The approach of the course is based on a comparative perspective and covers (i) the fundaments and limits of jurisdiction in civil and commercial cases, (ii) the rationale behind the grounds of jurisdiction adopted by legislatures and courts, (iii) the discretionary power of courts in accepting and declining cases, and (iv) the role of party autonomy in establishing jurisdiction on a concrete dispute. In addition to the specific subjects developed under each of these labels, the course deals also with more general aspects related to it such as sources, codification, State sovereignty and global governance.