A Critical Introduction to Law and Literature

Abstract

Despite their apparent separation, law and literature have been closely linked fields throughout history. Linguistic creativity is central to the law, with literary modes such as narrative and metaphor infiltrating legal texts. Equally, legal norms of good and bad conduct, of identity and human responsibility, are reflected or subverted in literature's engagement with questions of law and justice. Law seeks to regulate creative expression, while literary texts critique and sometimes openly resist the law. Kieran Dolin introduces this interdisciplinary field, focusing on the many ways that law and literature have addressed and engaged with each other. He charts the history of the shifting relations between the two disciplines, from the open affiliation between literature and law in the sixteenth-century Inns of Court to the less visible links of contemporary culture. Originally published in 2007, this book provides an accessible guide to one of the most exciting areas of interdisciplinary scholarship.

The narratives of geographical indications

“…201ff. ;Dolin, 2007). Indeed, these might seem a more natural point of reference for an analysis centred on narratives than that represented by policy studies.…”

Who owns this text?: plagiarism, authorship, and disciplinary cultures

“…"Intellectual property," "copyright," "patent law," "works for hire," and "fair use" are carefully defined under the lawalbeit with vigorous and continuing debate (See, for example, McSherry 2001, Dolin 2007). The US government defines "intellectual property" ( http://www.uspto.gov/main/glossary/ index.html#TM) at the same time as it describes how to claim it through trademarks, patents, and copyrights.…”

“…8. Dolin (2007) promotes finding a balance between the copyright concept that promotes "do no harm" to the author and the fact that the greater public is harmed by increased copyrighting of ideas. 9.…”

Women, crime and character in the 20th century

“… See, for example, Sparks (1992),Young (1995),Naffine (1996), Surette (1998: 5th edn 2015),Williams (2002),Dolin (2007), McCaw (2011.…”