Edited By William Gervase Clarence-Smith

Over a million slaves were exported from Indian Ocean and Red Sea ports in Eastern Africa during the 19th century, with millions more moved within the continent[. The slave trade expanded significantly in the 19th century, driven by demand for labor in the western Indian Ocean and improved maritime security. Slaves were used in various roles, including laborers, concubines, eunuchs, and administrators, with significant numbers employed in agriculture, urban economies, and domestic roles.: The nature and scale of slavery varied across regions, with some areas like Zanzibar and Pemba having plantation systems similar to the New World, while others had more subsistence-based servitude.

FRANK CASS AND COMPANY LIMITED. Gainsborough House, Gainsborough Road, London. 1989. 228p.

BY GEORGE PADMORE

The document details the severe exploitation and oppression of Negro workers across various regions, including British, French, Belgian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian Africa. It discusses the conditions of black slaves in the United States, the West Indies, and Latin America, highlighting the brutal realities of slavery and its lasting impacts. The book describes the awakening and revolutionary movements among Negro workers in different regions, emphasizing their struggles for freedom and better living conditions, and outlines the role of imperialist powers in exploiting Negro workers and the economic and social challenges faced by these communities under imperialist rule.

R.I.L.U. Magazine for the International Union Committee of Negro Workers London, 1931. 125p.

By Audrey Fisch

"American Slaves in Victorian England" by Audrey Fisch sheds light on the often overlooked history of American slaves who found themselves in England during the Victorian era. Through meticulous research and compelling narratives, Fisch explores the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of these individuals as they navigated a society far from home. This book provides a thought-provoking glimpse into a lesser-known aspect of both American and British history, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities of race, identity, and freedom in the 19th century.

Cambridge University Press, 2000, 139 pages

By Bruce Davis

This is the first comprehensive study of the history and evolution of American indecent exposure laws. The study informs a critical analysis of the role of courts as custos morum, or custodian of the morals. It contains a detailed constitutional analysis of legal management of morality.

The laws are a cornerstone of government regulation of morals, with roots tracing back to seventeenth century English and American cases, laws, and regulations. The state interests protected by indecent exposure laws focus on deterring public behaviors contrary to prevailing moral order and protecting the public from offense or alarm. As moral authority has shifted away from Christianity, the moral authority supporting maintenance of moral order have diminished and fragmented, leaving nuisance as the main justification. Most state statutes now define indecent exposure in terms of audience reaction, reflecting this dependence on nuisance theory. Supreme Court trends have weakened even this justification, raising questions about the viability of current indecent exposure laws.

Despite their fundamental role in moral regulation, indecent exposure laws have received little academic, political, or legal scrutiny. This analysis elucidates their origins, history, and effects, informing development of more effective policies on managing sexuality and nudity. The history of indecent exposure laws also provides insights into managing morals and church-state relations in secular societies. Legal, social, and political trends have created multiple complex jurisprudential dilemmas, exposing the laws to potential constitutional challenges based on the Establishment Clause, free exercise of religion, free speech, privacy, autonomy, overbreadth and vagueness, viewpoint restrictions, content-based restrictions, prior restraints, and equal protection precedent and doctrines. Changes in indecent exposure laws are likely but their costs and benefits remain unclear.

The book chronicles the origins and evolution of courts as custodian of morals. Aspects of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health abortion case decided in 2023 suggest that this regime may be nearing an end. Competing moral authorities are contributing to a worsening crisis in moral jurisprudence. The book proposes a public policy framework more aligned with our maturing Constitution that may be better suited to current conditions, based on an empirical approach to legal management of morals in a pluralistic liberal democracy.

New York. Read-Me.Org Inc. 2024. 313p.

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by Rev. William Wright.

The text discusses the state of slavery at the Cape of Good Hope, detailing the author's observations and experiences during his ten-year residence there. It mentions various laws and ordinances related to slavery at the Cape, including Lord Charles Somerset's Proclamation of 1823 and the Consolidated Order in Council for the Crown Colonies, dated February 2, 1830. The author also references efforts towards ameliorating enactments and the potential for a scheme for the extinction of slavery by the colonists themselves.

