Friday, February 27, 2009

Another Judicial Fillip for Austrialian Legal History

Last month I noted Justice Michael Kirby's call for a greater place for legal history in the curriculum of Australian law faculties. Now comes another endorsement of the study of legal history by Sir Francis Gerard Brennan, a former Chief Justice of Australia. Especially notable is his assumption that legal historians should not set out to write consensual accounts--which made his own, school-boy encounter with the Australian history "dull and uninspiring"--but be alert to conflict. "Today our history is a matter not only of interest but of controversy," he explained. "At least the history wars have contributed to popular interest in the subject. Legal history must be part of it." More here.

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