TY - JOUR
T1 - Teaching public law in a comparative paradigm
T2 - Virtues and vices
AU - Ireland-Piper, Danielle
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 The Association of Law Teachers.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Comparison in legal education matters. In its mission statement, the International Society of Public Law suggests that, “a full explication and understanding of today’s ‘constitutional’ [law] cannot take place in isolation from other branches of public law or in a context that is exclusively national”. Not only is comparative content of itself enlightening, but this paper argues comparison as a teaching method has at least four virtues. First, teaching in a comparative paradigm better prepares graduates for an interconnected and global legal marketplace. Second, it helps illuminate curriculum content. Third, it makes for good citizenry. And, fourth, it enhances the research/teaching nexus. In so doing, this paper explores the use of comparative law as a teachingmethodology in core public lawsubjects rather than by way of additional curriculum content. As with all things, however, where there are virtues, there are also vices. In this context, such vices include questions of relevance and threats to space, time and coherence in legal education. To that end, the disadvantages of comparative approaches in teaching public law are also considered.
AB - Comparison in legal education matters. In its mission statement, the International Society of Public Law suggests that, “a full explication and understanding of today’s ‘constitutional’ [law] cannot take place in isolation from other branches of public law or in a context that is exclusively national”. Not only is comparative content of itself enlightening, but this paper argues comparison as a teaching method has at least four virtues. First, teaching in a comparative paradigm better prepares graduates for an interconnected and global legal marketplace. Second, it helps illuminate curriculum content. Third, it makes for good citizenry. And, fourth, it enhances the research/teaching nexus. In so doing, this paper explores the use of comparative law as a teachingmethodology in core public lawsubjects rather than by way of additional curriculum content. As with all things, however, where there are virtues, there are also vices. In this context, such vices include questions of relevance and threats to space, time and coherence in legal education. To that end, the disadvantages of comparative approaches in teaching public law are also considered.
KW - Comparative law
KW - Legal education
KW - Public law
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053252742&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03069400.2018.1503520
DO - 10.1080/03069400.2018.1503520
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85053252742
SN - 0306-9400
VL - 53
SP - 102
EP - 118
JO - Law Teacher
JF - Law Teacher
IS - 1
ER -