John Rodwell, London. 1831. Reprinted in 1969 by Negro Universities Press,., New York. 116p.

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BY WILLIAM LAW MATHIESON

This book provides an overview of the historical context and the measures taken to end the slave trade, emphasizing Great Britain's pivotal role and the international efforts to suppress this inhumane practice. It highlights the efforts to abolish the slave trade and the challenges faced, with reference to treaties with Spain and Portugal and describes Sierra Leone's significance as a base for anti-slavery operations and its challenges.

New York. OCTAGON BOOKS. INC.1967.

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Sir REGINALD COUPLAND

The book begins with a reference to James Stephen, a significant figure in the British anti-slavery movement.  Authored by Sir Reginald Coupland, the book provides a historical account of the British anti-slavery movement, with a new introduction by J. D. Fage.  The text delves into the origins and development of slavery, its practice in ancient civilizations, and the eventual involvement of Europe and America in the African slave trade. It discusses the moral implications of slavery and the economic factors that led to the rise of the slave trade, particularly in relation to the colonization of the Americas, thus setting the stage for a detailed exploration of the British efforts to abolish slavery and the slave trade.

FRANK CASS & CO LTD LONDON. 1933. 273p.

By Rajan Khatiwoda

The main ambition of this book lies in a detailed analysis of the formation and enforcement of Nepal’s Mulukī Ain of 1854, specifically focusing on the provisions regarding homicide within the Mulukī Ains of 1854 and 1870. This study also examines contemporaneous legal records, revealing the complexities of the Ain’s implementation. The articles on homicide serve as a microcosm illustrating the broader evolution of Nepal’s legal code, which departed from outdated punishments like genital mutilation and introduced fines and imprisonment instead. Still, the innovations introduced into the Ain of 1854 were not uniformly progressive. The Ain in its various stages of development thus showcases the complex ways in which legal systems inevitably undergo transformation.

Heidelberg: Heidelberg University Publishing (heiUP), 2024. 439p.

By Oscar Vilhena Vieira

In 2013, Brazil faced political and social upheaval, amid widescale public protests over economic challenges and startling revelations of corruption in the Operation Car Wash investigation. The crisis led to a presidential impeachment and the election of a far-right politician, Jair Bolsonaro, in 2018.

In a new book, “Battle of Powers,” Oscar Vilhena Vieira examines the historical and institutional context of this tumultuous period in recent Brazilian history. In doing so, he offers a reminder of the dangers extremist political movements pose for the rule of law in Brazil and elsewhere, and the importance of constitutional barriers to contain authoritarian cycles. The book also demonstrates how the failure of a government to deliver basic public goods can gradually erode democratic culture and open opportunities for political movements that are less willing to accept institutional constraints on executive power.

Wilson Center and FGV Sao Paulo Law School, 2024

by Darrow, Clarence, 1857-1938

The nature of the state.--Armies and navies.--The purpose of armies.--Civil government.--Theory of crime and punishment.--Remedial effects of punishment.--Cause of crime.--The proper treatment of crime.--Impossibility of just judgment.--The judge of the criminal.--The measure of punishment.--Who deserves punishment.--Natural law and conduct.--Rules governing penal codes and their victims.--The machinery of justice.--The right treatment of violence

By Kenneth R. Aslakson

 No American city’s history better illustrates both the possibilities for alternative racial models and the role of the law in shaping racial identity than New Orleans, Louisiana, which prior to the Civil War was home to America’s most privileged community of people of African descent. In the eyes of the law, New Orleans’s free people of color did not belong to the same race as enslaved Africans and African-Americans. While slaves were “negroes,” free people of color were gens de couleur libre, creoles of color, or simply creoles. New Orleans’s creoles of color remained legally and culturally distinct from “negroes” throughout most of the nineteenth century until state mandated segregation lumped together descendants of slaves with descendants of free people of color.

