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{{StoryTemplate |name = Mary Hemmings |email = mary.hemmings@ucalgary.ca |role = Librarian |inst = University of Calgary |field = |selfDescription = Mary Hemmings: Biography An academic librarian since 1980, Mary Hemmings has worked at Concordia University, McGill University and is currently the Assistant Director of the University of Calgary’s Law Library. Mary’s career includes a three-year role as “librarian-in-residence” at the UofC’s English Department and co-ordinator of the Gibson Collection of Speculative Fiction. She is author of a book chapter on the role of women in pulp fiction, and is a co-author of a chapter on libraries and popular culture. She has taught courses in Fundamental Legal Skills and Advanced Legal Skills at UofC’s Faculty of Law. Mary is currently working towards and LLM specializing in legal theory and history at Queen Mary College, Univesity of London. Degrees held: (BA History, Concordia) (MLS, McGill) MA Legal History, Calgary) (LLB, Calgary) Research Interest: Interdisciplinary approaches to law and society University courses in interdisciplinary legal issues are a traditional part of the academic landscape and law is an integral part of society. Understanding its sources and traditions allows us to look critically at how laws are made and cases are decided. Saying “rule of thumb” was politically incorrect in the eighteenth century, and would be today if more people knew it referred to the size of cane allowed to be used to beat a wife. By using primary sources, inquiring students can discover a better understanding of law today. Broad approaches among a variety disciplines and media can engage and fuel life-time inquiry into a fascinating topic |project = "Make ‘em Laugh: Images of Law in Eighteenth Century Popular Culture", Treatise on Legal Visual Semiotics, Wagner, Anne and Sherwin, Richard, eds., Springer, Accepted for publication, 2011 The lingua franca of cutting satire in the eighteenth century was indisputably the visual representation of society in popular culture. A still-nascent publishing industry was introducing novels and other books for an emerging consumer market. Although vestiges of illiteracy existed, what bridged the gap for political and social commentary were mass-produced illustrations. Offered for sale to a growing middle class with more disposable cash than ever before, the print shop windows attracted all walks of life. The more entertaining and the more outrageous, the better was the publicity for this new class of shopkeeper. The underlying themes of these satirical representations reflected society about to experience the profound changes of the industrial revolution. The dissonance between what was perceived as the “establishment” and reality of everyday life provided the inspiration for an emerging breed of commercial artist. Needling the professions was a favourite theme, and among the favourite subjects were the esteemed members of the legal profession. A changing society, a creaking legal system, and a self-serving legal profession provided comic-relief in a golden age of mass-produced images.
ORLANDO ?: Supplements research in George catalogue; microfilm (Satitrical Prints); British Museum catalogue & pdfs. 1. "lawyer" - nothing useful with regard to public/printed perceptions of social justice 2. "satirical prints" - 13 March 2008 The National Portrait Gallery in London opened an exhibition entitled Brilliant Women, featuring "paintings and rarely seen portraits, satirical prints and personal artefacts of the Bluestocking Circle."
i. Martha Fowke: These poems reflect social life and perhaps the company of lawyers in the London of about 1720. |story = Make ‘em Laugh: Images of Law in Eighteenth Century Popular Culture |scope = |when = |keywords = "visual legal semiotics" |related-stories = |related-tools = }}
