Sextonism is a neologism coined by Brian Leiter to describe the following phenomenon:
... a disease familiar to law faculty, in which a good school suddenly lapses in to uncontrolled and utterly laughable hyperbole in describing its faculty and accomplishments to its professional peers. The NYU alumni magazine, which was sent to all law faculty nationwide, was so plagued by Sextonism that a Stanford professor memorably dubbed it "law porn."
Today's mail brings from Boston College what surely must be the ultimate in law porn: A hardback book collecting recent faculty scholarship:
In this pioneering book, Cunningham arranges selected contributions of his faculty?s scholarship into a meditation upon justice. The book weaves a combination of theory and practice to articulate moral and ethical values that facilitate rational application of law. It envisions legal arrangements imbued with commitments of the Jesuit tradition, including the dignity of persons, the common good and compassion for the poor. This reflective collection of inquiry evokes a signature motif of the BC faculty in dozens of different legal subjects. (Link)
You can even buy it on Amazon. I like and respect a lot of the folks at BC, especially its leadership, so I say this with all good intentions and affection: Enough already!
