Jonathan Rose

Professor Jonathan Rose recently reviewed a study of the Magna Carta for the American Journal of Legal History.

“The Magna Carta Manifesto: Liberties and Commons for All” delves into the study of the English charter in four distinct interpretation styles: documentary, cultural, legal and constitutional, and traces its relevance throughout history from medieval to modern times.

Rose, a Willard H. Pedrick Distinguished Research Scholar, deemed “The Magna Carta Manifesto”, written by Peter Linebaugh, “almost quirky” and stated “the author shines a bright light on a very substantial number of dark corners in history.”

Rose, a teacher of contracts, English legal history, antitrust and legal ethics, also went on to say that those who are not familiar with the history of oppressions of common people and efforts to assert and protect their individual rights “will learn a great deal from the book.”

Rose concludes his review by stating, “One need not be a Marxist, adherent of the New Left, nor a radical historian to agree with these objectives.”

Rose has received numerous teaching awards. He also is a Faculty Affiliate of the Arizona Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies at ASU. He is the author of numerous articles on legal history, antitrust, economic and occupational regulation, and legal ethics. He has also written on early defamation law, medieval prisons, and the historiography of legal history.