Book launch: A History of Divorce Law

thumbnail_henry-kha_edmA History of Divorce Law: Reform in England from the Victorian to Interwar Years, authored by Dr Henry Kha, Senior Lecturer at Macquarie Law School, explores the rise of civil divorce in Victorian England, the subsequent operation of a fault system of divorce based solely on the ground of adultery, and the eventual piecemeal repeal of the Victorian-era divorce law during the Interwar years.

The book argues that only through understanding the legal doctrine in its wider cultural, political, religious, and social context is it possible to fully analyse and assess the changes brought about by the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857. The Act was a product of political and legal compromise between conservative forces resisting the legal introduction of civil divorce and the reformers, who demanded married women receive equal access to the grounds of divorce. Changing attitudes towards divorce that began in the Edwardian period led to a gradual rejection of Victorian moral values and the repeal of the Act after 80 years of existence in the Interwar years.

The book will be launched online via Zoom by Sir Mark Hedley, Former Judge of the High Court of Justice in England and Wales. Dr Henry Kha will give a presentation about his research. The book will be of particular interest for academics and researchers with an interest in legal history, family law, and Victorian studies.

When: Wednesday 14 April 2021
Time:
 6 pm – 7 pm
RSVP:
 Please RSVP for the Zoom link by emailing henry.kha@mq.edu.au

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