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The “One Law for All” Myth.

Zion, James W
June 4, 2015

Source: (2005) In Wanda D. McCaslin, ed., Justice as Healing: Indigenous Ways. Writings on Community Peacemaking and Restorative Justice from the Native Law Centre. St. Paul, MN: Living Justice Press. Pp. 73-83.

“This article will address the special rapporteur’s question about the ‘one law for all’ tradition to show that it is a myth, a slogan without concrete meaning, a pretext for refusing to acknowledge Indigenous law and institutions, and an assertion that is actually contrary to the history of Western law. This piece will trace the sources of recognizing the law of ‘The Other’ as well as the origins of the ‘one law for all’ slogan. It will show how ‘law’ has been used to block recognition of Indigenous law and why it is falsely or incorrectly applied this way given the history of legal pluralism.” (excerpt)

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