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John Rawls was a prominent American philosopher known for his work on political philosophy and liberalism. His seminal book, *A Theory of Justice*, introduced the concept of “justice as fairness,” arguing that societal structures should be designed to benefit the least advantaged members of society....
The Republic is a Socratic dialogue by Plato, composed around 375 BCE, that examines the nature of justice and the structure of an ideal political community. Through the character of Socrates, the dialogue argues that a just city would be governed by philosopher-kings—rulers who possess knowledge of...
H.R. Khanna was a prominent Indian jurist serving as a judge of the Supreme Court of India throughout much of the 20th century. He is chiefly remembered for his courageous dissent in the 1976 ADM Jabalpur case, where he staunchly defended fundamental rights against government suspension during India...
Established in 1996, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in South Africa provided a unique framework for addressing the atrocities of the apartheid era. It offered amnesty to perpetrators of politically motivated crimes in exchange for full disclosure of their actions, while simultaneousl...
Joshua Oppenheimer’s *The Look of Silence* is a powerful 2014 documentary exploring the aftermath of Indonesia’s 1965 genocide. The film follows an optometrist seeking to expose the complicity of individuals who participated in his brother's murder decades earlier. Through unsettling close-ups and p...
Albie Sachs is a South African jurist and prominent anti-apartheid activist who was appointed to the country's first Constitutional Court by Nelson Mandela. He served on the bench from 1994 until his retirement in 2009, significantly influencing the development of post-apartheid constitutional law a...
In the Penal Colony is a short story by Franz Kafka, written in German in 1914 and first published in 1919. The narrative describes an unnamed explorer's visit to a penal colony, where an officer demonstrates an elaborate execution machine that inscribes the condemned prisoner's sentence into his bo...
The Caucasian Chalk Circle is a play by Bertolt Brecht, written in 1944 while he was living in the United States and first staged there in 1948. Framed by a dispute over land, its central story follows Grusha, a servant who rescues and raises an abandoned governor's child during political upheaval....
“12 Angry Men” features a pivotal monologue delivered by Juror 8, played by Lee J Cobb. This 1957 film segment showcases a compelling defense of rational deliberation within the American legal system. Juror 8 systematically examines evidence and challenges assumptions, advocating for a verdict based...
Rosalie Silberman Abella is a Canadian jurist who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 2004 until her retirement in 2021. Born in a displaced persons camp in Stuttgart, Germany, she immigrated to Canada and became the first Jewish woman appointed to the Supreme Court. Her extensiv...
Shango is a major orisha in the Yoruba religion, historically identified with the fourth king of the Oyo Empire in West Africa. He is venerated as the god of thunder, lightning, fire, and justice, often depicted carrying a double-headed axe. Following the transatlantic slave trade, his worship sprea...
Mithra is the Indo-Iranian deity of covenant and light, worshipped in Zoroastrianism and later as the central figure of the Roman mystery cult Mithraism, which spread widely across the empire by the 2nd century CE.
B.R. Ambedkar was a prominent Indian philosopher and legal scholar. He played a crucial role in shaping India’s democratic foundations through his work on the nation's constitution. Notably, he fiercely opposed caste discrimination and advocated for social justice for marginalized communities. His i...
Guan Yu was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of China. Revered for his unwavering loyalty and righteousness, he was posthumously deified as a god of war and justice. Over the centuries, his veneration expanded across m...
“The Staircase” examines the controversial 2001 murder of Kathleen Peterson in Durham, North Carolina. This documentary series, led by forensic specialist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, presents a detailed investigation into the evidence surrounding Michael Peterson’s trial. It offers a prolonged examinat...
“Paradise Lost meticulously documents the investigation and trial surrounding the murders of three teenagers in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993. The film, directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, highlights the controversial prosecution of Damien Echols, Stevie Branch, and Jessie Misskelley Jr....
William Gummow is an Australian jurist who served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia, the country's highest court, from 1995 until his retirement in 2012. Prior to his appointment to the High Court, he served as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia and was heavily involved in the devel...
Jonathan Mance, Baron Mance, is a British jurist who served as a Justice of the United Kingdom Supreme Court from its establishment in October 2009 until 2018, and as its Deputy President from 2017 to 2018. He was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 2005, before which he served as a Lord Justi...
Shiori Ito’s Black Box Diaries offers a deeply personal account of a complex legal battle in Japan. The documentary chronicles Ito's experience navigating the country’s justice system following a sexual assault. It is notable for its raw honesty and provides crucial insight into issues surrounding v...
Nisha Pahuja’s *To Kill a Tiger* investigates systemic corruption within India’s sports system. The film follows a family’s protracted legal battle to hold accountable a coaching program responsible for their daughter’s severe injuries. It highlights the challenges faced by athletes and families see...
Laura Pulido is an American geographer whose research examines environmental racism, racial capitalism, social movements, and the political geography of Latinx communities. Her work has analyzed how pollution and environmental inequality emerge through segregation, state policy, land use, and broade...
Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption, is a British lawyer, historian, and former Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, serving from 2012 to 2018. Before the judiciary, he practised as a barrister and Queen's Counsel, specializing in constitutional and commercial law. He is the author of a...
The film *Capturing the Friedmans* presents an investigative look at the devastating abuse suffered by the Friedman family in Commack, New York. Andrew Jarecki’s documentary utilizes a significant archive of home videos recorded by the family to expose a complex case involving alleged criminal activ...
Kenneth Hayne is an Australian jurist who served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1997 to 2019. After retiring from the bench, he was appointed to chair the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, which ran from 2017 to 2019. T...
Mary Gaudron served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1987 to 2003, becoming the first woman appointed to the court. Before her elevation, she was the first female Solicitor-General of New South Wales from 1986 to 1987. She participated in several landmark Australian constitutional ca...
G.A. Cohen was a prominent Canadian-born philosopher specializing in political theory and Marxism. His work, particularly “Karl Marx’s Theory of History,” offered a detailed analysis of historical materialism and its implications for understanding social justice. He is notable for his rigorous appli...
The documentary Abacus explores the case of the First National Bank of Chinatown, a small Philadelphia institution prosecuted in 2010 for its role in the 2008 financial crisis. It reveals how complex financial instruments were used and misunderstood, leading to criminal charges against a bank with...
Lord Leggatt, born Jonathan Hugh Leggatt, has served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom since 2020. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, he served as a Lord Justice of Appeal in the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and, prior to that, as a judge of the Queen's Bench Di...
James Edelman is a Justice of the High Court of Australia, having been appointed to the bench in 2017. Before his elevation to the High Court, he served as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia and previously taught law at the University of Oxford. As a former Rhodes Scholar, his background incl...
Utu is the Sumerian god of the sun, justice, and truth, later known as Shamash in Akkadian and Babylonian traditions. He was believed to see everything that happened on Earth during his daily journey across the sky, making him the ultimate divine judge and enforcer of law. His primary cult centers w...
