LibGuides: POL 40589: Constitutional Law in The United Kingdom: Magna Carta

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Beyond Magna Carta: A constitution for the United Kingdom by Andrew Blick
Call Number: Request from OhioLINK
Publication Date: 2015
In Beyond Magna Carta, Dr. Andrew Blick uses Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary to reassess the UK constitution. Drawing on historical texts and his expertise, he advocates for a written constitution, analyzing past governance, current flux, and democratic processes. Endorsed by Graham Allen MP and Lord Hennessy, it’s a vital constitutional study.
Introduction to English Legal History by John Baker
Call Number: eBook - Click link to access.
Publication Date: 2019
Part 1 is especially good. This updated classic offers an authoritative introduction to English common law, tracing its evolution from Anglo-Saxon times to today. It explores key legal institutions, doctrines, and the development of common law, blending historical insight with analysis of legal change, making it essential for lawyers, historians, and students.
Magna Carta: A Very Short Introduction by Nicholas Vincent
Call Number: eBook - Click link to access.
Publication Date: 2012
Explains the Magna Carta's origins during King John’s reign and its lasting significance as a symbol of protection against absolute royal authority. Nicholas Vincent traces its historical context and explores its continued relevance, drawing on recent advances in the understanding of 13th-century English history.
Magna Carta by J. C. Holt; George Garnett (Preface by); John Hudson (Preface by)
Call Number: eBook - Click link to access.
Publication Date: 2015
This revised edition of J. C. Holt's Magna Carta offers an authoritative analysis of the Great Charter, placing it in the legal, political, and administrative context of 12th- and 13th-century England and Europe. A new introduction addresses recent scholarship, exploring its intellectual, legal, and Continental influences and Archbishop Langton's role.
Magna Carta and Its Modern Legacy by Robert Hazell (Editor); James Melton (Editor)
Call Number: eBook - Click link to access.
Publication Date: 2015
Part 1 is particularly relevant to this class. This book marks Magna Carta's 800th anniversary by examining its historic and modern influence through a political science lens. Scholars from the UK, US, and Australia explore its role in limiting executive power, socioeconomic rights, constitutional design, and its impact on global issues like jury trials, slavery, and judicial principles.
The Reinvention of Magna Carta 1216-1616 by John Baker
Call Number: eBook - Click link to access.
Publication Date: 2017
Although some chapters are better than others, this book traces Magna Carta's influence on English public law, highlighting its decline between the 14th and 16th centuries and its revival in the late 1500s by figures like Robert Snagge and Edward Coke. By 1616, Coke's advocacy for liberty under common law culminated in his dismissal as a judge.
The Oxford History of the Laws of England Volume II by John Hudson
Call Number: eBook - Click link to access.
Publication Date: 2012
This volume may be too detalied for this class but it explores the early development of English common law over three centuries, from King Alfred to Magna Carta (1215). It examines the Anglo-Saxon legal foundations, the Norman impact on landholding, and the Angevin advances in royal justice, bureaucratization, and legal expertise, culminating in Magna Carta’s creation.

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