Professor of Law and Legal History

Director of the Hywel Dda Research Institute   

Research Interests

The central and unifying theme of my research is law’s interface with identity, language and culture. Its methodology is mainly contextual, with an interdisciplinary approach which reflects on the social, political and historical forces behind legal development.

Some of my recent work has focused on minorities, and in particular linguistic minorities, and their engagement with legal processes. Issues of fairness, inclusivity, participation and citizenship have been dominant themes within my research.

Although my writing, from an initial perspective, evaluates the Welsh legal experience, my work also contains distinctive international and comparative dimensions. Hence, recently, my work has been cited in official reports by The Department of Justice of the State of Victoria, Australia, (see Jury Service Eligibility, Melbourne: State of Victoria Department of Justice, 2009, at p.13) and the Law Commission of Ireland (see Law Reform Commission Consultation Paper LRC CP 61-2010, Jury Service, para 4.98).   

 

Recent Publications

Books   

R. Gwynedd Parry, Cymru’r Gyfraith: Sylwadau ar Hunaniaeth Gyfreithiol (Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2012) ISBN: 9780708325148 (0708325149) in press

David Hughes Parry – A Jurist in Society, (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2010), xx 214pp, ISBN 978-0-7083-2292-5.

 

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Legal Challenges and Opportunities, with Robert Dunbar (co-eds.), (Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing, 2008), 275pp, ISBN 978-92-871-6333-2.

 

Articles and Chapter Contributions    

R. Gwynedd Parry, “Article 4 – Existing Regimes of Protection” and “Article 5 – Existing Obligations”, in Alba Nogueira, Eduardo J. Ruiz Vieytez and Iñigo Urrutia (eds.), Shaping Language Rights: a Commentary on the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in light of the Committee of Experts' evaluation (Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing, 2012), pp. 110-129.

 

R. Gwynedd Parry, “Bilingual Legal Scholarship in Wales: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives” in Xabier Arzoz (ed.), Bilingual Higher Education in the Legal Context: Group Rights, State Policies and Globalisation (Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff, 2012), pp. 215-257.

  

R. Gwynedd Parry, “The Three Ages of Legal Scholarship in Wales” in T. G. Watkin (ed.) Publications of the Welsh Legal History Society (WLHS, 2011) forthcoming   

“Commemorating Sir David Hughes Parry” (2010) 84 Amicus Curiae (Journal of the Society for Advanced Legal Studies), 1-3.

 

“History, Human Rights and Multilingual Citizenship: Conceptualising the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages” (2010) 61 (4) Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 329-348.

 

“Is Legal Biography really Legal Scholarship?” (2010) 30 (2) Legal Studies 208-229.

 

“Higher education and Article 8.1.e of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: a Welsh ‘opportunity avoided’?” in Parry and Dunbar (eds.), The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Legal Challenges and Opportunities (Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing, 2008), pp. 253-75.

 

'Sir David Hughes Parry as Lawyer and Economist' (2007) 13 Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 193-212.

 

“An important obligation of citizenship: language, citizenship and jury service” (2007) 27 (2) Legal Studies 188-215

 

"Protecting the Juvenile Suspect: What Exactly is the Appropriate Adult Supposed to do?" (2006) 18 (3) Child and Family Law Quarterly 373-397

 

"Jury Service for All? Analysing Lawyers as Jurors" (2006) 23 (1) Journal of Criminal Law 163-179   

 

'Federalism and University Governance: Welsh Experiences in New Zealand", (2006) 23 (1) Welsh History Review 123-157

 

"A Master of Practical Law – Sir David Hughes Parry (1893-1973)" in T. G. Watkin (ed.), Y Cyfraniad Cymreig: Welsh Contributions to Legal Development (2005) 102-159

 

"The Languages of Evidence" [2004] Criminal Law Review 1015-1033

 

"Random Selection, Linguistic Rights and the Jury Trial in Wales" [2002] Criminal Law Review 805-816

 

Yn Gymraeg...

“Rheithgorau Dwyieithog: Penbleth Geltaidd?” (2011) Gwerddon.

 

Cyfrannwr i’r erthygl ar ‘Y Gyfraith’ yn Gwyddoniadur Cymru, (Caerdydd, Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2008).

 

"Y Gyfraith a Therfysgaeth", (2005) 507 Barn 16-17

 

"Beth yw Trosedd? Golwg ar yr Elfennau Sylfaenol.", (2004) 3 Cylchgrawn Cyfraith a Pholisi Cymru 223-236

 

"Geiriadur Newydd y Gyfraith", (2004) 3 Cylchgrawn Cyfraith a Pholisi Cymru 124-125

 

"Trosedd a Chosb ym Meirionydd yn y 1860au Cynnar - Tystiolaeth Cofnodion y Llys Chwarter" yn T. G. Watkin (gol.), The Trial of Dic Penderyn and Other Essays (2003) 77-109

 

"Hyrwyddo'r Gymraeg ym Myd y Gyfraith- Beth yw Cyfraniad Adrannau Cyfraith y Brifysgol?", (2002) 1 Cylchgrawn Cyfraith Cymru 387-395

 

"Hawl i Fyw a Hawl i Farw?", (2002) 472 Barn 24-25

 

"Yr Iaith Gymraeg a'r Tribiwnlys Apêl Cyflogaeth - ystyried y penderfyniad yn Williams v. Cowell", (2001) 1 Cylchgrawn Cyfraith Cymru 178-182

 

Papers

Recent papers include:

“David Hughes Parry- A Jurist in Society”, Lecture and Seminar at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, 19 October 2010.

 

“The Three Ages of Legal Scholarship in Wales”, Youard Lecture in Welsh Social and Legal History, Legal Wales Conference, Bangor University, 8 October 2010 (also presented at the Welsh Legal History Society Conference, Gregynog, 30 October 2010).

 

“Plus ça change...? Devolution, a Federal College and bilingual legal scholarship in Wales”, in, Bilingual Higher Education in the Legal Context: Experiences and Challenges, Oñati International Institute for the Sociology of Law, Basque Country, Spain, 27-28 May 2010

 

“Articles 4 & 5 ECRML: Existing obligations and regimes of protection”, in, Interpretation and Implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, University of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain, 22-23 February 2010

 

‘Sir David Hughes Parry’, Legal Biography Project, London School of Economics and Political Science, 4 November 2008.

 

‘Linguistic Diversity and Citizenship in Europe: Many were called but few were Chosen?’, in, Governance and Democratic Participation within Linguistic and National Minorities, University of Ottawa, 1-4 May 2008.

 

"Article 8 1.e. of the ECRML: the Challenge of Implementation", in, The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Legal Challenges and Opportunities, Swansea University, 21 November 2006

 

‘Sir David Hughes Parry as lawyer and economist’. Lecture to the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, The British Academy, London, 25 October 2006.

 

‘Bilingual Juries and the Implementation of Minority Language Rights: Three Jurisdictions Compared’, Conference of the International Academy of Linguistic Law, National University of Ireland, Galway, June 2006.

 

Other relevant activities

• Member of the Bar of England and Wales, and door tenant at Temple Chambers, 32 Park Place,  Cardiff
• Chair of the Law Panel of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol
• Member of the Academic Board of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol
• Member of the Standing Committee for Legal Wales
• Founding member and member of the executive committee of the Welsh Legal History Society.
• Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

 

Recent PhD Supervisions

Devolution, cultural and linguistic identity, regulating bilingualism.

I would welcome proposals or enquiries for research in areas compatible with my own research interests, and in particular minorities and international law, legal history and criminal justice (including, where appropriate, through the medium of Welsh).