The 'Echo-Chamber Effect' in Legal Education: Considering Family Law Casebooks
6 St. Thomas J. L. & Pub. Pol'y 104 (2011)
37 Pages Posted: 15 Jan 2013
Date Written: January 15, 2013
Abstract
This essay briefly reviews the classical liberal understanding of the importance of the clash of ideas in the search for truth, and the significance of intellectual diversity in the legal academy. It then examines how these ideals have eroded in law education on abortion. It discusses data from a reivew of six popular family law casebooks that suggest there is a profound "echo-chamber" in law school teaching about abortion issues in family law. It concludes with some ideas about how the echo effect can be avoided and remedied in law schools, particularly in the context of addressing abortion issues and other controversial topics in teaching family law.
Keywords: family law, abortion, legal education, casebook
JEL Classification: K10, J18
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation