Unpacking Clinical Scholarship: Why Clinics Start and How They Last
| DOI | 10.1177/2322005816662397 |
| Published date | 01 January 2017 |
| Date | 01 January 2017 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Unpacking Clinical Scholarship: Why
Clinics Start and How They Last
Tribe Mkwebu1
Abstract
This article details a qualitative approach in which textual data from a selected batch of 91 papers on
clinical legal education were analyzed to identify factors that have been influential in the establishment
and sustainability of clinical programmes in different jurisdictions. A systematic approach to literature
review was conducted between January 2014 and April 2014 to aid an understanding of clinical legal
education in Zimbabwe. Textual data analysis from each article was given a thorough fracturing through
the use of grounded theory’s coding system which identified 20 influential factors to consider in the
creation and sustainability of clinical programmes. For the purposes of a critical discussion of the
reviewed literature, 20 themes were arranged into three main thematic topics: ‘resource’; ‘relational’
and ‘contextual’, where ‘resource’ was selected as a core category around which a storyline was built.
The review indicated that there were various positive and negative factors influencing the creation
and sustainability of clinical programmes. Enabling factors were most frequently related to positive
intervening conditions such as the availability of a healthy financial base upon which a clinical programme
was built. Impeding factors were most frequently associated with negative intervening conditions such
as resistance to clinical pedagogy. Literature review revealed a wealth of knowledge on key aspects to
consider while founding a clinical programme. However, there are still critical knowledge gaps requiring
our attention. To fill in the knowledge gaps, this article proposes that empirical research on clinical
legal education should be underpinned by a systematic review of literature and grounded theory nexus.
In this way, we should be able to systematically generate substantive theories grounded in both textual
and empirical data. Such an approach should encourage us to be objective in narrating the benefits of
clinical legal education and help us foster more and effective strategies on the creation and sustainability
of clinical programmes.
Introduction
A book entitled The Global Clinical Movement: Educating Lawyers for Social Justice succinctly
describes a global clinical movement in motion, sweeping across ve continents and elucidating the
increasingly important role clinical legal education plays in the education of future lawyers. The book’s
1 Associate Lecturer, School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and
Wear, United Kingdom.
Asian Journal of Legal Education
4(1) 33–46
© 2017 The West Bengal National
University of Juridical Sciences
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/2322005816662397
http://ale.sagepub.com
Corresponding author:
Tribe Mkwebu, Associate Lecturer, School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Northumbria,
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE1 8ST, United Kingdom.
E-mails: tribe.mkwebu@northumbria.ac.uk; tribemkwebu@yahoo.co.uk
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