Prestigious research stay in Belgium

Each year, Ghent University awards "The Marcel Storme Chair" to a legal scholar who has distinguished themselves internationally. This year's recipient, Anna Nylund from the Faculty of Law, was honored with the award for her contributions to civil procedure, alternative dispute resolution, comparative law, and children's rights to participation.

– Those of us working in the field of civil procedure have been raised on Marcel Storme’s work, which makes this recognition very special. For me personally, it is particularly meaningful because I am the first female researcher in civil procedure to receive this award, Nylund says.

An Interesting Combination

At the Faculty of Law, Nylund leads the Research group for Civil Procedure, focusing on European and comparative civil procedure and dispute resolution.

She finds it difficult to pinpoint exactly what drew her to this field.

– Trying to explain why you end up in a specific research field is like trying to describe why you fall for someone. You can point to certain qualities or traits, but it’s almost impossible to define exactly what makes them "the one".

However, she does recognize aspects of the field that she particularly appreciates:

– My field combines civil procedure and dispute resolution, which are two very different things. Civil procedure is highly structured and technical, while dispute resolution is more about psychology and relationships. I find this combination very fascinating.

She continues:

– Additionally, this field touches on one of the most fundamental aspects of a state governed by the rule of law: the judiciary. I find questions about access to justice—who can bring cases to court, how different groups in society can assert their rights, and how dispute resolution processes function— really interesting. 

The inaugural lecture 

During her tenure as Chair in Ghent, Nylund delivered guest lectures on international and European civil procedure, as well as advanced civil procedure. The highlight of her stay, however, was the inaugural lecture she delivered on March 18.

In her lecture, titled "If Mediation is the Answer – What is the Question?", Nylund critically examined the frequent promotion of mediation as the solution to complex disputes.

– Mediation is often proposed as a ‘solution’ both in Norway and internationally. However, mediation is not a single, uniform dispute resolution process but rather a collection of diverse approaches based on different theories and assumptions about what disputes are and how they should be resolved.

She emphasized that the effectiveness of mediation depends on how it is defined and which type of mediation process is used. These variations significantly impact its usefulness as a tool.

– It is not always clear why mediation should be a better option than court or tribunal processes. If the issue is that the legal process is too complex, the solution might just as well be to simplify it rather than offering an alternative. Often, it remains unclear what specific problems mediation is actually meant to solve," Nylund argues.

Small research communities in Norway 

Even when working in Norway, Nylund maintains an international perspective. Her research in civil procedure and alternative dispute resolution is primarily comparative and European in scope.

She explains that her work is guided by thematic perspectives rather than a focus on a single country, allowing for broad collaboration. According to Nylund, this international approach is important in her work.

– In Norway, research communities are small, and to think and discuss effectively, you need many minds involved. In small countries, discussions can become arbitrary. If Swedish researchers, for example, suddenly encounter a highly specific issue, international collaboration can open researchers’ eyes worldwide to the same question.