Edited by Barbara Faedda

Based on a division of powers and the supremacy of a constitution, the rule of law is not invulnerable, as was demonstrated in the violent attack against the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. It can be used but also abused; it can be respected or exploited, exalted or undermined. It can even arouse skepticism, because it is not always effective against the realities of political life. In a world facing social division, polarization, poverty, climate change, and pandemics, it is crucial to understand the roles of those who manage, control, or are touched by the rule of law. This book’s primary goal is to showcase the variety of perspectives, cases, and methodologies of the people and institutions that bring a range of expertise to bear in many fields. The essays here – which encompass various geographic areas and social groups, as well as several historical periods – address racism, misinformation, human rights, the status of women, the treatment of indigenous peoples, the environment, and more. The rule of law is not merely a set of principles that guarantee a just society. It must be more than a tool in the hands of legal experts; it cannot be a concept out of the reach of ordinary people. It is essential that every citizen feel a clear responsibility to protect and promote the rule of law, to denounce inequalities and oppose imbalances of power, if the common goal is to enjoy freedom, democracy, and justice for all.

Il violento attacco al Campidoglio degli Stati Uniti del 6 gennaio 2021 ha dimostrato chiaramente che lo Stato di diritto, il rule of law, non è affatto invulnerabile. Può essere usato e abusato, rispettato o sfruttato, esaltato o minato, e spesso fatto oggetto di scetticismo perché ritenuto del tutto inefficace a garantire giustizia, equità ed eguaglianza sociale. In un mondo che fronteggia divisioni, polarizzazioni, povertà, cambiamenti climatici e pandemie, è cruciale comprendere i ruoli dei protagonisti del rule of law. L’obiettivo principale del volume è infatti mostrare la varietà di prospettive, casi ed esperienze attraverso la voce di esperti, studiosi e protagonisti. I saggi fanno riferimento a differenti aree geografiche, gruppi sociali e periodi storici, affrontando questioni cruciali come il razzismo, la disinformazione, i diritti umani, la condizione femminile, l’immigrazione, l’ambiente e i popoli indigeni.
32 autori mostrano che non possiamo più permetterci di pensare al rule of law come a un concetto astratto,  a un insieme di principi lontani dalla vita quotidiana, o più semplicemente come a uno strumento tecnico nelle sole mani di giuristi. È essenziale che ogni cittadino senta chiara la responsabilità di proteggere e promuovere il rule of law, per denunciare le disuguaglianze e opporsi agli squilibri di potere, se libertà, democrazia e giustizia per tutti sono l’obiettivo comune.

Barbara Faedda is the executive director of the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies at Columbia University and adjunct associate professor in Columbia’s Department of Italian, where she teaches courses on contemporary Italy. Among her publications are the books Elite. Cultura italiana e statunitense tra Settecento e Novecento (Ronzani, 2020); From Da Ponte to the Casa Italiana: A Brief History of Italian Studies at Columbia (Columbia University Press, 2017); Present and Future Memory: Holocaust Studies at the Italian Academy, editor (Italian Academy Publications, 2016); and essays including “An Italian Perspective on the U.S.-Italy Relationship” (The White House Historical Association, 2016); “Neurolaw: come le neuroscienze potrebbero cambiare l’antropologia giuridica”; and “We are not racists, but we do not want immigrants.” In 2016 Dr. Faedda conceived the International Observatory for Cultural Heritage (IOCH), dedicated to all issues relating to the survival, protection, and conservation of cultural heritage. In 2019 she was appointed ambassador, permanent observer for the European Public Law Organization to the United Nations.

Authors: Giuliano Amato, Bridgette Baldwin, John D. Bessler, Mary Bosworth, Marina Calloni, Maria Adele Carrai, Paolo Carta, Victoria Chenaut, Paul Craig, Jacques deLisle, Francesca Esposito, Andriani Fili, David Freedberg, Anna Elisabetta Galeotti, Paul Gowder, Kate Gunn, Antara Haldar, Stellina Jolly, Chelsey L. Kivland, Masao Kotani, Anna Loretoni, Bruce McIvor, Luca CM Melchionna, Hoolo ‘Nyane, Gianluigi Palombella, Irene Pasquetto, Jothie Rajah, Julio Ríos-Figueroa, Costanza Sciubba Caniglia, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Kenneth Stow, Maartje van der Woude.