Middle Temple Historical Society | Annual General Meeting, Edmund Burke and his Legacy

Edmund Burke and his legacy

Professor Richard Bourke FBA, Professor of the History of Political Thought at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Kings College.

Edmund Burke was not only an Anglo-Irish parliamentarian, statesman, orator and political philosopher who still has some political influence, he was also a Middle Templar. His biographer, Professor Bourke, will challenge us to rethink his legacy.

Accessing the remote Event:

This remote event will take place online.  A link for the 'meeting room' will be sent by email between 12-24 hours before the scheduled start time.

It is preferable to join the event on a laptop, but if that’s not possible then use your phone/tablet. 

This event is free of charge and open to all Members.

Members of the Inn can book tickets online via the Inn Calendar. Non-Members may book by contacting the Treasury Office. 

Please note that bookings will close on Sunday 28 March 2021

Click here to see details of the QS Requirements and how to be credited with the QS for this session

Learning Outcomes:

After this session, students should be able to:

• Recognise the merits and limitations of the legacy of Edmund Burke and whether his thinking has any place in the pantheon of influences that inform current law-makers.
• Describe and identify how Burkean thinking has, and continues to influence Conservative approaches to the constitutional thinking in this jurisdiction and other jurisdictions across the globe, e.g., the United States of America.
• Understand how thinking of Burke on “natural rights” has informed the discourse around modern human rights that has now formed expression in the Human Rights Act
• Analyse the Burkean notion of “sovereignty” in its traditional understanding by contrasting it with some of the notions of sovereignty that emerged during the Brexit referendum.

Links to the Professional Statement, wider workings of the Bar, administration of justice or a public interest matter

The QS will align with these elements of the Professional Statement: 

• 1.5
  • (a) (b) (g) (h) (i) (l) (m)

Click here to view the BSB's Professional Statement

If you have questions about accessibility at the Inn or if you would like to request support, please email Laura Hacon.

The Inn is committed to improving access to all its services and encourages members to get in touch with suggestions and feedback on how we can improve. If you feel your experience using the website or attending one of our events could be improved, please email Laura. Your suggestions will be treated in the strictest confidence.