Welcome Address and Introduction

Abstract

In April 2002, the International Max Planck Research School for Maritime Affairs at the University of Hamburg started its work. It was established through the cooperation of various disciplines including ecology, meteorology, economics, and law. The twelve scholars at this school represent many institutions: the University of Hamburg Institutes for Oceanography, for Maritime Law and the Law of the Sea, and for Foreign and International Private Law, and the Max Planck Institutes for Meteorology, for International Law, and for Comparative and International Private Law. Anyone familiar with the peculiarities of research knows that such interdisciplinary research is rather uncommon. Indeed, there does not appear to be another Max Planck Research School that involves such a wide range of disciplines. Lawyers may well consider interdisciplinary research simply to be a private lawyer and a public lawyer discussing the same subject. In recent years, interdisciplinary research in law and economics or law and social and political science has become more common; but cooperation between lawyers and scientists remains exceptional.