Please tell us about your research project.
I’m doing a thesis about consequentialism in judicial reasoning in British and French administrative law at Aix-Marseille University. In their legal practice, judges need to justify their judgments through the motivation of their decisions. As a concern, the main question of the thesis project is not about whether they should use consequences in their argumentation, but how they concretely use it. More precisely, within the frame of a law thesis, it involves explaining how methodologically they use it, which function this argument has in the legal argumentation, and under which theoretical conditions. Consequentialist argument expresses a power from the judge; comparatively studying its use would lead to a reevaluation of the traditional opposition between the judge in both systems and highlight the potential common points in judicial reasoning, especially when it is about applying public law, regardless of the system.
Could you please tell us a bit more about your scholarship/exchange programme?
I was lucky to be selected for a partnership between the Maison Française d’Oxford and the Institute of European and Comparative Law. Any PhD student in France can apply to join this partnership, which provides perfect material conditions for conducting research. Once selected, the MFO will automatically book a bedroom for the student, which is truly appreciable as finding accommodation in Oxford can be complicated. Moreover, being part of the MFO adds great value to the stay, as it’s a friendly place. On the other hand, the IECL integrates the student perfectly into the centre's life, and being affiliated with it grants access to all the resources a student needs to complete their research.
First impressions of Oxford/the University?
It is not just a polite expression to say that being here is a true privilege. Indeed, most things in Oxford are designed in the purpose to allow students to flourish whether in their academic life that in their social life. So, it’s a unique place that we don’t want to leave easily.