Round Table ClimLaw: Legal Anthropology and Environmental Law

Dr. Marina Ferenczy 
Marina Ferenczy holds a PhD from the University of São Paulo (USP) and the University of Ferrara (UniFe, Italy). She completed part of her doctoral research at the Centre for Social Studies (CES) at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, funded by CAPES, Brazil. Master’s degree in Economic and Socio-Environmental Law from the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná. Researcher USP.

Content: 
The presentation will examine why Legal Anthropology matters for Environmental Law. Using the Brazilian Biodiversity Act as a concrete case study, it will show how environmental regulation interacts with Indigenous peoples, traditional communities, biodiversity, and traditional knowledge. The talk begins with a brief historical overview of Anthropology, including its nineteenth-century imperial context and the ethnocentric categories that shaped the field at the time. It then traces the turning point through which Anthropology became a critical lens on Western society itself. From there, the presentation turns to the purpose, main features, and key themes of Legal Anthropology, as well as its importance for jurists. Finally, the case study will be linked to the idea of the ambivalent character of juridicisation, as discussed by Orlando Villas Boas Filho (University of São Paulo, USP), and to the theory of multijuridism developed by Étienne Le Roy (Laboratoire d’Anthropologie Juridique de Paris, LAJP), both of whom are fundamental references in the field. 

To register to attend the event:

E-Mail: climlaw@uni-graz.at with the subject: 

Legal Anthropology and Environmental Law

Registration closes on Sunday, 31 May 2026

There are limited seats available, so be sure to reserve yours!