History at the Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference

The 23rd Annual Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference, to be held October 14–16, 2026, in London, England, has at least two session of interest to legal historians.Roman, English, and Other Legacies: The Role of History in Property LawMore than other areas of basic private law, property draws upon and reflects historical sources and practices in a wide range of contexts and applications.  This panel will explore how and why historical considerations shape contemporary property law.  Discussion will address the uses and limits of historical analysis in property theory and doctrine, including questions about continuity, adaptation, and divergence. The panel will also consider how appeals to history inform present-day debates about ownership, authority, and the evolution of property institutions.Of Locke, Bentham, and Blackstone: English Contributions to Property’s Philosophical FoundationsThis panel will discuss normative justifications for property law, with a special emphasis on the contributions of major English theorists.  It will explore how themes of labor, productivity, security, and legal order have shaped enduring understandings of ownership and its moral underpinnings.  The discussion will consider the continuing influence of writers like Locke, Bentham, and Blackstone on contemporary property theory, as well as the tensions among their approaches.--Dan Ernst