Contrarian Jurists : The Story of Comparative Law and How Collisions Shaped It

This book presents a unique study of the field of comparative law examining the key differences between schools and approaches and examining their contradictions. Comparative law is depicted in this book as a field of contrarians, jurists who tend to oppose or reject prevailing opinions or established practices. Contrarianism has made it exceedingly difficult to find one’s way in the field where there are drastically varying views on the basic issues. The book guides readers through divisive debates and disagreements and helps to draw useful conclusions. Instead of lamenting comparative law’s feeble place in the legal academia or fantasising about the supposed great future of a unified discipline, the book highlights the collisions and tracks their influence on the field. By focusing on tensions underlying the field, this book encourages readers to think critically while studying law comparatively.