Legal Criticism as Storytelling

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • O, Byrne, Shannon

• In this paper, the author discusses the use of storytelling by certain members of the Critical Legal Studies Movement (CLS). She describes the stories told by three CLS scholars and offers the thesis that the methodology and attitudinal perspective present in their narrative voices promote a program to unmask, demystify, contextualize, and reform the law as well as to act as a foil to traditional legal scholarship. In this regard, the use of storytelling as a component in CLS' methodology is impressive and effective. However, the author also questions CLS' use of storytelling as a rhetorical device and subtextual strategy against counterargument. To this extent, the author contends, CLS disregards the very standards and values of its own critique.

• Date created

  1992

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Storytelling
  • Critical legal studies (CLS)

• Type of Item

  Article (Published)

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3WH2DR4M

• License

  © 1992 Shannon O'Byrne. This version of this article is open access and can be downloaded and shared. The original author(s) and source must be cited.