Much of the recent scholarship on New Orleans examines what race relations in the antebellum period looked as well as why antebellum Louisiana’s gens de couleur enjoyed rights and privileges denied to free blacks throughout most of the United States. This book, however, is less concerned with the what and why questions than with how people of color, acting within institutions of power, shaped those institutions in ways beyond their control. As its title suggests, Making Race in the Courtroom argues that race is best understood not as a category, but as a process. It seeks to demonstrate the role of free people of African-descent, interacting within the courts, in this process.

New York; London: New York University Press, 2014. 272p.

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By Veronica Corrie

In "BLACK AND BLUE: A MEMOIR OF RACISM AND RESILIENCE," the author bravely shares their personal journey through the complexities of racism and the unwavering resilience that carried them through. This poignant memoir delves into the stark realities of discrimination, prejudice, and systemic challenges faced by individuals of color, offering a raw and unfiltered account of the author's experiences.

Through candid storytelling and introspection, the author sheds light on the profound impact of racism on their life, while also highlighting moments of strength and perseverance in the face of adversity. "BLACK AND BLUE" serves as a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit and the quest for equality and justice in a world marred by intolerance.

This compelling memoir is a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the insidious nature of racism and the remarkable resilience of individuals who dare to confront it head-on.

Scribe Publications Pty Limited, Mar 30, 2021, 256 pages

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By John Perry

The Quick and the Dead: Stawell And Its Race Through Time by John Perry explores the rich history and cultural significance of the Stawell Gift, an iconic footrace held annually in Stawell, Australia. Perry delves into the origins of the event, tracing its evolution over time and highlighting the stories of the participants who have contributed to its legacy. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Perry brings to life the excitement and drama surrounding this historic race, offering readers a deeper understanding of its significance within the fabric of Australian sporting history. The Quick and the Dead is a must-read for sports enthusiasts and history buffs alike, providing a compelling narrative that celebrates the enduring spirit of competition and community in Stawell.

New South Wales. UNSW Press. 2002. 310p.

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Edited by Joseph and Barrie Klaits

"The ties between people and animals are as mysterious and as obvious as the mutual devotion of a boy and his dog. We catch glimpses of these ties when we watch a circus parade, when we see someone's pet crushed in an accident, or when we witness the birth of kittens. Exhilaration, compassion, wonder-intangible responses like these are this book's raisons d'être.

"We have collected a series of readings that attempt to analyze such responses.,. The authors share a concern with the issue we have regarded as the leitmotif of this book: What do man's attitudes and behavior toward animals tell us about the historical development of human society and culture?" - from the Introduction.

NY. Harper and Row, Publishers. 1974. 177p.

Edited by Chris Cunneen, Antje Deckert, Amanda Porter, Juan Tauri and Robert Webb

The Routledge International Handbook on Decolonizing Justice focuses on the growing worldwide movement aimed at decolonizing state policies and practices, and various disciplinary knowledges including criminology, social work and law. The collection of original chapters brings together cutting-edge, politically engaged work from a diverse group of writers who take as a starting point an analysis founded in a decolonizing, decolonial and/or Indigenous standpoint. Centering the perspectives of Black, First Nations and other racialized and minoritized peoples, the book makes an internationally significant contribution to the literature.

The chapters include analyses of specific decolonization policies and interventions instigated by communities to enhance jurisdictional self-determination; theoretical approaches to decolonization; the importance of research and research ethics as a key foundation of the decolonization process; crucial contemporary issues including deaths in custody, state crime, reparations, and transitional justice; and critical analysis of key institutions of control, including police, courts, corrections, child protection systems and other forms of carcerality.

The handbook is divided into five sections which reflect the breadth of the decolonizing literature:

• • Why decolonization? From the personal to the global

• • State terror and violence

• • Abolishing the carceral

• • Transforming and decolonizing justice

• • Disrupting epistemic violence

This book offers a comprehensive and timely resource for activists, students, academics, and those with an interest in Indigenous studies, decolonial and post-colonial studies, criminal legal institutions and criminology. It provides critical commentary and analyses of the major issues for enhancing social justice internationally.

London; New York: Routledge, 571p.

