Justice and the Ethics of Legal Interpretation addresses how it is that legal texts -laws, statutes and regulations - can, and do have meaning. Conventionally, legal decisions are justified with reference to language. But since language is always open to interpretation, and so cannot fully justify any legal decision, there is a responsibility that is inherent in legal interpretation itself. In this book, Susanna Lindroos-Hovinheimo uncovers and analyses this responsibility - which, she argues, is not limited by the text that is being interpreted (and through its mediation, by the legal system). It is not simply a responsibility to read well; it implies a responsibility for the effects of the interpretation in a particular situation and with regard to those whose case is being decided. Ultimately, it is a responsibility to do justice. It is these two aspects of responsibility that are conceptualised here as the two key dimensions of the ethics of legal interpretation: the textual and the situational. Drawing on the work of Wittgenstein, Gadamer, Derrida and Levinas, Justice and the Ethics of Legal Interpretation offers a fresh approach to long-standing questions about language and meaning in law. It will be of enormous value to those with interests in jurisprudence and legal theory.

Justice and the Ethics of Legal Interpretation addresses how it is that legal texts -laws, statutes and regulations - can, and do have meaning. Conventionally, legal decisions are justified with reference to language. But since language is always open to interpretation, and so cannot fully justify any legal decision, there is a responsibility that is inherent in legal interpretation itself. In this book, Susanna Lindroos-Hovinheimo uncovers and analyses this responsibility - which, she argues, is not limited by the text that is being interpreted (and through its mediation, by the legal system). It is not simply a responsibility to read well; it implies a responsibility for the effects of the interpretation in a particular situation and with regard to those whose case is being decided. Ultimately, it is a responsibility to do justice. It is these two aspects of responsibility that are conceptualised here as the two key dimensions of the ethics of legal interpretation: the textual and the situational. Drawing on the work of Wittgenstein, Gadamer, Derrida and Levinas, Justice and the Ethics of Legal Interpretation offers a fresh approach to long-standing questions about language and meaning in law. It will be of enormous value to those with interests in jurisprudence and legal theory.

Data protection has become such an important area for law - and for society at large - that it is important to understand exactly what we are doing when we regulate privacy and personal data. This study analyses European privacy rights focusing especially on the GDPR, and asks what kind of legal personhood is presupposed in privacy regulation today. Looking at the law from a deconstructive angle, the philosophical foundations of this highly topical field of law are uncovered. By analysing key legal cases in detail, this study shows in a comprehensive manner that personhood is constructed in individualised ways. With its clear focus on issues relating to European Union law and how its future development will impact wider issues of privacy, data protection, and individual rights, the book will be of interest to those trying to understand current trends in EU law.