About Gloss
Why Gloss?
Glance at a rose-tinged item labeled “gloss,” then free associate. No doubt next word to jump to mind is “lip.”
That’s not far from the point of this publication, but it’s not spot-on, either. “Gloss” also refers to commentary, brief notes that expose and explore words and texts. ’Way back in the day, as John Henry Merryman and Rogelio Pérez-Perdomo have written (p.58), “those responsible for the revival and development of the medieval jus commune” — the shared, or common, law — “were scholars.” To be precise:
“Law professors at the universities wrote comments (glosses) … and also opinions on different legal and political problems.”
I’m a law professor whose studies and writings encompass national and international legal and political problems. My scholarship and professional service have covered counterterrorism and the laws of war, constitutional guarantees of equality and fair process, and the states’ obligations to protect. Much of my recent published work has centered on children affected by armed conflict and similar violence, and I’m writing a book on the experiences of women legal professionals at the first international trial at Nuremberg.
All these interests may spur my comments and opinions in this Gloss, the site where I hope to add “shine on law politics society.”
