29 June 2023 - Law and History Workshop. Douglas Harris

Law and History Workshop with Douglas Harris (UBC)
29 June 2023, 1-2.30pm. Melbourne Law School, Room 223

Image: EP Thompson. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

EP Thompson was one of the most influential social historians of the twentieth century. His class-based analysis, which challenged conservative and Marxist interpretations alike, drew extensively on legal sources to capture the lived experiences of those seldom given voice in the historical record. In one of his richest essays, Thompson offers the concept of “moral economy” to explain and to understand the bread riots of eighteenth century England. What are the salient features of the moral economy? What work does it do for Thompson? Where does Thompson find evidence for it? Have you encountered similar or complementary concepts? Might the idea of a “moral economy” be useful in your work? MLS PhD students and faculty were invited to join Professor Doug Harris to participate in a reading and method session organised around this piece.