Editorial Note

 

It is heartening to note that the renewed struggle for social justice stands its ground even amidst the gongs of war. The analysis of theoretical issues which illuminate the relationship between law and social justice constitutes a form of significant praxis. In this respect, three recent works including Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri's Empire (2001), Peter Fitzpatrick's Modernism and the Grounds of Law (2001) and Boaventura De Sousa Santos' second and substantially revised edition of Toward a New Legal Common Sense (2002) provide avenues for addressing theoretical issues relating to law and social justice in the new Christian millennium.

The Law, Social Justice and Global Development Journal would like to invite readers to contribute their thoughts and ideas to this discussion.

This open forum kicks off with Prof Abdul Paliwala's commentary on 'Irresolutions of Modernity, Law, Nation and Empire: A Reading of Fitzpatrick's 'Modernism and the Grounds of Law' in conjunction with Hardt and Negri's 'Empire''.

The forum also reproduces a communication between Prof Issa Shivji and Prof Boaventura de Sousa Santos which touch upon on the role of scholars in social justice, in this case, the dis/engagement with the Iraqi conflict. Also included in this section is a publication of Prof Shivji's statement, 'Law's Empire and Empire's Lawlessness: beyond Anglo-American Law' to the conference on 'Remaking Law in Africa Transnationalism, Persons and Rights', 21- 22 May 2003, read on his behalf by Tam Dalyell MP.

This issue of the journal will be updated regularly with readers' contributions as well as comments on work published under in this forum. Please send your comments and essays to: Celine.Tan@warwick.ac.uk