Martha Minow
Encyclopedia
Martha Louise Minow is the Jeremiah Smith, Jr. Professor of Law and the Dean of Harvard Law School
. She teaches civil procedure, constitutional law, family law, international criminal justice, jurisprudence, law and education, nonprofit organizations, and the public law workshop. She has written extensively about human rights, with a focus on racial and religious minorities as well as in women, children, and persons with disabilities. She also writes and teaches about privatization, military justice, and ethnic and religious conflict. Minow was one of the candidates mentioned to replace U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens
upon his retirement. This honor, however, went to Elena Kagan
, Minow's predecessor as dean of Harvard Law School.
chairman Newton Minow and his wife Josephine Baskin Minow.
After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan
(1975), Minow received a master’s degree in education from Harvard (1976) and her Juris Doctor
(J.D.
) degree from Yale Law School
(1979), where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal
.
After graduating law school, Minow clerked for Judge David Bazelon of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and then for Justice
Thurgood Marshall
of the United States Supreme Court
.
She joined the Harvard Law faculty as an assistant professor in 1981, was promoted to professor in 1986, was named the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of Law in 2003, and became the Jeremiah Smith Jr., Professor of Law in 2005. She became Dean of Harvard Law School July 1, 2009. She is also a lecturer in the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Her honors include: the Sacks-Freund Teaching Award, selected by the Harvard Law School graduating class of 2005, the Holocaust Center Award, 2006, an Honorary Doctorate of Law, University of Toronto, 2006 and an Honorary Doctorate of Education, Wheelock College, 1996.
She served on the Independent International Commission Kosovo and helped to launch Imagine Co-existence, a program of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, to promote peaceful development in post-conflict societies. She has worked with the federal Department of Education and the Center for Applied Special Technology worked to increase access to educational curricula for students with disabilities. She also works on the Divided Cities initiative.
She chairs the board of directors for the Charles H. Revson Foundation
(New York) and serves on the boards of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the Covenant Foundation (New York and Chicago), Facing History and Ourselves, and the Iranian Human Rights Documentation Center. A fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences since 1992, Minow has also been a senior fellow of Harvard’s Society of Fellows, a member of Harvard University Press Board of Syndics, a senior fellow and twice acting director of what is now Harvard’s Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics ,and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She has delivered more than 70 named or endowed lectures and keynote addresses.
She served on the Independent International Commission on Kosovo and assisted in launching Imagine Coexistence, a program of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. She is also director of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
and serves on committees of the Project on Justice in Times of Transition and the Institute for Global Ethics
. Since 1997 she has been a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows.
During the 2008 Presidential campaign, then-Senator Obama was asked why he had chosen a career of public service rather than corporate law. He responded, "When I was at Harvard Law School I had a teacher who changed my life -- Martha Minow." In August 2009, President Obama nominated Minow to the board of the Legal Services Corporation, a bi-partisan, government-sponsored organization that provides civil legal assistance to low-income Americans.
Harvard 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...
. She teaches civil procedure, constitutional law, family law, international criminal justice, jurisprudence, law and education, nonprofit organizations, and the public law workshop. She has written extensively about human rights, with a focus on racial and religious minorities as well as in women, children, and persons with disabilities. She also writes and teaches about privatization, military justice, and ethnic and religious conflict. Minow was one of the candidates mentioned to replace U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens
John Paul Stevens
John Paul Stevens served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from December 19, 1975 until his retirement on June 29, 2010. At the time of his retirement, he was the oldest member of the Court and the third-longest serving justice in the Court's history...
upon his retirement. This honor, however, went to Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 7, 2010. Kagan is the Court's 112th justice and fourth female justice....
, Minow's predecessor as dean of Harvard Law School.
Biography
Minow is the daughter of former Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
chairman Newton Minow and his wife Josephine Baskin Minow.
After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(1975), Minow received a master’s degree in education from Harvard (1976) and her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
) degree from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
(1979), where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal
Yale Law Journal
The Yale Law Journal is a student-run law review affiliated with the Yale Law School. Published continuously since 1891, it is the most widely known of the eight law reviews published by students at Yale Law School...
.
After graduating law school, Minow clerked for Judge David Bazelon of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and then for Justice
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991...
of the United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
.
