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Full-Text Articles in Law
The Paradox Of Silence: Some Questions About Silence As Resistance, Dorothy E. Roberts
The Paradox Of Silence: Some Questions About Silence As Resistance, Dorothy E. Roberts
University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform
In Part I, I note the difficulty in distinguishing between silencing and silence as resistance. This difficulty has often led people in power to misinterpret the silence of people of color. Part II further explores the complications of incorporating the study of silence into resistance scholarship. I illustrate this complexity by discussing the silencing of welfare mothers and the use of language by women of color to challenge dominant medical discourse. Part III considers Professor Montoya's proposal to use silence as a pedagogical tool. Continuing my examination of silence as both liberating and accommodating, I distinguish between silence in the …
Silencing Culture And Culturing Silence: A Comparative Experience Of Centrifugal Forces In The Ethnic Studies Curriculum, Steven W. Bender
Silencing Culture And Culturing Silence: A Comparative Experience Of Centrifugal Forces In The Ethnic Studies Curriculum, Steven W. Bender
University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform
Using the metaphor of silencing, Professor Margaret Montoya documents the irrelevance of race, gender, and socio-historical perspectives both in legal education and, more broadly, in legal discourse. Although others have invoked this metaphor, Professor Montoya's charting of the physical, rather than merely metaphorical, space of silence moves beyond this legal literature in several respects. Viewing silence not just as dead space, Professor Montoya enlivens and colors silence and other nonverbal aspects of communication as positive cultural traits. She demonstrates how silence can be used as a pedagogical tool (a centrifugal force) in the classroom and in client interviews to bring …
Legal Language In The Age Of Globalization: Prospects And Dilemmas, Patricia Fernández-Kelly
Legal Language In The Age Of Globalization: Prospects And Dilemmas, Patricia Fernández-Kelly
University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform
To appreciate the significance of the preceding articles, it is necessary to consider their implications in a broad context. As territorial borders become more and more permeable to the movements of capital, and as advanced technology joins even the most remote geographical areas, people throughout the world face new provocations and opportunities. Fears of cultural obliteration are being met with revitalized expressions of resistance. In the new global landscape, language plays a paramount role. The putative universality of English, for example, parallels the multiplication of vernacular idioms evolving as part of attempts to preserve cultural integrity. Yet, the counterpoint between …
Silence And Silencing: Their Centripetal And Centrifugal Forces In Legal Communication, Pedagogy And Discourse, Margaret E. Montoya
Silence And Silencing: Their Centripetal And Centrifugal Forces In Legal Communication, Pedagogy And Discourse, Margaret E. Montoya
University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform
Language and voice have been subjects of great interest to scholars working in the areas of Critical Race Theory and Latina/o Critical Legal Theory. Silence, a counterpart of voice, has not, however, been well theorized. This Article is an invitation to attend to silence and silencing. The first part of the Article argues that one's use of silence is an aspect of communication that, like accents, is related to one's culture and may correlate with one's racial identity. The second part of the Article posits that silence can be a force that disrupts the dominant discourse within the law school …