Editorial
| Published date | 01 March 1995 |
| Date | 01 March 1995 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/135822919500100102 |
International Journal
of
Discrimination
and
the
Law,
1995, Vol.
1,
p.
1-2
1358-2291/95 $10
© 1995 A B Academic Publishers. Printed in Great Britain
EDITORIAL
The International Journal
of
Discrimination and the
Law
aims to
provide a forum for discussion on a wide range
of
areas
of
discrim-
ination. Although journals focusing on employment law already exist,
it was felt that a journal somewhat broader in scope was required,
which covered a number
of
areas
of
discrimination in addition to
employment and which recognised the fact that discrimination is
experienced by a wide range
of
disadvantaged groups. Initial discus-
sion with colleagues working in the field
of
anti-discrimination law
evoked a very positive response and a decision was made to progress
with publication
of
the journal.
The first issue includes a critical evaluation
of
the legal regula-
tion
of
sexual harassment in Ireland. Leo Flynn defines sexual harass-
ment as the most intimate manifestation
of
discrimination faced by
women in the labour market. He considers it in the context
of
women's relationship to the state and considers the ways in which
sexual harassment is conceptualised by tribunals. Christine Murray's
paper examines discrimination within the administration
of
justice in
South Africa and reports on research undertaken by the Law, Race
and Gender Research Unit at the University
of
Cape Town. She
gives an account
of
research on racial bias in the magistrates' courts
and gender bias in the Supreme Court in relation to matrimonial
property and divorce cases and reviews research on women and
housing and on the new Prevention
of
Family Violence Act 133
of
1993.
Martin MacEwan analyses the role
of
regulatory agencies in
promoting and enforcing anti-discrimination law on the grounds
of
race and considers their strengths and weaknesses. Jane Winter dis-
cusses the role
of
human rights in the Northern Ireland peace process
and the dangers
of
omitting human rights from that process. These
papers demonstrate the power
of
law to improve people's lives, but
also show the failure
of
law
to
deal with the complexity
of
discrim-
ination and highlight areas where the law has proved inadequate to
meet the task
of
achieving substantive equality.
It
is hoped that future issues will attract contributions on a range
of
areas
of
discrimination, as well as theoretical discussions on the
limits and potential
of
law in achieving equality and social justice.
It
is intended that the journal will offer a means
of
exchanging ideas
and learning from the good practice
of
other jurisdictions as well
assessing the role
of
international law in the protection
of
human
rights. Reviews
of
recent literature and decisions from a number
of
jurisdictions will be included as well as reports and information on
major conferences.
Recent developments in the United Kingdom, including improved
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