Magna Carta and New Zealand

Just out from Springer is Magna Carta and New Zealand: History, Politics and Law in Aotearoa, an essay collection edited by Stephen Winter, Senior Lecturer in Political Theory, University of Auckland, and Chris Jones, Senior Lecturer in Medieval History, University of Canterbury.

This volume is the first to explore the vibrant history of Magna Carta in Aotearoa New Zealand’s legal, political and popular culture. Readers will benefit from in-depth analyses of the Charter’s reception along with explorations of its roles in regard to larger constitutional themes. 

The common thread that binds the collection together is its exploration of what the adoption of a medieval charter as part of New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements has meant – and might mean – for a Pacific nation whose identity remains in flux. The contributions to this volume are grouped around three topics: remembrance and memorialization of Magna Carta; the reception of the Charter by both Maori and non-Maori between 1840 and 2015; and reflection on the roles that the Charter may yet play in future constitutional debate. This collection provides evidence of the enduring attraction of Magna Carta, and its importance as a platform of constitutional aspiration.

TOC after the jump.  The University of Canterbury’s press release is here.
“… a Document of Our Times.” Magna Carta in Aotearoa New Zealand
Jones, Chris (et al.)

Magna Carta and Memorialization: The Perils of Historical Anniversaries
Diggelmann, Lindsay

Myths and History: The Treaty of Waitangi as “The Magna Charta of New Zealand”
Williams, David V.

Magna Carta and a Paradox of Authority
Sharp, Andrew

Symbol and Myth: Magna Carta in Legal and Public Discourse About Law and Rights in New Zealand, 1840-1940
Finn, Jeremy

The Politics of Magna Carta and the Ancient Constitution in New Zealand, 1642–c.1860
Kemp, Geoff

The Myth of the “Maori Magna Carta”
Tau, Te Maire (et al.)

Mekana Tata: Magna Carta and the Political Thought of Aperahama Taonui
Kamau, Laura

The Utility of a Medieval Charter in New Zealand Litigation: The Case of the Magna Carta
Breach, Lindsay

Magna Carta and the Righteous Underdog in Modern Popular Culture
Milne-Tavendale, Anna

Magna Carta’s Promise: Strengthening the Declaration of Rights-Inconsistency
Winter, Stephen

Mana and Magna Carta: Locating New Legacies for a Medieval Charter in Post-colonial Aotearoa New Zealand
Jones, Chris

Tear it up? Challenging the Charter
Winter, Stephen (et al.)