Introduction to 2012 LDR Special Issue (No. 1). The 2012 special issue of the Law and Development Review features articles on microtrade, which have been presented at the 2011 Law and Development Conference held in Seattle, USA.

Abstract Religion, law and development intersect in a number of ways. Almost one-third of the world’s Muslim population resides in Africa. With a focus on Africa and taking into account Africa’s triple heritage as envisioned by A. Mazrui, a product resulting from three major influences: an...

Abstract Banks are key institutions in the economic development of a country, but they are prone to money laundering (ML) as well. Such incidents could lead to sanctions and loss of reputation. To mitigate such risks, banks are required to follow Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations....

Abstract This article approaches the long-standing instability in the southernmost part of Thailand, where a vast majority of the population is Muslim, from a law and development perspective. The instability has resulted from a highly complicated conflict, of which religious and ethnic...

Abstract The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is situated near the Persian Gulf in the North Eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Established in 1971 by the late Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE forms a federation of seven Emirates consisting of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al...

Abstract Economic development is the term that has been associated with less developed countries in the Third World (“developing countries”), not the economically advanced countries (“developed countries”), such as the United States. However, the changing economic conditions in recent...

Abstract What is the place of voluntary self-regulation in today’s international trade? Can we continue to understand the contract in its relation to the historical unity of state and law considering the massive transformation of the closely related dichotomies between national and...

The Sen conception of `development as freedom' represents a departure from previous approaches to development that focused merely on growth rates or technological progress. Sen however fails to adequately address the social constraints that inhibit the realization of the goal of `development as...

The paper focuses on the potential of comparative sociology of law as an instrument for analysing the effective operation of law in society. This approach links normative and empirical approaches to legal research. Applying advanced sociological theory of law, the paper analyses how social and...

In 2008 the Ecuadorian government received a report on the legitimacy of the country's sovereign debt from an international audit commission appointed by Ecuador's current president, Rafael Correa. This concluded that much of the debt was tainted by illegality and illegitimacy and consequently...