VUB Contextual Research in Law

  Law Without Lawyers   On the 8th and 9th of May 2024, drs. João Freitas Mendes and his supervisor Prof. dr. Laurent de Sutter  are organising a workshop on Law Without Lawyers ,   generously funded by the Doctoral School of Humanities of VUB. Abstract:    Modern politics gave lawyers the role of governing freedom and equality to all through legality. Some lawyers appropriated this legitimacy to construct a “legal science”. Meanwhile, the most prolific lawyers and capitalists keep working together to enforce power and authority, independently of poverty, exclusion and knowledge. This workshop proposes a question: if we can see laws of phenomena, why do we need lawyers? Who gave social autority to technology and violence? Interestingly, participants don’t have the same opinion on the topic. Some will highlight external contributions to legal knowledge from art historians and poets, others will try to unveil the Roman foundation of juristocracy or argue fo...

  (image source: CHJ ) The Centre d'Histoire Judiciaire  (Université de Lille/CNRS), established in 1984, celebrates its fortieth anniversary. PhD-candidates Louis Debersaques, Antoine Leclère and Rodrick Van der Smissen will participate in a workshop for doctoral researchers on 14 November . Prof. Frederik Dhondt will take part in a panel debate on 15 November .

(Source: CONFORM )   Louis Debersaques will present on the international workshop titled “Intertwining Architectural History with Legal History”. His presentation on legal consciousness of Belgian builders will take place on Friday September 27th in the archive (Sala D. João III) of the University of Coimbra, Portugal. The content of the presentation mainly revolves around the use and analysis of witness interrogations (correctional tribunal) concerning construction site accidents; conducted by both the local police and the investigating judge.    Original call for papers :  “Intertwining Architectural History with Legal History. This workshop aims to encourage interdisciplinary discussions and international collaborations that explore the intersection of Architectural History and Legal History. As Architectural History expands towards the cultural history of the built environment, surpassing traditional focus on design and artistic aspects, Legal History encompasse...

  On 20 September 2024,   drs. João Tiago Freitas Mendes  (FCT/VUB) will present  a paper on first Heidegger's notion of "clearing" - meaningful, exceptional sparks of  conscience, allowing a subjective change of course and understanding towards a concrete event - as the key concept to understand the work of the novelist José Rodrigues Miguéis (1900-1980).  João Tiago Freitas Mendes  claims he is the best post-freudian portuguese writer. He studied Law in Portugal and then Pedagogy at the prestigious Free Univ. of Brussels from 1928 to 1933. He lived and died in New York. He was a "persona non grata" to Salazar's dictatorship.

(Source:  eventbrite.co.uk ) On 4 June 2024,  drs. João Tiago Freitas Mendes (FCT/VUB) will present his work on " non-commercial sociability " at the Workshop:   Law, Anarchism and Destituent Power: The State’s Monopoly of Violence, in the Senate House Building in London. Abstract of the presentation: "Past works referred to legal sociability are of various kinds. Some are normativist and end up reinforcing legal power. They suggest that “humanity” and “democracy” should strive to comply with norms, as opposed to lazy animals that we don't know. Luhmann, Mollers or Forst would also be suitable examples. Sociological visions offer a theory of elitist (so-called “social”) choices and the corporate behavior of egoists. The most famous is still Bourdieu's. These are the two usual types. There are others that are just well-meaning appeals. It is against these that the more sophisticated approaches mentioned above have emerged. They usually boil down to saying that law...

  (Source: Geneva Graduate Institute ) In the second workshop of the Workshop Series: New Directions in the Theory & History of International Law, dr.  Stefano Cattelan  will give a presentation on the subject of Art, Law, and the Aesthetics of Sea Power in the Early Modern Age .  More information about the workshop and programme can be consulted on the following website .