Read more
The period since the First World War has been a century distinguished by the loss of any unitary foundation for truth, ethics, and the legitimate authority of law. With the emergence of radical pluralism, law has become the site of extraordinary creativity and, on occasion, a source of rights for those historically excluded from its protection.
A Cultural History of Law in the Modern Age tells stories of human struggles in the face of state authority - including Aboriginal land claims, popular resistance to corporate power, and the inter-generational ramifications of genocidal state violence. The essays address how, and with what effects, different expressive modes (ceremonial dance, live street theater, the acoustics of radio, the affective range of film, to name a few) help to construct, memorialize, and disseminate political and legal meaning.
Drawing upon a wealth of visual, textual and sound sources,
A Cultural History of Law in the Modern Age presents essays that examine key cultural case studies of the period on the themes of justice, constitution, codes, agreements, arguments, property and possession, wrongs, and the legal profession.
List of contents
List of Illustrations
Notes on Contributors
Series Preface
Introduction, Danielle Celermajer, University of Sydney, Australia and Richard Sherwin, New York Law School, USA
1. Justice: Klimt’s Jurisprudence - Sovereign Violence and the Rule of Law, Desmond Manderson, Australian National University, Australia
2. Constitution: Performance Evidence in Aboriginal Land Claims, Craig Elliott, Australia
3. Codes: Judging the Rwandan Soundscape, James E. K. Parker, Melbourne Law School, Australia
4. Agreements: Truth, Politics, and the Value of Performing Impersonations, Diana Taylor, New York University, USA
5. Arguments: Should Videos of Trees have Standing? An Inquiry into the Legal Rites of Unnatural Objects at the ICTY, Susan Schuppli, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
6. Property and Possession: On the Illegality of Situational Art, Alison Young, University of Melbourne, Australia
7. Wrongs: A Conversation with Filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer, Danielle Celermajer, University of Sydney, Australia, Richard Sherwin, New York Law School, USA, and Joshua Oppenheimer, University of Westminster, UK
8. Legal Profession: Beaten Black and Blue – Lessons from Watching the Rodney King Case, Christian Delage, University of Paris VIII, France
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Emanuele Conte is Professor of Medieval and Modern Legal History at Roma Tre University, Italy.Laurent Mayali is Lloyd M. Robbins Professor of Law at Berkeley Law, University of California, USA.
Summary
The period since the First World War has been a century distinguished by the loss of any unitary foundation for truth, ethics, and the legitimate authority of law. With the emergence of radical pluralism, law has become the site of extraordinary creativity and, on occasion, a source of rights for those historically excluded from its protection. A Cultural History of Law in the Modern Age tells stories of human struggles in the face of state authority – including Aboriginal land claims, popular resistance to corporate power, and the inter-generational ramifications of genocidal state violence. The essays address how, and with what effects, different expressive modes (ceremonial dance, live street theater, the acoustics of radio, the affective range of film, to name a few) help to construct, memorialize, and disseminate political and legal meaning.
Drawing upon a wealth of visual, textual and sound sources, A Cultural History of Law in the Modern Age presents essays that examine key cultural case studies of the period on the themes of justice, constitution, codes, agreements, arguments, property and possession, wrongs, and the legal profession.
Foreword
A thematic overview of law and its role in Western society and culture in the modern (post-1920) era.
