The Journal of Comparative Law

The Journal of Comparative Law (the JCL) is a scholarly resource for comparative legal studies in a broad sense of that term. It publishes material on all aspects of the field, in all types of legal traditions and in all geographical areas, be it theoretical, historical, modern, general, regional, or country-specific.

Analytical, rather than purely descriptive, work is encouraged. Contextual, theoretical, and interdisciplinary approaches are particularly welcome, as are analyses of the practical aspects of comparative legal studies in a globalized world.

 The JCL publishes a wide range of material. In addition to articles, notes, review articles, and book reviews, it also contains reports of cases, case-notes assessments, translations of documents (particularly those difficult to access and those in non-Western languages, or languages with relatively few speakers), annotated bibliographies and notes on recent material of interest.

The JCL is peer reviewed. It is published twice a year, in March and September.

SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES

Submissions may be made by hard copy submitted through a courier or postal service or by e-mail attachment (mp@soas.ac.uk) in Microsoft Word. These are subject to peer review; responses of acceptance or otherwise will be made as promptly as possible.

Click Here for Submission Style Guide

CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondence should be sent to one or both of the editors, William E. Butler at web15@psu.edu, Michael Palmer at mp@soas.ac.uk.

FOUNDERS

William E. Butler, Penn State Dickinson Law; University College, University of London (UCL) (Emeritus)

Nicholas H.D. Foster, formerly SOAS, University of London

Michael Palmer, SOAS, University of London (Emeritus); Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London; Cheng Yu Tung Visiting Professor of Law, University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong

HONORARY ADVISORS

William Twining, University College, University of London (UCL) (Emeritus)

Philip Wood, CBE, QC

EDITORS

William E. Butler, Penn State Dickinson Law; University College, University of London (UCL) (Emeritus)

Michael Palmer, SOAS, University of London (Emeritus); Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London; Cheng Yu Tung Visiting Professor of Law, University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong

EDITORIAL BOARD

William E. Butler, Penn State Dickinson Law; University College, University of London (UCL) (Emeritus)

Michele Graziadei, Università di Torino

Oleksiy Kresin, V. M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law, National Academy of Science of Ukraine

Maria Federica Moscati, University of Sussex

Michael Palmer, SOAS, University of London (Emeritus); Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London; Cheng Yu Tung Visiting Professor of Law, University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong

EDITORIAL COUNCIL

William Alford, Harvard University

Abdullahi An-Na’im, Emory University

Stathis Banakas, University of East Anglia

John Bell, University of Cambridge (Emeritus)

Albert Chen, University of Hong Kong

Donald Clarke, George Washington University

Alison Conner, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa (Emerita)

Roger Cotterrell, Queen Mary University of London

Aleksei Egorov, Vitebsk State University

William Ewald, University of Pennsylvania

Fu Hualing, University of Hong Kong

Tania Groppi, Università degli Studi de Siena

Wael Hallaq, Columbia University

Jaakko Husa, Helsinki University

Evhen Kharytonov, National University “Odessa Law Academy”

Pierre Legrand, L’Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

Peter Leyland, London Metropolitan University (Emeritus)

Dmytryi Lukianov, National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine

David Nelken, Università degli Studi di Macerata; University of Cardiff; King’s College London

Akmal Saidov, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan

Geoffrey Samuel, University of Kent

Martin Shapiro, University of California Berkeley

Ann Stewart, University of Warwick

Brian Tamanaha, Washington University in St. Louis

Oleksandr Tykhomyrov, National Academy of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

Chao Xi, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Maria Zakharova, Kutafin Moscow State Legal Academy

FORMER EDITORS

Nicholas H.D. Foster, formerly SOAS University of London, editor 2006–2007

Camilla Baasch Andersen, University of Western Australia, editor 2006–2007

CLICK BELOW TO ORDER:

Institutional:

USA Print and Electronic $250

International Print and Electronic $340

Electronic Only $195

Individual:

USA Print and Electronic $190

International Print and Electronic $215

Electronic Only $150

The digital edition of The Journal of Comparative Law is hosted by HeinOnline, a product of William S. Hein & Co.

Past print issues available $100 per volume, $50 per issue. 

CONTENTS

VOLUME XX, ISSUE 1 (2025)

A Partial Farewell
W. E. Butler

Articles
Mixity in Maltese Public Law: The Constitution of Malta as a Microcosm of the Maltese Mixed Legal System
Aquilina, K.

Why I Became a Comparative Lawyer: Autobiographical Essays
Organized and Edited by William E. Butler

Introduction
Hashmatulla Behruz
William E. Butler
Jorge Sánchez Cordero
Balázs Fekete
Nicholas H. D. Foster
James Gordley
Evhen Olegovych Kharytonov
Olena Ivanovna Kharytonova
Oleksiy V. Kresin
Ralf Michaels
David Nelken
Michael Palmer
Akmal Kholmatovich Saidov
Geoffrey Samuel
Olha F. Skakun
Catherine Valcke
Csaba Varga
Maria V. Zakharova

Notes
Online Hate Speech: A Cross-Country Survey of Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bubalo, Lana
Rachinger, F.

1924 to 2024: The First Century of the International Academy of Comparative Law
Saidov, A.

What’s In a Name
Sharma, N.

Review Article
Legal Literature and Comparative Law
Butler, W. E.

In Memoriam
Iurii Serhiyovych Shemshuchenko
Butler, W. E.
Kresin, O. V.

Recently Appeared
Recently Appeared
Butler, W. E.