International human rights law protects the freedom indispensable for scientific research – a prerequisite for innovation and the pursuit of knowledge. However, empirical research on the protection and violation of academic freedom remains scarce. This volume seeks to fill that gap by introducing case study guidelines as well as four sample case studies in which the authors applied these guidelines in their research on academic freedom in Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, and Russia. The book also includes an inventory of available data sources on academic freedom, providing guidance on how to utilize and contextualize these data in countrylevel assessments. The research guidelines and case studies presented here are the result of an international, collaborative endeavor. Collectively, the authors seek to promote systematic, comparable research on academic freedom, while also fostering a community of scholars committed to developing this nascent field of interdisciplinary human rights research.