Anita Purewal

Email: a.purewal1@lancaster.ac.uk

Previous Education

• Undergraduate Degree: 2012- 2015, Lancaster University, Law, LLB
• Masters Degree: 2015-2016, University of Warwick, Advanced Legal Studies, LLM

Thesis Title

To what extent is the sentimental attachment to property recognised in legal, political and social discourse, and what are the consequences of this recognition for contemporary theories of property rights?

Supervisors

Dr. Benjamin Mayfield and Dr. Lu Xu

Research Summary

My thesis aims to examine the extent to which a sentimental attachment to property is established and recognised within political, legal, and social discourse. The research aims to consider the implications of such findings on the use and understanding of modern theories of property rights, and whether property theory must consequently be reformed to accommodate for the concept of sentimental attachment.

Thus, the research aims to encourage a new approach and understanding of property theory to be utilised by executive bodies when calculating compensation bundles for property loss, arising from both planned and unplanned events, and when balancing competing property interests and proposing land developments; an approach that acknowledges sentiment.

Research Interests

My research interests predominantly surround property law and land law. This includes interest in:
• Theories of property rights;
• The distinction between public and private land;
• Common rights and public rights of way;
• Attachments to property by both landowners and land users;
• Infrastructure projects;
• Compulsory acquisition of land and land lost due to environmental crises;
• Compensation for acquired and damaged property;
• The law of easements and restrictive covenants;
• And adverse possession