WOZU – Rechtsgeschichte?

In his article Dag Michalsen maintains that to define the character and purpose of ›legal history‹ is both a vague and personal task. No one can claim a privileged position on this issue. What is possible is to map some general aspects of the many types of legal histories that are at present being unfolded in the scientific community. Thus ›legal histories‹ are the result of a long list of parameters: the institutional setting and professional background of the researcher, the definition of the subject matter, the geography of law and history, and the choices of legal historical methods. But although maintaining the model of legal history as a personal choice, it is all the same part of a larger scientific communication. Although one could with good reasons question the validity of the term ›legal history‹ / ›Rechtsgeschichte‹ to denote this wide variety of activities and attitudes, it helps us nevertheless to identify modes of thought concerning law in society and history.