Special attention is therefore paid to the field of public law (constitutional law and civil liberties, administrative law and criminal law and procedure), and particularly to the individual in his or her relationship with public authority. Various contexts of vulnerability are targeted: terrorism, radicalization, religious minorities, gender discrimination, armed conflicts, incivilities, begging, mental disorders, organized crime, sexual and gender violence, child pornography, cyber harassment, professional secrecy, anti-discrimination, etc.

While the Unit is fundamentally rooted in legal science research, and in the field of public law in particular, it is also - like each of the Units that make up the V&S Centre - interdisciplinary and naturally draws on other social sciences to refine its expertise.