John N. Hazard
Encyclopedia
John N. Hazard was a leading American
scholar of Soviet law
and public administration. Hazard was one of the pioneers in the field of Sovietology, particularly in Soviet law, administration and politics
in 1930, the LL.B. from Harvard in 1934 and the J.S.D. (Doctor of Juristic Science) from the University of Chicago
in 1939.
His career as an American Sovietologist began shortly after the United States recognized the government of the USSR in 1933.
in 1934, he was sent by the Institute of Current World Affairs as the first American to study Soviet law at the Moscow Juridical Institute, later the Institute of State and Law
. Only a handful of scholars were concerned with Russian diplomacy and business then, and scholarship on Russia was limited principally to historical studies. He approached the field of Soviet law as a pioneer and received the certificate of the Juridical Institute in 1937.
He helped negotiate the conditions under which the Soviet Union joined the Lend-Lease
program as its major recipient. He became deputy director of the Soviet branch of the Lend-Lease Administration, through which the United States furnished food, machinery and services to its allies.
As an expert on the USSR, Hazard accompanied Vice President
Henry Wallace
on his secret mission to China
in May, 1944.
The following year he was chosen as an expert on Soviet law to assist Justice Robert Jackson in preparing the prosecution of Nazi leaders to be brought before an international tribunal for war crimes.
, now the Harriman Institute
, the first academic center in America dedicated to Russian-Soviet studies. He also was a founder of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, the first American professional organization in the field.
He was appointed professor of public law at the same time, beginning a teaching career that spanned two generations. He became the Nash Professor of Law in the Columbia Law School
, received emeritus status in 1977 and continued to teach each semester until 1994.
He was associated with the Parker School
of Foreign and Comparative Law at Columbia and helped shape its programs in Russian and East European law. He was the editor in chief of the Parker School Journal of East European Law, the leading journal in the field.
The John N. Hazard Memorial Fellowship at Columbia's Harriman Institute exists to fund scholars researching Soviet and Russian law.
John N. Hazard was the mentor of famous Sovietologist Harold J. Berman
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scholar of Soviet law
Soviet law
The Law of the Soviet Union—also known as Socialist Law—was the law developed in the Soviet Union following the October Revolution of 1917...
and public administration. Hazard was one of the pioneers in the field of Sovietology, particularly in Soviet law, administration and politics
Early life
John Newbold Hazard was born in Syracuse, N.Y., Jan. 5, 1909. He earned the A.B. from YaleYALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
in 1930, the LL.B. from Harvard in 1934 and the J.S.D. (Doctor of Juristic Science) from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1939.
His career as an American Sovietologist began shortly after the United States recognized the government of the USSR in 1933.
Career
Upon his graduation from Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1934, he was sent by the Institute of Current World Affairs as the first American to study Soviet law at the Moscow Juridical Institute, later the Institute of State and Law
Institute of State and Law
The Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences is the largest scientific legal center in the Russian Federation. The ISL is part of the Philosophical, Sociological, Psychological, and Law Department of RAS...
. Only a handful of scholars were concerned with Russian diplomacy and business then, and scholarship on Russia was limited principally to historical studies. He approached the field of Soviet law as a pioneer and received the certificate of the Juridical Institute in 1937.
Soviet desk
When World War II broke out, Hazard joined the U.S. government and was assigned to the Soviet desk in the Division of Defense Aid Reports.He helped negotiate the conditions under which the Soviet Union joined the Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
program as its major recipient. He became deputy director of the Soviet branch of the Lend-Lease Administration, through which the United States furnished food, machinery and services to its allies.
As an expert on the USSR, Hazard accompanied Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
Henry Wallace
Henry A. Wallace
Henry Agard Wallace was the 33rd Vice President of the United States , the Secretary of Agriculture , and the Secretary of Commerce . In the 1948 presidential election, Wallace was the nominee of the Progressive Party.-Early life:Henry A...
on his secret mission to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in May, 1944.
The following year he was chosen as an expert on Soviet law to assist Justice Robert Jackson in preparing the prosecution of Nazi leaders to be brought before an international tribunal for war crimes.
Columbia University
With his return to civilian life in 1946, he joined the Columbia faculty. Along with four other scholars, Hazard was a founder of the Russian Institute at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, now the Harriman Institute
Harriman Institute
The Harriman Institute, the first academic center in the United States devoted to the interdisciplinary study of Russia and the Soviet Union, was founded at Columbia University in 1946, with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, as the Russian Institute....
, the first academic center in America dedicated to Russian-Soviet studies. He also was a founder of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, the first American professional organization in the field.
He was appointed professor of public law at the same time, beginning a teaching career that spanned two generations. He became the Nash Professor of Law in the Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, received emeritus status in 1977 and continued to teach each semester until 1994.
He was associated with the Parker School
Parker School
Parker School is a private K-12 school located in Waimea, Hawaii County, Hawaii. The school offers a complete K-12 college-preparatory program in separate facilities for lower, middle and upper school students.-Sports:...
of Foreign and Comparative Law at Columbia and helped shape its programs in Russian and East European law. He was the editor in chief of the Parker School Journal of East European Law, the leading journal in the field.
The John N. Hazard Memorial Fellowship at Columbia's Harriman Institute exists to fund scholars researching Soviet and Russian law.
John N. Hazard was the mentor of famous Sovietologist Harold J. Berman
Harold J. Berman
Harold J. Berman was an American legal scholar who was an expert in comparative, international and Soviet/Russian law as well as legal history, philosophy of law and the intersection of law and religion...
.
Scholarship
Hazard's books cover both political science and law. His textbook, The Soviet System of Government, first published by University of Chicago Press in 1957, has been republished in four editions and several languages. Other books include Soviet Housing Law (1939), Law and Social Change in the USSR (1953), Settling Disputes in Soviet Society (1960), The Soviet Legal System (1962), Communists and Their Law (1969), Managing Change in the USSR (1983), and Recollections of a Pioneer Sovietologist (1983). Many of his volumes are still in wide use in comparative law courses.Affiliations
- International Academy of Comparative Law
- British AcademyBritish AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
- International Association of Legal Sciences
- American Foreign Law Association
- American Branch of the International Law AssociationInternational Law AssociationThe International Law Association is a non-profit organization based in Great Britain that — according to its 2004 constitution — promotes "the study, clarification and development of international law" and "the furtherance of international understanding and respect for international law."The ILA...
- American Society of International LawAmerican Society of International LawThe American Society of International Law is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational membership organization, based in Washington, D.C.. It was founded in 1906, and was chartered by the United States Congress in 1950...