【IAS】Distinguished Guest Lecture: “Understanding the Legal Profession through Oral History” was successfully held
【高研院】特邀嘉賓講座系列：“透過口述歷史理解法律職業”成功舉行
由澳門大學人文社科高等研究院（高研院）主辦、法學院協辦的特邀嘉賓講座系列於2024年11月18日在崇文樓演講廳成功舉行。
此次講座主題為「透過口述歷史理解法律職業」，由香港大學法律學院教授劉思達教授主講，並由澳門大學人文學院歷史系講座教授、高研院副院長王笛教授擔任與談人，以及澳門大學法學院副教授李哲教授擔任主持人。
劉教授指出，傳統的法律職業研究多依賴於社會科學方法，而口述歷史則提供了獨特且未被充分利用的視角。劉教授介紹了兩個正在進行的口述歷史項目，分別聚焦於香港和澳門的法律職業，旨在記錄資深校友的個人故事。通過這些故事，項目探討了法律教育、職業發展和公共服務角色的經歷，揭示了法律職業與香港及澳門歷史的緊密關聯。他提到，許多參與者的故事反映了香港在過去半個世紀中的重大變化，包括1997年的主權移交和近年來的社會動蕩。
講座中，王笛教授對劉教授的研究給予了高度評價，表示這一研究將為理解香港和澳門的法律歷史提供重要的第一手資料。李哲教授總結時強調，口述歷史不僅是對法律職業的回顧，也是對社會變遷的深刻反思，值得法律學子們關注。
現場觀眾積極提問，討論了口述歷史在法律研究中的應用及其面臨的挑戰。劉教授表示，儘管口述歷史研究需克服記憶的主觀性和樣本偏差等問題，但通過多樣化的訪談對象和跨學科的方法，可以更全面地理解法律職業的演變。
此次講座不僅為法律研究提供了新的視角，也為法律教育的未來發展提供了啓示。劉教授希望通過這些口述歷史，為當前的法律學子和未來的法律職業者提供寶貴的經驗教訓，幫助他們更好地理解法律職業面臨的挑戰與機遇。
On November 18 2024, a Distinguished Guest Lecture was successfully held at the Lecture Hall of Cultural Building, jointly organized by the Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (IAS) of the University of Macau and the Faculty of Law (FLL).
The theme of this lecture was “Understanding the Legal Profession through Oral History.” It was convened by Professor Sida Liu, Professor at the University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law. Professor Di Wang, Chair Professor of the Department of History of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Macau, Associate Director of IAS, was invited as the discussant. Professor Zhe Li, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Law at the University of Macau, served as the moderator.
Professor Liu pointed out that traditional studies often rely on social science methods, while oral history provides a unique and underutilized perspective. He introduced two ongoing oral history projects focused on the legal professions in Hong Kong and Macau, aimed at capturing the personal narratives of senior alumni. Through these narratives, the projects examine experiences in legal education, career development, and public service roles, revealing the close ties between the legal profession and the histories of Hong Kong and Macau. Professor Liu noted that many participants’ stories reflect significant changes in Hong Kong over the past half century, including the 1997 handover and recent social upheavals.
Professor Wang commented that it would provide invaluable first-hand accounts for understanding the legal history of Hong Kong and Macau. In the summary, Professor Li emphasized that oral history is not only a reflection on the legal profession but also a profound commentary on societal changes, which is crucial for law students to consider.
Following the lecture, the audience engaged in a lively Q&A session, discussing the applications and challenges of oral history in legal research. Professor Liu acknowledged the methodological challenges posed by subjectivity and sampling bias but emphasized that a diverse range of interviewees and interdisciplinary approaches could yield a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of legal careers.
This lecture not only offered new insights into legal research but also provided valuable lessons for the future of legal education. Professor Liu hopes that these oral histories will serve as a resource for current law students and future legal professionals, helping them better understand the challenges and opportunities within the legal profession.
