ABSTRACT
The methods employed in legal geography research vary, from the textual analysis of codified law and judgments through to field-based primary data collection, and are largely (although not exclusively) based on qualitative research techniques. Considerable weight is placed on identifying and critically assessing law in particular places, and this approach necessarily highlights many deficiencies in the existing legal framework/s. Moving beyond the Western gaze that characterises legal geography scholarship, research situated in a less-developed country setting often draws attention to the important role of normative regulatory practices because the effectiveness of formal law can be compromised by weak institutional governance. In this context there is a clear need to gather information from affected persons directly. These data give voice to opinions, attitudes, beliefs and customs that are frequently absent in textual analysis of law. Capturing this information in a less-developed country setting requires careful attention to research design and sampling methods/processes. This chapter considers the challenges for legal geography researchers gathering in-country data in cross-cultural settings. My geographical focus examines environmental governance in Southeast Asia, with a country focus on Cambodia.
