Preface to Volume 4, Issue 1

Abstract

Over the last few weeks, one event in particular has struck the community of the Trento Student Law Review: the passing of Professor Rodolfo Sacco, a sad loss that will leave a deep void in the academic community.

In its essence, to be a maestro del diritto (i.e., a teacher, a mentor in the field of law) means to influence legal thought through ideas that are equipped to survive the test of time and cross-examination, to provide an interpretative prism that affects the understanding of law, having an impact on entire generations of jurists. As proof of how much the keen thinking of the distinguished Piedmontese jurist affects the essence of legal studies in Trento, the very first approach to law by first year students is made by learning about the theory of formants, a pillar of legal comparison that he developed[1], from the pages of a book that bears his signature[2].

An early supporter of this publishing project, in the introductory note to issue 0, Professor Sacco wanted to emphasize the potential of stimulating the development of legal science by means of a dialogative method that was not only horizontal but also vertical between students and teachers. On the other hand, the formative value of the activities of this editorial office did not escape him, together with the ability to stimulate a critical sense in the student, no longer a mere learner of notions but an active contributor to the process of creation of legal science.

To Professor Rodolfo Sacco, who - in the face of many sceptics – unmistakably pointed out the potential of a student-run law journal, we wish to dedicate this Volume 4, Number 1.

This volume - in continuity with its predecessors - demonstrates how this publishing reality, by its very nature and structure, can be a forum to share ideas. This is the ideal that lies at the heart of the Trento Student Law Review: a scientific article, an essay that has its merits and meets the requirements of scientificity can and must be brought to the attention of the academic community, regardless of the author’s titles. Because only in this way can legal science not be reduced to an oligopolistic top-down structure: “Of course, the teacher knows; and we all want him to pass on his knowledge. But this does not mean that the pupil should always keep silent. Why should he not propose issues? Why shouldn’t he ask questions? Why shouldn’t he make objections?”[3].

The publication of this volume calls for reflection on the work of the Board of editors, as it is the ideal moment to take stock of the path that led to the creation of this editorial product. Some very important improvements have affected the way the Trento Student Law Review reaches its audience.

Through continued collaboration with the Ufficio Editoria Scientifica d’Ateneo (i.e., the University’s Scientific Publishing Office), we have completed the transition to the new Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform, https://teseo.unitn.it/tslr. The transition has brought us to a new webpage, through which we can offer our readers renewed and updated content through a fresher, more modern and accessible graphical interface.

A special mention of gratitude goes to our Faculty of Law of the University of Trento, whose collaboration is demonstrating how the desire to involve students in the legal debate can be commonly perceived as an educational tool aimed at developing transversal skills, and critical thinking.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Vice Editor-in-Chief, Emma Castellin first and foremost for the important work of final revision and proofreading, and for the constant exchange of views, support, and input to the supervision of the editorial work. Esteem and admiration are owed to the entire Board of the Trento Student Law Review, whose work in close collaboration with the authors of the individual article drafts made this issue possible.

[1] Rodolfo Sacco, Legal Formants: A Dynamic Approach to Comparative Law (Installment I of II), 39 (1) The American Journal of Comparative Law, 1-34 (1991).

[2] Rodolfo Sacco e Piercarlo Rossi, Introduzione al Diritto Comparato (7^a ed., 2019), nonché Antonio Gambaro e Rodolfo Sacco, Sistemi giuridici comparati (4a ed., 2018) in Trattato di Diritto Comparato, diretto da Rodolfo Sacco (UTET, Torino, 2008).

[3] Rodolfo Sacco, Perché Una Nuova Rivista? Era Necessaria? Perché Una Rivista Studentesca? Era Necessaria?, Trento Student Law Review, Vol. 1, Issue Zero - To Our Professors (2018).