Raymond Wacks
Encyclopedia
Raymond Wacks is Emeritus Professor
of Law and Legal Theory
at the University of Hong Kong
where he was Head of the Department of Law from 1986 to 1993. He was previously Professor of Public Law at the University of Natal, Durban. He has lived in Italy since taking early retirement in 2001.
Educated at the University of the Witwatersrand
, the London School of Economics
, and University College, Oxford
, his major areas of expertise are legal theory, and human rights
, in particular the protection of privacy on which he is a leading international authority. In 1997 a higher doctorate in law (LLD) was conferred on him by the University of London for his publications on privacy and legal theory.
Professor Wacks’ has authored or edited more than twenty books and numerous articles. His major works in the field of privacy include: The Protection of Privacy published in 1980 by Sweet & Maxwell
, Personal Information: Privacy and the Law, published in 1989 by Oxford University Press, Privacy, a two-volume collection of essays published in 1993 by Dartmouth, London and New York University
Press, and Privacy and Press Freedom published by Blackstone Press, London in 1995. Professor Wacks is a former chairman of the committee of the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong
that examined this subject, and was a member of the statutory Personal Data (Privacy) Advisory Committee.
The second edition of his Understanding Jurisprudence: An Introduction to Legal Theory was published by Oxford University Press in February 2009. The third edition will appear in February 2012. In 2006, Oxford University Press published his Philosophy of Law: A Very Short Introduction (currently being translated into Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Icelandic, and Georgian), in 2008, his second book in this series, Law: A Very Short Introduction appeared, and in 2010, a third, Privacy: A Very Short Introduction was published.
In addition to publishing articles and books on these subjects, he has edited a number of collections of essays on various aspects of Hong Kong law, including Civil Liberties in Hong Kong, The Future of the Law in Hong Kong, The Law in Hong Kong 1969-1989, and Human Rights in Hong Kong (all published by Oxford University Press
), Hong Kong, China, and 1997: Essays in Legal Theory, and The New Legal Order in Hong Kong published by Hong Kong University Press. A collection of his writings, Law, Morality, and the Private Domain was published by Hong Kong University Press in 2000.
Professor Wacks has also written numerous articles on aspects of Hong Kong's legal system, including questions raised by the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, especially the judicial function and the problems of legal continuity after 1997. He was for several years editor of the Hong Kong Law Journal, and presented the RTHK television and radio programme, The Week in Politics.
His first novel, White Lies, set in the 1960s in South Africa, was published in November 2010.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Law and Legal Theory
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
at the University of Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. Its motto is "Sapientia et Virtus" in Latin, meaning "wisdom and virtue", and "" in Chinese...
where he was Head of the Department of Law from 1986 to 1993. He was previously Professor of Public Law at the University of Natal, Durban. He has lived in Italy since taking early retirement in 2001.
Educated at the University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
, the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, and University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
, his major areas of expertise are legal theory, and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, in particular the protection of privacy on which he is a leading international authority. In 1997 a higher doctorate in law (LLD) was conferred on him by the University of London for his publications on privacy and legal theory.
Professor Wacks’ has authored or edited more than twenty books and numerous articles. His major works in the field of privacy include: The Protection of Privacy published in 1980 by Sweet & Maxwell
Sweet & Maxwell
Sweet & Maxwell is a British publisher specialising in legal publications. It joined the Associated Book Publishers in 1969; ABP was purchased by the Thomson Organization in 1987, and is now part of Thomson Reuters. Its British group includes W. Green in Scotland and Round Hall in Ireland...
, Personal Information: Privacy and the Law, published in 1989 by Oxford University Press, Privacy, a two-volume collection of essays published in 1993 by Dartmouth, London and New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
Press, and Privacy and Press Freedom published by Blackstone Press, London in 1995. Professor Wacks is a former chairman of the committee of the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
that examined this subject, and was a member of the statutory Personal Data (Privacy) Advisory Committee.
The second edition of his Understanding Jurisprudence: An Introduction to Legal Theory was published by Oxford University Press in February 2009. The third edition will appear in February 2012. In 2006, Oxford University Press published his Philosophy of Law: A Very Short Introduction (currently being translated into Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Icelandic, and Georgian), in 2008, his second book in this series, Law: A Very Short Introduction appeared, and in 2010, a third, Privacy: A Very Short Introduction was published.
In addition to publishing articles and books on these subjects, he has edited a number of collections of essays on various aspects of Hong Kong law, including Civil Liberties in Hong Kong, The Future of the Law in Hong Kong, The Law in Hong Kong 1969-1989, and Human Rights in Hong Kong (all published by Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
), Hong Kong, China, and 1997: Essays in Legal Theory, and The New Legal Order in Hong Kong published by Hong Kong University Press. A collection of his writings, Law, Morality, and the Private Domain was published by Hong Kong University Press in 2000.
Professor Wacks has also written numerous articles on aspects of Hong Kong's legal system, including questions raised by the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, especially the judicial function and the problems of legal continuity after 1997. He was for several years editor of the Hong Kong Law Journal, and presented the RTHK television and radio programme, The Week in Politics.
His first novel, White Lies, set in the 1960s in South Africa, was published in November 2010.