.' (...) The first part of this article lists: general works of comparative civil procedure; basic books about the civil and common-law systems; and encyclopedias and treatises covering several jurisdictions. The remainder of the article is arranged by country. Depending upon the country, the sources listed may be in English or in the vernacular (or both in some cases). Under 'Primary Sources' are listed codes of civil procedure and civil procedure statutes and, for civil law jurisdictions, basic treatises, and commentaries. Under 'Secondary Sources' are listed monographs, treatises, and commentaries (for common law jurisdictions), which may also contain the text of civil procedure code sections and statutes. The section on 'Secondary Sources' also contains collected jurisprudence, as well as a few journals."
• The Council of Europe: "The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organization. It brings together 46 European states, including all the members of the European Union, representing 700 million citizens. Its mission is to promote democracy and protect human rights and the rule of law in Europe."
• Researching Global Health Law: "This 2023 update will again include a wide array of resources, ranging from primary international law instruments to databases that contain domestic health-related legislation. Also included are suggestions for researching the relationships between global health law and international human rights, trade, and intellectual property. In terms of format, the guide emphasizes electronic sources, but some print monographs are also mentioned. All of the listed resources are available in English, although several are multilingual. The aggregate purpose of the guide is to provide a comprehensive roadmap for researching the highly complex and dynamic field of global health law, which now includes the COVID-19 pandemic within its topical scope."
• Researching Nanotechnology and Selected Legal and Regulatory Issues: "The word ‘nano’ is derived from the Greek word ‘nanos’, meaning ‘dwarf’ or ‘very small man’. In the study of nanoscience and technology, this word is used to indicate a scale of measurement. Nanotechnology, according to the European Commission, is a branch of science and engineering that is devoted to designing, producing, and using structures, devices, and systems by manipulating atoms and molecules at the nanoscale, i.e., having one or more dimensions of the order of 100 nanometres (100 millionths of a millimeter) or less. In layman’s term, it is the study of nanoscale chemicals (...) At the beginning of this century, most of the developed countries started initiatives to exploit nanotechnologies treating these as ‘the wave of the future’. The policymakers and stakeholders involved in dealing with nanoparticles and nanomaterials have frequently endorsed nanotechnologies as important catalysts that promise to play a crucial role in harnessing the potentials of the so-called fourth industrial revolution. The legal and regulatory discussion on nanotechnology mostly rotates around the study of chemical substances, the environment, occupational health and safety, product liability, and consumer protection etc."