She joined the Harvard Law faculty as an assistant professor in 1981, was promoted to professor in 1986, was named the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of Law in 2003, and became the Jeremiah Smith Jr., Professor of Law in 2005. She became Dean of Harvard Law School July 1, 2009. She is also a lecturer in the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Works, honors, and recognition
She co-chaired the Law School’s curricular reform committee from 2003 to 2006, an effort that led to significant innovation in the first-year curriculum as well as new programs of study for second- and third-year J.D. students.Her honors include: the Sacks-Freund Teaching Award, selected by the Harvard Law School graduating class of 2005, the Holocaust Center Award, 2006, an Honorary Doctorate of Law, University of Toronto, 2006 and an Honorary Doctorate of Education, Wheelock College, 1996.
She served on the Independent International Commission Kosovo and helped to launch Imagine Co-existence, a program of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, to promote peaceful development in post-conflict societies. She has worked with the federal Department of Education and the Center for Applied Special Technology worked to increase access to educational curricula for students with disabilities. She also works on the Divided Cities initiative.
She chairs the board of directors for the Charles H. Revson Foundation
Charles H. Revson Foundation
The Charles H. Revson Foundation was founded in 1956 by Charles H. Revson, the founding President of Revlon Cosmetics as a vehicle for his charitable giving. Mr. Revson willed half his estate to the Foundation upon his death. -Background:...
(New York) and serves on the boards of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the Covenant Foundation (New York and Chicago), Facing History and Ourselves, and the Iranian Human Rights Documentation Center. A fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences since 1992, Minow has also been a senior fellow of Harvard’s Society of Fellows, a member of Harvard University Press Board of Syndics, a senior fellow and twice acting director of what is now Harvard’s Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics ,and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She has delivered more than 70 named or endowed lectures and keynote addresses.
She served on the Independent International Commission on Kosovo and assisted in launching Imagine Coexistence, a program of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. She is also director of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center is a registered non-profit organization based in New Haven, Connecticut. HRDC was founded in 2004 by a group of human rights scholars, activists, and historians to document the patterns of human rights abuse in Iran and to promote accountability, a...
and serves on committees of the Project on Justice in Times of Transition and the Institute for Global Ethics
Institute for Global Ethics
The Institute for Global Ethics is a 501 nonsectarian, nonpartisan, global research and educational member supported non-profit organization based in Rockland, Maine. It also has affiliate offices in London, England and Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:With initial funding provided by the W.K...
. Since 1997 she has been a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows.
During the 2008 Presidential campaign, then-Senator Obama was asked why he had chosen a career of public service rather than corporate law. He responded, "When I was at Harvard Law School I had a teacher who changed my life -- Martha Minow." In August 2009, President Obama nominated Minow to the board of the Legal Services Corporation, a bi-partisan, government-sponsored organization that provides civil legal assistance to low-income Americans.
Selected works
- "Government by Contract: Outsourcing and American Democracy" (Jody Freeman & Martha L. Minow eds., Harvard University Press 2009)
- "Living Up to Rules: Holding Soldiers Responsible for Abusive Conduct and the Dilemma of the Superior Orders Defence," 52 McGill Law Journal 1 (2007)
- "Tolerance in an Age of Terror," 16 University of Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal 453 (2007)
- "Should Religious Groups Ever Be Exempt From Civil Rights Laws?" 48 Boston College Law Review 781 (2007)
- "Outsourcing Power: How Privatizing Military Efforts Challenges Accountability, Professionalism, and Democracy," 46 Boston College Law Review 989 (2005)
- Partners, Not Rivals: Privatization and the Public Good (2002)
- Engaging Cultural Differences (ed. with Richard ShwederRichard ShwederRichard A. Shweder, is an American cultural anthropologist and a significant figure in cultural psychology. He received his B.A. in anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1966 and his Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from Harvard University's Department of Social Relations in 1972. He taught...
and Hazel Markus, 2002) - Between Vengeance and Forgiveness: Facing History After Genocide and Mass Violence (1998)
- Not Only For Myself: Identity, Politics, and Law (1997)
- Making All the Difference: Inclusion, Exclusion, and American Law (1990)
- "Law Turning Outward" Telos 73 (Fall 1987). New York: Telos Press