Legal Intellectuals in Conversation: Reflections on the Construction of Contemporary American Legal Theory

by James R. Hackney

Overview

In this unique volume, James Hackney invites readers to enter the minds of 10 legal experts that in the late 20th century changed the way we understand and use theory in law today. True to the title of the book,
Hackney spent hours in conversation with legal intellectuals, interviewing them about their early lives as thinkers and scholars, their contributions to
American legal theory, and their thoughts regarding some fundamental theoretical questions in legal academe, particularly the law/politics debate. Legal
Intellectuals in Conversation is a veritable “Who’s
Who” of legal thought, presented in a sophisticated yet intimate manner.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814737071
Publisher:	New York University Press
Publication date:	08/03/2012
Pages:	255
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

James R. Hackney, Jr. is Professor of Law at Northeastern University. He is the author of Under Cover of Science: American Legal-Economic Theory and the Quest for Objectivity.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

1 Critical Legal Studies: Duncan Kennedy 19

2 Law and Economics: Richard Posner 47

3 Legal History: Morton Horwitz 63

4 Law and Society: Austin Sarat 87

5 Critical Race Theory/Law and Literature: Patricia Williams 113

6 Feminist Legal Theory: Catharine MacKinnon 129

7 Postmodern Legal Theory: Drucilla Cornell 145

8 Contemporary Liberal Constitutional Theory: Bruce Ackerman 167

9 Classical Liberal Constitutional Theory: Charles Fried 189

10 Law and Philosophy: Jules Coleman 205

Index 235

About the Author 245

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“James Hackney’s Legal Intellectuals in Conversation makes intellectual history come alive. His incisive and well-informed questions produce responses that illuminate his subjects’ core intellectual and political commitments. Hackney humanizes key ideas in legal theory by placing them in the context of individual biography, historical events, and the sometimes fraught social relationships in the legal academy.”

-David M. Driesen,Syracuse University School of Law

"With a collection of interviews featuring some of the nation's most important and incisive legal scholars, Professor Hackney's book offers new insight into some of the most important debates in legal theory."-Richard T. Ford,George E. Osborne Professor of Law, Stanford Law School

Editorial Reviews

"Part intellectual biography, part homage, part postmortem, Professor Hackney's collection of highbrow chats makes for thought-provoking reading."

Judicature

"Legal Intellectuals is an informative book that should appeal to anyone interested in late twentieth century legal theory."

Law and History Review

"James Hackneys Legal Intellectuals in Conversation makes intellectual history come alive. His incisive and well-informed questions produce responses that illuminate his subjects core intellectual and political commitments.Hackney humanizes key ideas in legal theory by placing them in the context of individual biography, historical events, and the sometimes fraught social relationships in the legal academy."

David M. Driesen

"With a collection of interviews featuring some of the nation's most important and incisive legal scholars, Professor Hackney's book offers new insight into some of the most important debates in legal theory."

Richard T. Ford

James Hackney’s Legal Intellectuals in Conversation makes intellectual history come alive. His incisive and well-informed questions produce responses that illuminate his subjects’ core intellectual and political commitments. Hackney humanizes key ideas in legal theory by placing them in the context of individual biography, historical events, and the sometimes fraught social relationships in the legal academy.”

-David M. Driesen,Syracuse University School of Law

"With a collection of interviews featuring some of the nation's most important and incisive legal scholars, Professor Hackney's book offers new insight into some of the most important debates in legal theory."-Richard T. Ford,George E. Osborne Professor of Law, Stanford Law School

"Part intellectual biography, part homage, part postmortem, Professor Hackney's collection of highbrow chats makes for thought-provoking reading."-Judicature,

From the Publisher