Programma

Law is a key part of social, economic, and political life. But it has not always existed, and it has not always looked the way it does today. Understanding law requires to see it as a complex historical phenomenon: something that shapes society, while also being shaped by it. This course introduces students to the study of law from a historical perspective. It covers the period from the late Roman Empire to the end of the Ancien Régime, with special attention to developments in the Italian peninsula.

The topics and the lesson schedule will be illustrated during the first class. Where possible, they will be adapted to students’ study programs.

Testi Adottati

Tamar Herzog, A Brief History of Law in Europe, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2024, pp. 9–249.
Emanuele Conte, Modena 1182, the origins of a new paradigm of ownership : The interface between historical contingency and the scholarly invention of legal categories, in Glossae : European Journal of Legal History, vol. 15 (2018), pp. 4-18.

Modalità Frequenza

Attendance is strongly recommended.

Modalità Valutazione

ATTENDING STUDENTS The course grade is based on: --> 50%: evaluation of effort and participation during the course (including in-class source exercises); ---> 50%: a final oral presentation on a topic chosen from those covered in the course. NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS Students who do not attend classes must take a final oral exam covering the entire textbook: Tamar Herzog, A Brief History of Law in Europe, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2024.