Great Juristis And Their Impact On History And Development Of Private Law

Timetable

(Preferable) Wednesdays at 11:30 till 13:00 (to be announced)

Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Great Roman jurists of the classic period (Ulpian, Gaius) (I)
Week 3:  "Codification" of Roman law (Justinian)
Week 4: The medieval jurists - the Glossators (i.e. Irnerius, Accursius) (I)
Week 5: The medieval jurists - the Commentators (Bartolus de Saxoferrato) (II)
Week 6: French legal humanism (Donellus, Cuiacius)
Week 7: Rationalization of private law (i.e. Leibnitz, Thomasius)
Week 8: The French way to Civil Code (Pothier, Portalis)
Week 9: The German way to Civil Code - the historical school (Savigny), the Pandectists (Windscheid) and the jurisprudence of interests (Jhering) (II)
Week 10: The Swiss way to Civil Code (Huber)
Weeks 11-13. MODERN EXAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS
I.e. example of Poland - inter-war period (Longchamps de Berier, Domanski), post-war communist period and 80s/90s (Radwanski)
Week 15: Private law in modern Europe: main ideas and challenges (i.e. the idea of the European Civil Code - Ole Lando).

Module aim (aims)

Presentation and evaluation of development of the idea of private law in the continental Europe, basing on output and impact of the given great jurists of specified periods - from the ancient times to contemporaries (era of modern civil codifications).

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

a) basic knowledge about social history of Europe;
b) basic knowledge about the concepts of private law and social functions of private law
c) basic knowledge in legal terminology and legal argumentation

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Great Roman jurists of the classic period (Ulpian, Gaius)
Week 3:  "Codification" of Roman law (Emperor Justinian)
Week 4: The medieval jurists - the Glossators (i.e. Irnerius, Accursius)
Week 5: The medieval jurists - the Commentators (Bartolus de Saxoferrato) 
Week 6: French legal humanism (Donellus, Cuiacius)
Week 7: Rationalization of private law (i.e. Leibnitz, Thomasius)
Week 8: The French way to Civil Code (Pothier, Portalis)
Week 9: The German way to Civil Code - the historical school (Savigny), the Pandectists (Windscheid) and the jurisprudence of interests (Jhering) (II)
Week 10: The Swiss way to Civil Code (Huber)

--> Weeks 11-13. EXAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS.
I.e. example of Poland - inter-war period (Longchamps de Berier, Domanski), post-war communist period and 80s/90s (Radwanski)

Week 15: Private law in modern Europe: main ideas and challenges (i.e. the idea of the European Civil Code - Ole Lando).

Reading list

1) J. Macdonell, E. Manson (red.), Great jurists of the world, Boston 1914 /chosen chapters/
2) J. Gordley, The Jurists. A Critical History, Oxford University Press 2013,
3) P. Stein, Roman Law in European History, Oxford University Press 1999,
+ biographies of the given jurists