Theory of Legal Personhood

Who or what is a 'person' according to the law? How did this understanding of personhood come about? In the twenty-first century environmentalism animal rights artificial intelligence and corporate personhood have compelled us to consider these questions once again. Legal personhood is a foundational concept of Western legal thought and <em>A Theory of Legal Personhood</em> seeks to go beyond contemporary debates challenging our very understanding of legal personhood itself. <p/>Drawing on extensive research scholarship legislation and court cases from around the globe this book offers readers -- with or without previous knowledge -- new insights into legal personhood. It scrutinizes how personhood came to be understood synonymously with the holding of legal rights. It then posits that a better understanding of legal personhood is as a cluster property. Finally it applies this new theory to explain and structure the numerous debates surrounding legal personhood.<br>