The C3RD: driving legal research forward

At the Faculté de Droit of the Université Catholique de Lille, research plays a central role. It explores legal norms in depth, sheds light on the evolution of modern law and proposes responses to the changes shaping our societies. This mission is embodied in the Centre de Recherche sur les Relations entre les Risques et le Droit (C3RD, Research Centre on the Relationship between Risk and Law). As the Faculty’s research hub, the C3RD brings together five main themes that connect its researchers: Vulnerabilities, Digital and Emerging Technologies, Global and Critical Approaches to Security, Organisational Ethics and Changing Forms of Normativity.

Understanding law in a changing world

Legal research is often misunderstood. It is not just about commenting on legislation. It means analysing the rules themselves, their logic, their reach and how they adapt to current issues such as environmental transition, digital transformation, family evolution or new types of crime.

Law is therefore both a subject of study and a tool for action. It does not simply react to change: it helps to guide and sometimes anticipate it. Legal research helps assess reforms, identify inconsistencies and inform public policy.

A growing research centre

Created in 2006, the C3RD aims to understand how law evolves when faced with risk and uncertainty. It now brings together 76 researchers across the Lille and Issy-les-Moulineaux campuses, working in an open and collaborative spirit.

What makes the C3RD distinctive is its approach: rather than separating legal disciplines, it encourages them to work together around shared issues: health, the environment, technology or society. This approach makes it possible to study law in its theoretical, practical and ethical dimensions.

Recognised scientific quality

The C3RD joined the École Doctorale Polytechnique des Hauts-de-France (EDPHF) in 2021, marking an important milestone. This allows the centre to host doctoral students and develop high-level research through seminars, workshops and personalised supervision. It currently supports 11 PhD students in various fields of law.

In 2023, the Haut Conseil de l’Évaluation de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur (HCERES) recognised the centre’s strong scientific record, the quality of its research output (over 570 publications in five years), its international partnerships and its contribution to public debate.

Research Chairs focused on contemporary issues

The C3RD structures its work around several thematic Chairs that combine legal expertise and interdisciplinary dialogue:

• Childhood and Family Chair – explores the child’s place in today’s family structures and child protection policies, in collaboration with experts in ethics, sociology and economics.
• Law and Ethics of Digital Health Chair – developed with the Medical Ethics Centre and the Faculty of Medicine, studies the ethical and legal issues of digital health: connected devices, telemedicine, data governance and more.
• Business Ethics Chair: Compliance & ESG – created with the Faculty of Management, Economics and Science, examines companies’ legal and ethical responsibilities in social, environmental and governance matters.

The C3RD also works closely with the ECCE – European School of Critical Criminology, which brings together researchers from law, sociology, philosophy, medicine and psychology to study major criminological issues. This pluralistic approach fosters independent and rigorous thinking on deviance and criminal justice.

Research serving society

The strength of the C3RD lies in its ability to combine academic excellence with social impact. Its researchers publish widely, but also engage with the media, work with institutions, contribute to parliamentary hearings and train legal professionals.

With a growing team, strong recognition and research themes firmly anchored in real-world challenges, the C3RD continues its mission with ambition: to deepen our understanding of law, and to help society better anticipate and manage the risks of our time.