From the Colonial to the Contemporary

Images, Iconography, Memories, and Performances of Law in India's High Courts
Erscheinungsjahr 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5099-5355-4
Verlag: Hart Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 296 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 417 g

From the Colonial to the Contemporary explores the representation of law, images and justice in the first three colonial high courts of India at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. It is based upon ethnographic research work and data collected from interviews with judges, lawyers, court staff, press reporters and other persons associated with the courts.

Observing the courts through the in vivo, in trial and practice, the book asks questions at different registers, including the impact of the architecture of the courts, the contestation around the renaming of the high courts, the debate over the use of English versus regional languages, forms of addressing the court, the dress worn by different court actors, rules on photography, video recording, live telecasting of court proceedings, use of CCTV cameras and the alternatives to courtroom sketching, and the ceremony and ritual that exists in daily court proceedings.

The three colonial high courts studied in this book share a recurring historical tension between the Indian and British notions of justice. This tension is apparent in the semiotics of the legal spaces of these courts and is transmitted through oral history as narrated by those interviewed. The contemporary understandings of these court personnel are therefore seen to have deep historical roots. In this context, the architecture and judicial iconography of the high courts helps to constitute, preserve and reinforce the ambivalent relationship that the court shares with its own contested image.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Khorakiwala, Rahela

Fachgebiete

• Rechtswissenschaften Recht, Rechtswissenschaft Allgemein Rechtsgeschichte, Recht der Antike
• Geisteswissenschaften Architektur Gebäudetypen Öffentliche Gebäude, Gewerbliche Bauten
• Sozialwissenschaften Ethnologie | Volkskunde Ethnologie Kultur- und Sozialethnologie: Politische Ethnologie, Recht, Organisation, Identität
• Geisteswissenschaften Architektur Geschichte der Architektur, Baugeschichte
• Rechtswissenschaften Allgemeines Verfahrens-, Zivilprozess- und Insolvenzrecht Justizverwaltung, Justizorganisation

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Framing the Research

I. Introduction

II. Law, Visuality and Culture

III. The Three Courts: Law, History and Memory

IV. Visual Justice: Images of Justice in Courts

V. Method of Study

VI. Field Experience

VII. Chapter Plan

VIII. Conclusion

2. The Visual Field of Law

I. Introduction

II. Iconography and Semiotics

III. Relationship between Law and the Image

IV. Images of Justice of the Court and in the Courtroom

V. Judicial Iconography of Courts

VI. Judicial Iconography and the Statue of Justice

VII. Conclusion

3. The Calcutta High Court

I. Introduction

II. History of the Calcutta High Court

III. Establishment of the Calcutta High Court Building

IV. Architecture and Judicial Iconography of the Calcutta High Court
V. Specific Customs Prevalent in the Calcutta High Court

VI. Conclusion

4. The Bombay High Court

I. Introduction

II. History of the Bombay High Court

III. Establishment of the Bombay High Court Building

IV. Layout of the Bombay High Court

V. Judicial Iconography of the Bombay High Court

VI. Conclusion

5. The Madras High Court

I. Introduction

II. History of the Madras High Court

III. Establishment of the Madras High Court Building

IV. Architecture and Judicial Iconography of the Madras High Court
V. Specific Customs Prevalent in the Madras High Court

VI. Conclusion

6. Attributes of Justice

I. Introduction

II. The Name of the High Courts

III. Language

IV. Forms of Addressing the Court

V. Dress

VI. Photography, Video-recording, Live Telecasting and Courtroom Sketches

VII. Ceremony and Ritual in Court Proceedings

VIII. Conclusion

7. Conclusion

I. Law and the Regulation of its Image

II. Access to Justice

III. Law as Heritage

IV. Law, History and Memory

V. Apocryphal Histories and Revised Narratives

Über Autor(innen)

Khorakiwala, Rahela
Rahela Khorakiwala is an independent researcher based in Mumbai, India.