Symposium Title: “On an Intellectual History of Legal History: Figures, Disciplines, Methods, and Moments of the Creation and Institutionalisation of Legal History in 1500-1900 Europe”
Date: 12-13 June 2025
Location: University of Bayreuth, Germany
Symposium Themes
The conference aims to gather scholars working on legal history or other aspects related to the teaching of legal disciplines in a historical context in order to contribute to an intellectual history of this discipline. Although the conference focuses on identifying the intellectual contexts in which legal history developed, social aspects are also considered, since ideas do not exist independently of people. The social aspects could be, for instance, teachers and students at universities, royal academies, or other institutions disseminating knowledge. The intellectual contexts could be social, political, theological, and/or philosophical ideas of the time. Particularly welcomed are contributions putting into perspective the aims of legal history in various period in relation to autorities and powers in place: what did legal history mean to people at various periods?
We invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to contribute to the following themes:
- Actors of exchange:
- Explore influential legal historians, their ideas, and their impact
- Other actors such as lawyers translating Roman Law
- Practitioners of Canon Law and reformed countries
- Institutions and areas of exchange:
- When did legal history appear as a discipline in educational institutions across Europe?
- The role of Intellectual networks such as the Republic of Letters or Academies
- The Use of History in the Theory and Practice of Law:
- Evolution of the history of various legal disciplines (history of criminal law, history of constitutional law, etc.)
- Contexts of evolution of the historical discipline and its aims with the history of legal disciplines
- History of the Teaching Legal Disciplines:
- Disciplines taught in the past (for instance natural law, Roman law, etc.)
- Evolution of legal history’s concepts, methods, and aims
- Sociological studies of law students in the past
- Theology, History, and Legal Studies:
- Theological contexts for legal history’s claims in various periods
- Practitioners of Canon Law compared to reformed countries
- What sources and methods did legal historian use compared to theology and history?
Confirmed Keynote Speakers:
Sören Koch, Professor, Faculty of law, University of Bergen, Head of the Research Group on Legal Culture, Legal History and Comparative Law, Member of the European Law Institute, Chair of the Norwegian Association for Comparative Law
Heikki Pihlajamäki, Academy Professor, Professor of Comparative Legal History, Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki
Guide for Authors:
Authors are encouraged to submit their latest research, case studies, or methodological advancements aligned with the conference theme and topics of interest. Please send your proposal (max. 300 words) with a short CV (max. 200 words) before 01/11/2024 at 23:59.
to Frank Ejby Poulsen using this email address: conference_intellex@proton.me.
Important Dates:
Deadline for submission: 01/11/2024 at 23:59.
Notification of acceptance: 15/11/2024
Frank Ejby Poulsen 
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