By Ville Erkkila

How did the drastic experiences of the turbulent twentieth century affect the works of a legal historian? What kind of an impact did they have on the ideas of justice and rule of law prominent in legal historiography? Ville Erkkilä analyses the way in which the concepts of 'Rechtsgewissen' and 'Rechtsbewusstsein' evolved over time in the works of the prestigious legal historian Franz Wieacker. With the help of previously unavailable sources such as private correspondence, the author reveals how Franz Wieacker's personal experiences intertwined in his legal historiography with the tradition of legal science as well as the social and political destinies of twentieth century Germany.

Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck , 2019. 329p.

By Daniel Feierstein

Genocide not only annihilates people but also destroys and reorganizes social relations, using terror as a method. In Genocide as Social Practice, Argentinean social scientist Daniel Feierstein looks at the policies of state-sponsored repression pursued by the Argentine military dictatorship against political opponents between 1976 and 1983 and those pursued by the Third Reich between 1933 and 1945. He finds similarities, not in the extent of the horror but in terms of the goals of the perpetrators.

New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2014. 277p.

Edited by Francesco Paolo de Ceglia

The Body of Evidence. Corpses and Proofs in Early Modern European Medicine Francesco Paolo de Ceglia offers an overview of the evolution of the science of the ‘signs of the corpse’, from necromancy to forensic medicine. Readership: The volume is aimed at scholars and specialized libraries in the historical field. Rich in original anecdotes, it can also be read easily by inquisitive people.

Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2020. 366p.

Edited by Lyndsay Campbell, Ted McCoy, and Mélanie Méthot

An introduction to Canadian legal history featuring new approaches to legal scholarship. Essential reading for all those interested in Canadian legal methodologies, especially new and beginning scholars. Canada’s Legal Pasts presents new essays on a range of topics and episodes in Canadian legal history, provides an introduction to legal methodologies, shows researchers new to the field how to locate and use a variety of sources, and includes a combined bibliography arranged to demonstrate best practices in gathering and listing primary sources. It is an essential welcome for scholars who wish to learn about Canada’s legal pasts—and why we study them. Telling new stories—about a fishing vessel that became the subject of an extraordinarily long diplomatic dispute, young Northwest Mounted Police constables subject to an odd mixture of police discipline and criminal procedure, and more—this book presents the vibrant evolution of Canada’s legal tradition. Explorations of primary sources, including provincial archival records that suggest how Quebec courts have been used in interfamilial conflict, newspaper records that disclose the details of bigamy cases, and penitentiary records that reveal the details of the lives and legal entanglements of Canada’s most marginalized people, show the many different ways of researching and understanding legal history. This is Canadian legal history as you’ve never seen it before. Canada’s Legal Pasts dives into new topics in Canada’s fascinating history and presents practical approaches to legal scholarship, bringing together established and emerging scholars in a collection essential for researchers at all levels.

Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press, 2020. 372p.

By Roger Bartlett

The jurist and philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, and his lesser-known brother, Samuel, equally talented but as a naval architect, engineer and inventor, had a long love affair with Russia. Jeremy hoped to assist Empress Catherine II with her legislative projects. Samuel went to St Petersburg to seek his fortune in 1780 and came back with the rank of Brigadier-General and the idea, famously publicised by Jeremy, of the Inspection-House or Panopticon. The Bentham Brothers and Russia chronicles the brothers’ later involvement with the Russian Empire, when Jeremy focused his legislative hopes on Catherine’s grandson Emperor Alexander I (ruled 1801-25) and Samuel found a unique opportunity in 1806 to build a Panopticon in St Petersburg – the only panoptical building ever built by the Benthams themselves. Setting the Benthams’ projects within an in-depth portrayal of the Russian context, Roger Bartlett illuminates an important facet of their later careers and offers insight into their world view and way of thought. He also contributes towards the history of legal codification in Russia, which reached a significant peak in 1830, and towards the demythologising of the Panopticon, made notorious by Michel Foucault: the St Petersburg building, still relatively unknown, is described here in detail on the basis of archival sources. The Benthams’ interactions with Russia under Alexander I constituted a remarkable episode in Anglo-Russian relations; this book fills a significant gap in their history.

London: UCL Press, 2022. 322p.